Side by Side Comparison of: Hamilton Beach vs Cuisinart

This food processer is fantastic, given the plastic parts have been known to brake up .How ever if used properly these parts will not brake mine is a year old and used almost every day.Things that are not jammed down the shoot will process fine other than one or two that I saw most of the breakage was user error.Over loading your cutter or grater teds to do that along with heavy or condensed foods like sweet potatoes, or chunks of ice making smoothies.

I wish I had bought this YEARS ago! It does a terrific job of grating hard cheeses (no more of that gross pre-shredded stuff for me!), as well as all the other day-to-day chores that one would expect a food processor to handle. I'm no gourmet chef, but this machine gives me confidence to try dishes I've always avoided in the past because it is so easy to use!

Love this!!! I never had one before and didn't want to spend over $200 for one that I will only use on occasion. This is perfect. Yes, it's plastic, but so is everything. Easy to clean...comes with 2 blades for shredding and crinkle cutting. Cuts veggies like magic! It even has suction cups on the bottom to keep it from slipping. Very happy with this purchase. Highly recommend.

I had been looking for some time for a full sized 10 cup or more food processor in the $30 range, when I came across this listing I read the reviews and because they were mostly positive I took a chance.Well, let me tell you...this food processor is fantastic!!! I make my own ground chicken and a really good food processor is needed to do this. Last night I did just that with this powerful machine, I cut up 4 large chicken breasts and whizzed them up in seconds, and made delicious chicken meat balls! I was so surprised at how quickly this machine did the work, the power it has, and how light weight this food processor is, which is especially important for me since I have carpal tunnel in my right wrist. One very nice attribute of this machine is the base, it is wide providing the surface area required to properly mix and chop what ever you put in it.You can't go wrong with this food processor, the price is right, the machine is powerful and large enough to handle big recipes. The only issue I can see anyone having, and it was mentioned in other reviews, is that it moves around when in use, this did happen when I made my ground chicken but not when I made hummus. When in use I just hold it, for the price I paid...who cares if I have to hold it. Overall great machine and I highly recommend it to anyone looking for a food processor in this price range!

I took everyone's reviews of just about every processor out there under consideration, and thought that maybe I should wait, and try to save up for the gold standard of my former profession- the Robot Coupe. However, I quickly realized that if I were to try to save up for one, there was a fair chance that I'd see the Pearly Gates before I ever saw that much money to spare. This was the closest in description of operation and in appearance to my beloved Coupe. (I left the professional culinary world a few years ago, and the ACTUAL tools, not the human ones, are the only thing I really miss, LOL!) THANK YOU, so much, to the reviewers who went out of their way to describe the true liquid capacity of this machine, how it functions, etc.! This is exactly what I was looking for. And it's really, really affordable. This, my friends, is the best substitute for the professional models that I've ever seen.The way that this machine works is very similar to the Robot Coupe, and the blade works just as well, much to my surprise! I've run salsa and a from-scratch salad dressing (with fresh herb and veggie ingredients, pureed, as the base) through this so far, and I'm very impressed. Yes, the machine is lighter-weight, but those suction cups on the bottom work like a charm, and they really are easy to disengage when you're ready to move the machine. The bowl and lid are slightly thinner than a top-of-the-line unit, but are more than adequate, and fit together well. The blade is SHARP, and although it's thinner than a Coupe blade, it's also ingeniously angled in a way that allows it to perform as well or better- the results with this machine are similar to the professional machines. (I committed The Cardinal Sin of Processing with this tonight- dropped a bunch of ground spices in the bottom of the bowl, added fresh herb leaves, and then dumped mayo on top- and it all incorporated PERFECTLY, on pulse, with no scraping! If you're experienced, you know what I'm talking about! There wasn't any skudgey-sludge at the bottom- it did exactly what it should, and a combo of fresh-ground cumin, dry garlic powder, and fresh-ground pepper didn't create a hellish paste at the bottom of the bowl, after exposure to liquids. It blended CLEAN, with fresh cilantro, and then mayo and buttermilk! I know, *GASP*, right?! I did have to do a top-of-the-spin-line swipe with a spatula, but that was IT. Even a Robo doesn't do that, 9 times out of 10.) This machine could easily puree stuff to a liquid, if that was what was wanted, but for raw ingredients for salsas and other chop-jobs, the pulse function is perfect, and works just like a Coupe.Do I sound like I'm impressed with the design? Yes. Yes, I am. Mightily.So far, I'm delighted- the design is sound, the processor does what it should, and does it well. For chopping, and fine-chopping, this is great! I wish that this had been around when I was a new mom- I batch-cook foods, and pureeing tiny, tiny amounts with a stick-blender to make baby foods was a pain in the back pockets! Just as the professional models do, this one would be ideal for making purees, in any consistency. This machine holds a respectable amount of liquid and semi-liquid foods, about 6-7 cups, and chops stuff up like a dream- if you're cooking for a household of guys, kids, or folks who need particular textures, this is going to save you a lot of work. It's a sound design, it doesn't leak, and the fail-safes are good. It's a great buy, and I'd recommend it for anyone who wants a machine that will help them with their prep work.I'm not sure how well this would work for mixing doughs, but you know, I've never bothered to use a food processor for that- that's what stand mixers and your own two hands are for. If you want to make pasta, get a pasta machine- processors are for prep-work, not heavy stuff like that. Most of the items that *should* be worked with in a food processor really don't stress the motor much, so I suspect that this machine's going to do well for my family for a good, long time. Need to chop 3 onions and slice a bunch of celery fast, for that pasta salad for the Boy Scout banquet? THAT'S what this is for. Salsa for the Superbowl party? Yep, that's what a processor does. Family reunion, and you're doing a slaw? Yeah, this will shred those carrots, and fine-slice that cabbage. Pasta dough? No. Only if you're using a machine that's rated for it! Don't expect miracles from a light-duty machine- if you're needing something rated for heavy-duty stuff, get the right machine, and don't complain. This is a prep machine, and it's perfect for just that. The name says it all.

