[Update] After using this item for a few months, I've found it quite good. However, there are two major issues which I hope Cuisinart can fix in the next model. First, the safety locking mechanism is pretty complicated making it difficult to clean. The lid and bowl both have a small hollow column which houses the shaft that comprises the safety locking mechanism. These elements are very annoying to clean if anything gets inside. I've found this to be more and more of a downside every time I wash it. Second, and this was a surprising and more serious issue, but I was recently finely grinding about 2 cups of lean meat for beef meatballs, and occasionally the blade would jump out of the shaft, stop moving, and get stuck. Most likely some meat got lodged under the blade and caused it to lift up. This caused the blade to cut a deep scratch in the bowl. Unlike some other models there is no spindle or other mechanism to hold the blade in place. It's only held in place by the tight fit between the shaft and the blade. If this keeps happening I think eventually it will damage the bowl/blade beyond repair. I'm not even sure if any plastic got in the food. Although this happened with meat, I'd imagine it might happen with any similar thicker food. With the locking mechanism for the safety lid being so complex, maybe some better locking mechanism could be created for the blade. [Intro] I’ve always wondered if I really needed a food processor since I already have a stand mixer and blender, but with the reviews of the Cuisinart Custom being so good, I decided to give it a try. [Build Quality] The base is very heavy and feels very sturdy. The plastic used in the blade assembly is also very dense and hefty (this unit came with the improved blade that won’t crack). The motor is very high quality as it’s insanely quiet in operation compared to any kitchen appliance I’ve used. I have seen reviews showing cracked units, so I’ll update if I encounter that. Most of the unit is made of plastic, except for the thin brushed metal wrapped around the base. Measurements: The large chute measures 4.5 in x 3 in. The small chute has a 2 in diameter. The bowl interior has a 7 in diameter, and is 5 in high. The entire bowl is 10 in at the widest (including handle and locking mechanism), and 9.5 in high including the chute. The base is 10.5in x 8 in x 5.5 in (L x W x H), and the post is 2.8 in high. The lower blade is about 1 mm from the bottom of the bowl, and there’s about 2-3 mm of clearance from the blade tips to the edge of the bowl. [Features] The unit comes with the base, blade, container, large pusher, small pusher, medium slicing attachment, medium shredding attachment, and spatula. It’s disappointing it doesn’t come with an adjustable slicing blade or dicing kit like the 13-cup Cuisinart Elemental, but that one is not reviewed as well. I don’t think such options are even available for this model. I hope Cuisinart can release a bundle with this machine and accessories similar to the Elemental in the future. Buttons: This has an on button that stays depressed when pressed, and an off/pulse button that pulses the motor and turns off the motor if on was pressed - simple and elegant. The tactile feel of the buttons is quite nice, and their large size and travel is very helpful compared to tiny touch buttons or a touch screen, especially if your hands are a bit greasy/wet from working with food. [Use] Chopping: Although it doesn’t dice, it does chop food quite uniformly, as long as you don’t overload the container with large chunks. The motor has a braking function after you let go of the button that immediately stops the blade so you’ll never over-process. It’s a lot better than my blender, which doesn’t stop immediately. It’s also harder to take food out of the blender and clean since it has a non-removable base. I’ve used the Cuisinart to make salsa and it excels at it. The large capacity is also great. Slicing: Slicing creates nice and even pieces and food rarely gets left on top of the disc. It’s insanely fast at slicing vs a mandoline, but maybe not as accurate. One annoying thing is that the chute requires the pusher to be inserted to work, which prevents you from slicing longer foods without cutting them. Shredding: Shredding is as good as slicing. It gives great results and is especially useful for hard but slippery foods like beets or potatoes (for making borscht and hash browns). Compared to a box grater, it’s a lot faster and you won’t mix any of your blood with the food. I also can’t shred at all with my blender or stand mixer. I’m not sure I’d shred soft stuff like cheese though, as the cleanup vs a box grater doesn’t seem worth it. Dough: Since I have a stand mixer already, I don’t really use this to mix or knead dough, since it creates a mess. I’ve used it to cut butter into flour, which it excels at compared to a stand mixer. The instruction manual warns you not to mix dough that you would have trouble kneading by hand. Meat: A special note about meat. The Cuisinart doesn’t grind meat per se, but rather purees it. However, this means it’s great for making stuff like tartare, beef meatballs for hotpot, baby food, etc. With a blender, if you try pureeing meat, you’ll get strands of collagen wrapped around the blade shaft, and it’s almost impossible to get rid of, but with the Cuisinart it’s a cinch to clean up. Nuts: This doesn’t work as well for nut butter compared to my blender. The blender is so powerful that it just outclasses the food processor on speed and creaminess of the result. I’m also worried that the blade will dull after using it a lot with nuts, while the blender’s blades are dull to begin with. Washing: I only handwash the machine. While the inside of the container and lid are very simple and have no nooks and crannies, food can definitely get stuck in the other parts. The attachment disks are crimped on the bottom edges with a deep groove that could collect food. The worst design is that the pushers have holes on the pushing side. It’s really hard to cram any scrubber into the pushers to clean these areas. The locking mechanism is also not sealed and so if you aren’t careful you could splash food into it. Assembly: Assembly is quite straightforward. I haven’t had any issues with the locking mechanism. It does have an additional feature where you cannot remove the container if the lid is locked onto the container, as the lid pushes a small rod down into the base which triggers a button that allows the motor to function. I could imagine that someone twisting the container off could possibly break this plastic rod. [Conclusion] Overall I’m quite pleased with this device and I think it deserves the top marks it’s gotten from other reviewers. Pros include quality and consistent results, very quiet operation, and good user interface design. Cons include lack of included accessories, locking mechanism of the chute, and some parts being quite difficult to clean. It definitely beats out a blender or stand mixer for quite a few applications. 4/5.
