Product Review: KitchenAid Food Processor, 9 Cup (KFP740)

The KitchenAid Food Processor shreds, slices, chops, and purees a variety of foods quickly. The KFP740 has a 9 cup (2 L) capacity, and a 4 cup insert for smaller amounts. Some foods, like soft cheese or thin vegetables, need some preparation to slice or shred nicely.

Features of the 9 cup KitchenAid Food Processor

The KFP740 has the following features:
* 9 cup work bowl and 4 cup mini bowl
* Stainless steel blade, plastic dough blade (untested), and a mini blade for the mini bowl
* Slicing disk
* Shredding disk

The mini bowl, which fits inside the large bowl, is designed for use with smaller quantities of food than the large bowl.

The multipurpose blade, used for most purposes, chops, minces, and blends.

The slicing disk produces 2 mm (1/16 inch) slices. It slices most food, from soft fruits to firmer meats and cheese.

The shredding disk produces 4 mm (1/8 inch) shreds. It shreds firm produce and cheese.

Performance of the 9 cup KitchenAid Food Processor

Chopping: The KFP740 chops fairly evenly and very quickly. The pulse button helps prevent it from chopping too finely.

Mini bowl: The mini bowl is difficult to remove from the large bowl, but it helps the food processor chop small amounts of food evenly. The mini blade did an excellent job of pureeing less than half a cup of beans.

Slicing: Potatoes and other firm, large vegetables slice nicely. Smaller vegetables like carrots tend to fall over in the feed tube, so it's best to use a knife to cut them in equal-length pieces, and then pack them tightly into the feed tube so they'll hold each other upright.

Shredding: The food processor does an excellent job of shredding cheese, especially hard cheese like cheddar. The feed tube is perfectly sized for the typical 8 oz. block of cheese, and the whole block is shredded in a few seconds with one steady push.

Soft cheeses like mozzarella need to be frozen before being shredded or sliced, or they will smear on the shredding disk.

Shredding cabbage can be problematic. As individual leaves separate from the wedges, they get caught between the feed tube and the food pusher, making it difficult to push the cabbage onto the shredding disk.

Because the KFP740 has a gap between the bottom of the feed tube and the shredding or slicing disk, it leaves a chunk of food on top of the disk. That piece must be torn or cut by hand.

Other: The food processor is relatively quiet. It is just short enough to fit on the counter under the cabinets, so it must be pulled forward to have room to put the food in the feed tube. The electrical cord is long enough that that isn't a problem.

The base unit is easy to wipe clean; the buttons are flush with the surface so they don't catch food. The bowls, blades, and disks are dishwasher-safe.

The KitchenAid KFP740 food processor is very heavy and has feet that stick to the counter: a bonus for keeping it in place while chopping, but a detriment when trying to move it.