Food Processor?

[robgrave]

A 7 cup w/mini bowl in Onyx Black can be had from

EverythingKitchens.com
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for $116.99 (10% discount) plus free shipping, and a $10.00 rebate from Kitchenaid as well. Best deal I can find so far.
​

 

[Corey123]

That's a nice cute little one! Most of K'Aid's FP's come with two and three work bowls.

 

[robgrave]

That's a nice little one! Most of K'Aid's FP's come with two and three work bowls.

It's the one I've got, in Empire Red. Little, yes, but mid-sized, officially. Plenty of heft at 10.6 lbs, which means it sits solidly on the countertop, without vibrations, but is still light enough to be easily moved to an out-of-the-way corner when not in use. The 3 cup mini bowl comes in very handy for smaller jobs, and I find the 7 cup work bowl plenty big enough for my purposes (but I cook mainly for myself).

The one drawback is that there is one slicer/shredder disc only. I've got no problem with this, but others might. I do recommend this unit, though. For quality of construction, power to spare, ease of use, and cleanability, it's first-rate.

 

[Corey123]

Yeah, I like the way that the website automatically changes the colors of the models for you on the page, saving you the trouble of having to click on a button to see the units in a different color!

I bought the K'Aid Pearl Metallic model because I like to cook and bake - especially for guests and for invites to parties where I usually make something in a large quantity to take to the parties. K'Aid had stopped making this model, maybe because it might not have sold that well.

But it's really very expensive, costing upward of about $450.00. Ouch!!

 

[SueBear]

SueBear,
I found a brand new -not recondicioned- KA food processor KFPW760 (Wide mouth, 12 cup plus additional 10 and 4 cups bowls) for $100 at a local Home Goods store. The actual cost of the appliance will be $80 since KA is sending a $20 refund on this model.
Be patient and shop around, you may be able to find similar bargain.

Yep, that's what I figured, I'm just going to wait it out for awhile. Since I'm already getting the one I'm not in a rush for getting any others since I don't have any room with my kitchen at the moment. I do appreciate the link though.

 

[virgo152]

I just a processor pro II from Black and Decker. I'm learning how to use it.

 

[CharlieD]

I just a processor pro II from Black and Decker. I'm learning how to use it.

Sorry to say but Black and Decker is a bad word in my house. I've had nothing but trouble with their products.

 

[jeyges]

I've also been trying to decide between Cuisinart and KitchenAid food processors, and there is one issue that no one in any of the cooking forums ever mentions. KitchenAid provides only a one-year warranty on their appliances. Cuisinart generally gives ten (a couple of the older models that are still in production come with five-year warranties).

There do seem to be more bad reviews posted about Cuisinart's customer service than about KitchenAid's. People complain that if something breaks, they won't send a replacement until you send them the broken part or unit first; that it takes several weeks; that they've been known to send the wrong part, etc. However, if one perseveres, they generally seem to get it right eventually. From what I've read, it would seem that KitchenAid is more responsive and more accommodating (I think they may even pay for shipping), however - ten years vs. one year.

I called KitchenAid and asked one of their customer service reps why they don't provide a longer warranty - naturally, she had no answer, she just sort of stammered that she supposed they felt the quality is such that it isn't necessary. If that's the case, what do they have to lose by providing a longer one? They do sell extended warranties; the rep didn't have any information (which I found disturbing in itself), but she told me that she bought a three or five year warranty for her stand mixer, for thirty dollars. No, thank you.

I think I would probably rather have a KitchenAid model. It comes with a three-cup bowl for smaller jobs, eliminating the need to buy a small model, such as the Cuisinart Mini-Prep. However, I can't get past the warranty issue. I'd even split the difference with them; if KitchenAid provided a five-year warranty, as opposed to Cuisinart's ten, I'd probably go for it. It doesn't make any sense to me. Cuisinart is their only real competitor in this category; I would think they'd want to keep their offerings equivalent.

The bottom line would seem to be that KitchenAid is right there when you need them - but only for a year. Cuisinart may require a little more effort - but they are in it for the long haul.

