Food Processor Vs. Blender

The blender was invented in 1922 by Stephen J. Poplawski to make soda fountain drinks. Inspired by an industrial blender, Carl G. Sontheimer developed the Cuisinart food processor in 1973.

Every woman wants to have the perfect kitchen. Well-equipped with the best cookware and ready to cook anything that comes to their mind. Unfortunately, many women are stuck with very small kitchens that have minimal counter space. There are so many times one may have wished for a single all-purpose equipment would do all the jobs so that you did not have to shuffle between two or more kitchen appliances.

Most women think that they can do away with either the blender or the food processor. After all, isn't the job of both these appliances essentially the same, to grind and pulverize things into tiny bits?

To the untrained eye, they look pretty much the same and seem to perform almost the same function, so the debate may have arisen in the mind about choosing either one. However, the functions of both these kitchen appliances are different, and both are equally useful in their own ways. To help discern which appliance you need, here is a lowdown of the functions and uses of the blender and food processor.

About the Food Processor

The food processor is a do-it-all appliance which takes over as your kitchen chopper, shredder, grater, and slicer. You can use this versatile kitchen appliance to chop and shred vegetables like carrots or onions, or use it to pulse and puree food into tiny bits. It can also be used to mix and knead dough. These functions are done using a number of interchangeable blades and disks.

Along with the transparent bowls and other containers, at the base of the food processor is the motor which turns the vertical shaft. It is to this shaft that the blades for cutting and chopping are attached to. The processor has a pulse option and one speed that allows you to control the texture of the food being chopped.

About the Blender

Blenders are ideally made for liquids and are thus suited for pureeing, blending, emulsifying, and grinding. A traditional blender consists of a narrow, tapered blender jar, made either of stainless steel, plastic, or glass, along with a tight-fitting lid. There is a blade at the bottom of the jar which is rotated by the motor at the base. Most blenders have multiple speeds, and often operate at 18,000 RPM or more to grind and puree the food perfectly. Some of the blenders in the market have slightly stronger blades and juicing mechanism enabling them to double up as juicers. This helps in extraction of juices from fruits like oranges and watermelons.

Apart from the large blenders, there are also portable hand-held blenders. These immersion-type stick blenders may not be very powerful but they are quite handy, especially for pureeing and emulsifying food. They are good for making milkshakes and baby food purees. The blenders are also quite adept at chopping herbs and other ingredients.

Pitting the Food Processor Against the Blender

Food Processor: Pros and Cons
The food processor and the blender are two very different kitchen appliances. In some cases the food processor comes with a blending function. While the food processor is good for grinding, shredding, chopping, and slicing food, it is not very good with blending liquids. When its large container is filled to the brim with liquid, it tends to leak out or make a mess.

Blender: Pros and Cons
In contrast to a food processor, the blender provides a smooth consistency to liquids, without the problem of leakages. The narrow container of a blender is perfect for pureeing and emulsifying the food. It also works fairly well with a semi-liquid food product such as yogurt. However, the problem arises with solid food. The small, narrow blade of the blender along with the narrow container makes it hard for the blender to chop, slice, or grate food.

What To Use
Although many people believe that the food processor with its versatility in the cooking process and the range of functions is interchangeable with a blender, the fact is it is not so, unless the food processor has a blending function as well. The blender on the other hand seems quite a bit restricted in its value proposition to the user.

The debate over what you should choose also depends on your kitchen requirements. If you have more slicing and chopping jobs in the kitchen, it is best to stick to a food processor. If you are interested in making liquid drinks, then a good blender will work best for you.

If the budget allows, it is a best to have both in your kitchen as each performs its own job best and have a few failing points where the other one's job is concerned.