A food processor is one of those kitchen tools that sounds like a luxury until you actually own one — then you wonder how you ever prepped vegetables without it. Chopping an onion in 5 seconds, shredding a block of cheese in under a minute, making hummus from scratch in one bowl: these are the kinds of tasks that turn a tedious cooking session into something almost enjoyable. And you don't need to spend $200 to get there.
The under-$50 food processor market is surprisingly solid. These machines won't handle 10-pound batches of bread dough or run for 30 minutes straight, but for everyday beginner tasks — chopping vegetables, making dips, slicing fruit, shredding cheese — they do the job well. We tested over ten models in this price range, running each through onion chopping, carrot shredding, hummus making, and pastry dough. The five picks below are the ones that earned their spot. If you're still deciding between a food processor and a blender, our food processor vs blender guide breaks down exactly which tool fits which job. And if you're building out your kitchen, check out our best blenders guide and best stand mixers roundup for the full picture.
One honest caveat before we dive in: at under $50, you're getting a machine built for light to moderate use. The motors are smaller, the bowls are typically 3–8 cups, and the attachments are more limited than premium models. But for a beginner cook who wants to chop faster and prep smarter, these processors punch well above their price tag. Here's what we found.
#1 Hamilton Beach 70730 — Best Overall Food Processor Under $50
Hamilton Beach 70730
The Hamilton Beach 70730 is the best-selling entry-level food processor on Amazon for good reason — it delivers reliable, consistent performance at a price that's hard to argue with. The 8-cup bowl is the largest in this price range, giving you enough capacity to chop vegetables for a full dinner or make a double batch of hummus without stopping to empty the bowl halfway through. The 450-watt motor handles everyday chopping, slicing, and shredding tasks without complaint, and the two-speed plus pulse controls keep operation simple for beginners who don't want to fuss with complicated settings. The stainless steel S-blade does the heavy lifting for chopping and pureeing, while the reversible slicing and shredding disc covers the rest. What really sets the 70730 apart at this price is the bowl-scraper design — the wide feed tube and pusher let you drop in whole vegetables without pre-cutting, which saves real time during prep. Cleanup is straightforward: the bowl, lid, and blades are all dishwasher safe. The motor base wipes clean easily. It's not the quietest machine and the plastic feels budget-grade, but for a beginner who wants a capable, no-nonsense food processor under $50, the Hamilton Beach 70730 is the default recommendation. It's been a bestseller for years because it simply works.
Pros
- 8-cup bowl — largest capacity in this price range
- Simple two-speed + pulse controls, great for beginners
- Wide feed tube fits whole vegetables
- Reversible slicing and shredding disc included
- Dishwasher-safe bowl, lid, and blades
Cons
- Plastic construction feels budget-grade
- Louder than premium models
- Motor can struggle with very hard vegetables like raw beets
#2 Cuisinart DFP-14BCWB — Best Quality Food Processor Under $50
Cuisinart DFP-14BCWB
The Cuisinart DFP-14BCWB is the best food processor you can buy if quality and longevity matter more than keeping the price as low as possible. It frequently dips to or near the $50 mark on sale, and at that price it's an absolute steal — this is a machine that professional cooks and serious home chefs have relied on for decades. The 14-cup work bowl is enormous for this price range, the 720-watt motor is the most powerful on this list, and the build quality is in a completely different league from the budget competition. The stainless steel blades stay sharp, the bowl locks securely, and the whole machine feels like it was built to last 10 years rather than 2. The large feed tube with adjustable pressure disc lets you slice whole tomatoes, cucumbers, and potatoes without pre-cutting. The included attachments — stainless steel chopping blade, medium slicing disc, and shredding disc — cover the full range of everyday food prep tasks. Cleanup is easy with dishwasher-safe parts. The trade-off is size: the 14-cup bowl is large, and the machine takes up real counter space. But if you're serious about cooking and want a food processor that will grow with your skills rather than limit them, the Cuisinart DFP-14BCWB is the best investment in this price range. Catch it on sale and you won't find better value anywhere.
