Side by Side Comparison of: Cuisinart vs Black & Decker

My mini processor that I had for 20 years was still working but someone at my house misplaced one of the parts...so I look at all the reviews and decide to go with this little Cuisinart. It is great and holds a little more than my other one did so that is a real plus. It is loud though. Maybe even louder than my old B&D one. That won't stop me from using it but I am now considering ear protection for using this and also my Vitamix as it is very loud as well.I also own a Cuisinart full size processor for much bigger jobs and love it too.

I've been using my HUGE cuisinart food processor for 30 years. I am SO GLAD I bought this little one! Clean up is a BREEZE! The old one I felt defeated before I even started because I knew what a hassle it was going to be to clean. I still use it for bigger jobs - but I just made mung sprout paste in the little one and everything was SO SIMPLE! Thank you!

This is my second Cuisinart Mini food processor. My first one served me well for 7 years with heavy use , so I went right out and purchased, another - this one! They are tough little choppers and truly my favorite kitchen gadget. I use several times per week. This one has a little bigger bowl than my first one did which I really like. It's a great size when cooking for 2-4 people.

Excellent little machine. I purchased for my elderly mother who has a parakeet she feeds lettuce to. Well she was spending at least a half to one hour had cutting the lettuce with scissors for him. This Cuisinart Mini-Prep took care of that for her. Just would remind those purchasing the blade is very sharp and easy to cut your fingers on. Take care when cleaning.

I have had a very small Black and Decker chopper for probably 20 years and loved it. Used it for shopping up celery and onion for tuna and egg salads, and once, when really craving coleslaw, I used it to grind the cabbage. It worked fine, but it took a LOT of grinding batches!I used to have a full sized food processor, but got rid of it. It was too big for my small kitchen and I usually only had tiny jobs for it. I got a Mandolin for the slicing jobs, a sturdy, hand-held cheese grater for that job, and now I wanted a mid-sized chopper. Something in which I could grind cabbage for 'Chick-fil-a' style slaw, or just chop a stalk of celery. And this is IT!The body is plastic, and yes, its lightweight, but I promise not to throw it around.The canister is roomy, the lid seats easily, and the blades do a superior job compared to my trusty old B&D.

I really like this mini food processor. I have a larger Cuisinart food processor as well, but since I am single I thought this smaller one would be a good choice for me. It is small enough that it minces garlic or ginger well and is a lot easier to use for that than my garlic press or mini-grater for this purpose. I do a lot of ethnic cooking and like to use whole spices like nutmeg, cumin seeds, szechuan peppers, ect., grinding them as I need them. Although I don't believe this food processor was intended for that, I found it does it well. I love the fact that the blade will go both directions, one to chop and the other to grind. I can't tell any real difference in the results by using just one or the other method, but using the processor both ways does an excellent job of evenly processing all the spices. When I use it for tomatoes and onions, it chops from coarse to fine depending on how long I hold the button. It gives pretty good control over being able to control how coarse or fine you want the results to be. Again, I doubt if it was intended for this, but it works well as a blender as well. It works excellent in making dips like hummus by just adding all the ingredients at once. Again, using the blade in both directions helps giving excellent results.The bowl, blade, and top are much easier to clean than my larger processor. I use this processor almost daily and hardly ever use my larger processor any more. I have taken the larger processor off my counter and it has given me more counter space. I really like the Cuisinart brand as it is always (except for a teakettle I purchased) well made and high quality. I have learned to trust the brand and at this price, the Cuisinart Mini Prep Plus Food Processor is an excellent buy.

I recommend this processor. It perfect for me and at such a great price. Bowl is sturdier, thicker than my last Black & Decker (which was thin and flimsy, didn't l last long). A thumbs up!

