7 Best Onion Choppers Of 2023. Onion grinder
Onion cutter machine / Chopper Machine / Onion Slicer Machine
As an example, an automatic onion slicer machine with a reasonable price may slice any solid vegetable, such as onions (and garlic), ginger (and potatoes), and more.
An onion slicer machine can be used to slice onions into thin slices. – The onion slicing machine may also be used to slice other hard vegetables like garlic, ginger, potato, and so on. Garlic/ginger slicer machines are also known as onion slicer machines. Among its many impressive features are its compact size, ease of use and operation, high output and cheap operating costs. For this reason, an onion cutting machine is perfect for usage in restaurants, cafeterias, and food processing plants.
Features of Onion Slicer Machine
One of the most important features of an automatic onion slicer is its stainless-steel shell. Approval of national hygiene standards, which ensures the health and safety of the public.
Slice onions with a rotary cutter. There are no breaks in the slices of onion that are cut by the slicer machine.
Onion slices range in thickness from 1.5mm to 10mm. Slice thickness can be adjusted and cutters can be easily swapped out.
Cleaning process is also a breeze thanks to the compact design, high production, and ease of operation.
It can be used in many places, including a marinated meat factory, a canteen or hotel, a condiment plant, a wholesale vegetable market, and even by an individual merchant.
Best Vegetable and Food Choppers Slicer of 2023 | Best Vegetable Choppers For your Kitchen
Onion Slicer Machine Work Process
Our onion slicer machine is simple to operate thanks to its compact design. When you put onions in the feeder and turn on the switch, the onions are cut into slices by a rotating motion. Cutting onions into slices increases the value of onions because they are used in a variety of foods.
A Guide to Using an Onion Slicer
In a complete onion processing line, an onion cutter machine might be linked to steps such or packing.
The essential component of the machine is the cutting blade. It’s important to keep an eye on it so that dirt doesn’t become stuck.
The cutter blade should be polished or changed if the finished onion slices do not have a smooth surface.
Water should be added to the feeder when slicing viscid foods like garlic to ensure that the finished goods are expelled from the machine smoothly.
It is our goal to ensure that our customers may immediately begin using their new machines after receiving them.
Best Onion Choppers Of 2023
Dear, don’t cry! Oh, that was just the onions? – Does this seem like a familiar conversation in your kitchen?
Chopping onions can be such a chore. They are pungent and strong and let’s be honest, they almost always bring tears to your eyes.
Chopping onions doesn’t always have to be a manual chore, though. Thankfully, there are special devices out there that can help with chopping onions and not only does it protect you from tears but it also simplifies the task and makes it far easier to get the job done.
What is the best onion chopper? The best onion choppers will enable you to chop the onion in various sizes without a lot of effort, and it’s always nice if there is some sort of attached bowl or container to store the chopped onions as well.
In this guide, we will share with you the 7 best onion choppers. There are a lot of different choppers on the market out there and we’ve searched through them all to try to bring you the very best options to choose one.
We’ve found a variety so you can choose what’s right for you.
How to Choose the Best Onion Chopper
Choosing an onion chopper could mean just finding the first one that appeals to you and grabbing it up. But maybe you want to know some good things to keep in mind while you pick out a new onion chopper.
We have a few recommendations of features and things to know that just might help you make an informed decision that you will be happy with.
Electric Vs Manual
You will find that there are manual options and there are electric options. One is not necessarily better than the other and you may have a specific preference in mind already.
We prefer the manual choppers when it comes to chopping onions because you are in control of the chopping process from start to finish.
Electric choppers work similarly to a food processor. Most of them have only one speed and you simply hold the button to chop as needed.
Manual choppers give you a bit more control. They also tend to be quieter to operate. You can chop to your heart’s desire or just slice even with some of the manual options.
These typically have a variety of blades and give you some versatility. They also don’t require a cord or outlet so you can take them on the go if you like!
Quality of Materials
An onion chopper functions using a blade to chop the onions. You want to be sure that the blade is made with quality materials but you also want the chopper’s overall design to be made with quality materials as well.
If the blade is stainless steel, you need to know the type and quality of stainless steel before you buy. The higher quality of steel the better. Consider this as you purchase.
Ease of Use
Not all choppers are easy to use. Some are easier than others and some take a bit of elbow grease. This is something you will want to remember. You certainly don’t want to kill your hands while you’re trying to chop some onions.
After all, you’re using the chopper to avoid tears, right? Check out the details of how the chopper works and whether or not the mechanism will meet your needs.
