My wife and I love to cook.  Well I guess that’s really only half true.  I like to cook, and my wife loves that I do.  On the culinary scale of 1-10 I would rate myself around a 6-7.  I take my ingredients seriously using the freshest produce available, often basing the meal on what’s just in.  Although I really do enjoy cooking, I am a man of efficiency.  I work in a production based industry, and thus am constantly finding processes and machines to use in order to cut down on my manual labor.  Having worked in plenty of restaurants after high school and through college, I knew the value of being able to use a good processor to handle some of the prep work that goes into making a meal.  Being as it’s just me and my wife, and that we do not frequently cook for guests, I was in search of a food processor that I could use to handle the tasks of cooking for 2.  Anything bigger would be a waste of money and space, and in my kitchen, saving space is of the utmost importance.

I actually received this as a gift, so I’m not 100% on what was actually paid for the processor, however I do know that it was under $20 due to some sale or coupon my mother-in-law found.  In my mind that is a pretty good deal considering I normally see it for $35 both in store and online. 

The construction of the Cuisinart DLC-1SS Food Processor is pretty much what you would expect from an appliance this size and price range.  The base is all plastic, and the stainless panels are glued on, but in a way that doesn’t make them look glued on.  The seams are clean and look natural, and looks like it could last a very long time if treated correctly.  The only exposed metal on the unit are the blades themselves, and when the bowl is removed the shaft for the blade.  The bottom has the standard 4 rubber pads at the corners to prevent slipping and scratching your counter tops, however the unit lacks the weight to make it very slip resistant.

When you are using the Cuisinart Mini Food Processor, you will first notice the size of the unit.  The entire unit stands about 10” and has a 6”x6” base.  It finds a spot very easily in most cabinets and can be taken out and set up in seconds.  Its controls couldn’t be easier; it has 2 speeds high and low.  They do exactly what you would expect from them.  In my mind this unit could use a pulse feature, but instead you can easily just press and release to create the same effect.

I tend to use this processor in order to chop up garlic and onion, but have used it to cut carrots, celery and many other veggies and have yet to find a produce it will not cut with relative ease.  However the selection is limited since the capacity of the unit is rather small considering it only as a 21 ounce capacity.

After you’re done, cleanup is snap.  The blades pull up off the shaft, the bowl lifts out, and you’re ready to go.  It takes me less than 5 minutes to clean by hand, and less than a minute in order to rinse it and put it in the washer. 

Overall, I highly recommend The Cuisinart mini Food Processor for all those amateur chefs that specialize in dinners for two.  It saves a lot of time on the prep work, chops well, saves space, Is affordable, and built well.  It does have its drawbacks however, in that the unit is too light and moves around the counter unless it is held down, it has a limited capacity, and lacks a pulse button.

Recommended: Yes

Amount Paid (US$): 19