 

[robgrave]

Just to be clear about this: The extended Cuisinart warranty applies to the motor; for the rest of the appliance, a 3 year limited warranty applies. I haven't been able to determine just what the limitations are as yet, but my own experience with limited warranties has not been good; then again, none of that experience is with Cuisinart.

The great majority of warranty issues with a product come up during the first 90 days or so of ownership, and that is why I have never put much faith in the longer, extended warranties. I figure that if I've done my research well, I've purchased a quality product, and if I happen to get a defective one, I'm covered by the short warranty.

So when I went with KitchenAid over Cuisinart, I did so because I was convinced that KA was the better product. Warranties never entered into my thinking, frankly. Maybe that was a mistake, I don't know, but so far I've not been disappointed.

 

[Corey123]

Right you are, Robgrave!! I also like K'Aid much better than Cuisinart.

I would imagine that there are drawbacks to BOTH brands. Longer warranty vs. a shorter one.

But if it eases your mind at all Jeyges, I've had to replace the work bowl and cover at least 3 times on a Cuisinart food processor - which can be pretty **** expensive in terms of the poor quality they put into these parts and having to replace them too frequently. The motor lasted forever, but I was just tired of replacing the bowl and cover and paying astronomical prices to do so.

However, I can attest to the fact that K'Aid's machines DO have a much thicker tougher and heavier work bowl, pusher assembly and cover for their machines. They've accidentally fallen out of the dish rack or out of my hands and have hit the floor quite hard several times, and not even so much as one scratch was on them.

Whew!! Boy! I just have to thank my lucky stars that the machine and its bowls are really rugged and impact-free!! They can truly take a whipping and keep on whipping, beating, slicing, shredding and chopping!!

And these are the parts that usually break first on a food processor.

 

[jeyges]

Right, I meant to mention that - the ten-year warranty is on the motor. Parts are three years.

I once broke the motor on my cousin's old Cuisinart, years ago (when they were supposedly making them better, before they were purchased by Conair), just by grating cheese. We could have used the ten year warranty then! They weren't providing them in those days. Strange - now that the quality is supposedly inferior, they're providing longer warranties. I imagine they think it still costs them less in the long run.

I don't know what to think about the relative quality of the two lines. Someone at Amazon said that a salesperson told her that Sabatier used to make the blades for Cuisinart, but is no longer doing so, and I think she said that they still are proving them for KA. But then, someone else said that the blades on the KA seemed flimsier.

People have been complaining about the leakage issue with KA's, but Cook's Illustrated did experience it and didn't seem to think it was that big a deal. Cuisinarts also have a problem with liquid, supposedly - more than about 2 cups, and it leaks out of the top. Their models have a line on the bowl telling you how much liquid you can add safely.

A friend has a KitchenAid and hates it. She told me that the cover closes differently than it does on a Cuisnart, and she finds it extremely difficult to operate. Macy's had a sale on the old DLC-8S ProCustom 11-cup model a couple of weeks ago; I picked one up for her for $100. She couldn't be happier. She won't even give the KitchenAid away, as she doesn't want someone else to be burdened with it - she hates it that much.

I did also check out the KitchenAid forum. It was very bizarre - they all seem to be fanatics. They just talk continually about how wonderful KitchenAid products are, and how clever they are to realize it. And they trash Cuisinart. Once in a while, someone will say, "Wait a minute, I have a Cuisinart this-or-that, and I think it's a good product.", and the rest of them will immediately jump all over him or her and say, "Just wait until you have to call customer service!", or some such thing. It's a cult-like atmosphere; I found it very off-putting.

Something else as well - KA does offer more accessories than Cuisinart does - except for the 7-cup model, for which, as robgrave pointed out, they only offer the one blade and two discs. They do offer a citrus press, but no other blades or discs. I looked at their site; you can't even order a replacement if you break one of the discs; only the blade is available. If I were to go with the KA, I'd have to get the 9-cup model. Cuisinart, on the other hand, offers a full range of attachments (although not as many as KA) on all of their models except for the 3-cup ones - the Mini Prep and Handy Prep.