Pros
- 720W motor — most powerful on this list
- 14-cup bowl — handles large batches with ease
- Professional-grade build quality, built to last
- Large feed tube for whole vegetables
- Dishwasher-safe parts
Cons
- Large footprint — takes up significant counter space
- Usually above $50 at full price — best caught on sale
- Overkill for very small households or minimal cooking
#3 BLACK+DECKER FP1600B — Best Value Food Processor Under $50
BLACK+DECKER FP1600B
The BLACK+DECKER FP1600B is the best pure value pick on this list — it consistently comes in under $30, making it the most affordable capable food processor you can buy. Don't let the low price fool you: the 8-cup bowl is a solid size for everyday tasks, the 450-watt motor handles chopping, slicing, and shredding without issue, and the included attachments cover the basics well. The reversible shredding and slicing disc, stainless steel chopping blade, and dough blade give you more versatility than most machines at this price. The wide-mouth feed chute is a genuine convenience feature — you can drop in whole mushrooms, small onions, and chunks of cheese without pre-cutting. The bowl, lid, and blades are dishwasher safe, and the compact footprint means it won't dominate your counter. Where the FP1600B shows its budget roots is in the plastic quality — it's functional but not premium — and the motor can get warm during extended use. For a beginner who wants to try food processing without committing much money, or for a secondary processor for a specific task like shredding cheese or making salsa, the BLACK+DECKER FP1600B is the smartest buy on this list. At under $30, the risk is essentially zero.
Pros
- Lowest price on this list — often under $30
- 8-cup bowl with wide-mouth feed chute
- Includes dough blade — rare at this price
- Compact footprint, easy to store
- Dishwasher-safe parts
Cons
- Plastic construction feels lightweight
- Motor warms up during extended use
- Not ideal for tough or very dense ingredients
#4 Ninja QB1004 — Best Multi-Function Food Processor Under $50
Ninja QB1004
The Ninja QB1004 is the most versatile machine on this list — it's a blender-processor hybrid that handles tasks neither a standalone blender nor a standalone processor can cover as conveniently. The system includes a 48oz pitcher for blending, an 8-cup food processor bowl, and two 16oz single-serve cups, all powered by the same 450-watt motor base. That means you can make a smoothie in the morning, chop vegetables for lunch, and blend a sauce for dinner without switching appliances. The Ninja's stacked blade system processes ingredients from top to bottom, giving you more even results than a single bottom blade — no large chunks hiding at the top while the bottom is over-processed. The single-serve cups are a genuine bonus for quick tasks like making a single portion of salsa or a personal smoothie. All parts are dishwasher safe. The trade-off is that the food processor bowl is smaller than dedicated processors at this price, and the motor is shared across all functions. But if counter space is limited and you want one machine that does it all, the Ninja QB1004 is the smartest buy on this list.
Pros
- 3-in-1 system: blender pitcher + food processor bowl + single-serve cups
- Stacked blade system for even top-to-bottom processing
- Single-serve cups great for quick individual portions
- All parts dishwasher safe
- Best versatility per dollar on this list
Cons
- Food processor bowl smaller than dedicated processors
- Motor shared across functions — not optimized for heavy processing
- More parts to store and clean
#5 KitchenAid KFC3516 — Best-Looking Food Processor Under $50
KitchenAid KFC3516
The KitchenAid KFC3516 is the food processor you buy when you want something that looks as good as it works. KitchenAid's iconic design language — clean lines, premium color options, that unmistakable brand aesthetic — translates beautifully to this compact 3.5-cup mini processor, making it the best-looking machine on this list by a wide margin. The 240-watt motor is well-matched to the compact bowl size, delivering consistent chopping and pureeing results for small-batch tasks. The 3.5-cup capacity is ideal for single servings, small households, or specific tasks like mincing garlic, chopping herbs, making a single portion of hummus, or blending a small batch of salsa. The one-touch pulse control keeps operation dead simple — press and hold for as long as you need, release when done. The bowl, lid, and blade are all dishwasher safe, and the compact size means it stores easily without taking up much counter space. Where it falls short is capacity: 3.5 cups is genuinely small, and if you cook for more than one or two people you'll find yourself emptying and refilling the bowl frequently. But for a beginner who cooks for one or two, wants something compact and beautiful, and doesn't need to process large batches, the KitchenAid KFC3516 is a genuinely satisfying machine to own and use.
