The best food processors
Grated cheese, sliced veg, pastry and dough in minutes rather than a morning at the chopping board: five food processors compared, from a compact everyday Kenwood to Magimix’s three-bowl workhorse.
A food processor earns its place on the jobs that are slow by hand: a pile of carrots grated for coleslaw, onions chopped for a big batch of bolognese, pastry rubbed in without warm hands. Bowl size matters more than it looks, because a bowl takes less liquid than its full size suggests: Magimix’s 3-litre bowl blends up to 1.3 litres of soup, for example.
Then it’s what comes in the box. All five slice and grate with discs, four have a dough tool for bread and pizza bases, and the Russell Hobbs adds a separate blender jug for smoothies. The Ninja runs itself on presets, while the Magimix comes with three bowls of different sizes.
What matters
- Bowl size, and how much liquid it takes, which is less than the full size.
- Slicing and grating discs, and a dough tool if you bake.
- Parts that go in the dishwasher, since cleaning is the chore.
- A blender jug only if you want soups and smoothies from the same motor.
#1 of 5
Best overall
Magimix 4200XL Food Processor (18471)
£200–£300 Price range
Three bowls that nest inside each other (3, 2.6 and 1.2 litres) let one job follow another without washing up, and the quiet 950W induction motor carries a 30-year guarantee. Magimix has sold its French-made processors in Britain since 1974.
What owners say: Owners rate how solidly it’s built, and bakers say it brings bread dough together in seconds and handles pastry and pâté just as well.
A closer look: Three buttons run it (auto, pulse and stop), and the motor adjusts its power to what’s in the bowl. The BlenderMix ring fits the main bowl for smooth soups, and the discs and blades go back in their own storage box, well away from the cutlery drawer.
- Three bowls: 3L, 2.6L and 1.2L
- 950W induction motor
- 2mm and 4mm slicing and grating discs
- Dough blade and egg whisk
- 30-year motor guarantee
Best for: Keen cooks and bakers
- Bowl size
- 3L, 2.6L and 1.2L
- Power
- 950W
- Speeds and presets
- Auto and pulse
- Slicing and grating
- 2mm and 4mm slice, grate
- Dough tool
- Yes
- Blender jug
- No
- Dishwasher-safe parts
- Yes
#2 of 5
Runner-up
Ninja PrecisionPro Food Processor (BZ651UK)
£104.99 RRP
Four Auto-iQ presets, for chopping, slicing and grating, dough and purée, pulse and pause by themselves, so pizza dough or a bowl of hummus comes out right without guessing how long to run it.
What owners say: Owners like how sharp the blades are and how little worktop it takes up, and say it makes short work of slaw and chopped veg.
Heads up: Register it with Ninja after buying: the 2-year guarantee depends on it.
A closer look: Every attachment fits the one 2.1-litre bowl, so the kit stays a small stack in the cupboard. Press Dough for bread or pizza bases and let the preset decide when to stop, and feed vegetables down the chute with the pusher for slicing, keeping the pressure steady for even slices.
- 4 presets: chop, disc, dough, purée
- 850W motor
- 2.1L bowl
- Dough blade and reversible disc
- Dishwasher-safe parts
Best for: Hands-off chopping and dough
- Bowl size
- 2.1L
- Power
- 850W
- Speeds and presets
- 4 presets, manual, pulse
- Slicing and grating
- Reversible slice/grate
- Dough tool
- Yes
- Blender jug
- No
- Dishwasher-safe parts
- Yes
#3 of 5
Best budget
Kenwood Compact Food Processor (FP120)
£52.99 RRP
A small, light processor for everyday grating, slicing and chopping, with a 1.4-litre bowl, one speed and pulse, and a flex that winds away underneath.
What owners say: Owners reach for it for chopping onions and carrots, and like that it tucks into a small cupboard and comes apart easily to wash.
Heads up: The bowl takes 0.8 litres of liquid, so blend a big pot of soup in batches.
A closer look: Small enough to live on a corner of the worktop, it tends to get used for everyday jobs rather than saved for big bakes. There’s no dough tool in the box, so it’s at its best chopping, grating and slicing; anyone who bakes bread often would get more from one of the larger machines here.
