IF YOU’VE ALREADY got a blender, stand mixer, or juicer, you may feel as if you’re all set for meal preparation. But, as the best chefs will agree, no kitchen should be without a versatile food processor. The perfect multitasking tool for slicing, dicing, chopping, and more, a top food processor will add an extra dimension to your cooking and make you feel as if you’ve got an extra Sabatier pair of hands in the kitchen.

The latest appliances can chop, shred, slice, grind, grate, dice, knead, and puree at the touch of a button. Some even work out the time and speed for you. A food processor can be used to shred vegetables to spice up salads or to whip up homemade sauces such as pesto or hummus. You can also use a food processor to puree ingredients for whatever stage you’re at in life—whether you’re weaning a baby or making guests delicious dips for your dinner party, or both.

Read on for WIRED’s roundup of the most useful food processors and mini choppers you can buy online. We’ve also included expert tips from Garrett Rochowiak, chef de cuisine at Miami’s Bouchon Coral Gables restaurant.

Updated December 2024: We’ve added Magic Bullet Kitchen Express, the Breville Paradice 9, and the Ninja Detect Kitchen System Power Blender Plus.

For more of WIRED’s kitchen guides, check out our Best Stand Mixers, Best Blenders, Best Air Fryers, Best Electric Kettles, and the Best Gear for Small Kitchens.

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