DIY Network

Buying Food Processors Tips on buying food processors From "Home Made Easy" episode DHME-106

Guest Carolyn Forte, Good Housekeeping Institute's home care director, joins host Stephanie Lydecker and shares great tips on buying food processors.

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	Guest Carolyn Forte shares tips on food processors.
	Figure A
	Figure B
	Figure C

Buying a Food Processor

• There are many uses for food processors. They shred cabbage, slice veggies, grate cheese, chop parsley, make mayonnaise and much more. Keep in mind, a food processor will do these cooking tasks in a fraction of the time it takes to do them by hand.

• All food processors come with a clear plastic bowl that will lock into the base (that houses the motor), a lid with a feed tube for adding ingredients to the work bowl while the machine is running, an S-shaped blade (figure A) for chopping, and an assortment of discs for slicing and shredding.

• Food processors are available in three sizes: full size, which are the most versatile, midsize which are perfect for the average home cook (figure B), and mini-processors which are handy for small chopping jobs like parsley or garlic cloves. The recommended size for the large processors are ones that will hold 9 to 11 cups.

• Look for a processor where the bowl and blade sit on top of the motor.

• Look for a feed tube with the diameter you want. If you want a whole tomato to fit through the tube, go with a processor with a large tube. A processor with a second slender tube will hold narrow foods like celery or carrots. The bases of some feed tubes have pinholes for steady drips of oil for making dressings, etc.

• Look for a pulse switch. This turns the food processor on and off and it is necessary for certain things like making pie dough.

• The machine should carry a UL (Underwriters Laboratories) mark. This will let you know that the food processor is safe to use.

• Weight--The food processor should be heavy enough to stay in place while operating, but light enough to lift to move around and store.

• Capacity--Full-size processors hold about nine cups of dry ingredients. The liquid capacity will be about half that. Filling the bowl above the level of the blade housing may cause leakage while running the machine.

• Power--Wattage is just one component in how powerful the food processor is. There is no way to tell how powerful it will be by looking at it, usually, the more expensive, the more power it will have. Generally they range from 450 to 900 watts.

• Speed--Full and midsize come with a single speed and pulse feature (figure C) and some come with multiple speeds.

• Cleaning and Noise--Touch pad controls offer ease of cleaning. Look for one with a base with smooth lines and no crevices that will collect food particles. Almost all food processor parts are dishwasher safe, except the motor base of course. The tough parts to clean are the hollow shafts of the blades, where bacteria can grow. Just soak it in a bowl of water with a little bleach every once in a while for sanitation reasons. Yes, food processors can be noisy, but they usually only run for a short period of time. The noise level won't become that big of a deal. That being said, some brands are quieter than others, once again, these tend to be the most expensive, higher-end models.

• Additional Attachments--Some models come with a mini-bowl and mini-blade that fit inside the larger bowl for smaller jobs. There is also a shorter, stainless steel blade, designed for mixing yeast dough. There are circular slicing and shredding discs that will produce slices or shreds of different thickness. Julienne cutting discs are even available. The attachments for whipped cream and egg whites are good, but you are better off with a handheld mixer. Some food processors even have attachments that attach to the motor base and operate as juicers and extractors.

GUESTS :

Carolyn Forte
Home Care Director
Good Housekeeping Institute
E-mail: cforte@hearst.com
Website: www.goodhousekeeping.com