small food processor

[bagpussmice]

have never owned one of these, but am now considering buying one, however I don't have much space in my kitchen cupboards and don't really want a monster that takes over the worksurface.
Anyone recommend something that will blend food, make hummous etc... but not all the other fancy bits and pieces. Would a hand blender do the job - I have a small braun handheld but not sure that's up to the job for cake mixing and hummous etc?

Magimix are fantastic. My Mum has a smallish one (3100 I think), definately worth the money.

Your hand blender would be fine for most blending/mushing up jobs but don't think it would be much use for cakes, but if it is just cakes that you need to do have you considered a hand-held electric beater?

I traded up from my Braun handheld blender thingy because DH dropped the food processor attachment and cracked it! Bought the Magimix 3100 becaue of recommendations and have found it great, but I'm sure a less pricey option would be OK for what I use it for. A "proper" food processor is a lot more powerful for eg blending lots of baby food at once; chopping up mega amounts of onion and carrot for bolognaise (these are the two things I use my processor for the most). Have not made a cake as I generally use the handheld mixer to do the creaming etc, then eggs, then add flour by hand (not that I make cake that often...). You also get a lot of attachments with the Magimix food processor that I just don't use esp as I have the handheld mixer as well. So it does take up a fair bit of room once you factor in the attachment box.

There is a blender/food processor duo I think Kitchen Aid make? which means you could do smoothies - food processors don't make smoothies and crush ice like proper blenders really.

thanks both.... dh told me that we already have a mixer (I forgot!!!) it's a Siemens one - I've not used it, he uses it to make smoothies, but I guess I could do hummous with it?

Not sure I can face using the braun handheld... when dd2 was only 4 months old I was using it one evening to puree some food for freezing and I caught my finger under the blade. Ended up staying in hospital as the cut was too bad to stitch up and had to have surgery the next day to repair it. Not easy changing nappies etc.. with one hand for about 2 months!!!!

Also had a bit of PND at the time and was distraught about being away from the baby while I was in hospital! Luckily had just given up breastfeeding the week before. Sorry - bit of a diversion there!