This is my second food processor, so I can't compare it to many others, but it's WAY better than my first one. My first one was a joke compared to this. This is a real food processor and it's ridiculously cheap for how well it works. Although my first one stopped working after the first time using it, Amazon was quick to replace it at no charge. I'm pretty sure it came in one day rather than 2 and I still have plenty of time on my end to return the first one. My second one seems to be working how it's supposed to. I've made pesto, mayo, ketchup, and marinara in this and they've all been the perfect consistency. Highly recommend this food processor! (It is a little loud, but it doesn't bother me)

Works super, easy to assemble, easy to clean, holds fast to countertop, price was great, prompt shipment

I've been looking for the right one for a while and at a reasonable price, this is perfect. Couldn't have picked a better one or a better deal! It's large and works well for any chopping processing recipe I need. Top rack dishwasher safe and tucked away on my bakers rack until next use. Great investment if you have arthritis or any chronic pain issues. This saves a lot of time for larger or complex recipes especially

It's a little tricky to figure out how to assemble it, but once you get used to it, this item is excellent in terms of performance and noise level. Love it!

For this price, this little processor is amazing. Not too small, but definitely not bulky, this is a powerful machine, easy to clean, and gets the job done.Pros: easy to disassemble for cleaning, wide-mouthed container fits everything I've needed it to, suction cups (though sometimes annoying for moving it) keep it from jumping aroundCons: A bit loud (though, it's a food processor though, so really what else would you expect?), only has two settings: on and pulse- which work for me, but if you're looking for something you can fine-tune, this is not it.Overall- love it, it's been a great purchase.

Just arrived yesterday,and used today. First task was to puree some fresh tomatoes for chili. Did an excellent job. Then it was used to "chip" a couple of cooked burger patties for that same pot of chili....again, it performed quite well. The design seems to be very good. One very important thing for me is that I am single, and tend to prepare smaller amounts. And having owned a full sized processor for many years, I know that they require a minimum amount of food to work properly. This little guy is just the right size for my smaller portions.Of course I can't speak to longevity, but out-of-the-box, and first two jobs I'm very happy.

Chewy is 12 years old and loosing his back teeth so I use it to grind up his hard dog food. It does a good job with no strain on the motor. I had the smaller model and it would shut off but come back on in a while. For safety reasons , I guess. I can double the amount with the bigger one.

I use it to puree baby's food even though the only options are "chop" and "grind". Works very well, but it is extremely loud. Louder than my blender. It is easy to clean, though and very good quality. Haven't had problems with it regardless of how used it is.

I bought this for recipes where I only need to process a handful of ingredients. Most of what you're chopping gets stuck to the bottom and the sides, away from the blades, where it won't get chopped any further. I'm wondering if this is really much better than just using the big processor. With that said, it seems well built.

This is a great processor. The reverse feature is unique and very useful when trying to get to stuck food. BUT, I just bought the Kitchenaid 3.5 cup processor and it does a much more complete job of pureeing food. In fact it liquefies my mix of kale, spinach, tomato, onion, garlic and bell pepper. I've switched from blenders and juicers to small food processors because: they are easier to clean. smaller to store, and easier to visualize portion size. I eat a stew of vegetables as opposed to a blend of vegetables and fruit. Because I got tired of the sweet taste, and what I want to eat for my health are green leafy vegetables. Don't need the sugar in the fruit (and I lost my taste for it). Blenders and especially juicers take FOREVER to clean - way too much time. This stores in my dish rack using hardly any space. it cleans exponentially faster and the best part costs under $40. My juicer cost $300 and my blender cost $250. They are now collecting dust. With e.coli becoming prevalent it is important to be able to completely disinfect food processors. Again this type of unit has no screens, no filters and less little nooks and grannies than a blender and especially a juicer. I bought this unit because of reviews here. The Kitchenaid 3.5 cup unit is frequently compared to it here. The Cuisinart Mini Prep just does not liquefy. I can always find small pieces in the mix even after letting it rip for a long, long time. The Kitchenaid 3.5 cup unit liquefies - no chunks. It works almost as well as a high end blender. The goal with blending is to liquefy, mostly because most people don't take the time to chew and so food passes through whole without imparting nutrition. The Cuisinart does not liquefy - the Kitchenaid does. The Kitchenaid has larger, better designed blades, more power, a little more space, and a thicker plastic bowel. What the Cuisinart might do better is chop nuts. That is what the reverse feature is for. But that's not what "I" need it to do. My Cuisinart is a good appliance and I have it as a backup. But for those of you looking for pureeing, the Kitchenaid kills it.

