A food chopper is also a safer option if you aren’t a pro with a kitchen knife—such as for making those small diced cuts or, in some cases, mincing. It’s the perfect tool for someone who likes to cook but may not be as proficient in the kitchen, or for someone who needs to get food on the table faster. A food chopper is often smaller than a food processor, although it can be used for similar purposes. Most food choppers are either electric or manual. Some manual choppers have a pull cord; others you have to press down to chop. And cleanup with a food chopper is easy: Many of the brands are dishwasher-safe and others are simple to wipe down. What should you look for in a food chopper when there are so many options? Make sure to look for a solid blade and to pay attention to capacity, depending on how many people you are cooking for; chopper capacity can range from 1 to 5 cups on average. Here, my list of the best food choppers to help your food prep go more smoothly. What We Don’t Love: Not actually made in Austria This manual chopper is a pull cord but you can still set different speeds depending on what you are looking to chop. It’s quieter than most choppers, too. Several users swear by how quickly this gadget works for chopping garlic, making coleslaw, or even having a variety of veggies chopped up for a salad. It can also handle anything from hard-boiled eggs to meats. The BPA-free plastic bowl is nonslip to make it even safer to use. Many pull cords can be flimsy, but many online reviewers say this one feels substantial with little worrying about it breaking. Chopping is consistent and thorough with only a few pulls. The chopper comes with a customer satisfaction guarantee, which is always nice to have as well, with 24/7 customer support. The pull cord grip is comfortable enough for those that have wrist or hand issues, too. Price at time of publish: $25 Material: Plastic bowl, stainless steel blade | Dimensions (LxWxH): 6.5 x 6.5 x 6.5 inches | Weight: 2.5 pounds | Capacity: 5 cups | Dishwasher-Safe? No What We Don’t: Relatively small capacity This KitchenAid food chopper has so many great capabilities that it makes chopping and even pureeing vegetables a cinch. This electric model allows for two different chopping speeds, plus a pulsing option. Chop up peanuts for peanut butter, dice onions with ease, and even make hummus. The hole at the top allows for drizzling in oils, perfect for dips or pesto. The bowl, lid, and blade are all dishwasher safe. The food chopper is easy to store or looks chic on your countertop if you have the space. Plus, if you have other Kitchenaid appliances (like the brand’s stand mixer) this will fit nicely into the aesthetic. There are multiple safety lock features so you can rest easy if you are working around young kids, and there is a wrap-around spot to hold the cord for easy, less tangled storage. Many users rate the KitchenAid highly for how, despite its small footprint, it can easily chop, puree, and even liquefy ingredients easily with its powerful blade. And, thanks to the blade being easily removable, it’s easy to empty the ingredients from the chopper and clean it. Price at time of publish: $60 Material: Plastic body, stainless steel blade | Dimensions (LxWxH): 5.6 x 7 x 8.7 inches | Weight: 3 pounds | Capacity: 3.5 cups | Dishwasher-Safe? Yes, all removable parts What We Don’t Love: Not for high-frequency use, cord can easily fray This hand-powered pull chopper may require a little manpower (you have to pull to activate the blades to chop), but it produces great results. The chopper itself is lightweight and requires no electricity, making it simple to take on the road or to a friend’s house. Its very sharp blade does a great job dicing onions or chopping up nuts, and reviewers like that it only takes a few pulls to do so. The bowl doubles as storage for whatever you chop: Simply remove the blade, place the lid back on, and put it into the fridge. It’s also easy to clean: The bowl and lid are top-rack dishwasher-safe. It comes in a bright arugula green or cherry red color, making the Chef’n a fun addition to your countertop. Though this chopper is great for taking a break from gripping a knife to mince and chop, several users advise getting something more durable if you plan to chop with high frequency. Price at time of publish: $27 Material: Plastic body, stainless steel blade | Dimensions (LxWxH): 5.6 x 5.4 x 5.1 inches | Weight: 1.1 pounds | Capacity: 3 cups | Dishwasher-Safe? Yes (bowl and lid), but hand washing recommended What We Don’t Love: Slicing sweet potatoes or tomatoes is not advised, vegetable has to be thin to fit through the spiralizer and julienne