Clean-Up
Finally, being able to clean the chopper easily is a must. Bonus points if you can toss the chopper pieces in the dishwasher.
Sometimes, these things don’t do so well in the dishwasher, but the key is that you will be able to wash it without a ton of extra effort on your part.
Are little onion chunks going to be hard to get out of crevices? Can you get them out of the blade sections? These are important little things that some of us don’t think of until we’re trying to clean up after chopping.
The 7 Best Onion Choppers
Whether you want something small and compact or something that has its own container to catch the onions and reduce the mess, we’ve got some really great options for you!
Just keep in mind your needs and preferences and you will be on your way to a new onion chopper in no time.
Below, you will find our top picks for the best onion choppers.
Mueller Heavy-Duty Vegetable Chopper
Let’s start off with a bang! This is our top pick and it earned its spot here with some really awesome features.
This onion chopper from Mueller has everything you need and then some. It’s a versatile tool that you can easily use for other chopping needs as well.
This one also has a container attached so you don’t end up with onions all over the counter.
This comes with 8 different blades so you can cut to the size that you need. The blades are quality stainless steel. The quality is premium and if you’re looking for the very best, this is it!
The functionality of the blades even allows you to grate or slice as well as chop whatever vegetable you want to.
The chopper is built into the lid of the container, but the container also closes and seals functionally for storage. This is designed to be ergonomic and easy to use.
- 8 different blades to work with
- Premium quality materials
- Comes with a blade holder container for easy storage
- Includes a container to chop into for simplicity
- Very easy to use and easy to clean when you’re finished
- The blades are VERY sharp and you will need to be cautious when handling (sharper than anticipated)
Cuisinart Stainless Steel Chopper
Next on our list is another popular style. While this one has only a small chopping compartment, it works very well and people tend to enjoy the pump handle that lets you chop in place.
This is a simple machine and it’s easy to find a place for it in your kitchen cabinets for storage.
This is a stainless steel chopper that looks very nice. It stands about 8 inches tall and has a diameter of almost 4 inches, which gives you a decent-sized chopping chamber.
The blade is also stainless steel. It’s durable and capable of chopping your onions as well as touch items like hard cheese or even garlic cloves.
You can chop quickly and consistently. The handle is just a push down handle that doesn’t require any lifting motion.
The blade and the container piece are dishwasher safe. You shouldn’t wash the housing above the blade in the dishwasher as it could cause rust.
- Durable stainless steel for housing and blade
- Includes a small chopping compartment
- Dishwasher-safe blade and container pieces
- Easy to work with, just pump the handle
- Covered by a limited lifetime warranty
- The blades can be challenging to clean as the design causes rotation while you’re trying to reach in
Chef ‘N Veggie Chop Hand-Powered Food Chopper
This option is another unique choice. It contains a rounded bowl and the blade sets inside of the bowl to chop.
The lid then covers the bowl and you pump up and down on the lid to spin the blades inside of the bowl.
7 Best Onion Chopper Reviews Electric and Manual 2022
It’s surprisingly effective and the chopping is consistent throughout the bowl as well.
This comes in a red or green option and is pretty affordable considering the quality and functionality.
This is perfect for onions but it can also easily handle plenty of other fruits and vegetables. You might find yourself making guacamole or salsa of your own like our favorite mango salsa.
The nice thing is this works similarly to electric choppers but it is manual. It’s simple and your hand won’t tire out from the pumping process to chop what’s inside. You will chop quickly and evenly.
It’s also compact so you can easily store it between uses. Everything comes apart for simple clean-up as well.
- Two color options to choose from
- Easy to use and operate
- Blade fits down into bowl and lifts out as well
- Easy to clean up when you’re finished
- Quick and efficient with even chopping
Link Chef Electric Food Chopper
This option is an electric food chopper to give you plenty of overall versatility and options to choose from.
This has a nice stainless steel bowl with an attachment and blade that attach to the top of the bowl.
Then there is a button to chop at the very top. It’s simple and functional without being a huge food processor.
This is stainless steel and black. It can hold 500 ml at capacity. It has 4 bi-level blades that you can get an even and consistent chop on your onions or any other items you might want to chop. The blade connection is sturdy. It won’t wear down easily.
This is electric but it has a reputation for operating quietly, which is a nice perk. You can use the button for control and even pulsing if you need to.
This electric food chopper will handle onions with ease but can also chop nuts, meats, and hard items.
