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Generally, you’re best off getting something that’s the best of both worlds if you’re looking for a food processor or blender.
That’s where the blender food processor comes in, a 2 in 1 appliance which acts as both a blender and food processor at once.
They can do a bit of everything, from chopping vegetables to blending, to pureeing and pulverising. They’re a real time and money saver.
There are a lot of these handy appliances on the market at the moment, so you may be finding it a little tricky to pick out which one is best for you.
Thankfully, we’re here to lend a helping hand. Read on to find out a handy buyers guide on the best food processor blenders and our top picks!
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Best Blender For Food Processing - Comparison Table
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Best Blender For Food Processing - Reviews
Ninja is a well known brand creating food processors and blenders and are innovators in creating high quality kitchen technology that really helps to save time. The Ninja QB900B is a prime example of Ninja’s prowess and great abilities.
This product can do just about everything, from chopping, blending, pureeing, you name it. It even won the Housewares Design Award back in 2010.
This blender has a stylish look that will blend in well with any kitchen, but this isn’t all that it offers. It comes with two blade sets, 4-blade and 6-blade, which offer high power crushing, and can easily chop vegetables and blend smoothies, and can even crush ice without a hitch.
They provide good results quickly, and the blender locks onto the base firmly to ensure safety. It also has a lid locking mechanism so if you have children you don’t need to worry about your little ones trying to stick their hands inside because they won’t be able to.
The blade set up also allows you to clean this very easily without having to worry about food sticking to the bottom. It’s made of plastic that’s totally eco friendly too, so you can live in the knowledge that by buying this product, you’re helping to save the product.
One issue with this is, again, with noise. With a high powered processor such as this it’s almost unavoidable, but it may be a bit of an issue if you perhaps live in an apartment building with neighbors close by.
On a positive note though, this product is insanely affordable and won’t break the bank. You should really give this blender a spin - you won’t regret it!
Pros
Cons
This blender food processor is pretty impressive, coming with all the little add ons that make this really stand out as one of the best on the market right now.
The blender boasts great control and accuracy and has a huge variety of speeds and pre-programmed speeds that allow you to quickly and efficiently choose an action without any extra fuss.
The jug of the blender consists of a glass jar and a powerful system that screams ‘easy to use.’ The jug can hold six cups, while the processor bowl can hold 5. You don’t even need to sit there and watch the food blend and get processed, the speed options will ensure everything is done without a hitch.
The settings are also great for new recipes you may not be used to making. The blades are also quite large, allowing any task to be done at great speed and creating smooth results. It has an impressive 1200-watt power motor and dual direction blades that aid in blending efficiently.
It also helps to prepare fruit and veg fairly easily with a chopping blade and slicing disk. It can be pretty noisy and is a little big though, which is to be expected with a blender with these features.
It’s overall an efficient blender food processor that comes at an incredibly affordable price for everything it offers.
Pros
Cons
Another entry from Ninja, again this is a high quality blender food processor that is a bit of a jack of all trades. It can blend fruit and veg and crush ice in mere seconds, so it’s incredibly efficient.
You can even use it to help mix baking dough. With an impressive list of specifications, this isn’t one you want to miss out on.
This blender food processor has 1500 watts worth of power for blending, and has a great capacity of 72Oz. It’s also quite durable so it’ll last a long time, and it also comes with a great one-year warranty if you buy it on Amazon.
It’s easy to use even without reading the user manual. It’s safe too, with a lid that can’t be removed unless the blender is completely off. It’s dishwasher safe so it’s quite easy to clean. It comes with a total of three speeds and a pulse option.
As far as noise is concerned, it’s not much louder than most of the others on the list, but can still be a little noisy. Overall, it’s a versatile system that can be a great asset to any kitchen for a decent price.
Pros
Cons
This blender food processor is a great addition to any kitchen. It comes with a whole host of additional features, and a decent sized capacity.
This model comes with three nested bowls that come in a range of sizes, and they don’t even need any extra storage space because they stack on top of eachother. They’re also BPA-free and are resistant to heat and shattering.
It’s easy to pour this food too as the bowls have a locking feature that stops the food from spilling out. It has a 4 cup capacity so there’s plenty of room to make anything from cookie dough for a bunch of cookies, to lots of fruit and vegetables. It has an 8 cup capacity for thin liquids.
It has three different speeds, along with pulse and dough buttons that will allow you to quickly knead dough. It has a great 1000 watt motor and a variety of discs and blades that provide you with the ability to create a decent range of recipes.
It comes with a storage caddy with a safety lock that holds the blades, discs and stem adapter to keep everything in one place. It also has a SealTight feature lock that keeps everything safe.
It also comes in three color options so there’s something there for everyone. It even comes with a handy how-to DVD to quickly teach you how to use it. It’s also pretty quiet too so it’s ideal for apartment living.
Pros
Cons
Best Blender For Food Processing - Buyers Guide
What’s the difference between a food processor and a blender?
Okay, so you may already know that there’s a difference between food processors and blenders. But what is that difference?
A blender consists of a cylindrical jug like shape that has a moving blade in the bottom. It’s shaped in such a way that any food items fall downwards towards the blade and turns them into more liquid based foods, like a puree.
