Hamilton Beach Food Processor Review
Pros: Bowl scraper accessory, large quantity
Cons: Bowl scraper accessory scratches bowl, plastic doesn't feel high quality, larger footprint on countertop
Manufacturer: Hamilton Beach
The Skinny
Compare to Similar Products
 This Product
Hamilton Beach Food Processor | |||||
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| Awards |  |  |  | ||
| Price | $45.00 List $44.99 at Amazon | $100.00 List $99.99 at Amazon | $4.00 List | $10.00 List $9.99 at Amazon | $20.00 List $12.99 at Amazon - 35% off |
Overall Score  |
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| Star Rating | |||||
| Pros | Bowl scraper accessory, large quantity | Easy to use blender that creates excellent purees, can make large batches, and is easy to clean | Quality puree, easy to clean, inexpensive | Minimal, small in size, compact, lid included, easy to clean, inexpensive, portable | Portable, fairly easy to clean, low-cost, free from BPA and PVC |
| Cons | Bowl scraper accessory scratches bowl, plastic doesn't feel high quality, larger footprint on countertop | No cooking feature, takes up counter or storage space, and not portable | Does not cook | Below-average puree quality, small amounts, requires effort, lid may pop-off, staining | Does not grind all foods, blade is dull, liquid can leak, and grinds small quantities of food |
| Bottom Line | A food processor that we don't recommend as the removable bowl scraper leaves fine scratches on the plastic bowl, an issue that hurt its puree quality score | Excellent blender that creates smooth purees, can make large batches, but can take up kitchen space | Simple, inexpensive, and versatile, this unit makes baby food in a snap | A muscle-powered food maker that mashes food and is portable, but does not produce puree quality like machines | A portable, no-frills baby food maker with a low price-tag |
| Rating Categories | Hamilton Beach... | NutriBullet Blender | 5 Puree and Blend | OXO Tot Food Masher | Fresh Baby Food Mill |
| Puree Quality (35%) | |||||
| Ease Of Use (30%) | |||||
| Health Safety (20%) | |||||
| Ease Of Cleaning (15%) | |||||
| Durability (0%) | |||||
| Portability (0%) | |||||
| Specs | Hamilton Beach... | NutriBullet Blender | 5 Puree and Blend | OXO Tot Food Masher | Fresh Baby Food Mill |
| Capacity | 10 cups Manual states: 2 to 3 cup max for fruits and vegetables, .7 lb for meats |
8 cups | Not Listed for Food Processor, N/A for Immersion Blender | Not Listed | 1 Cup |
| Footprint | Large | Large | Small | Small | Small |
| Steam | No | No | No | No | No |
| Settings | Chop, Blend, Puree, Slice | Blend, Puree | Blend, Puree | Blend, Mash | Blend, Puree |
| Special Features | None | None | None | None | None |
| Included Accessories | Reversible Slicing/Shredding Disc | Tamper, Recipe Booklet | HomeMade Essentials Package Available with 1 Recipe Book, 6 Glass 4oz Storage Jars, 60 Labels, Immersion Blender with Food Processor Attachment and Pocket Guide | Lid | None |
| Available Accessories | Crinkle Cut/Fine Shred Disc | Yes | Sage Baby Eco Steamer, Sage Spoonfuls - Simple Recipes, Healthy Meals, Happy Babies; Sage Spoonfuls Pocket Guide, Assorted Storage Jars, Pouches, Snackie and Munchie Bag Sets | None | None |
Our Analysis and Test Results
With a mission to provide innovative solutions that improve everyday living, Hamilton Beach Brands design, market, and distribute various branded electric household and specialty houseware appliances, plus commercial products. Today, it is one of the largest U.S. manufacturers of small kitchen appliances.
Performance Comparison
Puree Quality
To examine puree quality, each contender in our lineup experiences the same test of pureeing various foods, including vegetables, fruits, meats, and grains. Although the Hamilton Beach produces smooth purees, it has one major drawback that caused the product's score to decrease significantly, resulting in us not recommending this product.
The Hamilton Beach has the best puree results with banana, avocado, sweet potato, broccoli, pasta, and partially frozen peaches. On the contrary, it did not produce ideal results with raw carrots, which appear minced, not smooth, and with uncooked apple and steamed kale, leaving too many small pieces for a beginner baby to manage.
The machine comes with a removable bowl scraper accessory that we consider a selling point of the product. While testing, we noticed this accessory leaving fine scratches on the bowl's sides after a handful of uses. This issue concerns us given the potential that plastic is entering the food, which significantly hurt the Hamilton Beach's rating in this metric.
Ease of Use
The Hamilton Beach scored slightly below-average in this metric. When unboxing the Hamilton Beach, you will notice a fair amount of parts, but the user manual helps outline the set-up, cleaning, etc. To puree, you will be using the chopping/mixing blade, not the reversible slicing/shredding disc. The control knob offers three speeds high, low, and pulse. Also, with a 450-watt motor, there is enough power to get the job done.
The machine includes a bowl scraper, which we consider a selling point of this product. This accessory is optional and operates when the processor is on or off, moving ingredients that stick to the bowl's sides toward the blade.
Capacity wise, the manufacturer states the bowl's capacity is 10 cups. The user manual explains that for best results, do not exceed 2 to 3 cups of fruits and vegetables, and .7 lb for meat. In our experience, due to the bowl's design with a shorter opening in the middle, a liquid begins to overflow this part soon after exceeding 4 cups, and this is something to keep in mind if you are pureeing food with high liquid content.
The plastic does not feel the most sturdy or durable, but we appreciate the suction cups on the base's bottom that keep the machine in place. This machine is on the larger side, so you will need to spare counter or storage space.
Health and Safety
The Hamilton Beach has an above-average score for health and safety. It has safety mechanisms, does not have any inaccessible areas to clean and dry properly, and has no steam tank to cause steam burns. Be aware, the blade and disc are sharp, so use caution when handling, inserting, removing, emptying the bowl of ingredients, and cleaning.
Ease of Cleaning
The Hamilton Beach holds an average score for ease of cleaning. Besides the base, all removable parts are top-rack dishwasher safe. Alternatively, clean parts in the sink with hot, soapy water. We do recommend handwashing when possible as it prolongs a product's longevity. There is no ongoing maintenance besides occasionally checking parts for their condition.
Manufacturer Video
— Molly Bradac