- Electric chopper that isn’t bulky
- Operates quietly
- Simple and effective with 4 blades
- Bowl is stainless steel and durable
- All of the materials are well-made and high-quality
Brieftons Express Food Chopper
Here is another unique item. This food chopper is not new but it was recently re-designed to use push action like a stand-up chopper.
At the same time, it has a large bowl to chop into so that you can chop the full onion at one time and not have any issues!
Interestingly, this also comes with a mixer attachment so if you’re making sauce, salsa, or guacamole you can do all of your chopping and all of your mixing in one spot.
This allows you to chop pretty finely with no issues. It is a simple and effective chopping machine.
The tri-level blade nestles down into the bowl and is powered by your pumping of the handle. You will chop whatever you need to in no time at all.
This chopper is small but mighty and built to last for many uses to come. You can chop, slice, or mix just about anything you want to.
- Comes with a mixer attachment
- Small but mighty
- Includes a large attached bowl
- Updated to hand pumping quick action
- Tri-level blade reduces the likelihood of chunks
LHS Vegetable Chopper, Pro Onion Chopper
This is very similar to our top pick but it does have its own design overall.
This is a slightly more compact model with a close concept.
This option comes with a detachable container and a piece that connects as a lid and as the chopper piece.
You receive 5 different blades so you can slice, dice, cut, or chop to whatever consistency you prefer.
The blades are easy to change out and are made with durable materials to last. They are nice and sharp and you will be able to chop quickly and consistently.
The design is meant to be ergonomic and comfortable to help you get the job done quickly without killing your hands.
The blades are 301 stainless steel and the rubber container has skid-free pegs so you don’t have to worry about it slipping while you’re working
- 5 blades for versatility
- Ergonomically designed for comfort
- Works quickly and efficiently
- A simple container with a bladed lid
- Everything disassembles with ease for cleaning
BlackDecker Electric Food Chopper
To round out our reviews, we thought we would give you another electric chopper to choose from.
This is again similar to a food processor but designed primarily for chopping. It’s more compact and also operates more quietly than most processors do.
You can choose from a 1.5 or a 3-cup capacity. It’s a simple one-touch function that doesn’t require a lot of fiddling or effort to make it work.
All of the removable parts are high-quality. They are dishwasher-safe as well, which is always a plus!
This model was recently improved to give you a better lid and assembly than it did in the past.
The blades are stainless steel and have a bi-level design so they are not likely to leave chunks missed by the blade. They stay sharp and will continue to work well for some time to come.
- Electric simple chopper with one-push operation
- Choose from 1.5 or 3-cup sizes
- Improved design and functionality
- Bi-level blades to chop consistently
- Built to be long-lasting with durable materials
- Chopping will work quickly. If you push the button too long, it may be too fine of a chopping job.
Hi, I’m Jaron, the food enthusiast and founder of Foodsguy.com. I started this blog because someone told me I couldn’t and before I knew it, I was doing it purely out of my love for food. When I’m not chasing around my kids or hanging out with my partner you’ll probably find me making a mess of things in the kitchen.
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Hi, I’m Jaron, the food enthusiast and founder of Foodsguy.com. When I’m not chasing around my kids or hanging out with my partner you’ll probably find me making a mess of things in the kitchen. Read more here.
Italian Grinder (TikTok Viral Salad Sandwich)
Get a taste of the latest hype on TikTok and learn how to make the trending Italian Grinder Sandwich! This hearty sandwich with thick-crusty bread, Italian meats, topped with a creamy salad will put all other hoagies to shame.
WHAT IS AN ITALIAN GRINDER?
While there is speculation on exactly where the grinder name derives from, it more than likely attributes to its thick, hard crusty bread. In other words, the sandwich can be tough to consume, therefore needing to “grind” your teeth to eat it.
Some also speculate that this term is New England based where locals interchangeably use the word hoagie too. Read more fun and interesting facts about the history of the grinder here.
If you have scrolled on TikTok lately, you have probably seen examples of the grinder being made. Thick, crusty bread, sliced cheese of your choice, Italian style meats such as salami, prosciutto are piled high, toasted and topped with this creamy grinder salad.
WHAT IS A GRINDER SALAD?
Coupled with the Italian Grinder, the grinder salad is the missing piece to this hearty and crusty hoagie. The creamy “grinder salad” that is added, cuts the texture of the bread leaving it crunchy yet soft and enjoyable to the palate.
To create this simple salad, a mayonnaise-based dressing is made and to that, iceberg lettuce, pepperoncini peppers and thinly sliced red onions are tossed until coated. A pre-made “salad” topped on a hoagie may be new to you, I encourage you to try this recipe! You won’t be disappointed.
