So the wife has asked for a Cuisinart food processor for Christmas. (Not to worry, I already bought her jewelry, this request is for other family members.) There are several models and various features with prices ranging from $150 to $350. The question is which features do you home cooks find handy, and which models are you happy with? She has some interest in baking which she wishes to expand upon. Thanks for your help.

I find that the 11 Cup series is the most logical for the home cook. Anything larger than that and "normal" amounts of ingredients don't chop properly. They get lost in the size of the bowl. That said, even with an 11 C model, I still found the need for a smaller size (and bought a KitchenAid 5 Cup), as the 11 C is still too big for things like bean puree using a single can of Cannellini beans. If her baking needs require her to have a bigger machine, like a 14 Cup model, then you are definitely going to need another machine to do everyday tasks. For big jobs, I would still opt for the Custom 11 and do multiple batches, unless you have tons of cabinet space to store lots of machines.

Once you lock in on a size, you are largely choosing "style points" beyond that. All 11 C models will provide ample power. You pay extra for electronic buttons instead of classic "push levers". Is one better? No. Does one look cooler? Yes. Go with any Pro Custom 11 model and you can't go wrong.

I have this bad boy in a stainless finish





Cuisinart PowerPrep 14 cup

I make bread, pizza dough, cookies and pretty much everything else in this machine. The dough setting works very well. It is easy to clean and very powerful. The only negative is that it is a large machine and takes up counter space. It is professional grade with a very large capacity. Mine also came with an egg beater which is kind of fun if you are doing large amounts of egg whites.

I bought mine at Bed Bath & Beyond with their 20% discount coupon.

Good luck with your choice.

For my purposes the basic 11-cup works well, but I basically only use it to chop things and make pesto.

I love those 20% off cupons at BB&B That is how I've bought at least 75% of stuff in my kitchen.

Thanks for the responses, folks. I knew I would find some informed opinions here. Sounds like the 11 cup would suit most of her kneads, , sorry that was awful. I guess it will come down to what finish she wants and the best value at the time. Thanks.

...and we have a winner!
Costco-Cuisinart 11 cup

This should be more than sufficent for our purposes. Thanks for the suggestions.

We have the 11 cup model and we use it all the time BUT only because we made space for it on the counter. If I had to dig it out of the cabinet anytime I wanted to use it , it would be a waste of money. As it is I can not imagine a kitchen w/o one