10 best vegetable choppers to make dinner prep a breeze

When you’re a busy parent, anything that saves you time is worth looking into. And when it comes to saving time in the kitchen, a vegetable chopper is one of the best things you can buy.

They really take the hassle out of preparing fresh, home-cooked meals for your family; chopping all your vegetables for you in seconds. So you can have a bolognese bubbling on the hob in no time.

There are a few different options when it comes to food choppers. You can get a simple manual one that makes cutting your vegetables into neat pieces really quick and easy. Or you can get an all-singing, all-dancing electric food chopper that can chop, mince, blend, and mix everything including vegetables, meats, fish, sauces, and purées. These models are like food processors, just much more compact so they take up a lot less space in your kitchen.

There are also various food choppers that sit somewhere in between. So, however much help you need in the kitchen, there will be one to suit your culinary needs.

Here are the best vegetable choppers on the market in 2022.

1. Best overall vegetable chopper: Ninja Professional Chopper

Price: £29.99 | Buy now from Amazon

“I’ve got this one. I use it for making hummus, Thai curry paste, or for quickly chopping onions/carrots etc into little (somewhat uneven) chunks for bolognaise or pasta sauce. It’s good and tidy on the work surface and very easy to wash up.” (Recommended by Mumsnet user Talipesmum)

“I got this from Amazon. Chops really fine.” (Tried and tested by Mumsnet user H1978)

Ninja has become a pretty big name in the kitchen appliance world over the last few years and, with products like this, it’s not hard to see why.

This compact electric food chopper makes light work of chopping vegetables thanks to its four super-sharp blades.

As well as cutting up your veg, you can use the Ninja Professional Chopper to chop up herbs and spices and blend up sauces, dips, and dressings.

It comes with two stackable containers so you can easily prep things in advance and store them in the fridge for later, which is a real plus for busy families. It also looks good enough to stay out on your kitchen counter if you want and is pretty reasonably priced at £29.99.

Pros

• Super-sharp blades can chop vegetables, herbs, and spices in seconds

• Can be used to chop, mince, and purée

• Comes with two stackable containers with lids

Cons

• Sharp blades mean you need to be really careful using it

• Can be hard to clean the top mechanism after use

Key specs

• Dimensions: 14 x 14 x 25 cm

• Weight: 1.5 kg

• Capacity: 500 ml

• Operation type: Electric

• Number of blades: Four

2. Best budget vegetable chopper: OXO Good Grips Vegetable Chopper

Price: £18 | Buy now from Amazon

“I've got this. It's very good and easy to clean.” (Vetted by Mumsnet user Brusca)

“I could not live without the OXO chopper. With two young kids this saves me so much time! I use it every day, it can be put in the dishwasher, and it’s the best £20 I’ve spent!” (Tried and tested by Mumsnet user purplemanholecover)

The cheapest chopper on our list is the no-fuss, no-frills manual vegetable chopper from the OXO Good Grips range.

If all you need is something to chop your vegetables for you then this is a winner. You simply put your food on top of the grid of blades and press the top down to push it through. The lovely uniform pieces of food then fall through to the container underneath, so it’s really clean and tidy to use.

There’s even an opening at one end of the container so you can tip the prepared food out without needing to take the top off; perfect if you’re using it to chop a few different vegetables.

Pros

• Very simple to use

• Chops veg into uniform cubes

• Easy to clean

Cons

• You can only chop the veg to the size of the grid, so it’s no use if you want anything finely chopped

• A bit of force is needed to use the chopper, especially with harder vegetables

Key specs

• Dimensions: ‎10.13 x 21.56 x 13.18 cm

• Weight: ‎540 g

• Capacity: 600 ml

• Operation type: Manual

• Number of blades: Multiple blades in a grid pattern

3. Best mini chopper for food processing tasks: Kenwood Mini Chopper

Price: £25 | Buy now from Amazon

“I've had mine about five years. The best value gadget I've ever had.” (Recommended by Mumsnet user ICanTuckMyBoobsInMyPockets)

The Kenwood Mini Chopper is one of the most food processor-type choppers on our list, and it is basically a mini version of their standard processor.

It’s a compact and powerful little machine that comes with two speeds so that you’ve got more control over the chopping process.

There are some great safety features with this model, like rubber feet that stop it slipping on the counter and a safety interlock system that won’t let it start until everything is in place.