UPDATE - 7 WEEKS LATER: This chopper (processor) has worked great. I've used it more often then expected and with more items to process. Besides carrots, onions, celery, pickles (is pickle a veggie?), broccoli and so on, I've used it chopping apples and also chopping/grinding cookies (Oreos, choc chip cookies) to create toppings for cakes, pies and even a yogurt topping. Of course with many items like cookies or apples, you need to break them down into smaller pieces and don't fill the container more then 1/3 high (also, OK for the cookies to come from the fridge but apples should be room temperature before processing).So...I give this processor a very strong 4 of 5 stars. My concerns remain the thin plastic container and flimsy lid (design) will not sustain heavy use.It works as described but I don't expect it to last beyond 24 months. The body, where the motor and two control buttons are seems sturdy. Aesthetically, it's more high-shine, chrome-like then a brushed stainless steel (not to my liking but I'll make a compromise for functionality). Where my concerns are is with the cup and the lid. Both are made of a thin plastic. While I consider my usage of this processor to be minimal (4x/month chopping baby carrots, celery and similar veggies), I don't think the cup or lid would withstand more use. Also, the tongue on the lid that when placed to allow the processor to turn on is also of thin plastic. If you drop it on the floor or tap it against another appliance or counter top, there's a chance it will chip or break off, resulting in turning your processor into a kitchen paperweight (it will not function).Bottom line: Good processor (blade is OK) with a thin plastic cup and lid that may not be suitable for excessive use.

I like this product and you get what you pay for. It has suction cup feet so it does not move around the chops on here are a little rough but again it's a cheap price so it's a good product for the price

I got this to replace a small blender attachment food processor when it broke. Sometimes I don't want to haul out the much larger Cuisinart with all the attachments. The Black and Decker is a terrific value for the price. The motor feels very powerful, although it's a little loud. The parts and controls are very simple, so you don't have variable speeds, but it has a pulse button and does what it does very well. It's nice to have the grate and slice attachment, I immediately made a batch of guacamole and one of pesto, and they turned out great.

Great little unit. I wish the bucket was bigger but it works excellently. I only remove a star because the unit consistently has a hot plastic smell while its in use that hasn't faded. It does not seem to affect the unit and it doesn't get hot anywhere i can touch. It works well for fruit , veggies, sauces, whatever fits inside really. I think for the price its great for starting kitchens. Remember to pop the center out of the bucket when cleaning because little bits get stuck down there.

This inexpensive food processor works just fine for me. I don't use a processor all the time so I didn't opt for the high priced ones with all the bells and whistles. This Black and Decker does everything that I need done for a fraction of what I could have spent on one of those. But, let's face it, it is what it, no frills. It is loud and basic. But it beats doing food prep by hand for me.

This honestly scared me the first time I tried it because it was so loud. After the initial shock, I noticed that it does a pretty good job. The reservoir is very large, but you might have to open the lid to mix up the food so it doesn't get too blended on the bottom. Also, the cord is extremely short, that may be an issue for some. Overall, it does a better job than I can by hand and saves me time.

Read the instructions before using. Their is a particular way and order you must adhere to to get it working. The bowl handle must be aligned just so then locked into running position before placing the lid on and locking it into place so that you can run the motor. I'm not one for reading instruction manuals and at first I thought it was a defective product. Besides the initial learning curve of how to get it running, once I did I must say I was very pleased with it. It is a bit noisy though.

Works OK. I had a Kitchen aid that lasted a long time that seemed to have much more power and was much better at getting the food down into the chopping blade. I always seem to be having to dig out pieces of food and chop it into smaller pieces to get it chopped in this thing. Container is OK, but seems a little thin and getting the lid on and into the safety catch at the back can take a few tries because it feels is a little sticky.