Really, I've not had this food processor long enough to find out how it works to do everything that it should do, but, for my current needs (chopping only), it's a lifesaver. Due to advanced and severe osteoporosis, I had to have all my teeth extracted and have been trying to chop food with a hand chopper which was just too difficult and time consuming, plus I couldn't chop enough for me let alone anyone else. So far, I love it!After I get my dentures, can chew again, and have a chance to use this food processor more, along with it's other functions, I'll come back and give a little better review. I will say, tho, that I read every review on this product (and a few others) before buying it and was very impressed. And I honestly don't believe I'll be disappointed. I really do appreciate and trust most of Amazon's reviewers and honestly don't believe I'd be able to shop online as much as I do without them.To be continued ...

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.

Bought mainly for the crinkle cut blade (to use for carrots). It cut way too thin! Would be nice to have a slower speed as this unit IS powerful! I will still use for other foods. The reversible blades are handy.

I've only had this for about a week or so and have used it only once. It works very well and super fast. I do wish the instructions for the blades were a bit more clear, and I would have paid a few extra bucks to have some sort of storage container for the blades. Overall, I'm pleased so far.

It does a job but I wouldn't say it does a great job. I myself like to make frozen fruit soft serve using frozen fruits, yogurt and milk, and I make it almost everyday. I used to use a blender before but it was troublesome because it couldn't mix well and the frozen fruits got stuck so I had to stir the ingredients with a spatula many times. Compare to that, this Food processor mixes ingredients very well and I don't have to open the lid and stir the ingredients. However there are two things I'm not satisfied with it. Firstly, this food processor is quite light and it's really shaky whenever I turn it on. Secondly, the lid doesn't close completely so when I put some liquid like milk or fruit juice, usually it comes out from the gap so I put a towel wrapped around the lid to prevent the liquid from splashing on the wall. Other than that, it's quite good and I think it's a good buy for the price.

This shreds cheese amazingly well!!!!! When you get to the bottom of the cheese block, use the pulse option to get the rest of the cheese that gets a little stuck. 4 stars because the shoot is a little big for some single items like carrots, but it still works good. The slicing option is a very fine, thin slice. Not great for finger food, perfect for salad toppings though. This is easy to use, easy to clean, easy to move. It is super super fast. I look forward to many meal preps. :)

(reviewed by Balint's wife) It works pretty well but it has some small shortcomings. I use it every day for our smoothies and I can make really good smoothies with it. But to pour the smoothie from the bowl - it is very difficult to implement without spotting the table. I also use it for grinding nuts, and it is successful with this machine. I don't really like that there is a hole in the middle of the bowl so I can"t use the bowl to prepare my cookie after grinding, I have to use another bowl for it. I also use it for meat grinding (chicken and turkey), and it works. So all in all I like this food processor, it is a very useful tool of my kitchen.