INGREDIENTS NEEDED
GRINDER SALAD
For the grinder salad, you will need items that are easy to find in any market. Here is what you will need.
- Mayonnaise-Get the good stuff. I prefer Duke’s or Blue Plate.
- Garlic Paste- This step is optional but adds great flavor. Minced garlic works good too.
- Red Wine Vinegar-This adds a “zing” to the salad and is typically used as a sauce on most hoagies.
- Seasoning Blend- Salt, Pepper, Oregano, Italian Seasoning (optional) and Red Pepper Flakes (optional).
- Pepperoncini Peppers- Adds another “zing” and a slight bit of heat. Use banana, cherry, Anaheim or even bell peppers as a substitute.
- Red Onion
- Iceberg Lettuce- It is mentioned that using this lettuce works best to withstand the dense dressing.
- Parmesan- Use the good stuff. Pre-shredded or grated will work but for maximum flavor, good quality cheese always works best.
ITALIAN GRINDER
What is helpful about this sandwich/recipe is that you are open to use whatever ingredients you have on hand. Feel free to modify based on your taste and what you have access to. Here are the ingredients I used.
- Deli Meats- Honey Roasted Turkey Breast, Salame, Prosciutto and Capocollo.
- Crusty Bread- Any hard crusty hoagie style sandwich bread will work.
- Tomato- Sliced thick!
- Sliced Cheese- I used a Colby jack mix and also tested with provolone and spicy pepper jack. Again, use what you have on hand!
- Parmesan Cheese- As mentioned, quality works best. Thinly grate for best results.
STEP-BY-STEP INSTRUCTIONS
Provided that the ingredients are prepped before beginning this recipe, this sandwich can be made in under fifteen minutes. First, begin by preparing the grinder salad.
GRINDER SALAD
First, in a large bowl add the salad dressing ingredients. Pour the mayonnaise, garlic paste, seasoning blend, parmesan, pepperoncini and red wine vinegar. Stir until combined.
Next, pour in the shredded iceberg lettuce and using tongs, toss until the salad is thoroughly coated. Set aside until later use.
GRINDER SANDWICH
While the grinder salad marinates, prep the hoagie by preheating your toaster oven, oven or air fryer to 425 degrees. Then, if needed, slice the hoagie roll through the middle. Third, layer the sliced cheese, deli meats and toast for 8-10 minutes until the cheese is bubbly and bread is toasted.
Last, remove the hoagie from the oven and set aside until assembly.
HOW TO ASSEMBLE
Now that each component of the Italian Grinder is complete, it is time to assemble and enjoy the hoagie.
First, take the sliced tomato and add on top of the baked deli meats. Next, season the tomatoes with a little salt and pepper. Now, top the seasoned tomatoes with the grinder salad and additional grated parmesan.
Lastly, fold the top of the bread over the grinder sandwich, “smush” the sandwich (for good measure) and enjoy!
TIPS FOR BEST RESULTS
- Prep all ingredients separately and assemble right before use. This style hoagie works best served fresh as the bread can become soggy from the grinder salad.
- Not a mayonnaise lover? Try substituting Greek yogurt or miracle whip!
- If you don’t have red wine vinegar, use white wine or balsamic vinegar.
- As mentioned, Iceberg lettuce works best for this salad. Use romaine, butterhead or any leafy green that has slightly thick texture.
Check out another TikTok viral recipe of mine here!
WHY I LOVE THIS RECIPE!
Testing trending recipes on social media can be fun and interactive. And, more than likely, the foods are tasty and enjoyable. As other trending recipes before this one, I have been impressed with being introduced with new ways to create foods.
This Italian Grinder is downright delicious and enjoyable to eat. In typical hoagie style sandwiches, the toppings are layered and can be hard to consume the ingredients at once. With this style of preparation, while the sandwich can still be somewhat “messy”, you can truly enjoy all the ingredients in every bite.
ONION DICER
Chop onions fast and keep those tears at bay. Simply place half an onion on your cutting board and push down. Just one swift (but firm) motion and voila, you’ll have safely, efficiently and perfectly diced onions. For large quantity preparation, place cutter over pusher plate and press down to clear all the onions from the blades quickly and safely. Pusher plate base doubles as a blade guard for safe storage.
