The Best Food Choppers for Your Kitchen

Buying Guide for Food Choppers

Why buy a food chopper?

If you’re prone to slipping and cutting yourself with a knife or you want to save some time during meal prep, a food chopper is the way to go. The beauty of this kitchen tool is that it holds all of your ingredients in one plastic container as it chops them, providing a mess-free and accident-free process. You can chop meat, vegetables, nuts, or fruit in one step as opposed to using a kitchen knife and chopping everything by hand, which can be more time-consuming.

What should you look for in a food chopper?

• Size: Do you have a large family, or do you only cook for yourself? Pick a chopper that’s sized appropriately to the amount of food you’ll be preparing.
• Settings: Determine if the settings for chopping are adequate for your needs. Some choppers offer fine dices, coarser chops, and even smooth purees.
• Electronic/Manual: Some food choppers are manual; others are corded or battery-powered. If you travel or don’t want to deal with cords, then a manual model may be best. On the other hand, you may want an electronic one that packs a little more power.

What’s the difference between a food processor and a food chopper?

A food processor is a larger appliance that has a tube you can feed vegetables and other foods through. It’s equipped with more blades and accessories that offer cuts such as slicing, shredding, and even kneading for dough. With a food processor, you’ll get through larger batches of food as well as be able to work with larger-sized vegetables and fruits. As for a food chopper, this is best for smaller batches and simple food prep, such as chopping or pureeing.

Our Picks for the Best Food Choppers

Pros: Customize your chopping experience with this vegetable chopper that comes with four interchangeable blades. You can choose to dice small for soft fruits and vegetables or dice large for harder ones, or you can change to a ribbon or spiral blade to make your food even fancier. The chopper comes with a built-in chopping lid and dispenses every bit of food into a 1.2-liter tray underneath. Each blade is made with heavy-duty rust-resistant stainless steel to create smooth, effortless cuts every time. It has a soft grip handle and a nonskid base to keep your hand and cutting stable.

Cons: Many find it difficult to dice or chop onions all the way through with the blades. Also, the different compartments may be a hassle to clean.

Bottom Line: Enjoy a fresh batch of cut-up produce in four different forms with this customizable vegetable chopper. Just snap each blade in and out, push down, and you’ll have crisp, smoothly cut vegetables and fruit in half the time.

 

Pros: Looking for a compact appliance that quickly chops up your fruits and veggies in just two steps? This vegetable chopper that stacks together your ingredients and preps them in one press is exactly what you need. It holds up to 3 cups of food, which can be pureed, chopped, or emulsified in a matter of minutes. The blades are made of durable stainless steel for precise cutting, and the oil dispenser on the lid makes it simple to blend your dressings or sauces. All parts are dishwasher-safe, making it easy to keep clean.

Cons: It only performs at one speed, which is particularly fast, and it tends to puree instead of chop or dice.

Bottom Line: If you’re tired of keeping up with clunky parts, this easy-to-assemble stackable chopper will make food prep much less complicated. Don’t let its small size fool you—it packs a powerful punch and pulse for all your chopping needs.

 

Pros: Save time and kitchen space with this mini chopper from Kitchen Selectives. It comes with a  detachable container that holds up to 1.5 cups and an interlocking safety lid to keep all your veggies and fruit inside, mess-free. Once your ingredients are combined in the cup, touch the side button to pulsate, and the strong stainless steel blade inside will chop, slice, dice, or mince. All parts are BPA-free and can be cleaned in the dishwasher.

Cons: Because of its small size, some found they had to open the container multiple times and mix their ingredients to get a full chop.

Bottom Line: For smaller batches of food, this mini chopper is a quick solution to cut up ingredients for everyday meals or snacks. Its one-touch button keeps things simple and keeps you in control.

 

Pros: When making your next meal or recipe, prepping shouldn’t take the majority of your time. This one-touch electric food chopper will help you improve the texture of your ingredients while getting you to the dinner table even faster. The bowl comes with a 1.5-cup capacity, has durable stainless-steel blades, and has holes at the top of the lid for you to add oil for vinaigrette, pesto, or hummus. And when it comes to washing, just disassemble the bowl and lid from the base and place them in the dishwasher.

Cons: While the holes are convenient for pouring oil into the container, you can’t cover them when you are chopping solid ingredients, which could make for a mess. Also, the bowl is unstable since it doesn’t lock into the base.

Bottom Line: Although dicing or chopping your food can seem like a daunting step with a knife, you may grow to love it with this electric food chopper. Add your ingredients to the bowl and see how its 70-watt motor can power through each pulse with one touch.

 

Pros: This easy-pull food chopper is the convenient kitchen tool you need if you’re looking to maximize space in a small living area or if you travel. It has a 25-ounce bowl and comes with stainless steel blades and booster arms at the top and bottom to keep food from sticking. The top lid comes with a collapsible handle, making it easy to store. To use, pull the handle up and away to activate the blades with the 2-foot cord—go back and forth until you’ve reached desired consistency.

Cons: Although the bowl and blades are easy to clean, the lid is not. If you aren’t careful, water and debris can get trapped in it without being able to dry or drain.

Bottom Line: Chopping ingredients while on the go may be your last priority, but with this portable food processor, it can be effortless. No plug-in or extra accessories are required; you’ll have delicious veggies or fruit in no time.

 

Pros: If you’ve got a lot of mouths to feed or you’re throwing a huge party, you’ll be happy to break out this large 8.5-cup manual food chopper that features an anti-skid bowl, a collapsible pump handle, and a stainless steel chopping blade. It just takes one hand to pump and chop your ingredients. All parts are BPA-free and can be simply washed by hand. Included are a printed manual and five recipe ebooks.

Cons: This works well with soft veggies, but harder ones can be difficult to thoroughly chop. Also, some found that you can only fill it up halfway for the blades to chop smoothly and consistently.

Bottom Line: Electric food choppers aren’t for everyone, which is why this manual option is a great alternative with its one-pump action to get you finely chopped food in seconds. Take it with you on your next camping trip to save power, space, and time for your meals.

Final Thoughts

Whether you’re a professional chef or just starting to get your hands dirty in the kitchen, a food chopper is a must. It can take your meal prep and recipes to another level without sacrificing flavor and more time. With these options, you’ll be happy to add one of them to your kitchen gadgets that make mealtime more simple and enjoyable.