There are limits to this chopper though - it can’t handle hard ingredients like ice cubes, coffee beans, or hard spices. But it’s still incredibly versatile and can be used to chop up vegetables, herbs, and meats as well as to mix up sauces and mayonnaise easily thanks to the oil drip lid.

Pros

• Two speeds so you have more control over the chopping rate

• Rubber feet give the chopper good grip on the counter

• The whole thing dismantles easily for cleaning (the bowl is dishwasher safe)

Cons

• It’s really quite loud!

• The small capacity means you need to pre-cut some things so they’re small enough to fit in the chopper

Key specs

• Dimensions: ‎14.2 x 20.8 x 15.8 cm

• Weight: ‎950 g

• Capacity: 350 ml bowl with 150 g chopping capacity

• Operation type: Electric

• Number of blades: Two

4. Best high-end vegetable chopper: Magimix Le Micro Mini Chopper

Price: £64.99 | Buy now from Amazon

For the real foodie families out there, the Magimix Le Micro food chopper is a great option. Not only does it look great but it also makes light work of loads of meal prep tasks.

It comes with a set of two stainless steel blades that you can use for chopping both coarsely and finely, as well as puréeing and liquidising. And it also comes with a blending tool that’s perfect for making your own mayonnaise and for mixing up sauces, dips, and dressings.

You do need to take the time to read the user manual and follow the instructions carefully to assemble it properly and make sure you don’t overfill it, especially with liquids.

Pros

• Comes with stainless steel blades for coarse and fine chopping, puréeing, and liquidising

• Compact and powerful

• Looks good on the counter

Cons

• Can be fiddly to assemble

• Limited capacity, especially with liquids

Key specs

• Dimensions: ‎17 x 12 x 24 cm

• Weight: ‎998 g

• Capacity: 800 ml

• Operation type: Electric

• Number of blades: Two

5. Best pull-handle vegetable chopper: Zyliss Easy Pull Food Processor

Price: £24.94 | Buy now from Amazon

“I use a Zyliss chopper. It's excellent for chopping veg for soups, etc.” (Vetted by Mumsnet user NanTheWiser)

“I'm disabled with one ‘good’ hand. I have a Zyliss Easy Pull which is brilliant. It has different blades, from fine to coarse, then you literally just pull the handle. Easy to clean and durable.” (Recommended by Mumsnet user Uncomfortablydumb53)

If you have any issues with strength or dexterity, but still want a manual food chopper, then this pull-handle option from Zyliss is the one for you.

You simply pop your food in the bowl, put the top on, and then pull the handle to spin the blades and chop the food.

With it being a manual device you’re in control of how much you spin the blades, so you can chop the veg as finely as you want in it.

This chopper is also pretty easy to clean - the bowl and the blades can be popped in the dishwasher and the top can be wiped down - just keep the string dry so it doesn’t weaken over time.

Pros

• Small and easy to take anywhere with you, so great if you need to blitz up baby food away from home

• Bowl and blades can be washed in the dishwasher

• Easy to use

Cons

• You need to be careful when washing the lid to make sure the string stays dry

• It’s noisier to use than other types of manual choppers

Key specs

• Dimensions: ‎14 x 14 x 13.2 cm

• Weight: ‎‎456 g

• Capacity: ‎750 ml

• Operation type: Manual

• Number of blades: Two

6. Best vegetable chopper with a non-plastic bowl: Russell Hobbs Desire Mini Chopper

Price: £27.99 | Buy now from Amazon

“We have the little Russell Hobbs one. Hardly takes up any room in the dishwasher.” (Tested and recommended by Mumsnet user Lucked)

Don’t want to add another bit of plastic to your kitchen? Then take a look at this Russell Hobbs chopper with its beautiful glass bowl.

It’s a one litre bowl with a 500ml capacity for food, so you can chop up everything you need for a family dinner. With it being made of glass it is heavier than a lot of the other mini food choppers out there, but it also feels a lot more sturdy.

This chopper is really easy to use with a simple one-touch operation, so you can whizz through dinner prep with no faffing around.

