Which small food processor for nut butter?
September 25, 2010 4:37 PM Subscribe
Which food processor should I get: Cuisinart DLC-4CHB Mini-Prep Plus 4-Cup or Cuisinart DFP-3 Handy Prep 3-Cup?
I've done a bunch of researched and I've narrowed it down to these two, but I'm stumped on which one to go with.
Relevant details:
1. I want a food processor mainly for making various nut butters. Hummus too. I'm know I will discover many other uses, but the number one requirement is that it can make about a pound (a 16 oz mason jar) worth of nut butter.
2. I am a single guy so I will be using it realistically to cook for, at most, 2 people.
3. I am just getting into baking, but as I bake mostly for myself, I'd probably rather knead and mix by hand as my biggest project would probably be on the order of 1 pie or 1 cake or 1 pizza.
The 4-cup looks nice b/c it is slightly cheaper and will do the job, but the 3-cup looks nice because it has a couple extra features and a nicer warranty.
Any advice is much appreciated. If you have a better food processor for making nut butter in the same price range, please let me know.
I've done a bunch of researched and I've narrowed it down to these two, but I'm stumped on which one to go with.
Relevant details:
1. I want a food processor mainly for making various nut butters. Hummus too. I'm know I will discover many other uses, but the number one requirement is that it can make about a pound (a 16 oz mason jar) worth of nut butter.
2. I am a single guy so I will be using it realistically to cook for, at most, 2 people.
3. I am just getting into baking, but as I bake mostly for myself, I'd probably rather knead and mix by hand as my biggest project would probably be on the order of 1 pie or 1 cake or 1 pizza.
The 4-cup looks nice b/c it is slightly cheaper and will do the job, but the 3-cup looks nice because it has a couple extra features and a nicer warranty.
Any advice is much appreciated. If you have a better food processor for making nut butter in the same price range, please let me know.
I'm not familiar with either of those models, but I have had a lot of trouble dealing with Cuisinart warranties (just as a datapoint). So I went with KitchenAid for my food processor which I love and I cringe at remembering cooking without it.
That said, I'd go with whichever has more attachments, so it looks like the Handy Prep 3 cup. The other thing I'd mention is that mine doesn't do well with liquids, so if I'd recommend reading all of the reviews and making sure it is good with really liquid stuff.
posted by cestmoi15 at 4:44 PM on September 25, 2010
That said, I'd go with whichever has more attachments, so it looks like the Handy Prep 3 cup. The other thing I'd mention is that mine doesn't do well with liquids, so if I'd recommend reading all of the reviews and making sure it is good with really liquid stuff.
posted by cestmoi15 at 4:44 PM on September 25, 2010
Ugh, sorry no "if" inbetween so and I'd.
Also, mine does just fine with pizza dough using the dough blade. Haven't tried pie crusts.
posted by cestmoi15 at 4:46 PM on September 25, 2010
Also, mine does just fine with pizza dough using the dough blade. Haven't tried pie crusts.
posted by cestmoi15 at 4:46 PM on September 25, 2010
Keep in mind that the shredding disc may not be too useful on a 3-cup machine. The photo showing a bunch of lemon slices is pure photoshop magic - there's no way a lemon is going to fit through the chute of a 3-cup processor.
I'd lean towards the 4-cup machine, to give you a little more capacity and because its base would be easier to clean than the older-style base used on the 3-cup model.
Mine is a 5-cup Kitchenaid, and it's about right for my 2-person household.
posted by jon1270 at 5:04 PM on September 25, 2010
I'd lean towards the 4-cup machine, to give you a little more capacity and because its base would be easier to clean than the older-style base used on the 3-cup model.
Mine is a 5-cup Kitchenaid, and it's about right for my 2-person household.
posted by jon1270 at 5:04 PM on September 25, 2010
Response by poster: rossination, I don't really do a lot of shredding or fine slicing. I guess those attachments aren't for me.
cestmoi15, I see your point about attachments, but I am a 24 year old dude that just within the past few months has discovered the joys of cooking. I think I would rather master something with less bells and whistles and then work my way up as need dictates.
I am leaning towards the 4-cup machine. The comment from jon1270 about easier cleanup pushes me a bit further.
I'm gonna go make dinner and mull it over. I'll check back here in an hour or so before I buy anything.
posted by 3FLryan at 5:12 PM on September 25, 2010
cestmoi15, I see your point about attachments, but I am a 24 year old dude that just within the past few months has discovered the joys of cooking. I think I would rather master something with less bells and whistles and then work my way up as need dictates.
I am leaning towards the 4-cup machine. The comment from jon1270 about easier cleanup pushes me a bit further.
I'm gonna go make dinner and mull it over. I'll check back here in an hour or so before I buy anything.
posted by 3FLryan at 5:12 PM on September 25, 2010
I have the 3 cup, and it's not very powerful. It does small jobs fine, but I wouldn't ask more of it than basic prep.
I haven't used the other model but I would lean towards it based on the larger size. I think you will appreciate having that extra cup to work with. I also agree that the base looks easier to clean...it's a smoother finish which you can easily wipe down. The 3-cup's base, being more angular and less smooth, requires more than just a quick wipe.
posted by DrGirlfriend at 5:18 PM on September 25, 2010
I haven't used the other model but I would lean towards it based on the larger size. I think you will appreciate having that extra cup to work with. I also agree that the base looks easier to clean...it's a smoother finish which you can easily wipe down. The 3-cup's base, being more angular and less smooth, requires more than just a quick wipe.
posted by DrGirlfriend at 5:18 PM on September 25, 2010
Best answer: if you absolutely must choose between these two, get the 4-cup model. I could give you a whole bunch of reasons but can i just say i'm a chef, a gadget freak, and lazy about cleaning. therefore, the 4-cup. IMHO, though, it doesn't do all of what a good food processor does. (Egg & cream whipping feature is wonderful to have, but this machine doesn't have it)
FWIW, i own 3 food processors. (5 if you count the tiny ones) and i've used just about every style and model on the market (via clients' kitchens) so i know a bit about these machines.
posted by ChefJoAnna at 5:42 PM on September 25, 2010
FWIW, i own 3 food processors. (5 if you count the tiny ones) and i've used just about every style and model on the market (via clients' kitchens) so i know a bit about these machines.
posted by ChefJoAnna at 5:42 PM on September 25, 2010
Response by poster: I'm going with the 4-cup model. Thanks everyone.
Everyone added something useful (metafilter is so great!), but I'll pick the chef's answer as "best".
posted by 3FLryan at 6:30 PM on September 25, 2010
Everyone added something useful (metafilter is so great!), but I'll pick the chef's answer as "best".
posted by 3FLryan at 6:30 PM on September 25, 2010
Response by poster: I should add that after learn a lot more about cooking and get a lot better at it, I'll look into a "real" food proc.
posted by 3FLryan at 6:32 PM on September 25, 2010
posted by 3FLryan at 6:32 PM on September 25, 2010
This thread is closed to new comments.
Do you do lots of shredding and/or fine slicing? Do you have a mandolin? If you answered "yes" and then "no", get the 3 cup one because it has a slicing/grating disk, which is surprisingly useful.
Check out this Mark Bittman article for more fun things to do with food processors.
posted by rossination at 4:43 PM on September 25, 2010