Key Features:
UPC: 811039023447
Product: 5.5″ D x 8.5″ W x 2″ H, 0.2 lbs
Product in packaging: 5.5″ D x 8.5″ W x 2″ H, 0.3 lbs
Materials: Stainless-Steel Blades
BUTTER SPREADER
Onion Dicer
Chop onions fast and keep those tears at bay. Simply place half an onion on your cutting board and push down. Just one swift (but firm) motion and voila, you’ll have safely, efficiently and perfectly diced onions. For large quantity preparation, place cutter over pusher plate and press down to clear all the onions from the blades quickly and safely. Pusher plate base doubles as a blade guard for safe storage. Key Features:. Stainless steel blade. Chops onions quickly and efficiently. Pusher plate base clears onions from blades. Base doubles as a blade guard for safe storage Item Info: 1038 811039023447 Product: 5.5″ D x 8.5″ W x 2″ H, 0.2 lbs Product in packaging: 5.5″ D x 8.5″ W x 2″ H, 0.3 lbs Materials: Stainless-Steel Blades
The 7 Best Food Choppers of 2023, Tested and Reviewed
Donna Currie is a food writer and blogger specializing in recipes and kitchen gadgets. She covers kitchen tools and gadgets for The Spruce Eats and is the author of Make Ahead Bread.
Food choppers have been around for a long time, and for good reason. First, they make chopping less messy, since they usually do their chopping inside a container, and they’re particularly handy when chopping something like nuts that tend to fling themselves around when cut. Second, they’re a good way to let kids help in the kitchen in a safe way. They’re also great for people who have poor knife skills or dexterity problems. And last, they’re fun to use.
Manual choppers are simple to use and relatively inexpensive. They’re useful for rough chopping nuts or vegetables, and particularly good for making salsa. Electric choppers are essentially mini food processors. They’re great for rough chopping, just like the manual choppers, but they can also be used for making small amounts of purees. They’re easier to use than manual choppers, since you just press a button to pulse or puree. With all choppers, the results are best if larger foods, like onions, are first cut into pieces.
To help you find the best food choppers for all your kitchen prep, we sent top-rated choppers to our experienced product tester. Each one was carefully assessed during hours of home kitchen testing and used to chop nuts, garlic, and various vegetables. We also used the non-manual choppers to make sauces. Then, the food choppers were all rated on design, ease of use, size, ease of cleaning, convenience, overall effectiveness, and overall value.
Here, the best food choppers for your kitchen.
Best Overall
Kuhn Rikon Pull Chop 2 Cup Food Chopper
While most hand choppers require you to push down to chop, this one uses a pulling action that spins the blades, like the pull-start on a lawnmower, but on a much smaller and easier scale. A nonskid ring on the bottom of the bowl keeps it from slipping, so you just rest a hand on top and pull the handle with the other hand. In testing, we also found it easy to hold the chopper at an angle when we needed to encourage small amounts of food to fall into the blades.
The spinning blades work like a food processor for chopping foods as coarsely or finely as you like, and in testing it worked much more quickly than expected, whizzing through everything from onions and carrots to tomatoes and mushrooms with ease. The blades are very sharp, so take care when handling them, but a plastic piece on top of the blade assembly provides a place to hold it safely.
This unit holds about two cups, so it’s plenty for making a bowl of salsa or prepping onions for a recipe. The lid lifts off easily, so emptying it and reloading with more vegetables is a breeze. The lid is not dishwasher safe, and should not be immersed in water when washing by hand. The bowl and blade are dishwasher safe.
Price at time of publish: 39
Dimensions: 5.5 x 5.25 x 4.25 inches | Weight: 1 pound | Capacity: 2 cups
“This was actually one of the best with bell peppers; it sliced well instead of smashing or mashing it as some of the others did.” — Donna Currie, Product Tester
Best Electric
Cuisinart Mini Prep Plus Food Processor
- Chops finely
- Dishwasher safe
- Creates smooth purées
- Many color options
This mini food processor won’t knead dough like a big food processor can, but it will make quick work of chopping everything from apples to nuts to zucchini. It can also blend small amounts of food into purees or emulsify your salad dressing. We tested it with onions, peppers, carrots, tomatoes, mushrooms, nuts, and garlic, and it worked well with all of them. It also made a smooth tomato puree and smooth peanut butter. This processor would be ideal for making baby food, thanks to its small size and effective pureeing capabilities.
There are buttons to choose either chopping or grinding, which spins the blade to chop through food with the sharp edge or bash with the flat edge. Push a button to pulse, or hold it down for continuous chopping. The bowl holds three cups, so it’s enough for a batch of salsa or onions for a recipe. The bowl, blade, and lid are dishwasher safe for easy cleaning. A small spatula is included.