A food processor consists of a large bowl that has two blades placed at different heights. The bottom blade will scrape the bottom of the bowl, and the higher one chops things coming in from above. They tend to pulverise the food into much smaller pieces.
So why have a blender food processor molded into one - what’s the big deal? Well, it partially comes down to ease of use. Why clean two different appliances when you only have to clean one?
They can make it much easier to cook healthy meals with less appliances. It’ll also save you the money from having to buy more than one appliance. A blender or food processor on their own can cost just as much as a blender food processor.
What should I consider when buying a blender food processor?
You’re buying an all-in one appliance with a blender food processor, so naturally you’ll need to make sure that the appliance does multiple things.
Here’s some things to look into before you spend that hard earned cash on a blender food processor.
Material of the Pitcher and Capacity
Consider the materials and capacity of the pitcher. They’re usually made of plastic or glass, which both have their own advantages and disadvantages.
Usually, plastic is a little lighter and if you drop it, it usually doesn’t smash as easily but you can’t always put it in a dishwasher and it can occasionally crack when using it.
Glass on the other hand is usually dishwasher safe and is mostly durable unless you drop it, in which case it can break.
The capacity can also largely depend on what you require. If you only need enough for around two people then you don’t need anything massive. If you’re serving a large group or a big family then you’ll need something much bigger. With that in mind, you’ll also need the storage and counter space for a large blender food processor.
Motor Power
This is one of the first things you should look at when trying to decide on a blender food processor to buy. Will you just be using the blender for things like smoothies? A smaller motor may be best. What about pulverising big portions of ice or vegetables?
You’d be better off getting a blender processor with a stronger motor. The main take-away from this is that you should be trying to match the purpose of the blender processor for your needs to the appliance that you actually require.
Amount of speeds
Different blender food processors come with different speed options. With some they’re pretty simple, all you need to do is push the button down. With others there will already be speeds that are set with the appliance.
The preprogrammed options are pre-set to certain texture outcomes, such as for a smoothie. Ideally, you want a blender food processor that helps you to create a variety of different foods, from smoothies to sauces to soups.
If you just need the absolute basics that’s also an option, but you never know when you’ll need those extra speed options!
Chopping Bowl Capacity
For the processor part of the appliance, you should also get a bowl for chopping that comes with it. This is important to chop and break the vegetables and fruit down that are big and can’t go straight into the blender.
It depends a lot on what you need as far as portions are concerned, but most blender food processors are about 40 ounces with some that are different.
As a quick tip, try using the chopping bowl before processing as this can make mixing so much easier!
Additional Features
A lot of blender food processors will come with additional features that will make things easier for you. Some come with to-go cups, or extra blades with different assemblies. Some even come with different settings, or easy pour spouts or slip guards.
Prioritise the things that you would find important in a blender food processor.
Warranties
Warranties aren’t just there for the sake of it - they exist for your benefit. A lot of products will have specific terms in their warranty, so check how long the warranty lasts.
Some even have three-year limited warranty, and some go as far as ten years! Make sure you double check exactly what the warranty covers.
Dishwasher Safe
In order to keep the appliance running efficiently and so food doesn’t become contaminated, you will need to clean the appliance fairly regularly. If you use a dishwasher, naturally you may be wondering if the blender food processor is safe for the dishwasher.
Thankfully, a lot of blender food processors are dishwasher safe, so you can just put them in the dishwasher without much hassle.
With that being said, you’ll need to check the descriptions to ensure that the appliance definitely has this feature. Not all blender food processors are dishwasher safe so check first before you buy if this is a priority for you.
Blender Food Processors: The Do’s and Don'ts
There’s a few things you should and shouldn’t do when it comes to using a blender food processor. You’ll need to know the limit of the device’s capacity so you don’t over fill it and cause it to break.
You should always follow the instructions manual that comes with the appliance to ensure it’s being properly used.
Ensure that you’re careful when putting the device together and taking it apart so you don’t injure yourself, and when opening the blender when using hot liquids ensure that you open it away from your face. Use it always with the cover on.
You should also not attempt to override the cover interlock mechanism. Don’t try to use the blade assemblies incorrectly outside of purpose. Don’t touch the blades while the product is plugged in, or this could look very bad on your hands later on!
Finally, don’t put any objects such as utensils or fingers into the product while the motor is still running.
Frequently Asked Questions
What power does the motor need to be
If you’re looking to use the device mainly as a blender or to do any difficult food processing tasks, you should be looking at a device with around 700W motor power. Smaller food processors usually have about 400-500 watts.
You need to ensure the device has enough power for traditional food preparation and for any other purpose you need it for
Does a blender food processor also crush ice?
This depends on the motor power - you’ll need at least a 1000+ watts for the blender food processor to crush ice.
What is the purpose of the ‘pulse’ button?
The pulse function allows you to do a variety of things. It’ll firstly allow you to alter the speed and duration that it’s blending the ingredients so that they reach the required consistency.
This is fantastic for things like dough and salsa. It can also help you to get food pieces that have become trapped out from under the blades.
Is my blender food processor too weak to make smoothies if its motor power is only 500W?
A blender only needs 350W for anything frozen, so no worries there! You can make smoothies and any other frozen creation with ease with a blender of this power level.