Not as sturdy as I thought.

I've owned this little mini-prep food processor since 2010. I was a great little workhorse until the metal blade started to split away from its plastic housing over the past year. Also, the little motor smells "electrical" whenever I use it for more than a couple of seconds at a time. On the plus side, the plastic bowl and lid did clean up nicely in the dishwasher. I'm looking for another mini-prep food processor but won't likely buy this one again.

Great for small batches of things that don't work well in my large, narrow-bottomed blender. Kind of hazardous to clean the blades, but probably the case with any food processor. Handy small holes at top for adding oil/liquid (like for pesto). Materials seem somewhat flimsy, will see how it holds up. Very handy size, when not using it, I stick it back in the box and fits in cupboard.Update: a year later, this thing is still going strong. I use it constantly for hummus, sauces, homemade 'Lara Bar" snacks, chopping onions/peppers/celery..... A great and powerful small capacity tool.Update number 2: Well, just after the 1-year mark, the plastic inner part of the blade stripped away so that the motor runs and the blade doesn't spin. Replacement blade costs almost as much as new machine, so I'm going to upgrade to a full size processor. Good while it lasted, downgraded to 3 stars.

I finally decided to get one of these being tired of having slicing onions and carrots. I really know nothing about food processors as I've never had one before and I was expecting good things. What I did not realize is that all this particular machine does is mush things up. It doesn't chop, it just pulverizes. I'm now considering buying the large food processor with adjustable slicer, because to me, that is the most important reason why I would want one of these. So if you're expecting your food to be sliced, this is completely the wrong food processor to do that.

The Cuisinart 4-Cup Mini Prep is great for simple light-weight jobs like making salad dressing and chopping onions, but when I use it with heavier foods (like cooked spinach) I can smell the motor burning. So to avoid motor burnout, I no longer use the Mini Prep to process even small quantities of high-density foods - a use limitation I hadn't anticipated.Regarding capacity, keep in mind that although the total volume held by the work bowl is 4 cups, you really can't work in batches much over 2 cups (less for dry items). If you exceed the batch limit, you'll end up with a result that is over processed on the bottom and untouched on the top. The user manual also advises that to avoid motor strain, the work bowl should never be filled more than two-thirds the way up the blade assembly column. So in practice, the 4-cup work bowl translates to a best-case maximum of 2 cups end product.I'd also like to point out that the motor casing for the Cuisinart Mini Prep listed here (model DLC-4CHB) is plastic with a faux stainless steel finish. When I bought this product, I inferred from the item title that the casing was constructed of stainless steel. But if you look closely at the detailed item description, you'll see (as I discovered only after purchase!) that the construction is plastic made to look like stainless steel. And the plastic is pretty flimsy at that, so just be aware of what you are buying.Bottom line: Would I buy this Mini Prep again? Probably not. For my needs, I think I'd look for something sturdier and more versatile. Do I think the Mini Prep is a complete train wreck? No, I use it for what it's worth at least 4 times a week and I appreciate how easy it is to clean. The important thing is to have a firm idea of how you want to use the Mini Prep prior to purchasing one. Want small batches of pesto, salsa or chopped onion? You're good to go. Want to make smoothies or process heavy and dense foods? You'll need to look for something with greater capacity and a stronger motor.One final note on a lesson I learned the hard way...if when using the Mini Prep you consistently end up with onions that are pureed not chopped or nuts that are pulverized to dust, try alternating pulses between the Chop and Grind buttons. Alternating the two buttons moves the food around the work bowl for a more even result.

I am very satisfied with this product with one exception. I didn't realize when I bought it that I couldn't let it run for extended periods of time (like 5 min straight). The instructions say to only run it for 1 or 2 minutes (I don't remember exactly how long) before giving it a break. When I tried running it for longer than 1 min, there was a burning type of smell.