Price at time of publish: 40
Dimensions: 5 x 7 x 9.25 inches | Weight: 3 pounds | Capacity: 3 cups
“This did a good job with both a small amount of garlic and a larger amount of nuts.” — Donna Currie, Product Tester
Best Budget
Zyliss Zick-Zick Classic Food Chopper
The zigzag blade in this chopper performs more cuts per push than choppers with an X-blade, and the blade rotates with each push so food is chopped more evenly. Wipers scrape food off the blade with each cut, so you won’t have large pieces of food stuck to the blades, although in testing we found that small pieces of wet foods, like garlic, tended to stick to the top. We found that it did well with onions, carrots, mushrooms, and tomatoes, and a little less well with green peppers.
The chopper cup is actually two pieces—an inner cup that holds the food, and an outer shroud. If the inner cup is removed, the chopper can be used with just the shroud on a cutting board. The chopper comes apart for cleaning and is dishwasher safe. A cover for the inner cup is included, so prepped food can be stored.
Price at time of publish: 20
Dimensions: 3.35 x 3.35 x 8.86 inches | Weight: 0.82 pounds | Capacity: Not listed
“This did a good job with tomatoes, mushrooms, and onions, and it was okay with bell pepper (but not totally great). It did a pretty good job with garlic when I chopped just a few cloves, but the garlic tended to stick to the top of the chopper by the blades. It did a better job with nuts that didn’t stick anywhere.” — Donna Currie, Product Tester
Best Manual Model
Norpro Big Mouth Chopper
- Food can be stored as well
- Comes with 3 different blade options
- Creates even slices
- Large capacity
Chopping onions is one of the most grueling kitchen tasks, particularly for people who tend to get watery eyes while chopping—not to mention the annoying scent that clings to fingers. In testing, we found that this tool was efficient at cutting onions, and unlike cutters with moving blades, this one made neat, even cuts. All we had to do was load a halved onion and push down to shove it through the blades.
This chopper comes with three different cutting grids: a 1/4-inch dice, 3/8-inch dice, and one that creates 1/4-inch slices or strips. We particularly liked the slicing blade for mushrooms. We also tested it with green peppers that required a bit of a smack to shove through the blades. Carrots worked well, too. Tomatoes were less successful.
The blades are stainless steel, and all parts are dishwasher safe. A lid is included so food can be stored in the 6-cup container for later use. If the blades become dull over time, replacements are available from the manufacturer.
Price at time of publish: 42
Dimensions: 4.25 x 11 x 4.25 inches | Weight: 2.59 pounds | Capacity: 6 cups
“Rather than a blade moving around, this shoves the vegetable through a small or large grid, or a slicing blade. The result is more evenly cut pieces that look more like pretty knife cuts instead of mad chopping.” — Donna Currie, Product Tester
Best High-End
KitchenAid KFC3516ER 3.5 Cup Food Chopper
- Comes in many fun colors
- Easy cleanup
- Compact design
- Comes with whipper attachment
This little chopper has a 3.5-cup bowl that is big enough for serious food prep when a full-sized food processor is too big for the job. It has two speeds and operates when the top is pressed down at the handle, so it’s easy to pulse or to run continuously. The work bowl is tall rather than wide, so in testing it did a good job chopping small amounts of garlic. It also did well chopping onions, nuts, tomatoes, carrots, and mushrooms. It wasn’t perfect at chopping green peppers, but it was acceptable for recipes. Besides chopping, we used it to make a tomato puree and peanut butter, and it performed well with those tasks.
There’s a handy pouring spout for dispensing liquids, and a drizzle hole in the lid that’s handy for making emulsified sauces or for slowly adding liquid to purees. A whipping blade is included, which stores easily in the mixer bowl so it won’t get lost in the gadget drawer. All of the parts that contact food are dishwasher safe for easy cleaning. A power cord for charging is included.
Like many KitchenAid appliances, this unit comes in a variety of colors to match the kitchen or add a pop of color.
Price at time of publish: 60
Dimensions: 5.63 x 6.94 x 8.75 inches | Weight: 3 pounds | Capacity: 3.5 cups
“If you’re in the market for a small, convenient chopper, this one will meet all your basic needs, and it’s fast and powerful enough to puree even hard ingredients like nuts.” — Jennifer Burns Bright, Product Tester
Best With Easy Storage
OXO 1057959 Good Grips Chopper
Great for prepping ahead, this compact chopper has a 3/4-cup capacity, although the chopper cup has measurement marks up to one cup so you can measure ingredients without needing a separate measuring cup. Even better, there’s a cover for the cup, so foods can be prepped ahead and stored in the same container. A little spoon hangs on the side of the chopper, so you can use it to scoop out a little of the chopped item or to scrape all of it out and into your pot or bowl.
