Is a Food Processor Right For You?
As any cook can attest, manually chopping, dicing, slicing, shredding, mixing, and grinding can be time consuming and messy. For this reason, investing in a food processor can be a great way to save time, and take the grunt work out of preparing favorite dishes such as salsa, chicken salad, purees, guacamole, sauces, and such.
A food processor works similar to a blender in that it uses on a motor to operate, and blades to change the shape and texture of food. But unlike a blender, a compact processor requires little to no liquid for the blades to move food around. This countertop kitchen appliance uses interchangeable blades to do a number of tasks that blenders are not capable of tackling.
Compact processors are designed with a base that houses the motor; a shaft to hold the blades securely in place; a bowl where the food is placed and processed; and a lid and feeder tube to keep food from splattering all over, and also to allow you to safely add ingredients while the machine is processing other foods.
The blades on food processors are sharp, and they spin at a rapid pace. For this reason, safety features are added to keep this kitchen appliance from turning on if the parts are not assembled properly. But even with these safety features, food processors should always be unplugged before removing and replacing blades, and also when they're not being used. Kids should never be allowed to operate food processors because their small hands can easily get caught in the feeder tube and result in serious injuries.
They typically come in three sizes - mini, full, and compact - so there is sure to be one out there to suit your cooking needs. Mini-food processors hold two to five cups. This type of processor is perfect for small jobs, and kitchens with minimal counter space.
Compact processors hold five to seven cups, so this type of kitchen appliance is perfect for everyday meal preparation for families. But if you are a hard-core cook, love to entertain, and frequently prepare meals for large groups, a mini or compact food processor just won't do. For jobs of this magnitude, you need to invest in a full-sized food processor that can hold up to 13 cups, and withstand the wear and tear of bulk cooking.
A simple food processor can cost as little as $30.00 - and a quality, heavy duty one can easily run two to three-hundred bucks. But just like anything else in life, you get what you pay for. So if you plan to put a lot of mileage on your machine, don't skimp on quality. If you need more variety, expensive compact processor models have additional attachments you can purchase separately to perform tasks such as julienning, juicing, whipping, and kneading dough.
Why bother with the taxing chore of chopping, slicing, grinding, and dicing foods by hand when a food processor can make this task much easier, and dramatically slash your kitchen time?
Zeeman Haus enjoys writing articles online on a variety of subjects. You can check out his latest website on Slicer Meat which discusses various meat slicers on the market and which one might be an option for you and your family.