Recommendation on food processor

hermit · Heavy Crude Joined: May 13, 2008 Posts: 147

Wife wants to get a food processor. I'm thinking that instead of spending $50 on some wal-mart junk, we should spend $50 and get something used but decent on Ebay.... Perhaps an older model that was the cadillac of it's day. Ideally, something stainless steel, rather than plastic.

Does anyone have any "cadillac" food processor recommendations?

jbrovont · Intermediate Crude Joined: Jun 16, 2006 Posts: 675

You can get some really study ones that are 20 or so years old, made of iron, stainless steel, and more recently aluminum. Look around a little - I've seen some hand powered ones at yard sales that look like they could have been around since the civil war, and they still work great! Best choice imo if you don't have reliable power.

blukatzen · Intermediate Crude Joined: Apr 11, 2005 Posts: 588

After Powerdown, instead of a food processor (yes, I still have an old Cuisinart w/all the attachments) I'd recommend a GOOD set of Knives, and a good chopping board. Take a knive skills class at a local gourmet shop or a local jr. college/adult continuing ed food prep course. (just look in the catalog for the adult continuing education courses.)

I like Chicago Cutlery, Wusthof, and some of my favorite knives I've gotten were pretty old, look handmade, and I've gotten them from the flea market.
You can also go to a restaurant supply store, or even a Chinese food mart for cleavers, etc.

Good luck assembling your treasure trove! Always think "low to no power" and tote-ability. You'll need them in the future. A good knife, to our ancestors, was a tool beyond measure!

Blu

blukatzen · Intermediate Crude Joined: Apr 11, 2005 Posts: 588

Here's some additional items that you should think about in addition to knives. In Lehman's online catalogue, see www.Lehmans.com , I saw in the "Kitchen" section a food grinder, and also look up "Mandoline". These are the 2 things that an electric food processor does well, but these 2 items were there before things went "electric". I would also look at a grinder for wheat/nuts/grain. (all can be manual, or hooked up to a powered solution like a bicycle.)
We've spoken about these things copiously in our forums, so I would peruse these online resources and look at the threads first.
You should find links and resources there.

All these items should be portable, easy to clean and storeable, and built like a mack truck. That's the ticket to knowing you have gotten a good deal. The general populace will be figuring these things out soon, so move now, and you'll be ahead of the pack.

Good luck.

Blu

frankthetank

Look at Kitchenaid... They have quality stuff... Also been around for a long time. If the electricity goes down, you're going to have bigger problems then slicing carrots Smile

_________________
"Oil is going up because we use too much oil, and the capacity to replace reserves is dwindling"
-President Bush 11/07/07

WisJim

We use our 20 year old food processor for cookie dough pureeing cream soup, and mixing stuff like that. Seldom use it for grating or cutting up stuff, would rather use a mandoline or a knife. We do use our blender a lot, for smoothies, potato pancakes, salad dressing, etc.

cynthia · Heavy Crude Joined: May 29, 2005 Posts: 359

Blukatzen is right about knives and knife skills.
My right arm suffers a bit from tendinitis from all my production sewing days, my production and quantity cooking days. Good thing I didn't go into production sex for my arm would have fallen off by now Rolling Eyes

Any how, I like the older Cuisinart food processors. I've found three at yard sales complete with a bizillion blades for around $60 +/- each time. (I bought two and gave one away and didn't buy the third one since I didn't need it).
If electricity and money are of no issue you can find sturdy commercial quality Robot Coupes on eBay and other places. They are very expensive brand new but should last the home user almost forever. The R20 or other smaller versions are more than adequate. And if you do much canning they will put a smile on your wife's face.
It's sweet of you to do this research.
cynthia