Pros

• Sturdy glass bowl with good 500ml capacity

• Really easy to use with one simple button

• Comes with a storage lid so you can prep veg in advance

Cons

• Heavier than a lot of the other choppers available

Key specs

• Dimensions: ‎18.8 x 16.1 x 23.8 cm

• Weight: ‎‎2.1 kg

• Capacity: ‎1 litre glass bowl that has a 500 ml capacity for food

• Operation type: Electric

• Number of blades: Two

7. Best purse-friendly versatile mini chopper: Lakeland Mini Chopper Plus

Price: £24.99 | Buy now from Lakeland

“I use this one, got it for Christmas. It works like a dream, even with onions!” (Recommended by Mumsnet user bearlyactive)

The next on our list of the best mini choppers is another one that’s pretty much like a mini food processor, both in looks and function.

On top of chopping the standard things like fruits, vegetables, and meats it can handle more fiddly things like garlic and nuts.

The lid has a feed hole so you can add in oils and herbs while the machine is running, instead of having to stop it and take the top off all the time, which is really handy.

It’s also nice and simple to use with a one-touch operation.

Pros

• Small and compact

• Can be used to chop fruits, vegetables, meat and fish and to make up sauces and dips

Cons

• Quite noisy

• Some users find it a bit fiddly to assemble and to clean

Key specs

• Dimensions: ‎17.5 x 12 x 16cm

• Weight: ‎‎820g

• Capacity: 350ml

• Operation type: Electric

• Number of blades: Two

8. Best mini chopper for ease of use: VonShef Mini Chopper

Price: £29.99 | Buy now from Vonhaus

“This is what you need!” (Recommended by Mumsnet user EleanorElena)

A great all-rounder in the kitchen, the VonShef Mini Chopper makes preparing dinner for the family so much easier.

It has four blades and two speed settings so you can chop, dice, blend, and purée everything you need in no time.

This model also has a glass bowl instead of a plastic one and, if you’ve made up a batch of dip or guacamole in it, you can simply detach the bowl and take it straight to the table to tuck in.

Pros

• Two different speed settings so you can choose to chop and dice or blend and purée

• Great safety features including non-slip base and auto shut off if the motor gets too hot

• Four blades make it really efficient

Cons

• It’s hand wash only (although reviewers all say it’s still super easy to clean)

• The glass bowl makes it heavier than other choppers

Key specs

• Dimensions: 25 x 18 x 18cm

• Weight: ‎‎2.2 kg

• Capacity: ‎1.2 litre glass bowl

• Operation type: Electric

• Number of blades: Four

9. Most versatile manual vegetable chopper: Brieftons Express Food Chopper

Price: £19.99 | Buy now from Amazon

“I've got this which is brilliant… I also have a food processor with three different sized bowls but tend to use the manual ones for chopping onions and carrots as it is so much easier.” (Tried and tested by Mumsnet user EmmaGrundyForPM)

This is a manual food chopper that is a bit of a multitasker, so it’s brilliant for families to take on camping trips when you still want to cook but don’t want to be loaded down with kit.

It comes with three blades so it’s really efficient at chopping vegetables, fruits, nuts, and herbs. It also has a mixer attachment that you can use for mixing and blending liquid ingredients together.

The whole thing is really easy to clean too, with the bowl, lid, chopper blade, and mixer attachment all being dishwasher safe.

Pros

• Comes with three blades and a mixer attachment

• Quieter than a lot of other choppers

• Easy to use and clean (bowl, lid, chopper blade, and mixer attachment are all top-rack dishwasher safe)

Cons

• Not as compact or easy to store as other options

Key specs

• Dimensions: 20.3 x 20.3 x 10.9 cm

• Weight: ‎‎0.5 kg

• Capacity: ‎1.5 litre

• Operation type: Manual

• Number of blades: Three

10. Best vegetable chopper for more than just chopping veg: Cuisinart Mini Prep Pro Mini

Price: £51.99 | Buy now from Amazon

Think of this machine as your own personal sous chef, helping you prep everything you need for family meals.

It has ‘chop’ and ‘grind’ settings that you can use depending on what you’re preparing. The chop button can be used for chopping onions and herbs, while the grind button works to grind up coffee beans and nuts.

There’s also a set of drizzle holes in the lid so you can slowly add in oils when you’re whipping up a batch of mayonnaise or dressing.

Pros

• Different settings for chopping and grinding make this a versatile bit of equipment

• Fast and efficient

• Bowl, lid, blades and spatula are all dishwasher safe

Cons

• Can be a bit fiddly to get everything aligned for it to turn on

Key specs

• Dimensions: 18 x 14 x 23.5 cm

• Weight: ‎‎1.74 kg

• Capacity: 900ml

• Operation type: Electric

• Number of blades: Two

What is a vegetable chopper?

A vegetable chopper is just what it sounds like, a piece of kitchen equipment that chops your vegetables for you so you don’t have to do it yourself with a knife.

There are a few different types of vegetable choppers available. Some are like mini food processors, with blades that spin around to cut your veg up. Others are a lot more simple and work by manually pushing the food through a grid of blades.

What can you do with a food chopper?

This depends on the type of chopper that you choose.

With the simplest models you can chop most fruits and vegetables either into uniform cubes or into different sized pieces depending on how long you run the machine for.

More advanced food choppers let you chop your fruit and veg but can also blend up sauces and purées and even grind up nuts and coffee beans.

Types of food chopper

Electric food choppers

These tend to be the mini food processor style choppers. They’re really efficient, chopping things up in seconds, and definitely speed up the dinner prep process. They can be noisy though and are sometimes a bit fiddly to put together.

Manual food choppers

Manual choppers take a bit more effort to work but still get great results. You can get simple models that just cut everything to a uniform size, or models that work more like the electric food processor style models that chop to whatever size you like.

One big benefit of manual food choppers is you can take them anywhere with you, so they’re great for camping trips. They can also be a fair bit quieter than electric choppers.

What to look for in a food chopper

This depends on what you want to use the food chopper for, but these are the key things to look out for:

• Capacity - You need to make sure the chopper you buy has a decent bowl capacity so you don’t have to chop things in loads of batches. Most mini choppers have a bowl capacity of at least 500ml which is enough for most users. This size is also perfect for making sauces and dips.

• Overall size - Look for a chopper that’s neat and compact so it won’t take up too much room on your worktop and can easily be stored away in a cupboard when it’s not in use.

• Variable settings - Some choppers have different settings that let you control the speed of the blades. This is really useful if you want to use it for more than just cutting up your veg.  Think about how much control you need to have over the process and choose a model that gives you what you need.

• Easy to clean - If you’ll be using your food chopper a lot you want it to be really easy to clean after use. Some models have elements that are dishwasher-safe, while others need to be hand washed. Check this before you buy.

• Extra features - If you want your food chopper to do more than just chop your vegetables up then you might want to choose one that has dripper holes in the top for pouring oil in to make sauces, or one that comes with pots and lids to store your food once it’s prepped.

Which brands of vegetable chopper are the best?

The big names of kitchen equipment have all got great vegetable choppers in their ranges. Models from Ninja, Magimix, Russell Hobbs, and Kenwood are all worth considering.

But don’t rule out a chopper by a lesser-known brand. The manual chopper from Brieftons that we’ve listed above has loads of great reviews and might be just what you’re looking for.

Can a chopper be used as a food processor?

A lot of the more versatile electric choppers can be used in pretty much the same way as a food processor, just on a smaller scale.

If this is what you’re after then look for a model that can chop, mince, and blend ingredients.

How do you clean a food chopper?

Most food choppers come apart into separate components so they can be easily cleaned.

Check the model you’re buying though because some are completely hand wash only and some have parts that can be safely put in the dishwasher.

How we chose our recommendations

We have thoroughly researched the different types of vegetable chopper that you can buy in 2022 and picked out the best ones for you. Our research includes tried and tested experiences from a wide range of reliable, trusted sources. Here is how we carefully picked out the best products.

Recommendations from real Mumsnet users

A lot of our users in the Mumsnet community are looking for ways to make life easier while raising a family, and saving time in the kitchen is often a big topic for discussion. We’ve read through our forums and weighed up tried and tested reviews from our Mumsnetters to find the vegetable choppers that they rate and recommend.

Expert opinions

No one wants another piece of kitchen equipment that they use once and then never take it out of the cupboard again because it didn’t live up to expectations.

So we’ve researched the honest opinions of pro chefs and home cooks to discover which food choppers they love and recommend.

Authentic customer reviews

Finally, we researched the bestseller lists and scoured a variety of retailer sites for positive and negative reviews to find out what users really think of each chopper.

We weighed up the pros and cons of each model we found to decide which vegetable choppers offered the most value for money and would be the most useful to busy families.

Why you should trust us

We work hard to provide unbiased, independent advice you can trust. We do sometimes earn revenue through affiliate (click-to-buy) links in our articles. This helps us fund more helpful articles like this one.