KitchenAid Models Compared: Best Aid Food Processor

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KitchenAid food processors are best known for one feature: an externally adjustable slicing disc that changes thickness with a lever rather than a disc swap. That, plus in-bowl storage for the blades, is what people are usually paying the brand premium for.

Worth saying plainly: when we checked availability, only one KitchenAid processor was actually purchasable — the 13-cup KFP1317. The rest of the range showed as unavailable. Rather than list models you cannot buy, this guide leads with that one and compares it honestly against processors from Cuisinart, Hamilton Beach, BLACK+DECKER and Ninja that did verify.

We compared ten machines on bowl capacity, motor power, disc and blade selection, assembly design and weight. This guide is for anyone deciding whether the KitchenAid is worth it, or whether something else suits their cooking better.

Our Quick Picks

At a Glance

Food Processor Comparison

The available KitchenAid alongside nine verified alternatives, on capacity, power and design.

#	Model	Capacity	Power	Best For	Notable Part	Key Advantage	Main Drawback	Check Price
1	KitchenAid 13-Cup KFP1317	13 cup	300 W	Adjustable slicing	In-bowl storage caddy	Externally adjustable ExactSlice disc	Lowest wattage of the large models	View on Amazon
2	Cuisinart 14-Cup DFP-14BCWNY	14 cup	720 W	Heavy work and dough	Stainless steel	720 W, the highest here	Heaviest at 18 lb	View on Amazon
3	Cuisinart 11-Cup	11 cup	625 W	Everyday family prep	Dishwasher safe	Strong motor in a smaller body	Still 16.9 lb	View on Amazon
4	Hamilton Beach 8-Cup	8 cup	450 W	Everyday chopping and shredding	Stainless S-blade	Light at 5 lb for a full-size bowl	450 W limits heavy dough	View on Amazon
5	BLACK+DECKER 8-Cup	8 cup	450 W	Simple setup	Stainless S-blade	Lid acts as the locking mechanism	450 W limits heavy work	View on Amazon
6	BLACK+DECKER Processor & Chopper	8 cup	450 W	Straightforward prep	Stainless blade	Same easy-assembly design	Limited accessories	View on Amazon
7	Ninja Foodi Power Blender & Processor	4.5 lb bowl	1200 W	Blending and processing	Processing lid and discs	Blender and processor in one base	Two sets of parts to store	View on Amazon
8	Sangcon 5-in-1 Combo	47 oz	350 W	Several small jobs	Chopper bowl and cups	Four containers in one set	350 W is modest	View on Amazon
9	Ninja Express Chop	16 oz	200 W	Herbs, garlic and onions	One-piece bowl	Two pounds, always to hand	Too small for real batches	View on Amazon
10	Reemix 1.5-Cup Mini	1.5 cup	100 W	The smallest jobs	Compact footprint	Small enough to live on the counter	100 W is very limited	View on Amazon

Only the 13-cup KFP1317 verified as available from KitchenAid’s range at the time of writing; other models showed as unavailable. Amazon lists the Ninja Foodi’s capacity as "4.5 pounds", which is a weight rather than a bowl volume.

Scroll the table sideways to see every column

How We Chose These Food Processors

We researched current listings, compared manufacturer specifications and documentation, and examined recurring patterns in customer feedback. We did not carry out hands-on testing, and nothing below is presented as measured performance data.

• Motor power — the specification that decides whether a machine stalls on dough
• Bowl capacity — matched to the batches you actually make
• Disc and blade selection — how much of the work the machine can do without extra purchases
• Slicing adjustment — whether thickness changes need a disc swap
• Assembly design — how fiddly the bowl and lid are to lock together
• Weight — whether it is light enough to be taken out and used
• Cleaning — how many parts need washing after every use
• Storage — where the blades and discs live between uses
• Availability — whether the model can actually be bought
• Support — brand track record and replacement parts

The 10 Best Food Processors Compared

KitchenAid 13-Cup vs Cuisinart 14-Cup

The two large processors here, and they are built around different priorities.

Choose the KitchenAid if: you slice a lot and want thickness control without stopping to change discs.

Choose the Cuisinart if: you knead dough or process firm ingredients in volume, where 720 W against 300 W is decisive.

Full-Size Processor or Mini Chopper?

The question worth asking before spending on a large machine: what do you actually chop?

Choose the full-size processor if: you shred cheese, slice vegetables or make batches of dip.

