Surely you have wonder whether you really need a food processor. Maybe you think that it can do all the same as a knife can do. But not quite so. A food processor can do many tasks, but knives can only cut. If you want to save your time, then again, a food processor would be the better choice. But, if you just occasionally cook, there is no need to have a food processor. After all, knives are much cheaper than a food processor. Take a look what are the differences between them and in which situations each of them is better.
Do I Really Need A Food Processor?
It depends on your needs. Do you cook regularly? Do you prepare more than one meal for you and your family? Do you often need to slice, mix, puree, shred? If all answers are yes – then you need a food processor. However, if you are very good with knives and would only occasionally use a food processor if you would have it, it is better to not buy it. You will get manage well with knives only.
Buy a food processor or learn better knife skills?
The food processor is much better if you have a lot of grating, shredding and thin slices to do. But, if you just need to cut things into little chunks, it is better if you use knives. However, you do not need to take special knife skills as usually is thought. You can find all that need on YouTube if you are the beginner, but probably you have used knives for many tasks, so you will get manage with this task too. All is in practice. As much you practice, you will be better. So, yes, use a food processor for bigger tasks, but knives will finish you any smaller task easily. Therefore, combine them if possible.
Food Processor vs. Knife
Advantages of A Food Processor
People can cope if they cannot afford food processor. They shred cheese by hand, use a coffee grinder for nuts, etc. But, in most cases, if they need a food processor, they buy it. It is really a great help in the kitchen. It saves time, perfectly and compact slices, shreds, cuts, blends and much more. It is really a great kitchen appliance that almost all cooks like to have.
When A Food Processor Is Not Right For The Job
However, it is difficult to control the size of foods that you want to be diced. Furthermore, there is always some pieces of food that stay on the walls of a bowl, so they cannot be used. Also, if you need to cut a small piece of food, you certainly will not use a food processor and clean it for 5-min use. You will take a knife and cut what you need.
Advantages of A Knife
A knife is precise, convenient for occasional use in the kitchen, for some for everyday use, it is cheap and you all have it in the kitchen. It can cut a food, although not so precisely as a food processor, but for any small task, a knife is just enough. However, you should be careful when using knives to not cut yourself.
When A Knife Is Not Right Appliance For The Job
If you cook every day family amounts of the meal and need hours to cut every piece of food for a dinner, a knife is not so suitable. Sometimes, when you got a party and you want to make special pieces of food that will be unusually cut, a food processor would be better than knives. Also, with knives, you cannot do many tasks that can do with a food processor, like shred, slice, mix, puree, and others.
When to Buy What?
Food Processor is better for daily usage/bulk cutting of ingredients
Knife is better for smaller tasks
If you frequently shred, grate, cook large amounts of food every day, or you just want to save time, a food processor will be the salvation for you. However, if you cook only occasionally and it’s not so important for you that the food is perfectly sliced, you can use regular knives too. All depends on your needs.
Therefore, if you cook regularly, buy a food processor, but for smaller tasks, the knives would be enough.