The 6 Best Mini Food Processors of 2024

Sometimes, you feel like you need a personal sous chef in the kitchen to help you chop, grind, and puree ingredients — all of which a food processor can do in record time. Full-size food processors are great for churning out enough salsa for a crowd, but it’s a pain to haul them out just to make a single serving of pesto. For those smaller jobs, you’ll want to grab one of the best mini food processors instead. They are a little cheaper than the full-sized thing and are much easier to store and clean. 

 

“A mini food processor is great for vegetables like onions, bell peppers, garlic, chickpeas, nuts, breadcrumbs, and hard cheeses,” Meggan says. “I use mine all the time because it makes small batches of salad dressings, sauces, and salsas super fast.”

While Meggan’s go-to is the Cuisinart Mini-Prep Plus Food Processor, we researched the small yet mighty options that are out there. We focused on top options that had features like high power and capacity. We also read hundreds of reviews to get an idea of the blender’s performance and customer satisfaction. 

With one of these top picks, you’ll save loads of prep time for recipes with a lot of ingredients that need to be finely chopped, like a fresh and herbaceous Chimichurri Sauce. Here are the best mini food processors to make the cut. 

Our Top Picks

1. What’s in Meggan’s Kitchen: Cuisinart Mini Prep Food Processor – $39.95 at Amazon
2. Also Great: KitchenAid 3.5-Cup Food Chopper – $44.99 at Amazon
3. Best Compact: Ninja Express Chop Food Chopper – $19.99 at Target
4. Best Splurge: Cuisinart Elite Collection 4-Cup Chopper and Grinder – $59.49 at Amazon
5. Best Budget: Black+Decker FreshPrep 3-Cup Electric Food Chopper – $19.02 at Home Depot
6. Best for Shredding: Hamilton Beach Stack & Snap 4-Cup Mini Food Processor – $47.99 at Amazon

Reviews of The Best Mini Food Processors

1. What’s in Meggan’s Kitchen: Cuisinart Mini-Prep Food Processor

For the past 5 years, Meggan has relied on her Cuisinart Mini-Prep Food Processor to quickly whip up ingredients for her nutrient-packed recipes (especially for anything requiring finely chopped onions). Not only does it look great on the counter, but it’s small to store in a cabinet and easy to clean — only requiring a quick rinse for some jobs. 

“I love it because it’s easy to use and it’s very effective,” Meggan says. “The chop and grind functions on the touchpad work really well, and alternating between the two modes makes the sharp stainless-steel chopping blade change directions to ensure nothing gets stuck.”

One downside is that this model is not recommended for grinding beans. Also, you cannot process just a few pieces of vegetables because the 3-cup bowl needs to be at least half full to work well. But Meggan has found a go-around by adding a little water with carrots or other sturdy vegetables that she can drain after. 

She also said it’s a great kitchen appliance for chopping cooked food for the elderly and other people who require soft food, which could make it very useful if someone in your household has special dietary needs. 

The Specs:

• Capacity: 3 cups
• Settings: Chop and grind
• Power: 250 watts 
• Size: 7″ D x 9.25″ W x 5″ H 
• Weight: 2.2 pounds

The Pros:

• Easy to store
• Easy to clean
• Dishwasher-safe bowl and lid
• Touchpad controls are easy to use

The Cons:

• Not recommended for beans
• Not recommended for tine batches

What Others Are Saying:

The Cuisinart Mini-Prep Food Processor was named best small by Good Housekeeping and runner-up for best mini by Food & Wine. Additionally, it has a 4.6-star rating from more than 29,000 reviews on Amazon.

Buy the Cuisinart Mini-Prep Food Processor: 

2. Also Great: KitchenAid 3.5-Cup Food Chopper

Known for its durable and stylish appliances, KitchenAid doesn’t disappoint with its 3.5-Cup Food Chopper. This mini version of their full-size food processor is great for smaller kitchens and apartment dwellers. While it’s lighter and easier to store, the two-speed operation (chop and puree) and pulse features still pack the power. 

