Updated on Nov. 26, 2024
The Breville food processor stood out during our food processor tests thanks to its arsenal of helpful attachments and high-end performance. Here's why our Product Testing Team can't get enough of this handy prep tool.
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For most of us, saving time in the kitchen is crucial—especially when there’s so little of it available during the week. Nothing beats a food processor for quickly dicing carrots or incorporating oil into salad dressings. In fact, we consider a food processor one of the most important types of prep tools, especially if you prefer an all-in-one solution for slicing, dicing, blending and kneading.
When it comes to the best food processors, options are available at various price points and styles. However, you can’t beat a brand with a long history of high-quality appliances. Enter: the Breville Sous Chef 12 Plus.
This food processor isn’t just a built-to-last heirloom-style option. It’s also attractive, safe and outfitted with an arsenal of attachments that tackle almost any kitchen prep task.
The Breville food processor is a heavy-duty small kitchen appliance that brings a chef-like feel to any kitchen. From its brushed stainless steel body to its hefty, well-designed components, it really is like having a sous chef alongside you working on weekday dinners. The appliance comes with ample attachments capable of everything from dicing to blending to mixing and slicing. In addition, the high torque induction motor and high-performance stainless steel cutting blades last much longer than those from budget appliances.
Multiple chute options accommodate everything from carrots to tomatoes. We also appreciate the variable slicers that are capable of everything from thick bites to paper-thin shreds. Easy-to-read start and pulse buttons illuminate green when the machine is locked into place correctly. Even the parts offer thoughtful designs, such as a slicing disc that rotates into a “storage setting” that places the blade flush with the rest of the disc to reduce the risk of injury. From top to bottom, the Breville food processor arrives built for home cooks who want to enhance their prep kitchen capabilities.
VIA MERCHANT
The Breville food processor won us over with its assortment of helpful accessories, earning it a place on our best food processors list.
We tested the Breville alongside seven other food processors, ranging from budget options to pricier luxe picks. Our team set up the Product Testing Lab with an array of challenging foods, including cheese, tomatoes, walnuts and ingredients for salad dressing. Once assembled, we conducted our evaluations, focusing on the factors below:
The Breville food processor offered some of the best overall performance in the above categories, securing it a spot on our list of the best food processors. Because of its assortment of 10 accessories and handy carrying case to hold everything, it’s easy to see why it was named the food processor with the best accessories. Home cooks can use it to effortlessly prep meals or whip up some of our favorite food processor recipes. Attachments include three different pushers, a plastic spatula, a dough blade, a micro-serrated S-Blade, an S-Blade cover, a shredder, a processing blade and a mini processing bowl.
While that may look like a lot to process (get it?), each component is easy to swap out, from the slicing disc, which offers eight different thickness settings, to the various bowl sizes. In fact, out of all the food processors we tested, it even provided the thinnest, most even tomato slices—a rare feat since doing so requires an incredibly sharp blade and well-designed pushers. While we did notice quite a few crumbs when creating cheese shreds and chopped nuts, the tradeoff is that the processor is capable of silky smooth pesto and well-blended dough. It’s a great pick for simple tasks like slicing up produce or more complex needs like making baby food.
Why choose between a blender or a food processor when the Breville food processor offers the best of both worlds? Thanks to a safety interlock system, it’s also much safer than the average appliance. The mechanism prevents the motor from operating unless the bowl and lid are correctly locked into position with the large feed pusher inserted. In addition, a weighted body and slip-free silicone feed provide enough of a grip to prevent it from slipping and sliding as it slices.
One thing to keep in mind is that the Breville food processor is extremely heavy and tall. That means it’s best stored in a low cabinet, disassembled into two or three separate pieces. In addition, note that this is an appliance with a three-prong plug, so ensure your kitchen outlets are compatible!
Executive Director, Visual Production Stephanie Marchese has been long-term testing the Breville Sous Chef food processor for about a month. In that time, she used it to chop veggies and make pesto. While her pesto turned out lovely and smooth, she noted that the veggies weren’t very evenly chopped.
“After pulsing with the S-blade, some of the pieces, presumably ones that were on the bottom of the bowl, didn’t chop as to the same size as the others,” she says. However, she finds the cleanup, setup, and overall experience to be well worth the unit’s price.
Cleaning a food processor can certainly be complicated, depending on the model. However, the Breville Sous Chef is your best bet if you’re looking for an easy-to-clean food processor. The processing bowl and lid may occasionally be washed in the dishwasher (top shelf only). However, prolonged exposure to harsh detergents, hot water, and pressure will damage and shorten the life of the plastic and its interlock components.
To ensure its longevity, rinse off any stuck-on food first, then hand wash in warm, soapy water using a mild liquid detergent and non-abrasive sponge. You’ll want to soak the bowl to remove stubborn stains and odors. Pour warm, soapy water and fill to the maximum liquid mark. Set aside to soak for five minutes without immersing the whole bowl. Then, wash with a mild detergent and warm water, rinse well and dry thoroughly.
The included Breville food processor attachments simplify slicing and eliminate the need for fancy knifework. Simply use the dicing attachment to create nice, even cubes of celery, cucumber or bread for croutons.
Breville food processors are very easy to set up and intuitive to use, whether you’re processing your meat deliveries or whipping pastry dough. To use it, follow the labels that prompt you on how to set it up. Pop on the metal blade to begin—no locking or lining up components required. Set the lid and working bowl on, then pivot it clockwise to lock and secure.
Our Product Testing Team has a combined decade of experience with testing and evaluating products. We conducted all tests in our Product Testing Lab under controlled conditions to best rate each food processor’s performance. Testers spent an estimated 40 hours on this test, including researching, sourcing, intaking and testing the products. We also consulted food processor expert Catherine Ward, who contributed her culinary knowledge to the tests.
VIA MERCHANT
The Breville food processor won us over with its assortment of helpful accessories, earning it a place on our best food processors list.
At around $350, the Breville 12-cup Sous Chef food processor is definitely a high-end heirloom appliance for dedicated home cooks. Those looking to upgrade their cooking game can snag it from several retailers, including Breville and Williams Sonoma.
