Best Food Processor Under $100 (5 In-Stock Picks, Full-Size and Mini)

A food processor saves the most time on the jobs you hate doing by hand. Think shredding cheese, slicing a pile of vegetables, or chopping onions without tears.

You do not need to spend a lot. Under $100, you can get a 12-cup processor with slicing and shredding discs, or a mini chopper for small jobs.

The short version: The Hamilton Beach Big Mouth Duo Plus 12-Cup Food Processor is the best food processor under $100. It has a 500-watt motor, a 12-cup bowl and a 4-cup mini bowl, all for $81.99 at Hamilton Beach’s price. If you only chop small amounts, the Cuisinart Mini-Prep Plus 4-Cup is a compact alternative.

Our Picks at a Glance

• Best overall: Hamilton Beach Big Mouth Duo Plus 12-Cup Food ProcessorJump to review ↓
• Easiest to assemble: Hamilton Beach 12-Cup Stack and Snap Food ProcessorJump to review ↓
• Best budget full-size: Black+Decker 8-Cup Easy Assembly Food ProcessorJump to review ↓
• Best mini: Cuisinart Mini-Prep Plus 4-Cup Food ProcessorJump to review ↓
• Best for tiny jobs: Cuisinart Mini-Prep Plus 3-Cup Food ProcessorJump to review ↓

Every processor above showed “Add to Cart” on its maker’s own store when we checked. Prices are the makers’ own and change often.

Food Processor	Bowl	Motor	Slices and Shreds	Maker’s Price
Hamilton Beach Big Mouth Duo Plus 70580	12 cups + 4-cup mini bowl	500 W	Yes	$81.99
Hamilton Beach Stack and Snap 70725A	12 cups	450 W	Yes	$69.99
Black+Decker FP4100B	8 cups	450 W	Yes	$51.99
Cuisinart Mini-Prep Plus DLC-4CHB	4 cups	250 W	No	$64.95
Cuisinart Mini-Prep Plus DLC-2ABC	24 oz (3 cups)	250 W	No	$39.95

1. Hamilton Beach Big Mouth Duo Plus 12-Cup Food Processor: Best Overall

The Duo Plus gives you two processors in one. The 12-cup bowl handles family-size jobs like shredding a block of cheese or slicing vegetables for a stir-fry. The 4-cup mini bowl handles small jobs like chopping one onion or making a little pesto.

That second bowl matters. A big bowl is poor at chopping small amounts. Food flies to the sides and the blade misses it. The mini bowl fixes that.

The Big Mouth feed chute is wide. Hamilton Beach says it fits whole tomatoes, potatoes and onions, so you cut less before you process.

The 500-watt motor is the strongest in this guide. Every bowl, lid and attachment goes in the dishwasher. The two bowls nest together for storage.

Hamilton Beach’s page notes that Epicurious and Bon Appétit both named it a best budget food processor.

Who should buy it: Most home cooks who want one budget processor for both big batches and small jobs.

2. Hamilton Beach 12-Cup Stack and Snap Food Processor: Easiest to Assemble

Many food processors are hard to put together. You twist the bowl, twist the lid, line up tabs and hope it clicks. The Stack and Snap skips that. Hamilton Beach says there is no twisting or locking. You stack the bowl on the base and snap the lid down.

That makes it a good pick for anyone who has given up on a processor because assembly was annoying.

The 12-cup bowl is sealed and has a pour spout. That helps with wet jobs like salsa, soup and sauces. A simple guide on the machine shows which blade and button to use for each job.

It has a smaller motor than the Duo Plus and no mini bowl. But it costs $12 less at the maker’s price.

Who should buy it: Anyone who wants a full-size processor that is quick to set up and put away.

3. Black+Decker 8-Cup Easy Assembly Food Processor: Best Budget Full-Size

The Black+Decker FP4100B is the cheapest full-size processor in this guide. It still slices and shreds, which the minis cannot.

Black+Decker says assembly is simple. Set the bowl on the base and twist the lid until it locks.

The 8-cup bowl suits couples and small families. It shreds a block of cheese or slices a couple of cucumbers in one go.

It has the longest warranty in this guide, at 2 years.

The trade-off is size and extras. It holds less than the Hamilton Beach models and has no wide feed chute. You will cut food smaller before it goes in.

