Love cooking, but tired of endless chopping and slicing? A Ninja food processor makes prep a breeze, so you can make your favorite meals in half the time. If you want a reliable food processor with all the blades and discs you'll need, the Ninja BN602 Professional Advanced 9-Cup Food Processor is an excellent model.
The most popular type of Ninja food processor is the standard full size model. It comes with a range of blades and discs and has a large capacity.
Ninja also makes blender/food processor combos, which are primarily blenders but also come with a food processor bowl attachment. These are great for buyers who want both a blender and a food processor and don’t have either yet.
Finally, you can buy Ninja mini choppers, which are tiny versions of food processors. They don't come with discs, so they can only chop, dice and puree.
The wattage of the motor tells you how powerful a food processor is. Full size Ninja food processors have powerful 1,000 watt motors, so they're more than capable of taking on heavy duty food processing tasks like kneading dough and making peanut butter.
The bowl size or capacity tells you how much you can process at any one time. Full-size Ninja food processors have large 9 cup capacities, which is great when cooking for a crowd or when you want to chop all your ingredients at the same time. Mini choppers have capacities of around 3 cups, which is a decent size for chopping ingredients one at a time.
Full size Ninja food processors generally come with two blades—one sharp blade for chopping and one dull plastic blade for kneading. The discs that come with food processors are used for shredding and slicing ingredients. Some Ninja models include multiple discs with special settings like crinkle cutting, while others come with just one reversible disc.
The chute is used for adding ingredients while the food processor is running, which is useful when using discs or when making recipes that require ingredients to be added gradually.
Full size Ninja food processors usually have digital touch panels, which are easy to use and wipe clean. Ninja mini choppers tend to have basic one-touch pulse controls.
Mini Ninja food processors cost around $40, while blender/food processor systems can cost as much as $200. A standard full size Ninja food processor should cost around $100.
A. Although they look fairly similar, food processors and blenders aren't the same thing. Blenders are generally designed for pureeing or liquidizing wet foods, like soups, smoothies and juices. To run effectively, they need some liquid in the mix. Food processors, on the other hand, are designed for processing drier foods. The standard blades can chop and dice vegetables, while blades slice and shred. Some models come with a dough hook for kneading bread doughs.
A. Ninja is a trusted brand in the world of kitchen appliances and its food processors receive high ratings from customers. They're durable, well-made and easy-to-use. Full size models come with a range of handy attachments and accessories.
Ninja BN602 Professional Advanced 9-Cup Food Processor
What you need to know: This top-tier Ninja food processor is for avid cooks who want a versatile model.
What you’ll love: This food processor comes with a chopping blade and a kneading blade, along with three discs for slicing, shredding, grating and more. The powerful 1,000-watt motor can take on practically any ingredient.
What you should consider: One user found that the stem that holds the discs can be unstable.
Where to buy: Sold by Bed Bath and Beyond
What you need to know: This affordable mini chopper is perfect for anyone who doesn't need a full size food processor.
What you’ll love: The 2-cup capacity is the perfect size for chopping individual ingredients and making dips. It's extremely easy to use with one-touch operation. The stainless steel blades are strong and sharp.
What you should consider: Unlike full-sized food processors, it doesn't have discs for shredding and slicing.
Where to buy: Sold by Amazon
Ninja BN601 Professional Plus 9-Cup Food Processor
What you need to know: This powerful yet reasonably priced processor has a simple digital control pad.
What you’ll love: With this model, you'll receive a disc for shredding and slicing, plus two sets of blades for chopping and kneading. It's powerful enough to tackle any task thanks to the 1,000-watt motor.
What you should consider: This food processor only features one reversible disc for both shredding and slicing.
Where to buy: Sold by Amazon
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Lauren Corona writes for BestReviews. BestReviews has helped millions of consumers simplify their purchasing decisions, saving them time and money.