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The best food processors for chopping, slicing and blending
If there’s one device that can help you in the kitchen above all others, it’s the food processor. Where blenders mash and mix and juicers, well, juice, a food processor can chop, slice, mix, blend, mince, emulsify and even knead bread.
Most food processors enable you to slice veg far faster than you could with a knife, whizz herbs for a garnish or mix a delicious dip in seconds. Some, but not all, offer whisking components or larger bowls for greater quantities. If you don’t need those, or will only be whipping up small portions, a smaller food processor will suffice.
I asked top chefs to recommend the best processors and tested the newest models at home. You can read my full reviews below, followed by answers to all your food processor FAQs. But if you’re in a hurry, here’s a quick look at my top five:
The best food processors of 2026: At a glance
How to choose a food processor
I’m drawing on my own experience as a former editor at Telegraph Food, with special insights from Chef Adria Wu, founder of Maple & Co, to advise you how to choose a food processor.
Special features
Chef Wu uses her food processor to make everything from nut butter to salad dressings and even baby food purées. “Food processors allow you to control the speed and therefore texture, reducing the need to hand chop,” she explains. “I use the pulse function a lot. Just be mindful that processors below £50 probably won’t last long.”
Size
If you’re cooking solo or for small households (and if you are, check out our guide to the best recipe boxes), or if you’re just using your food processor for chopping veg, then you won’t need much more than the Kenwood MultiPro Go. With a capacity of 1.3 litres, it’s not the biggest on the market, but it does a brilliant job.
If you’re regularly making big batches of food for families, or something like a coleslaw for a barbecue, then you’ll want a larger device of around three litre capacity, much like the Magimix.
Core functions
When choosing a food processor, you should consider capacity, pulse function, speed, attachments and whether or not the parts are dishwasher-safe. You might want to consider the weight of the base of your food processor and how much space it will take up on your counter top.
