If you’ve ever shopped for a food processor, you’ve probably noticed a long list of the appliance’s skills on the package, including chopping, slicing, shredding, mixing, and pureeing.
Sure, a powerful blender will crush ice, and top-of-the-line blenders like the Vitamix 5200 are capable of making everything from ice cream to nut butter, but your typical blender isn’t going to be able to handle the number of tasks that a food processor can.
Food processors have wide mixing bowls — which make it easy to add in ingredients — and typically come with various attachments, giving you the ability to slice carrots, shred cheese, or mix dough.
Baking enthusiasts and kitchen fiends swear that food processors are an essential kitchen tool, while blenders are best to cater to a more broad base of creating smoothies, soups, or unique cocktails.