The locking stainless steel locking blade, tight locking lid, built-in easy-pour spout, and sturdy handle add to its convenience while also keeping safety a priority. Since you can choose from 12 color options and opt for add-on appliances like an immersion blender, it’s also very versatile. Plus, it’s cordless!

The Specs:

• Capacity: 3.5 cups
• Settings: Chop, puree, pulse 
• Power: 240 watts 
• Size: 5.64″ D x 7″ W x 8.74″ H 
• Weight: 2.7 pounds

The Pros:

• Simple, one-touch operation
• Compact and lightweight
• Sturdy handle
• Built-in pour spout
• Cordless

The Cons:

• Lid can be hard to unlock

What Others are Saying:

The KitchenAid 3.5-Cup Food Chopper was named best overall by Food & Wine, and it has a 4.6-star rating from more than 22,000 reviews on Amazon. 

Buy the KitchenAid 3.5-Cup Food Chopper: 

3. Best Compact: Ninja Express Chop Food Chopper

The compact, 200-watt power Ninja Express Chop Food Chopper is one of our favorites for small jobs when you don’t want to drag out a larger one! It effortlessly chops, minces, and purees ingredients up to 2 cups, so you don’t have to dirty a huge food processor if you just need a few herbs chopped up. 

Just push the one-touch pulsing lid and the desired speed and let the two levels of blades do the work. The base is non-slip, and the splash guard doubles as a handy storage lid. When you’re done, you can pop the attachments and bowl into the dishwasher, so cleanup is super easy.

The Specs:

• Capacity: 2 cups
• Settings: Puree, Blend, Chop, Grind, Mince 
• Power: 200 watts 
• Size: 5.75″ D x 5.75″ W x 5.75″ H 
• Weight: 2 pounds

The Pros:

• Ergonomic
• Versatile
• Easy to use
• High power
• Easy to clean

The Cons:

• Lacks a handle
• Short cord

What Others are Saying:

The Ninja Express Chop Food Chopper has a 4.7-star rating from more than 15,000 reviews on Amazon, and it was named the best overall vegetable chopper by Good Housekeeping and best for salsa by Food & Wine. 

Buy the Ninja Express Chop Food Chopper: 

4. Best Splurge: Cuisinart Elite Collection 4-Cup Chopper and Grinder

One standout on our list of the best mini food processors is the Cuisinart Elite Collection 4-Cup Chopper and Grinder because it’s an all-around versatile and powerful tool. If aesthetics are your thing, you’ll love its sleek and modern design, featuring a brushed stainless-steel finish that adds a touch of sophistication. If performance is important, you’ll be impressed by its patented auto-reversing SmartPower blade that ensures consistent results and its 250-watt motor that handles a variety of tasks, from chopping vegetables and herbs to grinding nuts and spices.

It’s a bit larger with a 4-cup work bowl, but it also has a blade-locking feature to keep your fingers safe, simple push-button operation, dishwasher-safe parts, and a low noise level. You’ll quickly see why it’s one of the best chop food processors we not only researched but would use ourselves. 

The Specs:

• Capacity: 4 cups
• Settings: Chop, grind, puree 
• Power: 250 watts 
• Size: 5.75” D x 8.5″ W x 9.5″ H 
• Weight: 3.5 pounds

The Pros:

• Attractive modern design
• Quiet
• Dishwasher-safe parts
• Secure blade-locking system
• Easy to use
• Includes recipe book

The Cons:

• Lid requires practice
• A bit large for a mini

What Others are Saying:

Cuisinart Elite Collection 4-Cup Chopper and Grinder was named best splurge by Food & Wine. It also has a 4.5-star rating from more than 3,000 on Amazon.

Buy the Cuisinart Elite Collection 4-Cup Chopper and Grinder: 

5. Best Budget: Black+Decker FreshPrep 3-Cup Electric Food Chopper

Affordable, practical, and space-efficient, this compact model is an excellent option for both minor kitchen tasks and limited spaces. Equipped with a powerful motor, this electric food chopper excels in handling a variety of chopping tasks. From herbs to vegetables, it delivers consistent and precise results, making it an ideal companion for everyday cooking.  

