Opinions please: Vitamix or food processor?

S

sandra-in-phoenix

Enthusiast Member
I have had both in the past, but now, not so sure I want to own both again...

If you had to choose only 1, which one would you prefer, and why?

What I'm looking at:

Vitamix Explorian E310

Cuisinart Custom 14 cup processor

Consider that I already have a 4 cup mini processor, but it's pretty useless, lol!

 
I have both and would lean toward vita mix

I really only use my fp for pie crusts and I have the big 14 cup with beaters. I made a cheesecake in it once, but prefer my ka. I just made lemon curd and whole fruit margaritas in the vitamix and lemon curd and margaritas win.

Really it comes down to what you want to use it for.

 
I also have both in use an equal amount of the time, but I LOVE making curd

and hot purees and soups in the Vitamix 5200. Literally measure in the ingredients and let it puree for 4 minutes to 180 degrees. I also use a slightly longer method of cooling down the mixture w/o the butter and then emulsifying a larger amount of butter in after it has cooled to 140. That produces a slightly different product, silkier and lighter.

I burnt out a stick blender and a blender trying to make peanut butter before I owned the Vitamix and now I'm too scared of ruining it, so I can't offer any advice in that realm.

I've been making spinach smoothies here at Mom's with an El Cheapo blender and frankly, there are no words strong enough for that comparison. This blender sounds like an animal in its death throes...and all I'm doing is breaking down spinach leaves and a soft banana in liquid.

My only complaint is it is slightly too tall to sit under the upper cabinets on the countertop. Like maybe 1" too tall. That's annoying.

I love making pergoie dough in the food processor and for bulk amounts of whipped cream in which I stream in melted butter, it is a dream. But lately those have been all I use it for.

Good luck. I think another issue with the Vitamix is whether you add seeds to smoothies...or conversely, need the seeds from strawberries (for example) to be fully broken down. The newer models do that. My older one doesn't.

 
No question for me, absolutely the food processor

I have two. One is a 12-cup commercial Robot Coupe that also has the big veggie "shooter" attachment. We bought it for the ice cream shop/ diner we owned. I was so wowed by its power when I tried it.....and it never left my home kitchen. I use it virtually every day. Incredible power!

The second is a 12-cup Cuisinart. I also have the extra top and blades for shredding, etc. I very often use both processors every day. Both have different purposes but I wouldn't give them up for anything.

I also use an immersion blender a lot.

 
My chef BIL is also a big fan of the Robot Coupe

In addition to the food processor, he has the Robot Coupe immersion blender at home. Big thing. I use my immersion blender a lot more than my food processor. It is rinky dink compared to the Robot Coupe but I still like it. I've gone through four or five of them.

 
I use my food processor frequently and only use the immersion

Blender for soups. I guess I am missing something. I am not a smoothie lover and gave my unused blender to our rummage sale at church. It was taking up space in my small kiitchen

 
Thank-you Cathy and Paul for your share. DS has been talking

about getting a larger food processor - the 7-cup Cuisinart isn't large enough for some of the things he'd like to prepare. I am going to suggest he look at the Robot Coupe! Colleen

 
I had a parallel experience with woodshop...

When I was a kid I took woodshop and power tools were the obviously superior option. When I got older I built a woodshop in my garage and got a bunch of nice power tools. But I began to appreciate the traditional hand tools especially when they were higher quality. There are things you can achieve and a level of quality that you can reach with some hand tools that you can't with power tools. There is also a more connectedness I guess you'd call it. human, wholesome zen whatever.
In the kitchen I will now prefer to slice a bunch of onions, potatoes etc by hand. Same goes for mixing. I will use my danish whisk for mashed potatoes or mixing dough instead of the Kitchenaid. I did that instant coffee ice cream thing that was viral a couple of months ago, all with a hand whisk. It took about 15 minutes each time and my arm hurt afterward. I will use the KA for whipped cream but if it is a small amount I might use the whisk attachment on the immersion blender.
There are things you can't easily do without (kitchen) powertools but for whatever reason I've come to enjoy the process of slicing up those onions by hand just like I did using the hand plane in the woodshop.

 
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