I guess I got what I paid for. Not near the quality of the Hamilton Beach I had for over 20 years, of course nothing is made to last anymore. There is a 1/2 inch space between shoot and outside edge that catches cheese and veggies when shredding. End up using a knife to dislodge. Other than that one design flaw, it is working as well as a light weight processor is expected to.

This does the job of a food processor, no surprises there. However, it is extremely loud when on. TOO loud to the point where my ears hurt.I actually do not want to use it because it is THAT loud. Perhaps I should invest in some ear plugs when using it, especially since it's so cheap?? Seriously considering it now. If you have sensitive ears, stay clear!

This is a powerful unit for the price point, and it gets the job done.However, it's extremely loud. Any food processor is going to be loud, but this one is deafening. It's also hard to clean due to the shape of the bowl and position of the opening at the top. Storage is also a royal pain because the pieces can't all fit inside the bowl when not in use. For $28 it's not bad, but you get what you pay for.

Worked for about a year or so. It was alright. Did what it was supposed to do. But, then the piece that holds the grating blade broke while I was grating cheese. I didn't pay that much for it, and I guess I got my money's worth out of it. Next time, though, I will spend a little more for a stronger built food processor.

Bought one in Feb 14, and in 5 months it was broken. The plastic octagonal assembly that holds the slicer/shredder blade broke and sent the spinning blade sideways in the bowl, marring the housing. I was shredding zucchini, so it was not anything hard. Called B&D and was told parts were on backorder, but for $7.50 shipping they could send me a new unit. I argued it is still under warranty and they reluctantly waived the fee.We will see how long the replacement lasts.Other posters are correct, the lid is hard to clean. Food gets stuck between the feed slot and you have to use a thin knife to pry them out.

The Mini-Prep works great to chop and grind food, but is very loud as some reviewers have pointed out and I find myself not using it as much as I would otherwise. The cover and base are reversed from normal containers, so I find myself trying to open it and find it needs to go in the opposite direction. Normally to remove a cover or base, one would turn to the left or counter clock wise, this one moves in the opposite direction. Most people open and close containers, jars, etc without thinking and this one requires you to do so in reverse. Fits great in small spaces and works good when you don't feel like cleaning a large food processor.

It's the right size, and it does it's job, but it is insanely loud at an especially annoying frequency. Device can readily be re-purposed for warning of tsunami's. A true dual purpose device, but I shouldn't need hearing protection with a kitchen appliance!

Terribly noisy, all plastic, not like my old one.

The container doesn't stay put. When ON you have to hold it otherwise it doesn't work.We ve been using it for 6 months

Ended up returning this, did not feel we got the quality we paid for, had a very high-pitched loud motor while operating sent it back within weeks of trying it out. This seems to be the kind of product you really should buy at your local stores, there are too many features, possibilities of workmanship or lack of that you will never know until you get it home and I find it much easier to buy these locally.

The bowl broke and cracked after 6 mos of daily use for clients. I bought waring pro chopper and that lasted for 3 yrs. but the other day I ordered 2 extra bowls bc they might crack after using 4x/day for clients and dish washer.

I was some what disappointed in the fact that when I recd the product I found I am missing the top lid that you put your food in to process it. How do I go about ordering the lid ?????

It's a tad bit too aggressive for my needs. VERY LOUD. I thought the suction cups on the bottom would be useful, but they actually work too well and make it very difficult to pull out of storage. I can only use it when I'm cooking on my own because of how loud it is.

extremely noisy and has just 1 speed which is deafening in puree status. Difficult to take apart before emptying contents. for the price it certainly does the job but for an item I would use very often this is not acceptable. However the price is great for what it is.

Head up: This machine is SUPER LOUD!! using it at night... your neighbors may take issue.. (true story:))The blades do not connect/disconnect easily.We bought it for minimal use, it kinda gets the job done though not well. Fine chopping/blending requires patience (Ear plugs) multiple stirs and shakes etc. to get the job done.Don't recommend to frequent use

I am extremely disappointed with this food processor. First of all it holds only 6-cups at the fill line, not 8. The design is terrible. The blades can barely process something as soft as beans for hummus. It's just a question of when it will break and I'll buy a better one. I will say that the suctions cups on the bottom work so well I can barely pull it off the counter.

