I Tested 11 Mini Food Processors to Find the Best Ones for Sauces and Other Tiny Tasks

Standard food processors are heavy and expensive (that is, if you’re getting a good one). But they’re super useful, capable of breaking ingredients down, whipping a sauce together, or kneading dough in the blink of an eye. Still, a food processor’s size is not for the faint of heart—or those who lack storage space.  

Enter the mini food processor. Its small stature takes up less space and is easier to move and store. Plus, many models are under $50. With its diminutive size, the mini food processor excels, perhaps unsurprisingly, at small-batch tasks, like making pesto, tahini sauce, marinades, and dressings.

To find the best mini food processors, I tested 11 popular models. I evaluated which ones were efficient at chopping and processing, intuitive to use, easy to clean, and didn’t leak. In the end, four stood out.

The Tests

• Tahini Sauce Test: I made tahini sauce in each model by first processing a single garlic clove to see how well the food processor evenly minced it. I added tahini, water, and lemon juice to see if it leaked. Finally, I drizzled in olive oil while the processor was running.
• Pesto Test: I made a pistachio mint pesto to see how well the mini food processor chopped harder ingredients like nuts, how easily it broke down leafy greens, and how it dealt with an oily sauce.
• Cleaning Test: After each test, I took apart and washed each food processor by hand, seeing which parts were difficult to clean and how dangerous it was to scrub the blades.

What We Learned

Smaller Sizes Were Advantageous

A mini food processor excels at processing small amounts of ingredients, like a single garlic clove or a handful or two of pistachios.

Full-sized food processors are excellent for grating blocks of cheese or processing large batches of mirepoix, but smaller amounts can get lost in the big bowl (to this end, some models, like the Breville 16-cup also come with smaller inserts). The best mini food processors, with their tinier bowls and lower blades (see below), easily and evenly chopped the single garlic clove, allowing for a super-smooth tahini sauce. 

The Lower the Blade, the Better

Mini food processors with blades set higher up in the bowl don’t chop or mince well. Instead, the ingredients clung to the bottom of the bowl, with the blade swinging over them.

The best mini processors had blades stationed lower in the base, chopping and processing ingredients efficiently and evenly.

Speed Was Important

Many of the mini food processors had multiple speeds and/or the ability to pulse ingredients. My favorite models were middle-ground speed-wise. The processors that were too fast splashed liquid thanks to their alarmingly zippy blades and small capacity. Other models, like the Mueller Mini Food Processor, moved too slowly even at the highest setting, and were unable to process and chop ingredients finely. 

Handles Were Helpful

My favorite mini food processors had handles on their bowls. Though they look extraneous, especially for food processors that only have 2- to 3-cup capacities, a handle made it easy to add to and remove the bowl from the base of the machine. It was also nice to have something to hold onto when pouring the sauce or liquid out of the bowl. 

Should You Buy a Corded or a Cordless Mini Food Processor?

If countertop real estate during food prep is of great importance, a cordless food processor like the KitchenAid Food Chopper is your best bet. Because it doesn't rely on an electrical outlet to work, you can run it anywhere there's space. That said, the KitchenAid was the largest mini food processor we tested, so it's not a space-saver in the cabinet. Cordless food processor must be charged, which isn't a problem... unless you forget to charge it, of course.

The Criteria: What to Look for in a Mini Food Processor

Look for a mini food processor that is somewhere between three to five cups in capacity (any smaller isn’t particularly useful).  Any larger, and you might as well upgrade to a full-size food processor. Check to see how low the blade is to the bottom of the bowl. The lower the blade, the better and more evenly the ingredients will be chopped. 

Select a processor that has multiple speeds or can easily pulse, so you can initially break down the ingredients coarsely, before processing at a higher or more consistent speed to finely chop and mince. Finally, look for a sturdy mini food processor—one made of thick, durable plastic or metal.

Our Favorite Mini Food Processors

The Best Mini Food Processor

Hamilton Beach Stack & Snap 4-Cup Mini Food Processor

$45 at Amazon $45 at Home Depot $45 at Hamiltonbeach.com

What we liked: This Hamilton Beach model was the only food processor that offered the same sort of versatility as a standard-sized one. The lid had a chute that was large enough to accommodate a small block of cheese, as well as whole ingredients like shallots. It also had a pusher with a hole in its center, which lets you slowly drizzle oil into the bowl, making it easier to produce emulsified sauces like mayonnaise. The thick handle felt comfortable to hold, and the bowl also had a pouring spout. 

It was the only processor I tested that had an "on" button that allowed it to run continuously (the rest of the models just had a pulse option). Tahini sauce came out silky and pesto was smooth. The machine also came with a reversible slicing and shredding disk, which no other model offered. The base has suction cups on its underside, adding stability.

What we didn’t like: The lid snaps onto the top of the bowl with two clamps, but also has a piece of plastic that needs to be slotted into the bowl’s handle, which was fussy. 

Key Specs

• Dimensions: 13.5 x 8.25 x 6 inches
• Attachments: Bowl, lid with feed chute, food pusher, chopping and mixing blade, reversible slicing/shredding disc
• Dishwasher-safe: Yes, removable parts are dishwasher-safe
• Material: Plastic; stainless steel
• Wattage: 250 watts
• Stated capacity: 4 cups
• Weight: 3 pounds, 5.75 ounces
• Warranty: 1 year (US) or 5 years (Canada)
  

Another Excellent Mini Food Processor

Cuisinart Core Custom 4-Cup Mini Chopper

$50 at Amazon $50 at Williams Sonoma $50 at Sur La Table

What we liked: This 4-cup mini food processor easily tackled everything from a single garlic clove to pistachios, taking them from whole ingredients to a smooth paste in a flash. 

