Whether you are new to the kitchen with amateur knife skills or a seasoned professional pressed for time, a food processor can be an exceptionally handy tool. It is a great way to speed up your pre-cooking prep work as you prepare meals for a large family or for making a dinner for two.
It might be a good idea to invest in a full-size food processor, but this post is all about mini food processors. As the name suggests, they are small and do not take up a lot of space in your kitchen which is an excellent feature if you have a kitchenette or live in dorm rooms. Moreover, they are equally functional, produce the best results, and don’t need any knife skills or knowledge of keeping your knife in the best shape. You can enjoy chopped fruits, vegetables, cheeses, and nuts without the elbow grease of chopping by hand with a mini food processor. And you also prepare some homemade babyfood, salsa, mayonnaise, and a lot more. But what qualifies as mini food processors?
The only distinction is size. A mini food processor has a capacity of around 3.5 cups or less. A small food processor is also about the same size. Maybe they have a capacity of 5 cups. In either case, there is a blurred line between mini and small food processors. In the end,it all comes down to your processed food, whether it is your hummus or nut butter.
However, when it comes to buying a small food processor, you would be amazed by the breadth of options available in the market. We did some market research and have come up with a list of five small food processors in this article for you to review. But before you look into the options, it’s essential to know what to look for when buying a mini food processor.
Following is a brief buying guide that can help you decide.
What to Look for When Investing in a Mini Food Processor?
A lot of thought goes into the decision to invest in a small food processor. Some of the features you must look for when investing in a mini food processor include the following.
Size
Size is one of the most important considerations when it comes to choosing a mini food processor. Determine the capacity of a food processor based on your needs. If you are a family of two, a smaller everyday home-use food processor is all you need. It will be best to handle smaller quantities; they are often portable and easier to clean and store. When investing in a mini food processor, make sure you don’t end up with a processor that is too small. You’d surely not want to chop half an onion at a time.
However, if you have a large family or dinners and parties are a frequent occurrence at your place, you will need a food processor with a larger capacity.
Once you know your purpose, you can easily determine the size of the food processor that you will need.
Budget
Apart from the usage, the other most important consideration is your budget. You don’t have to burden yourself simply because you need to invest in a food processor. Given the variety of small and portable food processors, there is something for everyone on the market. Therefore, you need to check and then pick up the most budget-friendly processor.
Speed Control Options
Now comes the performance features. Even with a mini food processor, you need precision and the best performance, which comes from your food processor’s controls. Invest in food processors that allow you to switch between high and low speed depending upon the job. With this feature, you get better precision.
Motor Power
Another performance feature is the motor power which determines the strength of your food processor. Mini food processors with a weak motor may heat up easily and can burn. Because the motor is not strong enough, such food processors do not work for long.
But you can find alternatives that have stronger motor power, and despite the small size, they perform their job with precision.
Again, you need to decide how much work you will take from your processor and then pick up the most suitable appliance for your kitchen.
Additional Features
You can find small food processors that have additional features such as shredding and slicing. When you get all the extra features in a small size, it makes the mini food processor more versatile and more functional for your kitchen. However, keep in mind that additional features such as shredding and slicing only work with narrow foods because size still remains a constraint.
Other Considerations
You must also look for features such as blade performance, ease of use, and storage. And that’s where online reviews will help you the most.
Best Small Food Processors
Now that you know what to look for when choosing a small food processor for your kitchen, it’s time to look at some of the best small food processors available on the market so you can get the best helping hand during your meal-prep.
1) Ninja Food Chopper Express Chop
Features:
- 200W power motor
- Pulse Technology
- 2 levels of blades
- 2-in-1 lid
- 200 watt power pod.
- Effortlessly mince, chop, grind and blend a variety of...
- Perfect for garlic, onion, zest, spices, herbs, cheese,...
- Capacity: 16 ounces
- Ergonomic designed power head is easy to handle
Remember all good things come in small packages? The Ninja Food Chopper express chop is one of them. This small but super-efficient food processor is great for blending, mixing, and grinding. It is a mini food processor with a capacity of 2-cups and comes with a 2-in-1 lid that guards against splatter and can be used as a storage lid.
It comes with a single large button on top that makes it convenient to use. A single-speed disadvantage is compensated through two levels of blades that give a thorough mix throughout the bowl. For better precision, the bowl includes measurement marks, so you don’t have to use a separate measuring cup as you prepare for your meals.
- Compact-design
- 2-in-1 lid
- Light in weight
- Dishwasher safe bowl
- Measurement markings on the bowl
- Food sticks in the blade connect and motorhead
- Risk of pivot if you don’t hold it properly
Our rating: 
4.8 / 5
2) Cuisinart DLC-2ABC Mini Prep Plus Food Processor
Features:
- 250W powermotor
- 3 cup sized work bowl
- Reversible blade
- Compact design
- Available in chrome, pink, red and white colors
- SUPERIOR FUNCTION: The Cuisinart 250-watt mini prep plus...
- CONTROL: Push-button control panel with durable yet...
- EASY CLEAN UP: Dishwasher-safe bowl and lid for easy clean...
- INCLUDED: Comes with a 24-ounce work bowl with handle,...
- LIMITED 18-MONTH WARRANTY: Refer to user manual for...