The blades are formed in a wave pattern and rotate for even chopping, while the nonskid base keeps the chopper from wandering around the counter when it’s being used. We tested it with a variety of vegetables, including onions, tomatoes, mushrooms, and carrots, and it did a good job with them. Like many choppers, it did less well with green peppers, but they were still acceptable for our recipe. When chopping is done, this is easy to disassemble, and it’s dishwasher-safe. Unfortunately, when we tested it and then washed it with dishes with tomato residue, the spoon and cap got stained by tomatoes. For folks who like to do a lot of prepping ahead, extra bowls with covers are available for separate purchase.
Price at time of publish: 23
Dimensions: 4 x 3.75 x 6.75 inches | Weight: 1.01 pounds | Capacity: 3/4 cup
“Average-sized vegetables needed to be cut in quarters or smaller. It’s really easy to tell if the food is going to fit.” — Donna Currie, Product Tester
Best With Glass Bowl
MOSAIC Electric Food Chopper
No need for electricity, manual pushing, or cranking—this cordless electric chopper has a 5-cup capacity and can chop up to 40 onions on a single charge. A low-battery indicator warns when it’s time to recharge the battery, which takes about two hours for a full charge. But if you need just a bit more work done, and the battery is low, a 10-minute charge is enough to handle up to 11 more onions.
This tool has two speeds for chopping, mixing, pureeing, and even whipping cream. It includes a multipurpose blade for chopping and blending, along with a whisking accessory. The accessories can be stored inside the chopper, and a case is included to keep everything neat and clean in storage.
Price at time of publish: 50
Dimensions: 10 x 6 x 7.5 inches | Weight: 3 lbs., 8.6 ounces | Capacity: 34 ounces
“This was the quietest of the electrics, and the sound was lower-pitched and less shrill.” — Donna Currie, Product Tester
The Kuhn Rikon Pull Chop 2 Cup Food Chopper snags our top spot because of its uniqueness among hand choppers, using an easy pulling action to operate its blades, which work like those of a small food processor. If an electric chopper is more your speed, the Cuisinart Mini Prep Plus Food Processor not only makes quick work of chopping small foods, from nuts to apples, but can also emulsify your salad dressings.
How We Tested
These selected food choppers were tested for hours by our product tester for the most authentic results. We rated these choppers based on design, ease of use, size, ease of cleaning, convenience, overall effectiveness, and overall value. Testing was conducted with nuts and garlic, as well as with a variety of veggies. We also made sauces and purees and considered the final texture of the results.
Other Options We Tested
- Kwik-Kut Cutlery Serrated Food Chopper: A previous version of this roundup included this as a budget pick, but after testing, we feel that there are much better options out there. This one does not work for chopping garlic. In fact, out of all the vegetables our tester attempted to cut, the only thing it was good at was mushrooms. However, it could be very handy for making tuna or egg salad in a shallow bowl, for chopping avocado for chunky salsa, and for cutting other soft foods. In the end, though, we think there are more versatile options at similar prices.
What to Look for in a Food Chopper
Ease of Use
The ease of use of a food chopper essentially boils down to whether it is manual or electric. While both models are fine for cooks of all levels, an electric food chopper definitely takes some of the labor out of the process. It will run you a bit more money, but operating it is as simple as the push of a button.
In the case of manual food choppers, you will need to cut down food so that it is small enough to fit in the chopper. (Onions and peppers should fit as is, but longer items, like celery or carrots, will need to be cut down.) While it may add a few extra minutes to your prep time, using a manual chopper is still a great way to save time in comparison to chopping everything by hand. If you’re not confident in your chopping skills, both manual and electric choppers are easy ways to avoid spending too much time with your knife.
Size/Capacity
Food choppers can hold anywhere from 1 to 6 cups of food (in comparison, full-size food processors can hold anywhere from 11 to 16 cups), but the most common size is a 3-cup processor. Determining how many people you’re typically cooking for and how much vegetable prep you are generally doing are great ways to figure out what will work best for you.
If you are going to be using a chopper for big-batch cooking, meal prep, or occasion cooking, it might be a good idea to go for one with a bigger capacity so that you won’t have to keep working in batches to prep all the vegetables. If you’re typically just cooking for yourself and one other person, you’re probably fine to opt for a smaller, manual 1-cup chopper. Smaller choppers are great for prepping smaller items like garlic, ginger, herbs, and nuts, while larger units are great for bigger items like onions, carrots, peppers, and celery.
