KitchenAid food processor review: This gadget prepares drinks and meals in no time

KitchenAid is famous for its stand mixers, but it also makes a variety of food processors.

I tested the brand's 5KFP0719 model – a fairly compact machine with a 1.7 liter capacity, by putting it through the wringer in my kitchen to see how it performed with family recipes.

KitchenAid 1.7L Food Processor, £145.30

professional:

• looks very stylish
• doesn't take up much space
• Accessories fit into the bowl
• lightweight
• hinged lid

Shortcoming:

• At 250W, it's not very powerful
• Can move around the counter when in use

What attachments does it come with?

• 1.7 liter bowl with hinged lid
• multipurpose blade
• dough blade
• Two cutting discs for cutting and slicing

KitchenAid Food Processor Review: First Impressions

Like other KitchenAid appliances, the 5KFP0719 looks incredibly sleek.

It comes in five different colors: Matte Black, Empire Red, Charcoal Grey, Onyx Black and Almond Cream.

Although small in terms of size at 1.7 litres, it should suit the needs of couples or small families.

KitchenAid has opted for a slimline design, meaning it has a thinner frame than some other machines – it almost looks like a smoothie maker – meaning it'll take up less space on your kitchen counter.

Depending on what you plan to do with it, this may not necessarily be a good thing, but more on that later.

Read more:

How easy is it to use?

The 5KFP0719 came with a huge instruction manual, but I found assembling it was quite intuitive, and I didn't need to refer to it at all.

Unlike other machines, there's no twist-to-lock process – the bowl and lid simply snap into place.

I think the hinged lid is a great design feature.

Once it's attached to the machine, you can pull it back like a normal lid, which saves you having to find a place to put it in between uses. And if you want to take it off completely, you just have to take it off.

Everything is really easy to clean by hand and is dishwasher safe as well.

Is it good for cutting?

The multipurpose blade is what you use for chopping, mincing, pureeing or blending.

I found it was really efficient for most things. Depending on what you put in it, the result can be anywhere between a rough chop and a brunoise (about 1mm to 2mm pellets). It's certainly not a great puree, but food processors aren't really designed to do that.

But, you have to keep in mind that with a 250W motor, this is not a super powerful machine. This means that if you add tough or large pieces of vegetables, they will have a hard time getting through it.

Between this and the fact that it has a slimline design with hardly any bulk behind it (usually a good thing), the machine tends to shake during use.

That said, if you want to use it to chop up some onions or herbs for sauces or dips, or even chop vegetables for soup, it will have them ready in no time. .

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KitchenAid 1.7L Food Processor, £145.30

Is it good for slicing/grating?

The 5KFP0719 comes with only two slicing blades: a 4mm reversible blade that can also be used for slicing/grating and a 6mm one used only for slicing.

I had mixed results with these.

The slicing blades were excellent for softer vegetables like celery, quickly creating thin, uniform slices.

But for tough vegetables like carrots, the slices were quite large and it was a struggle to get to the last piece, which always got stuck on the blade.

Can you add flour to it?

I was excited to see that the 5KFP0719 had a dough blade – a rare feature for a machine of this size.

Given my experience with cutting and slicing, I didn't want to test bread dough. Instead, I tested pastry dough, because it was softer.

Making pastries by hand usually takes a long time, but the 5KFP0719 produced it with impressive speed, so it's definitely a function we'll use again.

KitchenAid Food Processor Review: Final Verdict

There are pros and cons to the KitchenAid 5KFP0719 1.7l Food Processor, and I think, ultimately, it will depend on how you plan to use the machine.

Its relatively small, lightweight, slim frame and attractive design definitely work in its favor if you want something to show off in your kitchen without taking up too much space.

The cutting and dough-mixing functions were its best features, so if that's primarily what you want to use it for, it might be perfect. Even slicing and dicing for soft vegetables was a good job.

But if you plan to chop carrots and other hard vegetables regularly then you may want to look for a more powerful machine.

Looking for more kitchen gadgets? Check out our Ninja Foodi Mini Multi-Cooker review.

We have also selected some of the best air fryers.

Where can I buy KitchenAid 5KFP0719 1.7l Food Processor in the UK?

Food processors are a staple household item in many kitchens. Most home cooking involves cutting and slicing, which isn't the most enjoyable task to do by hand.

Since most home cooks will be using them, finding a KitchenAid food processor is a simple task as many electronics retailers are likely to stock them.

If you don't want to hit the high street, here's a short list of online retailers that stock food processors:

Is there an alternative to the KitchenAid 5KFP0719 1.7l Food Processor?

Since the food processor is such a widely used kitchen item, there are actually a lot of options.

There's a lot of competition out there, too, as companies like Bosch, Ninja, Kitchen Aid, Hamilton, and Cuisinart make extremely popular food processors, so you're sure to find something that fits your wallet and needs.

Here's a quick list of similar products if you want to look elsewhere: