Tried & Tested
KitchenAid Mini Food Processor
A counter-top food processor that does everything for the fraction of the price of its older sister – yes, I’ll take it
Ready to step into the world of cooking or just up your game? Then this is the perfect thing for you: easy to use, easier to wash and a brilliant way of adding more variety into your diet. Trust me, you need to put this on your Christmas list, stat.
What is it?
The KitchenAid Mini is exactly that: the mini version of its famous older sister. Compact, beautifully designed and impeccably space-saving, this 830ml food processor is the perfect piece of equipment for every cook, whether you’re a pro or a newbie. A fuss-free way of chopping fruit and veggies, finely mincing herbs and pureeing sauces, even I (as a relatively competent cook and an even more competent hoarder of equipment) was impressed at how simple this made things in the kitchen.
How easy is it to set up?
It’s pretty straightforward. I’ll admit it, I threw away the instructions as soon as I opened the box (such is my way) and therefore it did take me a little while to figure out how to get the thing working. But if you’re familiar with the larger KitchenAid, you’ll know that everything has a certain way that it needs to click into place. If something’s off kilter and not fixed on properly, no cogs will turn. So once you’ve slid the body of the processor in and clicked it into place, the blade will pop perfectly on top, the lid will go on smoothly and you can get to work.
How does it work?
The food processor has two speeds, which you can change via a little toggle just under the main base. The first option chops food, the second purees it and you can choose to pulse, too, so that you control the speed. Much like the bigger KitchenAid, you have the ability to add liquids (say, water, milk or oil) into the processor through the lid without stopping the machine. You do need to hold down the top of the handle to get it going (which took me a while to figure out) so that’s the only catch: you can’t just switch it on and leave it alone to do its thing.
Is it worth it?
Yes. If you have a small-ish family or you just want to be able to make sauces and dips without having to pull out a much larger piece of equipment, it’s worth it. I like that this really does take up minimal space, so much so that it can fit on your counter without really imposing on anything. It’s less than half the price of the traditional KitchenAid and while it’s (obviously) much smaller, in my humble opinion it’s a brilliant addition to any kitchen.
