Talk to me about food processors...

[MyGhostIsFlummoxed]

I hate chopping veg, but are food processors any good or do you end up with loads of bits you never use?
What else can you do with
them?
Can anyone recommend one?

Oh FFS, meant to say FOOD processors-will see if I can get it changed.

We were wondering...

My food processor is a Magimix 5200 (which I recommend) and it arrived with a large blade for chopping/mincing, a dough blade and some grating/slicing discs for producing fine and coarse shreds/slices. There's also a smaller bowl and a blade for processing smaller amounts.

I use it mostly for heavy-duty chopping and for making dough. Particularly like it for processing meat/veg/grains when I make meatloaf, meatballs and burgers. Also use it a lot for slicing potatoes for a hot-pot or Boulangere Potatoes. I don't use it for soup - for that I have a stick blender.

The reason I'd recommend the Magimix is the build quality and motor strength. I have had cheaper machines in the past but the motor would start to struggle and burn out for anything other than small quantities.

Gave up on mine years ago as couldn't be bothered getting it out of the cupboard and then the washing up was a faff.
Got a kitchen aid which is always on the work top. (Too heavy to move!)
It has a shredder, slicer, grater etc attachment that pops on the front in a few seconds, is quick to wash up and goes in dishwasher.
Put it this way - I'd use it for a single carrot!
Bought it years ago and it's fab.

Not quite your question but it's an alternative?
(Kitchen aid used in our house for all sorts inc mashing potatoes, mincing left over meat from joints and love that I can whip up pancakes so quickly for breakfast!)

Is that the kitchenaid food processor or the artisan mixer (which I have also had my eye on forever but can't justify the price right now) juggling?

I have a £40 Bosch one which was on offer at a supermarket years ago. Doesn't get used that often but when it does it is worth every penny! I chop veg for the freezer, slice for rosti and make pastry. Using the chopping blade makes an excellent all in one sponge cake as well - at least as good as a stand mixer.

It's the artisan mixer. I spent 6 months wondering whether I could justify it. In the end I did and have not regretted it once!

Ps I couldn't justify it either - hence 6 months of debating it. But I use it lots and it's always out on the worktop so very easy. And very robust. Even DH (grating cheese, vegetable and mashing potatoes) older DDs (baking phase!) use it now! 8 years old I think and looks as good and works as well as the day I bought it!
Will confess that I did get the nickel one though.

I've been debating it for years now!

I looooove my magimix. I have a le mini plus as it's just me by myself, but I use it for all sorts, making breadcrumbs or dips or spreads, soups, making cake batters, thinly slicing or grating things. I think it's fairly easy to wash up and it comes it pretty colours too :-)

I'd go for it. Worth the wait/sacrifice - fully expect mine to go on for many more years.....

I have the magimix 5200 - the one with three bowls (but the middle one is useless). I love it and have had it since the kids were little-at least 15 years.

I use it at least weekly and usually more, and sometimes daily or more.

Even my H, who hates cooking, would replace it, I think.

I use it for breadcrumbs, dough, cakes and biscuits, chopping fruit and veg, some icing, crumbles and steamed sponges, meatballs and burgers. Stuffings, pancake batter.

Today I put leftover potatoes, flour, egg and milk in it with a few herbs and made potato pancakes. Served with a slice of bacon and grilled tomatoes for breakfast.

Oh, and pastry. But I did bugger up a slicing disc trying to grate Parmesan.

I have a thermomix which I love and use every day.

I have the Morphy Richards accents work centre and its fine but when I grate things bits get stuck between the to parts.

I have whatever was a which? best buy at the time - has a food processor and liquidiser which was important to me and was about £120. It doesn't do cake mixing but I'm not a baker so that doesn't matter to me.

Best kitchen thing EVER.

Use it almost every mean.

Grating carrot, cheese. Slicing veg. Chopping veg. Liquidising soup. Making humos. Breadcrumbs. Curry pastes, marinades. Making mayo, pastry, whipping egg whites, whipping cream. Chopping herbs, nuts. It does juicing kind of too but I've not really done that much.

Do get one where the parts are dishwasher safe.

I just think it's amazing. Thinks like making up a batch of slaw take seconds and it's super satisfying.

Mine is just a white one and lives in a handy cupboard. knowing how useful they are, if I had more worktop space I would buy a better looking one so it could always live out.