It has a one-touch pulse control with sharp stainless-steel blades that contribute to its efficient performance and an all-together user-friendly design that simplifies kitchen prep. The removable parts, including the blades and the 3-cup bowl, are dishwasher-safe, simplifying the cleanup process. 

The Specs:

• Capacity: 1.5 cups
• Settings: Chop, mince, pulse 
• Power: 175 watts 
• Size: 5” D x 6.5″ W x 7″ H 
• Weight: 1.8 pounds

The Pros:

• Perfect for small jobs
• Compact
• Lightweight
• Affordable

The Cons:

• Too small for some

What Others are Saying:

Black+Decker FreshPrep 3-Cup Electric Food Chopper has a 4.5-star rating on Amazon from more than 23,000 reviews. It was also named the best value option by Good Housekeeping.

Buy the Black+Decker FreshPrep 3-Cup Electric Food Chopper: 

6. Best for Shredding: Hamilton Beach Stack & Snap 4-Cup Mini Food Processor

Equipped with a powerful motor, the Hamilton Beach Stack & Snap 4-Cup Mini Food Processor excels in handling various chopping tasks with consistent and precise results. It gets its name from its unique design that allows you to stack the parts to snap them into place instead of having to awkwardly twist them into a locked position. A leak-proof bowl with a pour spout also prevents liquids from spilling.

While most food processors can chop and puree, it’s harder to find a mini food processor that can shred and slice, but this model includes a shredding and dicing disk. It can also blend smoothies, giving it versatility like other full-sized machines. One of the best features is the size of its extra-wide chute, which shreds an entire block of cheese for nachos with one push of a button!

The Specs:

• Capacity: 4 cups
• Settings: Chop, pure, blend, slice, shred 
• Power: 250 watts 
• Size: 6” D x 8.25″ W x 13.5″ H 
• Weight: 3.5 pounds

The Pros:

• Comes with disks for shredding and slicing
• Easy stack and snap assembly
• Large feed chute
• Powerful
• Built-in pour spout

The Cons:

• Lid is fragile

What Others are Saying:

Hamilton Beach Stack & Snap 4-Cup Mini Food Processor was named best mini food processor for shredding by Good Housekeeping and best budget by Food Network. Additionally, it has a 4.1-star rating from more than 1,200 reviews on Amazon.

Buy the Hamilton Beach Stack & Snap 4-Cup Mini Food Processor: 

Other Mini Food Processors to Consider

Braun EasyPrep Mini Food Processor

This model does everything the mini Ninja Express Chop Food Chopper does and is similar in design, but costs three times as much. It’s also more than half a pound heavier, so we’d say just go for the Ninja to save some money and your strength. The Braun EasyPrep Mini Food Processor is available at Amazon for $44.96.

Betty Crocker 3-Cup Chopper

This model isn’t very attractive, and reviewers stated the materials feel cheaply made. However, it does get the job done if you need something that’s inexpensive. But for a similar design, you’d do better to go with the Black+Decker FreshPrep 3-Cup Electric Food Chopper. The Betty Crocker 3-Cup Chopper is available at Amazon for $22.95.

KitchenAid 5-Cup Cordless Food Chopper 

It’s not that we don’t like this model. We think it’s great — it’s just a little too large to be considered truly mini! The 3.5-cup version above, which is basically the same, made our list of the best mini food processors. It performs similarly to the 3.5-cup model we recommend, but it comes at a much higher price tag for the volume it chops. For just an extra cup and a half yield, we don’t think it’s worth the splurge, even though it’s cordless. The KitchenAid 5-Cup Cordless Food Chopper is available at $79.99 at Amazon.

Why You Can Trust Us

I’m Belle, an award-winning content creator and an adjunct professor who works in restaurant PR in the Midwest. For over 20 years, I’ve held almost every position imaginable in various restaurants, including ownership of a Korean-concept hot dog cart (that was named after my dog’s teeth). My writing and on-camera work are on the Better Homes & Gardens website.

To create this guide for the very best mini food processors out there, I worked with Meggan to hear which models she personally loves and to learn what qualities she likes. We picked options that would allow you to shred, grate, chop, mix, grind, and puree ingredients quickly to save you loads of prep time. I then researched highly recommended models and read hundreds of online reviews to find the best options out there. We then compared them side by side and rated them based on their capacity, number of settings, power, size, weight, and overall value to come up with our list of the best mini food processors.

Everything to Know Before Buying a Mini Food Processor

What to Consider Before Buying a Mini Food Processor

Like so many kitchen tools and appliances these days, there are tons of different brands on the market with different sets of features. It can be tough to navigate all of those options! The best mini food processor for you depends on your specific needs and preferences. Whether you prioritize compact size or performance, consider the following:

Size: Most mini food processors hold 1 to 4 cups — if it was any larger it wouldn’t be considered mini! You want to select one with a capacity that will match the type of preparation you will be doing. The smaller size is great for small batches of dips, dressings, and sauces because you don’t have to haul out a full-size food processor and it’s easier to store. But if you go too small, you’ll have to work in batches, which can be frustrating. 

Versatility: Mini food processors don’t have as many bells and whistles as large food processors. Assess the range of functions the mini food processor can perform, looking at speed settings and taking notice of things like additional blades or attachments. 

Power: Just because they’re small doesn’t mean a mini food processor isn’t mighty. Most of the options on this list should have around 200 watts of power, which is more than enough to cut through tougher foods like sweet potatoes or create a smooth blend for sauces.

What Are Mini Food Processors Good For?

Mini food processors are excellent for chopping small quantities of ingredients like onions, garlic, herbs, nuts, and vegetables. While they may not have the same capacity as larger food processors, they provide a quick and efficient way to achieve finely chopped results and can drastically cut down on food prep time. 

Can You Grind Coffee Beans in a Mini Food Processor?

A mini food processor, just like a blender, can grind coffee beans. But we don’t recommend using a mini food processor specifically to grind hard beans because you won’t get great consistency. It’s also easy to overdo it and end up with a mucky mess. Still, if you’re in a pinch, you can give it a go. We suggest using the pulse function for best results and washing it very thoroughly to not have the coffee taste linger on your other foods. Meggan also recommends several spice grinders that would work well to grind coffee beans.

Are Small Food Processors Worth It?

Yes, small food processors can be worth it for many individuals, depending on their cooking habits, kitchen space, and specific needs. If you have a small kitchen or limited storage or typically cook in smaller quantities, a small food processor can be more efficient and convenient. Since they aren’t very expensive and don’t take up too much space, a mini food processor provides good value even if you already have a full-sized food processor.

Can a Mini Food Processor Replace a Full-Sized One?

In most cases, no. Unlike full-sized food processors, mini versions aren’t as powerful or versatile. They can’t prepare large quantities of food and aren’t able to handle significant quantities of ingredients at once, but they are excellent for the small tasks they do serve. 

The Best Veggie-Filled Recipes

Mini processors are a great way to put nutrient-dense, veggie-filled meals on your table! Here are four of Meggan’s favorite recipes to get you started with our new mini food processor:

Stock, Sauce, and Spread Recipes

Avocado Sauce

Italian Recipes

Basil Walnut Pesto

Stock, Sauce, and Spread Recipes

Chimichurri Sauce

Stock, Sauce, and Spread Recipes

Cilantro Mint Sauce

Stock, Sauce, and Spread Recipes

Garlic Bread Spread

Stock, Sauce, and Spread Recipes

Harissa

Vegan Recipes

How to Make Cashew Cream

Appetizer Recipes

Hummus with Za’atar Butter

Appetizer Recipes

Olive Tapenade

Prices were accurate at time of publication.