- 1.4L bowl
- 400W motor
- 2mm slicing and 4mm grating discs
- Dishwasher-safe tools
- Cord storage and non-slip feet
Best for: Small kitchens, everyday chopping
- Bowl size
- 1.4L
- Power
- 400W
- Speeds and presets
- 1 speed and pulse
- Slicing and grating
- 2mm slice, 4mm grate
- Dough tool
- No
- Blender jug
- No
- Dishwasher-safe parts
- Yes
#4 of 5
Best for tidy storage
Bosch MultiTalent 3 Food Processor (MCM3100WGB)
£84.99 RRP
A 2.3-litre bowl big enough for family cooking, a two-speed 700W motor, and Bosch’s SmartStorage: the disc and tools pack away inside the bowl, so nothing rattles around a drawer.
What owners say: Owners say the big bowl suits a family’s cooking, and they’re pleased with how quickly it cleans up afterwards.
A closer look: The beating disc whips cream and egg whites, and the plastic dough tool handles a small loaf or a pizza base. Pack every accessory back into the bowl after washing and clip the lid on, and the whole thing takes up a single cupboard space.
- 2.3L bowl
- 700W, 2 speeds and pulse
- Kneads up to 0.8kg of dough
- Reversible slicing and shredding disc
- Accessories store in the bowl
Best for: Family cooking, tidy storage
- Bowl size
- 2.3L
- Power
- 700W
- Speeds and presets
- 2 speeds and pulse
- Slicing and grating
- Reversible slice/shred
- Dough tool
- Yes
- Blender jug
- No
- Dishwasher-safe parts
- Yes
#5 of 5
Best with a blender jug
Russell Hobbs Desire Food Processor (24732)
£76.99 RRP
Two machines on one motor base: a 2.5-litre processor bowl and a 1.5-litre blender jug for soups and smoothies, plus a creaming disc for cake mixes, all in matte black.
What owners say: Owners use it for everything from smoothies and soups to chopped veg, and find most of the parts go straight in the dishwasher.
A closer look: Use the lower speed for chunky chopping and the higher one for smooth soups and dips. The jug and the bowl share one motor base, so only one appliance needs room on the worktop, and suction feet hold it steady while it runs.
- 2.5L bowl, 1.5L usable
- 1.5L blender jug
- 600W, 2 speeds and pulse
- Creaming disc and dough blade
- Double safety lock
Best for: Blending and chopping in one
- Bowl size
- 2.5L (1.5L usable)
- Power
- 600W
- Speeds and presets
- 2 speeds and pulse
- Slicing and grating
- Reversible slice/shred
- Dough tool
- Yes
- Blender jug
- 1.5L
- Dishwasher-safe parts
- Yes
How they compare
| Feature | #1Magimix 4200XL | #2Ninja PrecisionPro | #3Kenwood FP120 | #4Bosch MultiTalent 3 | #5Russell Hobbs Desire |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Best overall | Runner-up | Best budget | Best for tidy storage | Best with a blender jug | |
| Picked Rating | 9.3 | 9.2 | 9.0 | 8.7 | 8.4 |
| Price | £200–£300 Price range | £104.99 RRP | £52.99 RRP | £84.99 RRP | £76.99 RRP |
| Bowl size | 3L, 2.6L and 1.2L | 2.1L | 1.4L | 2.3L | 2.5L (1.5L usable) |
| Power | 950W | 850W | 400W | 700W | 600W |
| Speeds and presets | Auto and pulse | 4 presets, manual, pulse | 1 speed and pulse | 2 speeds and pulse | 2 speeds and pulse |
| Slicing and grating | 2mm and 4mm slice, grate | Reversible slice/grate | 2mm slice, 4mm grate | Reversible slice/shred | Reversible slice/shred |
| Dough tool | Yes | Yes | No | Yes | Yes |
| Blender jug | No | No | No | No | 1.5L |
| Dishwasher-safe parts | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Best for | Keen cooks and bakers | Hands-off chopping and dough | Small kitchens, everyday chopping | Family cooking, tidy storage | Blending and chopping in one |
| Check price | View on Amazon | View on Amazon | View on Amazon | View on Amazon | View on Amazon |
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