Cuisinart Custom 14 Cup (DFP-14BCNY). I’ve had mine for 12 years, and it still works like brand new. Most of the home cooks I know have the same one. My mom and mother in law have had theirs for way longer than me, probably 20 or 30 years. It’s a workhorse. I wouldn’t put food processors in the same category as blenders, but I suppose it depends on how you use them!
I have a Cuisinart Custom 14 - I don't know if it's the quietest food processor, but it's pretty quiet. If you're using it heavily, I think it's well worth the investment though it is at the upper end of your budget.
Yes, it does have a tendency to shift very slightly (so slightly it's honestly barely noticeable, it's probably by just like a millimeter or 2) when you first turn it on because the motor has that much torque but the unit is pretty heavy and overbuilt so it doesn't move that much and once it's running it doesn't move at all.
If you watch a lot of cooking content on YouTube, the custom 14 is the food processor a ton of people on YouTube watch. I bought one used on the suggestion of America's test kitchen and it's been an absolute work horse for me for the last 4 or 5 years.
I’ve owned the cheaper one for years and years. It works great. Not sure if they still make them the same, but I literally bought this one like 18 years ago.
Just as "KitchenAid" is often synonymous with "stand mixer" for a reason, "Cuisinart" is often synonymous with "food processor".
Matching kitchen items are nice, but when it comes to kitchen equipment I think usefulness and design are the top priorities. I love my KitchenAid stand mixer, but my food processor is a Cuisinart Custom 14 and it's fabulous.
The main Cuisinart blade is on the bottom, but it also comes with a stem and 2 discs - one for slicing and one for shredding.
But yes, they aren't cheap. The Custom 14 is around $250.
I have had my Cuisinart 14-cup version (DFP-14BCNY) for over 25 years. I also have the small version for quick chopping/grinding of small amounts. The 14-cup version was less than $79 when I purchased it many years ago, but the same version is $250+ now. (was about $190 in December). Would still be worth it. Look for prime day or Black Friday/cyber Monday sales.
Robot Coupe for the food processor. But if you're buying for the home, a Robot Coupe is really overkill. Like hunting cockroaches with dynamite kind of overkill.
Meanwhile, the Cuisinart DFP-14 will serve you well. I have owned others, including Kitchen Aid (and Robot Coupe). The Cuisinart is not only the best home unit, it's also the easiest to clean.
ahthebop