Pros
- Best design and aesthetics on this list — multiple color options
- Compact 3.5-cup size, easy to store
- Simple one-touch pulse control
- KitchenAid brand quality and reliability
- Dishwasher-safe parts
Cons
- 3.5-cup bowl is small — not for large batches
- 240W motor — least powerful on this list
- No slicing or shredding disc included
Which One Should You Buy?
- Best all-around for beginners: Hamilton Beach 70730 — 8-cup bowl, simple controls, wide feed tube. The default pick for most people.
- Want the best quality: Cuisinart DFP-14BCWB — catch it on sale near $50 and you're getting a professional-grade machine at a beginner price.
- Tightest budget: BLACK+DECKER FP1600B — under $30 and handles everyday tasks without complaint.
- Want blender + processor in one: Ninja QB1004 — the best multi-function value if counter space is limited.
- Cooking for one, care about looks: KitchenAid KFC3516 — compact, beautiful, and a pleasure to use for small-batch tasks.
Frequently Asked Questions
What's the best food processor under $50?
For most beginners, the Hamilton Beach 70730 is the best food processor under $50. Its 8-cup bowl is the largest in this price range, the two-speed plus pulse controls are easy to learn, and the wide feed tube means you can drop in whole vegetables without pre-cutting. If you want the best build quality and can catch it on sale, the Cuisinart DFP-14BCWB is the better long-term investment — it's a professional-grade machine that frequently dips near the $50 mark. For the tightest budget, the BLACK+DECKER FP1600B delivers solid performance for under $30.
Food processor vs blender — what's the difference?
A food processor is designed for solid and semi-solid foods: chopping vegetables, slicing, shredding cheese, making dough, and pureeing thick mixtures. A blender is designed for liquids and wet mixtures: smoothies, soups, sauces, and drinks. The key difference is the blade and bowl design — food processors use a wide, shallow bowl with interchangeable discs for different cuts, while blenders use a tall narrow jar optimized for liquid vortex blending. For a deeper breakdown of which tool fits which task, see our food processor vs blender guide.
What can you make with a food processor?
More than most beginners expect. A food processor can chop onions, garlic, and herbs in seconds; shred cheese, carrots, and cabbage; slice cucumbers, potatoes, and zucchini; make hummus, pesto, and salsa; mix pie crust and cookie dough; grind nuts into nut butter; and puree cooked vegetables into soups and sauces. Essentially, any prep task that involves cutting, mixing, or pureeing solid ingredients is faster and easier with a food processor. It's one of the highest-leverage tools in a beginner's kitchen.
How do you clean a food processor?
Most food processor bowls, lids, and blades are dishwasher safe — check your model's manual to confirm. For hand washing, be careful with the blades: they're sharp, so use a brush rather than reaching in with your hand. Fill the bowl with warm soapy water, let it soak for a minute if there's stuck-on food, then scrub with a brush and rinse. The motor base should never go in water — just wipe it down with a damp cloth. For stubborn residue like hummus or dough, a quick soak in warm water loosens everything up before washing.
Is a mini food processor enough for one person?
For most single-person households, yes — a mini food processor in the 3–4 cup range handles the majority of everyday tasks just fine. Chopping half an onion, mincing a few cloves of garlic, making a single portion of hummus or salsa, shredding a small amount of cheese: these are all well within a mini processor's capabilities. Where you'll hit limits is with larger batches — if you meal prep for the week or cook for guests regularly, you'll want at least a 7–8 cup bowl. The KitchenAid KFC3516 (3.5 cups) is the best mini option on this list; the Hamilton Beach 70730 (8 cups) is the better choice if you ever cook for more than one.
Also see: Best Rice Cooker Under $50 — our top picks for every budget.