The KitchenAid KFP1318 is the best food processor under $200 — Reviewed.com's best-overall pick and a Consumer Reports value standout. Its 13-cup bowl, externally adjustable ExactSlice lever, and even chopping/shredding make it the most capable all-rounder at ~$180. It needs a hand kneading stiff dough and its 500W motor is modest, but for everyday prep it's the most polished pick here.
Full review
Real-World Processing Performance
The KitchenAid KFP1318 earns the top spot because it does the core jobs better and more consistently than anything else under $200. Reviewed.com named it the best food processor they've tested, writing that it "chops and processes quickly and evenly" and singling out chopping, slicing, and pureeing as standout categories — it "can quickly and evenly chop onions and fresh herbs, ground whole almonds into a soft and fluffy texture, shred cheese evenly, and process homemade hummus and pesto with ease." Consumer Reports agrees it "masters our tests for chopping and shredding."
The 13-cup work bowl handles family-size batches, and a bonus 4.5-cup mini bowl nests inside for small jobs like a single shallot or a half-cup of pesto. Despite the large capacity, it is the lightest large processor in this class at 8.3 pounds, which makes it easier to pull out and put away than the heavier Cuisinart machines.
The ExactSlice System
The KFP1318's signature feature is ExactSlice — an external lever that adjusts slice thickness from thin to thick without opening the bowl or swapping discs. In practice this means you can start a batch of thin cucumber rounds, nudge the lever, and move to thicker potato slices mid-task, which is genuinely useful for mixed prep. Tom's Guide credited the "unique bowl and lid design" for making the machine "easy to assemble" and praised its "large capacity and quiet operation" as making it "an excellent choice for most chefs."
The 3-in-1 wide feed tube reduces pre-cutting: whole tomatoes, blocks of cheese, and small potatoes drop in without halving them first. Combined with the adjustable slicing, it's the most flexible prep setup in this lineup.
Build Quality and Design
KitchenAid's build feels a notch above the budget field. The bowl and lid latch securely, the controls are simple (high, low, pulse), and operation is notably quiet — Tom's Guide and owners both call out the low noise relative to high-wattage rivals. The dishwasher-safe bowl, lid, and blades make cleanup straightforward. At around $180 it sits just under the category ceiling, but the capability gap over the $60-130 budget options justifies the spend for anyone who processes food regularly.
Where It Falls Short
The KFP1318's main weakness is dough. Reviewed.com noted it "requires manual support when kneading dough" — you often have to steady the machine on stiff doughs, where the 500-watt motor is working near its limit. That 500W rating is lower than the Ninja BN601's 1000 peak watts, so for heavy dough or dense nut butters the Ninja pulls ahead. There are also no automatic preset programs; you run it manually with high/low/pulse. None of this hurts everyday chopping, slicing, or shredding, but it's the reason a dough-focused baker might look at the Ninja instead.
How It Compares to Alternatives
Against the Ninja BN601, the KitchenAid is more precise at slicing and more even overall, while the Ninja's higher-wattage motor and dough preset make stiff dough easier. Against the Cuisinart FP-8SV, the KitchenAid offers far more capacity and the ExactSlice system for a bit more money. Against the budget Hamilton Beach 70730 and Stack & Snap, it's a clear step up in evenness, build, and slicing control — those two are value picks, while the KitchenAid is the do-it-all choice. Note that the popular Cuisinart Custom 14 sits above $200 right now, which is why this KitchenAid leads the under-$200 field.
Who It's Best For
Buy the KFP1318 if you want one capable, precise, large-capacity food processor for everyday chopping, slicing, shredding, and pureeing and you're willing to spend near the $200 mark for better evenness and the adjustable-slice lever. It's the best all-rounder here. Skip it if your main job is kneading stiff dough or making dense nut butter (the Ninja BN601's stronger motor and dough preset suit that better), if you only need a compact processor (the Cuisinart FP-8SV), or if you want to spend as little as possible (the Hamilton Beach 70730).
Strengths
- +Reviewed.com's best-overall pick — "chops and processes quickly and evenly" across every test
- +Consumer Reports says it masters chopping and shredding tests
- +ExactSlice external lever adjusts slice thickness without opening the bowl
- +Large 13-cup capacity yet the lightest large processor at 8.3 lb
- +3-in-1 wide feed tube and a 4.5-cup mini bowl included
Watch-outs
- −Needs manual support when kneading stiff dough
- −500W motor is lower-wattage than some rivals
- −No dedicated dough or auto programs like the Ninja
- −Lid latch system takes a moment to learn
How it compares
The best all-rounder under $200: more even and better-built than the budget Hamilton Beach 70730 and Hamilton Beach Stack & Snap, and more precise at slicing than the Ninja BN601 — though the Ninja's 1000W motor and dough preset handle stiff dough with less babysitting. Larger and more capable than the Cuisinart FP-8SV.
Who this is for
At a glance: home cooks who want the most capable, precise large-capacity processor that still stays under $200.
Why you’d buy the KitchenAid KFP1318 13-Cup Food Processor
- Reviewed.com's best-overall pick — "chops and processes quickly and evenly" across every test.
- Consumer Reports says it masters chopping and shredding tests.
- ExactSlice external lever adjusts slice thickness without opening the bowl.
Why you’d skip it
- Needs manual support when kneading stiff dough.
- 500W motor is lower-wattage than some rivals.
- No dedicated dough or auto programs like the Ninja.
Rating sources
“The best chopper we've tested — it chops and processes quickly and evenly, excelling at chopping, slicing, and pureeing.”
“Masters our tests for chopping and shredding, and it's one of the lower-priced options with a large 13-cup capacity — and the lightest at 8.3 pounds.”
“A unique bowl and lid design makes it easy to assemble — its large capacity and quiet operation make it an excellent choice for most chefs.”
Our 4.7 score is the average of these published ratings. Ratings marked * were derived from the reviewer’s written analysis or video transcript — the publisher didn’t print an explicit numeric score, so we inferred one from their own words. Click through to verify. More about methodology.
