Cuisinart - 3-Cup Mini Chopper

I have a Cuisinart 3 cup mini-prep processor and the Cuisinart 14 cup model. I use the small one about 10 times more than the big one, though I'm glad I have both. It's just my wife and me in our household, so the small one works for 90% of our needs. The big one is indispensable for pie crusts and larger parties, like Thanksgiving. The fact that neither one has variable speeds is not an issue at all. The Breville processors are quite a bit more expensive than the Cuisinart, and I've never found a job the Cuisinart wasn't up to. I'd say it's the industry standard, certainly the one that most cooking shows, like America's Test Kitchen, use.

What do you use a food processor for? 90% of my usage is for 2 things. Salsa and chopped nuts (for pad thai or baklava). I have the smallest 3 cup Cuisinart. For my salsa recipe it does require doing 2 batches, or baklava nuts needs multiple batches. I can't recall a situation where I wished for a bigger food processor. But, I also don't have situations where I am debating "I have to get the food processor out or I can do it by hand." I just grab the food processor. I will add per another commenter I do have a stand mixer, so I am not trying to use a food processor in situations where the stand mixer is better.

I have a Cuisinart 3 cup that is basically the same as your KitchenAid. I got it off Amazon for $20 but the price has since increased unfortunately.

I have a mini cuisinart food processor that I use daily for garlic and ginger and making salad dressing and a million other things. I even have like three or four extra bowls and blades for it because I use it so much. Cannot recommend it highly enough!

In my experience, mini food processors are terrible. I've tried cuisinart and kitchen aid ones and they never do the job as well as the full size one. I'd get an 11 or 14 cup food processor. Even for small stuff it is fine.

Actually look at the other mixers out there besides KitchenAid. Ooni and Ankarsrum are great. Kitchen aid is American traditional, but has its issues. Buy knives one by one. Sure you can get. A set for 50$, but having a knife for each job that fits you is hard to beat. You want a blade that keeps its edge well, but takes an edge too (can be resharpened as needed). Sharpeners... If you learn how to use a wet stone, are not expensive. However, they do take time to learn. Chefs choice sharpeners have been leading the pack for a while. They are easy but not very cheap. You need to know what angle your knife is sharpened to. Make sure your sharpener can accommodate it. Basically, you need a chef, paring, boning, and serrated knife. Oh and a set of steak knives. Cuisinart food processor 14 cup. Cuisinart's mini is a good starter. Vitamix 5200 is the classic. Breville's fresh & furious is no slouch and a bit cheaper. All clad stainless pots, will last forever and are induction ready Kenji just came out with a titanium clad set of pans. They are nonstick, no coatings. Made by Our Place I love my Breville air fryer.