Which one of these common tools is better? In the battle of the food processor vs. blender, there's no clear winner.
Food Processors are often mistaken for blenders, and vice versa. They're both motorized appliances with similar looks, and they both have way too many functions. Found in many kitchens, it seems it's hard for people to make up their minds about these little machines. Whether you're pureeing, blending nut butters, or trying to avoid kneading bread dough, you can use one of these tools to make your work easier. But which one should you choose?
You may not realize it, but certain foods turn out better in one than the other. Here's a look at their differences so you don't make the mistake of using a food processor when you should have used a blender.
1. Food Processor vs. Blender Use
If you want to puree something into a smooth liquid (ie. making smoothies, hummus, pesto or pureed soup), you should use a blender with sharp blades. Solid food doesn't stand a chance against the powerful motor and spinning blades of traditional blenders. While a food processor has many more tools allowing for chopping, dicing, cutting, shredding, slicing, it's meant for dry foods like breadcrumbs. Depending on your model, food processors can struggle to crush ice, making blenders the superior choice here for smoothies.
2. Their blades
Blenders only have one cutting blade, while the food processor can food prep with its multiple attachments (ie. slicing disc, chopping blades for veggies or a dough beater for kneading). If you hate to knead your bread, an even better choice might be a traditional countertop mixer. Dough hooks can make baking a breeze.
3. Their motors
A blender works a lot harder with its high-speed, stronger motor. That's why the texture comes out smooth. Food processors are meant for smaller jobs and make excellent spice blenders in spite of their weaker motors.
4. Food Processors and Blenders
Blenders are often bigger, making them great for large quantities or large batches of food. Food processors are more of a kitchen tool, therefore they're built for more precise tasks. You'll even find mini food processors.
Even though both of these kitchen appliances are different and have different purposes, they both look great on a kitchen countertop, depending on what you purchase from Amazon. The battle of the food processor vs blender is not much of a battle, and many home cooks will find they need both in their arsenal.
While we don't have a full buying guide, Kitchenaid, Ninja and Vitamix as great blender and food processor brands to look out for. Cuisinart and Hamilton Beach are affordable runner-ups. They all land often on the best blenders and best food processors lists, making them excellent additions to your kitchen. After all, you shouldn't have to pick sides in the war of the food processor vs. blender!
