Is it worth the extra cost of buying a food processor when I could just use a knife?

Answer 1

I'd buy a food processor. It'll save time on cooking. It'll also dice the food evenly, which can be helpful.

Buy one! :-D You won't regret it.

Answer 2

The answer to that depends on what type of cooking you do and the quantity that you usually prepare. For minor slicing and dicing chores, I don't think the clean-up time afterwards justifies the use of the machine. I'll just haul out the old paring knife and be done with it. Also, I've never found a food processor yet that does an excellent job of slicing things uniformly and well.

But if you routinely make things that involve a lot of grating (cheese or chocolate, for example) or prep work, that's when the food processor comes into its own. I hate scraping my knuckles on the old-fashioned metal graters. (Is that why they call them "hand" graters, I wonder?) The food processor can do that task a lot more efficiently than I can.

If you don't do a lot of cooking or are cooking in small quantities, your best bet may be a mini food-processor. You can use them for everything from grating small amounts of cheese to pulverizing spices and coffee beans. Get a good one with a strong motor so it will stand up to a little heavier usage.

Answer 3

I cook A LOT, and I don't have a food processor.
For anything requiring slicing, chopping, or grating I do it by hand and am pretty efficient at it.
For the other food processor jobs, like pureeing and mixing and stuff, I have my mixer (I have a porfessional model kitchen aid) and my secret weapon, and probably the most-used tool in my kitchen is my hand blender. I love it. I use it to puree soups, to mix up salad dressings, and there's a whisk attachment for whipping, and a mini food processor bowl which I use for stuff like making hummus or pesto or even breadcrumbs.
Honestly I think a good quality hand blender is worth WAY more than a food processor it's more versatile, but also saves on clean up since you can use it the dish you're already cooking in. Just make sure you choose one with multiple speeds, good strong blades, and a metal shaft - the all plastic ones aren't strong enough, and they get stained. Bonus if you find one with the mini processor attachment and the whisk!

Answer 4

It depends on what you are preparing. No point if you are just slicing veggies, but a food processor is a must if you make pates, salsas, bean dips, raw food bars (ground nuts and seeds) I use both alot. Couldnt be without either one. You can almost always find used food processors in thrift stores for a couple of dollars

Answer 5

If you just want to dice food.. then a knife is the way to go. But if you are wanting to puree or make salsa or something like that.. then the food processor. I have one, and i love to cook, but i rarely use it at all.. and mine is small too b/c i hate cleaning this one as it is.. much less a bigger food processer!
i think the cooking shows use theirs more just to show off. lol

Answer 6

a food processor can make differnt cuts fast and is a whole lot easer than doing it by hand think of trying to make a pat'e by hand or cutting the garlic and andchovie for ceaser dressing by hand and peanut butter those things are better done by a food processor but you do get better cuts with a knife or mandoline

Answer 7

They are nice to have around, but a pain to clean. I just use a knife and chop whatever I need to the size I want for whatever I'm preparing.

Answer 8

A processor is like having another person in the kitchen when you're prepping, spending the bucks, you won't regret it.

Answer 9

your arm gets tired eventually. a food processor never does

Answer 10

I would say use if you do alot of cooking with fresh ingredients . I would buy the magic bullet . It is cheap and can be found at walmart and target .