Food processor and mixer grinder are the two terms that most people often use interchangeably. This could be because they do not know the difference between the duo.
Though their functionalities are same, the purposes are completely different.
If you are unsure of the differences, this article will be helpful.
Below, we will discuss the basic differences between a food processor and mixer grinder, and their significant uses. This article will serve as the ultimate guide that will help you make an informed decision on which one of the two is a better choice for you.
Before we learn the pros and cons of the devices, let us first understand what they are.
What is a Food Processor?
A food processor is a kitchen appliance that helps to perform the tasks like chopping, mincing, pureeing vegetables and fruits, slicing, shredding, or grating. Not only that, but you could also use it for kneading the dough.
Let us look at some of the pros and cons of a food processor, to get a better understanding.
Pros
- A food processor helps in the effortless preparation of your meals as it can shred, mash and dice all the ingredients faster.
- It saves you a lot of time in chopping your vegetables and other ingredients.
- When using a food processor, there is highly no chance of hurting yourself.
- A food processor is very easy to operate.
- You can experiment with new recipes using a food processor.
- You can save yourself from eating outside processed food, as you can prepare them at home using your food processor.
- It is the best bet for working women as it does all the manual work for you, saving your energy and time.
Cons
- A food processor occupies more space in your kitchen.
- It cannot handle liquid effectively.
- A food processor can be loud and often irritating for some.
- A food processor is not easy to clean as it tends to consume a lot of your time.
- When compared to a mixer grinder, a food processor consumes more electricity.
What is a Mixer Grinder?
As the name suggests, a mixer grinder is a device that does the job of both mixing and grinding. In addition to that, you can also use a mixer to chop, making spices powder, cut vegetables, and make sauces. Have I mentioned that you can make smoothies, juices, and purees, which a food processor cannot?
Below are some of the pros and cons of a mixer grinder.
Pros
- You can prepare a variety of foods using your mixer grinder.
- A mixer comes in varying speeds. It allows you to select the appropriate speed from the settings.
- It makes your job faster and effortless as it performs any task in no time. From chopping to making dough to juices, it helps in minimizing your efforts and maximizing your efficiency.
- It comes with a lot of features and is easy to handle.
- It is available at affordable prices.
- A mixer grinder is easy to clean and easy to maintain.
- A mixer grinder is available in a large variety of models (size, features, colour, and shades) to choose from. It can adorn your kitchen.
Cons
- A mixer grinder is often very loud and irritating.
- The device can get hot when used for a long time.
- It has sharp blades that can cut your fingers while cleaning. You need to be extremely cautious when handling the blades of the jar.
Mixer Grinder Vs. Food Processor
Below is a table highlighting the differences between a mixer grinder and a food processor.
| PARAMETER | MIXER GRINDER | FOOD PROCESSOR |
|---|---|---|
| Size | Medium | High |
| Price | Low | High |
| Accessories | A Mixer Grinder comes with fewer accessories. | A Food Processor comes with more accessories when compared to a mixer grinder. |
| Material Of Jars | Stainless Steel | Polycarbonate, Plastic |
| Material Of Blades | Stainless Steel | Stainless Steel |
| Space Requirement | Occupies less space in your kitchen | Occupies more space in your kitchen |
| Motor | High Speed | Medium Speed |
| Power Consumption | Occupies less power than a Food Processor | A Food Processor consumes more electricity. |
Let us discuss the characteristic features of both food processor and mixer grinder in detail below.
1. Usage
As mentioned earlier, you can use a food processor to perform multiple tasks. It does almost everything that a mixer grinder does. However, it cannot handle liquids very well, like a mixer grinder.
Do you want to know what a food processor is best at? Check out the list below:
- Chopping Vegetables
- Slicing
- Grinding Meat
- Shredding Potatoes
- Crumbs cookies
- Juicing
- Grating Carrots
On the other hand, a mixer grinder is versatile enough when performing numerous tasks in no time like mixing, grinding, etc. Moreover, it gives effective results with liquids.
Do you want to know what a mixer grinder is best at? Check out the list below:
- Mixing
- Blending
- Grinding
- Whipping various liquids
- Chopping harder food
2. Attachments
A food processor often comes with additional attachments that include four jars and different blade discs. You can change the blades accordingly depending on your requirement. However, in some models, the attachment disc can be more than 15.
