Ok, so what do I need a food processor for?

[cfc]

And if I do, which one do you recommend?

I like to bake alsorts of things for the family, and would really like to step up my cooking for main meals too.

So, which one would suit me, an amateur but enthusiastic chef! I would also like to save on worktop space if poss. Also, we have a blender so don't need that to be part of it.

Thanks in advance for your help.

I have a magimix. I love it. I use it mainly for grating cheese quickly or chopping onions, but plenty other stuff too.

IME you do have to have it out on the worktop though, if it's in a drawer you won't use it. But since I've had mine out I've used it so much (just last four months - but I got it 3 years ago).

If you are into baking then a mixer might be a better idea though.

Hm, is there not something that can do both? I don't mind it being on the worktop as I know exactly what you mean about using it!

Making pastry, worth it for that alone.

you don't!

they take up space and take forever to wash up!

get one with a good base that sits well on the surface, make sure it will go int he dishwasher

I do butter and sugar creaming in mine - then the rest of the mixing for cakes- easy

I would also say that if you are a baker a mixer may be better I have a kenwood mixer that I use at least once a week and often more.

You make Nigella's clementine cake in a mixer/

I have a very old food processor, used mostly for pastry and pasta dough, and a hand mixer. I would suspect this is one of those situations where different tools for different jobs are cheaper than one all-singing all-dancing machine that does everything.

I have a Kitchenaid and love it but pricey.

I love my new magimix. It took about a nano second to slice four carrots so neatly that I spent the next five minutes admiring them :)

But the footprint is much smaller than my mum's kenwood chef that she has to keep in a cupboard.

And disagree with Catsmamma - goes in the dishwasher and comes out shiny, unlike my old food processor that always looked grubby.

I also have a KitchenAid Food Processor although DH really liked the 'mixer' but I just dont have the space for the mixer and processor so chose the processor.

It is out on the worktop and I used it for the first time today. DD and I made fairy cakes in it. Light as air.

I have a moulinex. It's brilliant and I use it almost every day.

Use it for chopping, grating, whisking, juicing citrus fruit and slicing. Saves so much time and just throw everything in the dishwasher after using.

Mine isn't too big which means I sometimes have to chop etc in two batches but it doesn't take up too much space which I like.

I love my food processor.

It's great to make crumble topping, pastry, shortbread.

I use it to chop veg when I'm batch cooking.

as for a mixer - I like a wee handheld electric one that I can pop in a saucepan when making brownies or in a regular bowl for meringues etc

I definitely need both!

(and a stick blender too!)

This does both I have it love it, worth EVERY penny Kenwood KM265

Thanks for all your messages, Wonka, I've had a look at that and it seems to be what I need so have just ordered it!

Woo hoo!

Thanks again.