Mini Food Processor preferences?

[GypsiAnsara]

I think I need a little food processor. Nuts are dang expensive, and all these recipes calling for like $30 worth of nuts just aren't happening in my house. And when I try to make a 1/3 (or so) recipe in my reg size cuisinart, there isn't enough in there for it to work right.

I looked at a couple in the cook shops, and they look quite flimsy and I had trouble getting the tops off and putting them back together.

So I'm wondering if anyone has some suggestions or reviews on this matter!

Thanks!

[EZ rider]

Here's a Cuisinart you can check out:
http://www.cuisinart.com/catalog/product.php?product_id=36&item_id=68&cat_id=7

[blaqberry]

I second Cuisinart's mini-prep. I absolutely love mine. We use it all the time, perfect for small jobs...

[Eilene]

I third it!

[spiralgirl]

What I do to save money on nuts is replace half the nuts in a recipe with sunflower seeds or sesame seeds. I usually use sunflower though and you can't really tell the difference.

[crystalmoon]

I would get the cuisinart mini prep it is the only processor I use & it works great for 1/3 or 1/2 recipes

[lily]

Yep, I'm in there too: I love my mini-food processor and use it for all kinds of things. It's great for chopping garlic and fresh ginger -- saves me so much time.

lily

[solongng00dnite]

I got thee BEST little food processor from the thrift store for $3. They had like 5 different ones there, so I am thinking it is a rather common item to be found at second hand stores. I use it more than I use more store bought FP. Its older but it works like a champ. Older appliances were just made to last.

[Yeshia]

I have the mini prep and the Magic bullet!

The Magic bullet wins hands down in fact i have put my mini prep away.

Why?

The bullet is great for grinding nuts etc and the clean up is a breeze:)

The mini prep I hate cleaning lol :eek:

My 2 cents:D

P.S. I ad the cheaper nuts too or cauliflower depending on the receipe , you cannot tell lol

[jules88]

what size are the mini fp's. I have one but it's not quite big enough to do some 1/2 recipes unless I do them in batches. What kind does everyone use? Mine is proctor silex and is probably a 1-2 cup bowl. What kinds and size is the larger one that you all use? Do you grind nut is the fp or coffee/nut grinder? My coffee/nut grinder does work as well as the older one I had. However, the older one the blade kept breaking. Now the replacement that is offered is horrible. It grinds the nut down so far and at a certain size they must fit under the blade and so I have large 1/2 ground chunks of nuts. Any amount of shaking the grinders doesn't work. I have a black and decker smart grind. The fp doesn't really grind to a fine powder. Do anyone use the vitamix for this? I have ordered one and am anxiously awaiting it arrival, so am not sure what is recommended. Any help would be appreciated. I was raw for quite sometime before, but was never aware of the raw community so now it is much more enjoyable this time. Last time I was 100% raw for about a year with just simple fruits and veggies. It did get boring. Now I still for the most part eat simply, but can have a great variety when wanted.

[GypsiAnsara]

Thanks for all the responses! I have a 3 year old magic bullet so maybe I'll dig out the extra blades and see how that works. So far I've only used it for simple smoothies. My nut dishes are so thick, it didn't occur to me to try that machine. I don't know, I'm really on a steep learning curve here, so I might need something upright I can easily add to like the mini prep. And I'll check the thrift store! And I'll use seeds - great hint - thanks!

[baltochef]

GypsiAnsara

For years my family & I have been using the Cuisinart Mini-Prep food processors with exellent results..

My only complaints with this machine are first, that it is often too small for what I want to do when using the 7-cup Cuisinart is too large for the task at hand..

Second, the two-piece blade assembly is a weakness that I have come to dislike..

The collar that the steel blades are inset into that twist locks onto the spindle cup, seems to break a lot, often for no reason..

Most of the people in my family who own the Mini-Prep have blade assemblies with this collar broken..

When I was looking to replace my unuseable, broken blade assembly to my Mini-Prep earlier this year I discovered that a replacement blade assembly with shipping would cost nearly as much (85% as much!!) as a new Mini-Prep..

While leafing through catalogs (I recieve many) I came across the Mini-Prep's larger brother..

The simpler earlier model is called the Little Pro Plus, is equipped with a 3-cup bowl, & is fitted with an Up (On)--Down (Pulse)--Middle (Off) switch..

The newer model is called the Mini-Prep Plus, also with a 3-cup bowl, & is fitted with Touch-Pad controls..

Better yet, the blade assembly is of one-piece construction; the same as all of the larger Cuisinarts..

Online & in the mail order catalogs the 3-cup models are $34.99 &$ 39.99 respectively, compared to $29.99 for the Mini-Prep..

Since I also own a spice (coffee) grinder, I find the 3-cup model to be more useful than the 12 oz. Mini-Prep..

Check out & consider the 3-cup model Cuisinarts!!..

They are much handier then the 12 oz. Mini-Prep's; & I LIKE the Mini-Prep's!!..

jules88

Over the years Cuisinart food processors have been & or now are being made in the following sizes:

1 1/2 cups or 12 oz.--Mini-Prep

3-cups--Little Pro Plus & Mini-Prep Plus

For the larger models the earlier versions were generally labeled with a numerical designation that started something like DLC-7 or Custom 14 with the number representing the capacity of the bowl in cups..

The newer models with Touch Pad controls usually have a designation something like Prep Plus 11, again with the capacity in cups represented by the number..

The largest home food processor has always been called the DLC-X (earlier) & DLC-X Plus (more recent)..

7-cups--DLC-7

11-Cups--Prep Plus 11

14-cups--Custom 14

21-cups--DLC-X Plus

Other companies have made models that were in-between the sizes of the Cuisinarts, so that virtually every size capacity bowl from 1 1/2-cups up to 21-cups has been manufactured over the past 20 years..

Bruce

[GypsiAnsara]

Thank you Baltochef! VERY helpful!!

[Lavendula]

I bought the older square base version, with 2 piece blade, cut myself, every time I washed it, berore and all maybe three x I used it, hated everything about it. Returned it and got the new version, love it, actually. It has an easy on/off lid and assembly, the little bowl even has a handle that makes it easier to connect to the base, and take it out of the cupboard. I really want it's 7-cup big brother.