I'm not kidding when I say it's louder than my 5.7L hemi. When I first turned it on the cat darted out of the room and my girlfriend covered her ears. I quickly dropped in a carrot and some other vegetables which it sliced evenly and quickly. I quickly shut it off and haven't used it since. I'm in awe at how loud this is. I can't believe they sell this product without earplugs and a decibel warning sticker. I've heard quieter trains.

IT'S PRETTY, but a really crappy chopper! You pretty much have to cut up everything into tiny pieces before you put it into the chopper and truly, isn't that the point of a chopper? I used this to replace an OLD Oster chopper that came with my blender that had to be over 20 years old. Just as small as this one but it was a beast with chopping! Needless to say, going back to Oster brand!

Size is too small to be able to do anything in it BECAUSE you can only fill it half way otherwise it will start poring out the minute you press either button. Does not work well for what I wanted it (grind seeds and raw oatmeal) or make homemade sauces (I'm vegan, therefore I don't buy anything prepped up, I tend to do everything at home). The only thing I could more or less use this for was hummus, but even then your hummus needs to be on the thicker side to be able to keep it from poring all over the place. Nothing even midly liquid is worth even trying to make here. You are better off with a blender (and that says a lot). The machine is also quite noisy and I had to maintain my hand on the lid most times to avoid too much of a mess. And before anyone goes around saying I didn't secured it, I did! The plastic bowl was secured, the blade was secured, the lid was secured and the entire container was secured onto the slot. It just simply spills, period!

It is super noisy! I should listen to the people who reviewed its before regarding the noisy problem! I ordered it few months ago, but I did not use it until last week when my baby is ready for solid food. Every time,when I use it, the noisy made my baby cry because it is too lound!

Worked sporadically once then quit but out of the return period.Ripoff!

The food processor looks good and it's easy to clean, but when we used it, it smelled like burned plastic and it started smoking. It seems like it's made of cheap materials. Amazon sent us a replacement that made even more smoke. We got a refund but what a waste of time for us and what a waste of resources.

I purchased this processors because of the reviews posted. After receiving my product ,I immediately proceeded to make a batch of pesto.My cheese and nuts used had been ground up prior. Upon adding oil and fresh basil leaves I started up this unit. I patiently turned the machineon and off hoping for a finished that was of a creamy texture. This process tuned out to be a lesson of futility. No matter how many times Iground my ingredients, the outcome remained a a chewy, grassy consistency. Now come on REALLY, this machine can't even grind up freshbasil leaves and yes I did not use any more leaves than was recommended in their brochure . After further reading their recommended proceduresI found that even said that butter had cut up into 1 in. pieces. What is the purpose of having a processor if it will not grind up butter withoutchopping it up in the first place? Also upon further review before chopping :celery-3/4 in.,onions 3/4 in. and other items to a size that I might aswell not bother dirty up this useless piece of machinery. Please be warned about the validity of reviews. This is not my first time using a mini processor. In the past and once again [after returning my cuisinart] I have kitchen aid processor that I swear by. This is in no way a plug forkitchen aid, it's just seem to be the best product out there for me. I have used mine [2 in 8 yrs.] with satisfaction.

Just bought, won't even turn on. Enough said. Returned.

Dead on Arrival. Another B&D disappointment. Bought a Bullet instead.

I was very excited to use this food processor for the very first time. I plugged it in, and there is no power coming from it. I tried three different outlets, and no luck.

Complicated to get it set in right to work..

This lasted three months. The blade worked fine, but the plastic lid suddenly started getting stuck and broke when I tried to open it (after food went in). No good.

I've had this food processor for 9 months and hated it from the first use. It's extremely loud, difficult to assemble (too many parts), and not very powerful in it's chopping. It takes a long time to puree something smooth during which time you're smelling the motor and needing ear plugs. I do not recommend it unless you just need a rough chop and are already partially deaf.