Which food processor???

[Franzia]

I've been a lurker here for ages and, although being a tad forum shy, I forced myself to register. It's a wonderful, very informative forum, I might add. And I've enjoyed the newsletter very much.

I've always found that my Cuisinart Little Pro Plus - 3 cup bowl, I think worked just fine for the few things I needed a food processor for. I have recently happened upon the Pain Ã{omitted} l'Ancienne method of making bread - and it's fantastic. Nothing has beat the taste of that bread! The recipe I use is from adapted from The Bread Baker's Apprentice by Peter Reinhart - and yes, it is a superb book. I have all his bread books, I think.

Anyway, this recipe requires a food processor. You may not believe what I did! I had to half the recipe and make it in two batches to get that little Cuisinart to mix it. It worked but it's just rediculous if I'm going to use this method very much - and I intend to. Plus, I need one with a dough blade.

Cuisinart has lost a lot of credibilty in the quality of their products lately. KitchenAid seems to hold the highest rating now. America's Test Kitchen tested and rated them and the KitchenAid Ultra 11 cup highest and the Cuisinart custom Pro 11 second - I don't have room for a Bosch or Viking or I wouldn't have this delima. I really don't have room for either of these two, either. I think the footprint is the close to the same in both of these and their lessors so the height becomes the issue.

I would like opinions as to what food processor out there would be the wiser purchase. I'm thinking that a 7 or 9 cup bowl would be enough for around two pounds of dough but I don't want to wish down the road that I'd rather have gotten a larger capacity one - aaaarg! My daughter is a chef in Scottsdale and swears by KitchenAid anything. She started her business with the appliances she had for home use but now uses the professionals.

Thanks for any and all advise/opinion

Franzia

[Kitchen Witch]

Hi Franzia and welcome!

I must say - I do like the Kitchaide myself. I have several kinds and several different bowl sizes. Yes, I do have a Cuisanart from the days when they first came out - dang thing weighs a ton! But it has given me many good years so I will not complain. I also have Black and Decker and a few others.

I feel a 7 to 9 cup bowl is sufficient. But you are the one who has to decide what you will be using it for and how often. I am waiting for a couple of mine to go on the blink so that I have an excuse to buy a professional one. Until then I will just keep using what I've got. (With my luck they will out-live me!)

[persephone1946]

The one thing I have discovered is the position of the motor to the mixing bowl. If the bowl is on top of the motor it will last a long time.

I went through three processors before I figured that one out. I use an old Hamilton Beach now that I have had for many, many years.

A J

[Shadows]

I use the Cuisinart DLC 8 Plus for most of my food processing needs ( yes it has a dough blade ), then I use the Braun Multi-Mix ( hand held ) for the smaller jobs. If the the job is to small for either I just use my Chiefs Knife or cleaver.
Sometimes the knife is the best method, you really feel the food when preping.