Who should buy it: Budget buyers who want slicing and shredding without spending much.

4. Cuisinart Mini-Prep Plus 4-Cup Food Processor: Best Mini

A mini processor is for small, everyday jobs. Chop an onion, make a cup of pesto, grind nuts or blend a salad dressing. It is faster to set up and clean than a full-size model.

The Mini-Prep Plus 4-Cup uses Cuisinart’s auto-reversing blade. One button spins it one way to chop. The other spins it the other way to grind, using the blunt edge. That handles herbs and hard spices alike.

At under 8 inches wide, it can live on the counter without crowding it.

It does not slice or shred. For that, you need a full-size model with a disc.

Who should buy it: Cooks for one or two, and anyone who mainly chops onions, herbs and nuts.

5. Cuisinart Mini-Prep Plus 3-Cup Food Processor: Best for Tiny Jobs

The smaller Mini-Prep Plus is the cheapest processor here. It has the same auto-reversing blade and 250-watt motor as the 4-cup model, in a smaller bowl.

A 24-ounce bowl is right for garlic, herbs, a small onion, breadcrumbs or baby food. It is too small for a batch of hummus for a crowd.

Cuisinart says the removable parts are dishwasher safe, and the touchpad wipes clean. It also comes in white and pink.

Who should buy it: Anyone who wants a quick chopper for garlic, herbs and small jobs.

Full-Size vs Mini Food Processors

This is the first choice to make. It depends on what you cook.

Full-size processors hold 8 to 14 cups. They come with slicing and shredding discs, so they handle big jobs: shredded cheese, sliced potatoes, coleslaw and pie dough. They are bigger and take longer to wash.

Mini processors hold 2 to 4 cups. They chop, grind and puree with a single blade. They are quick to set up and clean, and they fit on a small counter. They cannot slice or shred.

If you cook for a family, buy full-size. If you cook for one or two and mostly chop, a mini is enough. The Hamilton Beach Duo Plus gives you both.

Our guide to small kitchen gadgets worth buying when you cook for one covers more compact tools.

What to Look for in a Budget Food Processor

These details make the biggest difference day to day.

• Bowl size. Match it to your household. 8 cups suits two to four people. 12 cups suits bigger families and batch cooking.
• Motor power. Budget models run 250 to 500 watts. More power helps with dough and hard vegetables.
• Feed chute. A wide chute takes whole vegetables and saves chopping.
• Discs. A reversible slice/shred disc covers most jobs.
• Assembly. Twist-lock bowls are fiddly. Stack-and-snap designs are faster.
• Dishwasher-safe parts. Check the bowl, lid, blade and discs.
• Warranty. Budget models range from 1 to 2 years here.

Food Processor vs Blender

These two machines overlap, but each does some jobs much better.

A blender has a tall jar and a fast blade near the bottom. It pulls liquids down into a vortex. It is best for smoothies, soups, sauces and drinks.

A food processor has a wide, flat bowl and an S-blade. It chops rather than liquefies. With discs, it slices and shreds. It is best for vegetables, cheese, dough, hummus and pesto.

Our guide on the difference between a food processor and a blender goes deeper. For blenders, see our picks for the best blenders for smoothies and our NutriBullet vs Ninja comparison. An immersion blender is another compact option for soups.

What You Can Make With a Food Processor

A food processor earns its space when you use it often. Here are jobs it does well.

• Shredded cheese. A block shreds in seconds and costs less than pre-shredded.
• Sliced vegetables. Cucumbers, potatoes, carrots and cabbage for coleslaw. For paper-thin slices, a mandoline goes thinner. Our guide on how to use a mandoline covers doing it safely. Peeling a big batch of potatoes first? See our electric potato peeler guide.
• Chopped onions and garlic. Pulse, do not run, for an even chop.
• Hummus and dips. Chickpeas, tahini, lemon and garlic blend smooth. Our guide on how much juice is in one lemon helps you buy enough lemons.
• Pesto and sauces. Basil, nuts, cheese and oil in one bowl.
• Pie and pizza dough. Pulse butter into flour for flaky pastry. For cake batters and whipped cream, a hand mixer is the better tool. Our guide to the best bakeware sets covers the pans.
• Breadcrumbs. Stale bread becomes crumbs in seconds.
• Nut butters. A strong motor turns roasted nuts into butter. Give it time and scrape often.