KA just seems to be a strange company.

 

[Corey123]

Guess you must go with what you feel the most comfortable with.

The Sabatier chopping blade WAS or still is included with Cuisinart and K'Aid machines, and also, was once featured with Robot Coupe models.

Another problem that I had with Cuisinart is that the SS blade also cracked, as did the drive stem for the disks. The cover became extremely difficult to turn and lock onto the work bowl.

Cleaning the motor base of a Cuisinart is also a monumental task in and of itself. You have a lot of dirt-catching crevices to have to deal with, whereas, with K'Aid, the area where the work bowls sits, there are fewer crevices thare, making cleanup a breeze.

 

[jeyges]

The cover became extremely difficult to turn and lock onto the work bowl.

That was part of the problem my friend had with the KitchenAid! I think, after a while, they all develop this.

 

[Corey123]

Part of the reason that I said the first signs of issues start with the work bowl and cover.

 

[jeyges]

Cleaning the motor base of a Cuisinart is also a monumental task in and of itself. You have a lot of dirt-catching crevices to have to deal with, whereas, with K'Aid, the area where the work bowls sits, there are fewer crevices thare, making cleanup a breeze.

Have you found this to be true with the newer, rounder Cuisinart body style as well?

 

[robgrave]

Actually, Jeyges, it sounds as though it's more than just a warranty issue standing between you and a KitchenAid purchase

But again, just for clarification, the KA 7 cup/w mini bowl comes with two blades (one for each bowl) and one reversible slicer/shredder disc. Both blades and the disc are available as replacement items from the KA store. They are not cheap replacements, I should say, but I don't anticipate that I'll be in need of them anytime soon. Anyway, they are there if you need them.

I don't know why anyone would find the KA difficult to use, but I did notice that my sister (who has a Cuisinart herself) found it awkward in trying mine out. Habits that develop with one appliance can prove to transfer not so well to another, I suppose.

But, as Corey123 says, you will have to decide for yourself which is the better purchase. I hope I don't sound like a "fanatic" when I recommend my KA, but my sister likes her Cuisinart too, to be honest about it.

 

[jeyges]

No, I don't think that everyone who prefers KitchenAid products is a fanatic! It's just a creepy atmosphere over there on their boards.

I'm sorry, you're right - it is a reversible disc (about which I have reservations), and they do make it available. There's just no image, and I looked quickly and missed it.

And the parts aren't even that pricey; they're less than the equivalent parts for the Cuisinart 7-cup - although Cuisinart makes a lot more parts available for that model.

 

[Corey123]

Thank you, Robgrave.

About the only problem that I found with K'Aid, and someone else here mentioned it as well and Robgrave, you might have noticed it also, is that you MUST make sure that the pusher assembly in in contact with the interlock system When you are about to slice or shred something.

The pusher is designed in such a way that without it reaching the activating lever which is probably at the halfway point down the feed tube, the machine wil NOT come on.

I find myself having to cut bell pepper halves again so that they fit comfortably to allow the machine to start.

NEVER EVER try to force the pusher down to meet the activating lever!!! Not that you would, but; Something could break, which might mean an expensive repair or replacement of something! Cutting the item again with your kife isn't much of a problem, and it could safe you untold amounts of $$$'s over something being broken for a small but worthy inconvenience.

 

[jeyges]

Corey,

Re: cleaning the Cuisinart - Have you found this to be a problem with the newer body style as well?

 

[Corey123]

I haven't looked.

I guess because I was no longer interested in buying a Cuisinart machine. I'll check next time I'm in a store that has them on display.

Incidently, I WAS in Macy's the other day looking at FP's just for kicks and giggles. I DID however, look at some of the Cuisinart models, and yes, I belive that the same crevices are STILL there.

Not only that, but believe it or not, the lid on THAT machine wouldn't lock into position either!! This was a 14-cup model that had that problem though.