Blade Type
Most blades are made of stainless steel, because they can withstand rust or corrosion. Since the blade will be coming into contact with lots of moisture-heavy foods like onions and tomatoes, it’s a good idea to make sure that it’s resistant to rust. Not only is stainless steel resistant to water, but it’s highly durable and easy to maintain.
There’s no need to worry about any shards of steel ending up in your food and you won’t have to replace your blade for a long time because they can really withstand the test of time. If you notice that the blade of your chopper is made with any material that isn’t stainless steel, you may have to replace it sooner or care for it differently, so make sure to read the user manual before cleaning.
Price
A food chopper can run you anywhere from 10 to 50, so understanding what you want out of this appliance is crucial to making the right decision when shopping. Generally speaking, a manual food chopper will cost less than an electric version, so if you’re wanting something that’s more budget-friendly, go for the former. If you plan to use it a lot, you may want to spend a few extra dollars for an electric version. Not only can it process more food at once, it’s also as easy to use as the push of a button, so there’s no need to crank or press down on anything to chop the food.
Types of Food Choppers
Manual
The most common types of food choppers are manually operated. They are much less expensive and very straightforward to use. These choppers are usually operated by a cutting grid, and the food is chopped into a plastic lid or container. They are ideal for cutting vegetables like onions, peppers, carrots, celery, and mushrooms. If the food item is on the bigger side, it will need to be cut down enough to fit in the chopper before it can be chopped.
While these manual choppers still require a little bit of elbow grease to chop down into the veggies, it’s still much easier and quicker than chopping all of these veggies by hand. They are quite compact as well, so if you don’t have a ton of extra kitchen space, you’ll likely still be able to fit a manual food chopper into a drawer or cabinet.
If you’re going to get a manual chopper that leaves your chopped product directly on a cutting board, it may be a good idea to invest in a bench scraper or PrepTaxi, which will help you scrape up your chopped ingredients and transfer them to a bowl, skillet, sheet pan, or wherever they need to go. Between your food chopper and your bench scraper, you will save a lot of time with ingredient prep, and you won’t have to worry about chopped food scattered all over your kitchen.
Electric
Electric food choppers (aka mini food processors) are a great way to cut down on prep time. They take up a small amount of counter space and require access to an outlet (though there are some battery-operated choppers that are cord-free). Unlike full-size food processors, electric choppers are much smaller, only have one blade option, and cannot process as much food. Electric choppers can cut up small amounts of produce, while food processors can make purees, doughs, and sauces. Unlike manual choppers, though, electric food choppers can also make salad dressing, mayonnaise, and other emulsified sauces.
Maintenance
For the most part, food choppers—including their blades, bowls, and lids—are dishwasher safe. However, to maintain the sharpness and integrity of the blade, it is probably in your best interest to skip the dishwasher and hand-wash. Unfortunately, the blades on these choppers cannot be sharpened, so it’s important to take the best possible care of them. They should last you a long time, but not forever, so if you notice a blade dulling, it is probably time to replace it. Certain brands offer part replacements, so look first to see whether you can just replace the blade before buying a new appliance.
Soaking the parts in hot soapy water is a great way to remove any remaining residue. If you can, it’s a good idea to get into the nooks and crannies around the blade, inside the food pressers, and around the tube with a bottle brush or toothbrush. In the case of electric food processors, make sure that the device is cooled down and unplugged if you are going to wipe the base with a hot, damp cloth. Never submerge the electronic base in water.
FAQs
Can you use a food chopper to make peanut butter?
Electric food choppers that work like mini food processors can be used for making purees, including peanut butter. In theory, a manual chopper could do the same thing, but it would take much more time and effort than most home cooks would want to spend.
Can you use a food chopper to chop cooked meat?
It depends on the chopper and the meat. Ham has a great texture for easy chopping, with either a manual chopper or an electric one. Chopping cooked chicken breast to make chicken salad would be easy in many choppers. A medium rare steak would be more of a challenge and might not be possible in some choppers.
Why Trust The Spruce Eats?
Donna Currie is a product tester and writer for The Spruce Eats. She’s also a prolific food blogger and the author of “Make Ahead Bread,” which is aimed at demystifying the art of bread making. Donna loves checking out new kitchen gadgets—she’s tested hundreds of products for The Spruce Eats, including eight food choppers for this roundup.