For spiral vegetables, some processors include a spiralizer. Our guide to the best vegetable choppers covers hand tools that do the same.

Tips for Better Results

A few habits make any food processor work better.

1. Pulse, do not run. For chopping, short pulses give an even texture. Running it turns food to mush.
2. Do not overfill. Stay below the max line, especially with liquids.
3. Cut food to even sizes. Uneven pieces chop unevenly.
4. Chill cheese first. Cold cheese shreds cleanly. Soft cheese smears.
5. Use the pusher. Never put fingers in the feed chute.
6. Scrape the bowl. Stop and scrape the sides for even results.

Keep the S-blade sharp and handle it by the center hub. It is very sharp. A processor does not replace a good knife for small jobs. Our guide to the best knife set under $100 covers affordable sets.

Cleaning and Storing a Food Processor

Clean a processor right after use. Dried food is much harder to remove.

• Rinse the blade first. Hold it by the hub and rinse under running water.
• Dishwasher or hand wash. Check which parts your model allows in the dishwasher.
• Clean the base. Wipe the motor base with a damp cloth. Never submerge it.
• Dry fully. Water in the bowl’s locking tabs can cause odors.

If you use the dishwasher a lot, keep its filter clean. Our guide on how to clean a dishwasher shows how.

Store blades and discs in the bowl or in a separate case. Loose blades in a drawer are a hazard. Our tips on organizing kitchen drawers in a small kitchen cover safe blade storage. For bulky appliances, our ideas for small kitchen cabinet organization help you find space. If it lives on the counter, our countertop organization ideas help you decide what earns a spot.

Storing Food You Prep Ahead

A food processor makes batch prep fast. Store the results well so they last.

Chopped vegetables keep for a few days in sealed containers. Our guide to the best airtight food storage containers covers containers that seal well. Shredded cheese freezes well in bags. Soft cheeses behave differently. See whether you can freeze cream cheese. Sliced potatoes need special care, and our guide on how long potatoes last covers fridge and freezer times. For more, see our easy meal prep ideas for one person.

Which Food Processor Under $100 Should You Buy?

Buy the Hamilton Beach Big Mouth Duo Plus 70580 if you want one processor for both big batches and small jobs.

Pick the Hamilton Beach Stack and Snap 70725A if you want the easiest assembly in a full-size model.

Choose the Black+Decker FP4100B if you want slicing and shredding at the lowest price.

Get the Cuisinart Mini-Prep Plus 4-Cup if you cook for one or two and mostly chop.

Go with the Cuisinart Mini-Prep Plus 3-Cup if you want a quick, cheap chopper for garlic and herbs.

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• Best Mandoline Slicers
• Best Small Kitchen Appliances for Cooking for One
• Best Coconut Milk Substitute
• How to Stock a Small Kitchen for Solo Cooking

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the best food processor under $100?

The Hamilton Beach Big Mouth Duo Plus 70580 is the best pick in this guide. It has a 500-watt motor, a 12-cup bowl plus a 4-cup mini bowl, a wide feed chute and dishwasher-safe parts, at $81.99 on Hamilton Beach's store. For the lowest price on a full-size model, the Black+Decker FP4100B 8-cup is $51.99.

What size food processor do I need?

For one or two people and small jobs like salsa, pesto and chopped onions, a 3 to 4-cup mini is enough. For families, shredding cheese, slicing vegetables in bulk or making dough, choose 8 to 12 cups. A model with two bowls, like the Hamilton Beach Duo Plus, covers both.

Is a food processor worth it under $100?

Yes, for most home cooks. Budget food processors chop, slice, shred and puree well. They usually have smaller motors and fewer attachments than premium models, and some struggle with heavy bread dough. For everyday vegetables, cheese, sauces and dips, a budget model does the job.

Can a mini food processor slice and shred?

Usually not. Mini processors like the Cuisinart Mini-Prep Plus use a chopping blade only. They chop, grind and puree. To slice and shred, you need a full-size processor with a slicing and shredding disc.

Food processor or blender: which do I need?

A blender is better for liquids like smoothies, soups and sauces. A food processor is better for chopping, slicing, shredding and thick mixtures like hummus and pie dough. If you cook a lot of vegetables, a food processor saves more time.