How Big Is Big Enough?
If you regularly cook for a crowd or like to prepare multiple batches of a recipe, you might appreciate a bigger, 11- to 16-cup processor. But they tend to cost more, sometimes weigh more, and hog counter space. A capacity of 7 cups or so is fine for most tasks.

Choppers make more sense for small jobs, such as dicing half an onion or mincing a handful of parsley. Plus they’re easier to clean.

When Should You Pay More?
Lower-priced models we’ve tested tend to deliver subpar performance in at least one processing task. They also make quite a racket, whereas most higher-end models we test are quiet.

What About Capacity?

Claimed food processor capacities typically range from about 7 to 16 cups, although actual volumes often vary by 1 or 2 cups. Choppers hold only about 1 to 5 cups. They can be noisy, but you probably won’t be using them for long periods.