Choose the mini chopper if: your honest answer is garlic, onions and herbs — a big machine will sit unused.

Best Alternatives

How Much Food Processor Do You Need?

Mini choppers of 1.5 cups to 16 ounces handle garlic, herbs, nuts and one onion. They cost very little, weigh almost nothing and get used daily precisely because they never go in a cupboard.

Mid-size processors of 8 to 11 cups with 450 to 625 W cover the overwhelming majority of home cooking: salsa, hummus, shredded cheese, sliced vegetables and pastry. This is where most people should buy.

Large processors of 13 to 14 cups with 300 to 720 W are for batch cooking and dough. Power matters more than capacity in this tier — kneading is what exposes an underpowered motor, and the two large machines here differ by more than double.

How to Choose a Food Processor

Match Power to Dough, Not to Chopping

Chopping and shredding are undemanding; almost any motor manages them. Kneading dough is what separates machines, because it loads the motor continuously. If you make pastry or bread, look at 600 W and up. If you do not, 450 W is genuinely enough.

Buy for the Batch, Not the Maximum

Bowl capacity is a working figure, not a filling one — liquids in particular cannot be filled to the rim. An 8-cup bowl handles most household batches; 13 or 14 cups is for entertaining, preserving and dough.

Check Whether Slicing Thickness Adjusts

Most processors change slice thickness by swapping discs. KitchenAid’s larger models adjust externally with a lever, so you can go from thick to thin mid-batch. If you slice often, that is the single feature most worth paying for.

Count the Parts You Will Wash

A processor generates washing-up: bowl, lid, pusher, blade and any discs used. Machines with fewer, dishwasher-safe parts get used more. This is the most common reason an expensive processor ends up in a cupboard.

Weight Decides How Often It Gets Used

An 18 lb processor lives on the counter or it never comes out. A 5 lb one can be stored and still used. Be honest about your counter space before buying the largest machine.

Look at How the Bowl Locks

Assembly is the most-complained-about part of using a processor. BLACK+DECKER’s design drops the bowl on and locks with the lid; others require alignment and twisting. If a previous processor annoyed you, this is probably why.

Think About Where the Blades Live

Loose discs and blades in a drawer are both a hazard and easy to lose. KitchenAid’s in-bowl caddy stores everything inside the work bowl. It is a small thing that materially affects whether you use the accessories at all.

Consider a Mini Chopper Instead

If your honest answer to "what do you chop?" is onions, garlic and herbs, a 2 lb chopper will serve you better than a 15 lb processor, cost a fraction as much, and actually get used.

Common Food Processor Buying Mistakes

• Buying capacity instead of power. A big bowl on a weak motor still stalls on dough.
• Assuming a processor replaces a blender. They do different jobs; only combo machines attempt both.
• Ignoring the number of parts to wash. It is the main reason processors stop being used.
• Buying large with no counter space. An 18 lb machine in a cupboard is a wasted purchase.
• Overfilling with liquids. Bowl capacity is a dry figure; liquids leak past the seal.
• Expecting a mini chopper to slice. Choppers have blades, not discs.
• Running a small motor continuously. Nut butters need several minutes and will overheat a 200 W machine.
• Not checking availability before setting your heart on a model. Most of KitchenAid’s range did not verify as purchasable.

Who Should Buy a Food Processor?

A processor earns its counter space if you regularly make:

• Dips and spreads — hummus, pesto and salsa are the classic uses
• Shredded cheese and vegetables — far faster and more consistent than a box grater
• Evenly sliced vegetables — for gratins, salads and pickling
• Pastry and dough — where a strong motor genuinely saves effort
• Nut butters and ground nuts — jobs that need sustained running
• Batch prep — a week of chopped vegetables in one session

Who May Not Need One?

If you cook for one or two and mostly chop an onion and some garlic, a mini chopper or a decent knife will do the job with far less washing up. If you mainly make smoothies and soups, a blender is the right appliance. And if counter space is genuinely tight, a combination machine or a small chopper beats a large processor that lives in a cupboard.

Frequently Asked Questions

Final Verdict

Choosing a food processor comes down to five things: how much power your heaviest job actually needs, what batch size you make, whether adjustable slicing would change how you cook, how many parts you are willing to wash, and whether the machine is light enough that you will take it out. Answer the dough question first — it separates the 450 W machines from the 700 W ones more sharply than anything else.