We did a lot of research before buying one of these. Here's the issue. We discovered that ALL food processors under $500 are cheaply made plastic things that don't last. Even the once great brand names. Nobody seems to really like any of them. So, if it's not going to be great and you can't justify spending a ton of money, just get a decent cheep one.This was our choice for a decent cheep one. We've had it for a few years now and so far it's been good. My wife is an avid cook so this thing gets a lot of use. The blades are very sharp and it works well. The motor seems to be strong. It's a bit loud though. It makes quick work out of slicing and chopping. It's plastic so it won't last forever but at this price you could buy a lot of them over time and still spend less than buying a really pricey pro grade model. If this one dies, we'll buy another.

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.

For the most part, I'm happy with this food processor. It leaks at times, making quite a mess. I can't figure out why it leaks and it seems to happen randomly. Other than that, it works well.

Good size processor. The shredding process does not yield perfect shredded veggies though - makes some of the shreds long and some tiny, and also the last piece gets stuck between the disk and the lid.... But making ice creams and sauces is an easy job.

I really like this food processor, but...the piece of the lid that locks into place broke and the machine would not turn on. I paid $13 to have a replacement lid shipped by Hamilton Beach. Fine. Great. Except THAT one snapped off too! The lid's design is not great. I'm not spending the money to get another lid...will just buy a new machine. Too bad, because I really liked this one.

This is a pretty decent Food Processor. We have had some issues with the plates you use for shredding. The plastic piece in the center that holds the plate in place has broken off one of the disks in the first couple weeks of use. Other than that issue, it has performed its job quite well.

For basic needs, such as chopping vegetables, this is a great product for the price and probably exactly what you need. If you spend a lot of your free time cooking, and want to make salad dressings, doughs etc., you might want to invest in a more powerful more fully featured model.A bit of background: I bought this when my $250 Cuisinart, Cuisinart FP-14DC Elite Collection 14-Cup Food Processor, Die Cast, died after six months of light use. I didn't want to buy another machine in that price range, because based both on my experience and some of the reviews, the build of the higher-end models does not justify the price. The very high end, Robot Coupe, starts at $600 or so...I want one, but it's well, very very expensive.So enter Hamilton Beach. This is a great machine for the price--I paid $50 but it is now on sale for $30. Its overall quality--lighter plastic styling etc.--is below higher end products and it lacks wattage and features. My Cuisinart was 1000 Watts and had three bowls and a little gizmo that controls the speed liquids enter into the bowl, freeing you up to do other tasks when you need to slowly pour in a liquid, such as oil from salad dressing.That said, it dices onions and other veggies like a champ. Whirrr, it's done and just as well as a much more expensive machine. It's simple design and wattage seem perfectly made for these tasks.If vegetable cutting was my main use for food processors, I would be thrilled with this purchase. However, while I do often chop onions in the food processor, my main two uses for it are making bread dough and salad dressings. For the latter, I miss the little gizmo with holes to slowly release the oil so I don't have to stand over it and pour it in slowly so it emulsifies; I thought all food processors had this, but I guess not!And, at 525 Watts, it's a bit underpowered for bread dough. I've started to call this "the little food processor that could" since it struggles so mightily to mix thick doughs. And so far, with three loaves successfully completed, the Hamilton Beach has been up to the task. But it's obviously working hard, and once I smelled a burning smell from the motor and had to stop and rest it. I wouldn't be surprised if it dies pretty soon if I keep making bread in it. If you want to occasionally make a bread dough, it should be fine, but it probably wasn't a good choice for me as I'm constantly making bread.Another issue I've had while making dough and salad dressings is that the contents seep up under the blade and into the central shaft. It's just a small amount of leakage, but it does mean extra cleaning. I'm not sure why this is happening as the bowl has not been overfull when this happened. I had no issues with solid stuff like onions--just llquids and gooey stuff like dough.All those criticism aside, there is one thing I love, and I mean LOVE about this machine. Compared with my two Cuisinarts, the safety lock mechanism is simple, easy and hassle free. Both the Cuisinarts, and especially the newest "Elite" model linked above, were very fussy to get started. The Elite had to be secured down perfectly in six places for the safety lock mechanism to greenlight the motor to start...it felt like it took FOREVER to make sure everything was lined up right. (In fact that's what ultimately broke it...some issue with the safety lock.) This Hamilton Beach machine is as it should be. You put the bowl on, turn it, put the lid on and zoom, your motor is starting! It was such a relief after all that nonsense with the Cuisinart that I almost cried.Overall, I give this 2.5 stars as a food processor overall but four stars in its $50 and under price category....if that's what you want to spend, I doubt you'll do much better than this.Update: This item is still going strong nine months after purchase, which is more than I can say for my pricey Cuisinart. I'll come back and update if it dies, but so far, for the price, this is a very solid offering.