The lid twisted on easily and intuitively and featured a large, contained area with two holes in it, where you could pour oil and let it drizzle into the processor. It had two large switches: chop and grind. The chop button turned the blades forward, slicing the ingredients into smaller bits. The grind button reversed the direction of the blade, with the blunt end smashing ingredients into a smooth paste.

What we didn’t like: Unlike the Hamilton Beach 4-Cup model, you need to constantly press the power button for the Cuisinart to stay on, which can get tedious.

 Key Specs

• Dimensions: 9.5 x 7.5 x 5.5 inches
• Attachments: Bowl, lid, blade, spatula 
• Dishwasher-safe: Yes, removable parts are dishwasher-safe
• Material: Plastic; stainless steel
• Wattage: 250 watts
• Weight: 2 pounds, 9.875 ounces
• Stated capacity: 4 cups
• Warranty: 18 months

The Best Smaller Mini Food Processor

Cuisinart DLC-2ABC Mini Prep Plus Food Processor

$40 $30 at Amazon $40 at Williams Sonoma $43 at Walmart

What we liked: With a smaller 3-cup capacity, the Cuisinart Mini Prep Plus was a more compact offering that still created smooth pesto and emulsified tahini sauce. This model has all the same features as its larger 4-cup sibling, including a locking lid with two holes for oil drizzling, and a blade that moves in different directions (chopping when forward and grinding ingredients in reverse). 

What we didn’t like: Like the Core Custom 4-Cup model, this model requires you to constantly press the on button for the Cuisinart Mini Prep Plus to run continuously. 

Key Specs

• Dimensions: 9 x 7 x 5 inches
• Attachments: Bowl, lid, blade, spatula 
• Dishwasher-safe: Yes, removable parts are dishwasher-safe
• Material: Plastic; stainless steel
• Wattage: 250 watts
• Weight: 2 pounds, 6.25 ounces
• Stated capacity: 3 cups
• Warranty: 18 months
  

The Best Cordless Mini Food Processor

KitchenAid Cordless 5-Cup Food Chopper

$112 at Amazon $120 at Walmart $100 at Target

What we liked: Less expensive than a full-size food processor, with a much smaller footprint, the KitchenAid 5-Cup did a great job processing small ingredients like a single garlic clove, while still having the capacity for larger tasks. 

This mini food processor is also the only one I tested that was cordless, which made it easy to store and move around. The interior blade is made of two parts, with a blade disk that you can remove from the stem, which makes cleaning a breeze. The food processor also comes with a whisking disk that can be used to make things like whipped cream.

What we didn’t like: To turn the processor on, you press and hold a trigger on the handle, which felt annoying during long processing times.  You can’t charge and use the food processor at the same time.

Key Specs

• Dimensions: 10 x 5.5 x 7 inches
• Attachments: Bowl, lid, drive adapter, blade, whisking disc, and charger
• Dishwasher-safe: Yes, removable parts are dishwasher-safe
• Material: Plastic; stainless steel
• Wattage: Unknown
• Weight: 2 pounds, 11.75 ounces
• Stated capacity: 5 cups
• Warranty: 1 year
  

The Competition

• Black + Decker 1.5-Cup One-Touch Electric Food Chopper: The Black + Decker Food Chopper had a lid with multiple holes all around it in a circle that allowed liquid to splash out when I made tahini sauce.
• KitchenAid 3.5-Cup Food Chopper: The KitchenAid 3.5-Cup Food Chopper did an adequate job in both the tahini sauce and pesto tests, but it costs more than comparable models.
• Ninja Express Chop: This mini food processor had the bowl on the bottom instead of the top of the machine. Liquid splashed up onto the top motor, which meant you had to clean the motorized part (not ideal).
• Hamilton Beach Electric Food Chopper & Mini 3-Cup Food Processor: This food processor had a lid that was difficult to clean thanks to a narrow space between the outer and inner rim. 
• Cuisinart Mini Prep Food Processor: This compact mini food processor did a fine job making tahini sauce and pesto. However, its bowl lacked a handle, which made it more difficult to use.
• Mueller Electric Food Chopper: The Mueller did a poor job of chopping hard ingredients like nuts, leading to a coarse and uneven pesto. Suffice it to say, its motor was weak. 
• Proctor Silex Durable Electric Vegetable Chopper: This mini food processor did not have a hole or any way to drizzle oil into the processor, making it less versatile for emulsified sauces like mayonnaise.

FAQ

What is a mini food processor used for? 

Mini food processors are ideal for making things like sauces, salad dressings, salsas, and mayonnaise, as well as chopping smaller amounts of vegetables and produce.

Is it worth getting a mini food processor? 

Depending on your lifestyle, a mini food processor might be a great addition to your household. Mini food processors cost significantly less than a full-size food processor and can be versatile. They are also easier to store and take up little countertop space. 

What’s the best size for a mini food processor?

For most people, a 3- to 4-cup capacity mini food processor is ideal. This size is large enough to fit most sauce recipes, but not so large that small amounts of ingredients bounce around without getting chopped. 

Why We’re the Experts

• Irvin Lin is a cookbook author, recipe developer, food writer, photographer, and ceramicist. He wrote Marbled, Swirled, and Layered, which was picked by The New York Times as one of the best baking cookbooks of 2016. 
• Irvin also runs a blog called Eat the Love, where he’s developed, photographed, and written recipes since 2010. 
• He’s product tested and reviewed hundreds of kitchen items including stand mixers and digital thermometers.
• For this review, Irvin tested 11 mini food processors, making tahini sauce and pesto sauce and hand-cleaning them after each use to find the best ones.