- 24-ounce work bowl with handle
The compact and versatile Cuisinart DLC-2ABC mini prep plus food processor is your perfect kitchen partner. It is convenient to use and can handle various tasks, including chopping, grinding, and pureeing, and a decent work bowl size that is great for everyday meal prep. It is easy to clean, easy to use, and convenient to store, and offers speed options for both chopping and grinding modes. And the best part is the reversible blade. The blade’s blunt side is gentler, whereas the sharper side knows how to excel at the job. The lid of this compact food processor has two holes and a long well that allows you to conveniently add liquids as you prepare your favorite dressings. Moreover, it allows for airflow and reduces the risk of clogs.
In addition to its small size and compact design, the product is dishwasher safe. However, it is best to wash the stainless steel parts by hand to protect the edges.
- Compact-design
- 2-in-1 lid
- Light in weight
- Dishwasher safe bowl
- Measurement markings on the bowl
- Food sticks in the blade connect and motorhead
- Risk of pivot if you don’t hold it properly
Our rating: 
4.7 / 5
3) Hamilton Beach Mini 3-Cup Food Processor & Vegetable Chopper
Features:
- 350W power motor
- 3 cup sized glass work bowl
- Dishwasher safe parts
- Built-in oil dispenser
- Durable blades
- Single touch convenience
- Simply stack and press to chop: The patented stack & press...
- Perfect size for everyday use: Chop and mix up to 3 cups of...
- Easily chop, puree and emulsify with stainless steel blades:...
- Easy to clean: The bowl, lid and removable blades of the...
- Power through tough ingredients: This small food chopper has...
Next on the list of small and portable food processors is the Hamilton Beach Mini 3-cup food processor.
The 3-cup mini food processor comes with a glass bowl so you can chop, mince or grind herbs, or prepare salsa without leaving any scent or staining the bowl. The product is easy to use and does not require a lot of twisting and locking before use. All you have to do is to press with your hand. For coarse chopping, go for a short press and hold on a little longer for a smoother consistency. It comes with a built-in oil dispenser so you can easily blend your salad dressings, mayonnaise, and hummus.
The Hamilton beach mini processor is convenient to use and is super easy to clean and store. The cord can be coiled under the base of the product that allows compact storage.
- Dishwasher safe parts
- Smell and stain-resistant glass bowl
- Built-in oil dispenser
- Single-touch convenience
- A powerful motor is noisy
- No feeding option while in use
Our rating: 
4.6 / 5
4) BLACK &DECKER EHC3002B Glass Bowl Chopper
Features:
- 150W power motor
- Compact design
- 4-cup work bowl
- Easy-grip
- Microwave, dishwasher, freezer and oven-safe work bowl
- Includes lid for storage
- Easy Grip never worry about mundane chopping tasks again!
- Pulse Control
- 150 Watt Motor
- Removable Blade
- Dishwasher Safe Parts. Included Components: Chopper, 4 Cup...
If you are looking for a high-quality, efficient food processor that allows all-in-one preparing, cooking, and storing solutions, then a Black and Decker EHC3002B glass bowl chopper is all you need for your kitchen. The small food processor has a blade and motor attached with a splatter guard that can easily fit with several other standard 4-cup bowls so you can prepare for your meal and simply remove the processor from the top. Moreover, the glass bowl that comes with the chopper can easily be used to store, bake or microwave the meal. The processor includes separate lids for convenient storage of meal preps.
The small food processor gives you the options of high and low speed. The user-friendly parts are easy to use, clean, and store.
- Multifunctioning kitchen appliance
- Dishwasher, oven, microwave, and freezer safe bowl
- 4-cup glass work bowl
- 2-speed settings
- The top can fit on to other standard 4-cup work bowls
- Sharp blades
- No feeding tube for adding liquids
Our rating: 
4.5 / 5
5) KitchenAid KFCB519ER Cordless Chopper, 5 cup
Features:
- Compact design
- Rechargeable lithium battery
- 5 cup BPA free work bowl
- Cordless chopper
- Includes whisk accessory
- Cordless for the Freedom to Prep Anywhere.* No cord, and...
- Chop up to 40 onions* on a full battery charge, with the...
- Universal, easy to use battery charger included, that works...
- Space-saving, 5 cup compact design to mix, chop, puree and...
- The included multi-purpose blade and whisk accessory...
- Complete your cordless collection with the cordless 7 seed...
Are you looking for a cordless small food processor? Your search ends here. With the KitchenAid KFCB519ER Cordless Chopper, you can enjoy portability and efficiency. The portable food processor functions with a rechargeable lithium battery that gives optimal performance and can charge from empty to full in less than two hours. And just because it is cordless doesn’t mean it functions less than optimal. Its rechargeable battery, along with its 2-speed settings, can give you enough power to complete a chopping job which may be as long as 10 minutes.
This Kitchenaid cordless chopper is not really a mini food processor. Instead, it has a 5-cup capacity that gives you a lot more room for larger jobs.
- Compact design
- Cordless design for greater portability
- 5-cup BPA free work bowl
- 2-speed settings
- Bowl material is not very sturdy
- If not charged, you will have to wait before you can use it
Our rating: 
4.4 / 5
Conclusion
Getting the right food processor that is best for your kitchen can be tricky. Given the overwhelming choice of brands available on the market, most claims to the best small food processor further complicates the process. But, you don’t need to worry because we have finally compiled a list of highly functional and most effective small food processors. With our list of the five best small food processors, you can make a choice that best suits your needs and your budget.
We would love to know how our list of best small food processors helped you to make the best decision for your kitchen.
