Mini Prep Plus Food Processor, 4 Cup, Brushed Stainless (Shiny)

We didn't really want to own (and store) another kitchen appliance. Years ago we'd been given a full size food processor and never used it, ended up giving it away. We finally decided we needed to get one because we love hummus and it is so much cheaper to make than buy, and the blender just wasn't the tool for the job. Searching for small processors, the Cuisinart stood out for the number of high ratings of it. I looked at the smaller ones, but caught a comment along the lines of "you can't really use more than half the volume". While it looks like you can fit a lot in the processing chamber, and they call it 4 Cup capacity, the blade sits over an opening that is about half the total height, so if you've got a lot of liquid it is going to flow right through and out the bottom of the chamber. This is the biggest food processor we would want to store, and it turned out to be the perfect size for us. The brushed stainless plastic housing looks fine, I'd rather not pay for real stainless steel for a product that is kept behind a cabinet door. It was packed well, and came with a small plastic spatula which at first looked like a throw away item but turns out to be just the right size and shape to get nearly all the processed food out of the chamber. Not having used other food processors, I can't compare this one's functions to others. I'd imagine that a full size model with a more powerful motor could do more, but for us this is a good compromise. The first batch of hummus (the users' manual included a recipe for hummus which varied from my usual one, so I gave it a try and it is good) was all it took to confirm we had made a good choice buying this. It's fast, easy to use, does a great job and is easy to clean, and stores in a small space. I've used it half a dozen times now, and can see already that I'll be trying it out on other things- pesto, tapenade, guacamole . . . Bottom line is that I'm very happy with the way it looks, the way it works, the ease of use, and the reasonable price. If you want to make soups or process big batches of food consider a bigger model, but if your needs are like ours, this is a good choice. May 18, 2013 Now that we've had it and used it many times, I've got two things to add: the recipes in the users manual are good, and the processor is very noisy in use. I use a lot of power tools and I wear hearing protection when I use them. This kitchen tool seems to be as loud as my belt sander, and that is loud.

Fantastic chopper and blender! I like the larger than average size too.

This mini food processor is a total game-changer! It’s super easy to use, clean, and store—exactly what I needed for small tasks like chopping veggies, making sauces, or whipping up quick dips. I have a full-size processor, but this one is way more convenient for everyday use and doesn’t take up much counter space. If you’re tired of dragging out your big machine for small jobs, this is 100% worth it. Compact, efficient, and reliable!

Works fine, but I must have had a metal base one before, that seemed more stable. Whole unit moves when you twist off bowl.

Chops very well. Blade has a wider sweep and sits lower in the bowl so it chops more thoroughly. Got the taller bowl which has been useful. Very happy with this food processor.

I had a small food chopper that must have been over 20 years old and still working, but it only held about 1 cup of food. I also have a couple of bigger food processors, but I didn't have any that were the right size for many of my needs. Since I have special dietary needs and cook all my meals, I needed something not tiny and not big. I kept looking at this 4 cup Cuisinart, but I didn't want to spend the money, but now that I have it, it's perfect for many of my chopping and blending needs. It actually saves me a lot of time and effort because it's the right size. I find it easier to clean than any of the other choppers I have. And it does a better job than my bigger processors. It was definitely worth getting.

The Cuisinart 4-Cup Mini Prep is great for simple light-weight jobs like making salad dressing and chopping onions, but when I use it with heavier foods (like cooked spinach) I can smell the motor burning. So to avoid motor burnout, I no longer use the Mini Prep to process even small quantities of high-density foods - a use limitation I hadn't anticipated. Regarding capacity, keep in mind that although the total volume held by the work bowl is 4 cups, you really can't work in batches much over 2 cups (less for dry items). If you exceed the batch limit, you'll end up with a result that is over processed on the bottom and untouched on the top. The user manual also advises that to avoid motor strain, the work bowl should never be filled more than two-thirds the way up the blade assembly column. So in practice, the 4-cup work bowl translates to a best-case maximum of 2 cups end product. I'd also like to point out that the motor casing for the Cuisinart Mini Prep listed here (model DLC-4CHB) is plastic with a faux stainless steel finish. When I bought this product, I inferred from the item title that the casing was constructed of stainless steel. But if you look closely at the detailed item description, you'll see (as I discovered only after purchase!) that the construction is plastic made to look like stainless steel. And the plastic is pretty flimsy at that, so just be aware of what you are buying. Bottom line: Would I buy this Mini Prep again? Probably not. For my needs, I think I'd look for something sturdier and more versatile. Do I think the Mini Prep is a complete train wreck? No, I use it for what it's worth at least 4 times a week and I appreciate how easy it is to clean. The important thing is to have a firm idea of how you want to use the Mini Prep prior to purchasing one. Want small batches of pesto, salsa or chopped onion? You're good to go. Want to make smoothies or process heavy and dense foods? You'll need to look for something with greater capacity and a stronger motor. One final note on a lesson I learned the hard way...if when using the Mini Prep you consistently end up with onions that are pureed not chopped or nuts that are pulverized to dust, try alternating pulses between the Chop and Grind buttons. Alternating the two buttons moves the food around the work bowl for a more even result.

We had a mini food processor like this from KitchenAid we had for 10 + years and it worked great. It went caput and we replaced it with another KitchenAid but the set up was different (improved...not in my opinion). IF you didn't make just the right connections you had to empty and try again. Truly annoying and totally inefficient. So we searched for a replacement and found the Cuisinart and it does not disappoint. It works similar to the design of many years ago with one additional safety feature which is not an issue at all. LOVE it, I feel like I should stock up in case they change the design and they become useless. Pro's: Super easy to attach the cup, turn and lock in place. Center component and blade are all one piece so it is easy to clean and no parts to lose. Chop & Grind features, all I need and works for everything I needed this for. Does not take up much space. Large enough capacity to chop 1 bag of Costco Tenderloins (I do cook and cut them in half before placing them in this. Easy to clean. Con's: NONE, Absolutely not one thing we do not like about this convenient, handy kitchen appliance that does the job well and is easy to use.