Whereas, a mixer grinder comes with a maximum of three jars that you can use for juicing, mixing, chopping, grating, etc.
3. Space
Let us talk about the space requirement. When it comes to food processors, they basically come in small, medium, and full sizes. The accessories that come along with models of all these sizes remain the same. These include a set of blades, slicing or shredding disc, bowl with a cover, motor, etc.
Since they come with many attachments, they require more space for operating. We recommend you to opt for a food processor, depending on the size of your kitchen.
A mixer grinder is also available in small and medium sizes that come with limited attachments. These accessories include two jars of various sizes (400 ml and 900 ml) and a motor with high speed.
While you can use the small jar for grinding and crushing, the larger one is ideal for making juices, milkshakes, etc.
Because of its compact size, a mixer grinder is best suitable for homes with smaller kitchens.
4. Material and Technology Used
The material used in the motor of a food processor is plastic, whereas the bowls contain polycarbonate material. The set of blades are generally made of stainless steel.
The technology on which a modern food processor works is the gear drive technology.
Coming to the mixer grinder, the material used in the speed control system of the motor is plastic. Whereas, the bowls are available in both stainless steel and plastic materials, depending on the brand.
Most mixer grinders work on gear drive technology. Earlier, they used stone-pounding technology to replicate the traditional grinding. Models with this technology are still available today.
5. Power Consumption
How much power does your kitchen appliance consume? This is something one needs to be aware of before planning for a purchase. The amount of electricity any device uses is primarily dependent on two factors, namely, motor size and its speed (RPM).
A food processor generally consumes around 650 – 1000 watts of power, whereas a mixer grinder utilizes about 500 – 750 watts of electricity. When compared to a mixer grinder, a food processor consumes more electricity.
6. Price
Let us talk about the price of both the products. The cost of a mixer grinder may start at Rs. 1,500 and may range up to Rs. 8,000, depending on the brand, features, and accessories.
Whereas, the starting price of a food processor is around Rs. 5,000. Comparatively, a food processor is more expensive than a mixer grinder.
Some Frequently Asked Questions
A food processor is ideal for working women. Especially, those who want to save their time and effort from manually performing some tasks like kneading dough, chopping vegetables, shredding meat, etc. Also, it is suitable for homes with large kitchens.
Having a mixer grinder is the best option for large families and those homes which require preparing batters, chutneys, purees, and spices. This is an inexpensive option for people who have a budget constraint and also have a small space or kitchen.
Are you wondering whether the food processor that you are planning to purchase is worth the money? Let me tell you, it is the best bet and a wise investment. Save your time, efforts, and you do not have to purchase other equipment like a dough kneader machine or a blender. Also, you can try experimenting with various recipes using your food processor. It is totally worth it.
It is not possible to use your food processor as a spice grinder because the blades in the processor are ideal for slicing, shredding, or dicing ingredients. They cannot grind your spices, and even if you try to do, the bowl may get bounced.
Ans. If you essentially need a helping hand in the kitchen, or you like to prepare foods like Salsa, Hummus, etc, you should have a Food Processor at home. Rest of the tasks like Chopping, Slicing, Dicing, Shredding can also be done using other tools as well. Whereas, a mixer grinder helps you do completely different tasks like Grinding and making juice, smoothies, etc. So, since both the appliances have different functions, you will certainly need both of them at some point.
Ans. Yes, you can use a food processor as a mixer. But, as we have said multiple times already, if you want the end results of the food or drink to be smooth with even particles, you can attain that using a mixer only. The reason is that the mixer has smaller sized blades that rotate much faster than the ones present in a Food Processor. Thus, Mixers handle liquids well. But, you can still use your food processor at the max speed and get almost similar results with it, not the best though.
Conclusion
To conclude, a mixer grinder is one of the most basic appliances in your kitchen. And a food processor is a popular kitchen equipment that helps you perform various kitchen tasks with ease, making your job easier.
However, it entirely depends on the need and personal preferences of the individual when purchasing a suitable product.
I hope the details mentioned in this article helped you choose the right one for you. If you find this article informative, write to us in the comments section below. If you have any queries, do let us know that as well. We would be happy to help you.