My one and only gripe is that there is too much distance between the lid and the slicing or grating blades position, allowing large chunks of carrot, or potato, or cheese to slip through and just happily spin around on top of slicing or grating "blade". I've had other food processors in the past with less clearance, resulting in minimal "chunks" of food being lost into the netherlands. As a blender, it works very well.

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.

Only two speeds. I may not have read he description completely but it seems to have enough power. Will not get the use out of it I expected.

I was not able to get anything larger than totally diced using this. I bought it because of the option to slice, but the slices were so thin they were unusable. After about two uses, the removable measuring cup was somehow melted in the dishwasher. The whole machine is useless now. Won't buy one again.

I don't know how they measure the cup capacity, because it's nowhere near as advertised if you're using a standard 1 cup kitchen measure. I bought it mainly for chopping cheddar cheese and the motor strains and gives out a "burnt" smell as if it's about to burn out. After one time in the dishwasher, the plastic bowl turned translucent white instead of clear. On the plus side, the blade piece completely covers the shaft (my previous processor did not and you had to manually wash the shaft after every use).

I really wanted to like this, but the shredding blade was poorly designed - a piece of metal sandwiched between two little pieces of plastic. It stripped when I was grating green tomatoes for relish, less than a week after I purchased it. It also smelled like the motor was burning, so I returned it. I gave it two stars rather than one because they were very easy to deal with on the return.

I loved how this food processor worked, while it worked. After about a year the main shaft (plastic, of course) just broke while I was grating cheese. Unfortunately this is not repairable, so the entire unit is useless. I would never buy another one because it's just too cheaply made. I would have given it one star, which it probably deserves, but I was happy with it while it worked.We used it sparingly, about once every couple of months, usually for cheese.

This was my first food processor purchase ever so I wanted to start out with a reasonably priced model and after much research I settled on this one. I really wished I had stepped up and purchased a more heavy duty model that was capable of a little bit more.The puree function leaves a lot to be desired and foods will not come out as smooth as you would like them to.There is no pulse feature which I really am finding that I need/want. You have a two speed switch but no quick button pulse.Foods are sliced too thinly for my taste and there are large chunks of veggies, cheese, or whatever else I am cutting/shredding that is left behind and no matter how many times you try the disks won't catch it. I either end up doing the last bit by hand anyways (so what's the point of having a processor) or end up with too much food waste. I may be able to buy additional disks (not sure I haven't looked into it) but I think I'd rather just start over with a better overall model.I've only had this processor a few months and while there are many occassions I'd like to be able to use one I find myself just doing things by hand and leaving this in the back of my cupboard. Overall, I'm pretty disappointed.

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 found out after i've dismantled it that despite the new exterior, the interior motor within the machine was a rather old one. it has broken down after 5 times of using.i used it to make nut butters specifically, and it worked very well. perhaps it will serve as a great, affordable food processor if the motor were new.

I bought it took it out of the box and put it in the cabinet. A month later I took it out to use it and when I turned it on it made a smell like burning rubber. I have tried to contact the seller but they make it very hard to find how to do that once your purchase is done. If I could give it zero stars I would.

This thing nearly sprung off my counter the first time I used it. It seems as though the motor is too powerful for the housing and bowl. I always have to physically hold it down while using it.

I returned this because it was not what I wanted

This processor came and we began using it. Within a week or two the square plastic center of the two provided slicing/shredding blades broke. Returns are a hassle so to be a good sport I glued them.The reason it broke, I believe, is that the machine is overpowered for its cheap plastic components. It almost flies off the table when you turn it on. It gets jammed shredding cheese due to a design flaw with the feed.Now both shredding/ slicing blades are broken as the plastic got chewed up while shredding cheese. THey broke at the cheap plastic square center that interfaces with the drive. Only the center blade that grinds is still operational.

I don't use a food processor this size all that much. So for as little as I used this, I expected some longevity. Not so. After less than 6months and a dozen uses, one of the blade inserts broke. There's a little plastic piece in the middle of the metal blade. So while under warranty, HB still charged me $30 something to replace. After two years ownership, the other one is starting to crack. I have used this unit no more than thirty times. As I was grating cheese, the lid pops out of place. Nothing broke. But it no longer feels like a snug hold. My last use (I made soft dough then grated cheese,) the something that spins the shaft broke or stripped. It still spins until the slightest pressure then it stops.So there you have it. After less than three dozen uses, I have junk. The company will do nothing because of its age. They charged me for a blade that should have been covered under warranty IMHO.I have nothing good to say about Hamilton Beach. I will never by one of their products again. The deserve to go out of business. JUNK!

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.