blades If you are looking to go beyond a simple dice, this is the food chopper for you. With interchangeable blades, you can not only chop but also create spirals, thin ribbons, and julienned vegetables. This chopper will rid the need to also have a mandoline slicer in the kitchen. The heavy blades are rust-resistant and the soft-grip handles let you hold onto vegetables with no slippage, making it safer to use. Everything is BPA-free and is top-rack dishwasher-safe. Meal prep ahead of time and you can store any chopped vegetables in the catch tray until you’re ready to cook. It’s great for anyone who does weekly meal prep as you can chop a week’s worth of veggies in a matter of minutes. One big downside with this tool, however, is that while you’re cutting down quite a lot on prep time, cleaning may be more difficult and time consuming, according to some users. The blades are extremely sharp, so if vegetable residue gets stuck on the blades (luckily there’s an included brush), you have to take extreme care to clean them. But for lighter chopping jobs, the dishwasher is fine, others add. Price at time of publish: $40 Material: Plastic body, stainless steel blade | Dimensions (LxWxH): 10.6 x 4.7 x 4.5 inches | Weight: 2 pounds | Capacity: 4 cups | Dishwasher-Safe? Yes (top rack after disassembly) What We Don’t Love: It gets hot easily If you are looking for versatility in your food chopper, this one reigns supreme. With multiple blade options, this chopper can cut the standard vegetables but also peel garlic, grind meat and crush ice. The speed can be easily regulated with the push of a button. The glass bowl holds up to 5 cups, so you can easily prepare dinner or a snack for a group in minutes. Everything non-electric is dishwasher-safe for easy cleanup, too. Users who have used or owned similar food choppers say that, for a fraction of the price, the Mosaic performs just as well (though it has a few cups smaller capacity than those other options). Price at time of publish: $41 Material: Glass, titanium-coated blade | Dimensions (LxWxH): 9.7 x 8.9 x 7.3 inches | Weight: 4 pounds | Capacity: 5 cups | Dishwasher-Safe? Yes (non-electric parts) What We Don’t Love: Some say it doesn’t work as well with softer veggies If you are looking for a small-capacity food chopper, the Black + Decker 1.5-cup version is a nice pick. With its one-touch pulsing button, the stainless steel blade will chop up and mince the perfect amount to throw on a salad or make a small dip. Airholes at the top allow you to add in liquid, such as olive oil for your homemade hummus. Bilevel blades allow for precise chopping and mincing. It does well with fine chopping and can even be a great tool to make baby food as well. The Black + Decker gets high marks from users for the convenience and ease of its one-touch pulse operation, as well as its small footprint, which makes it easy to store. However, its size also means it has a very small capacity, even for a mini food chopper, say other reviewers. Price at time of publish: $22 Material: Plastic, stainless steel blade | Dimensions (LxWxH): 6.5 x 4 x 5 inches | Weight: 3.2 pounds | Capacity: 1.5 cups | Dishwasher-Safe? Yes (removable parts)
How We Selected
Samantha scoured through dozens of bestselling food choppers on the market, looking at user reviews online and information available from manufacturers. She interviewed pros and avid home cooks to learn more about what makes a good food chopper and the characteristics they look for when buying one. Samantha then used her findings to choose her picks for the best food choppers.
What to Look for When Buying a Food Chopper
Type
Both manual and electric food choppers can work well. Manual requires more manpower, either in a pull or push type of way. It’s easier to transport the manual food choppers, but if you lack in arm strength they can be harder to use. Electric food choppers sometimes look like smaller food processors. They may have one speed or different speeds and need electricity to run.
Capacity
Capacity on a food chopper varies. Smaller food choppers hold around one to one and a half cups while larger choppers can hold up to 5 cups or 1.5 liters. “Always read the manual before using your new device, wash and dry vegetables before chopping and make sure to cut items to a size that fits in the chopper,” says Katie Chin, private virtual chef through HUNGRY and culinary ambassador for the National Pediatric Cancer Foundation.
Safety
Food choppers are relatively safe, often times safer than using a knife to dice up vegetables. But like with any electrical appliance or appliance with a blade, it’s important to follow included safety instructions.
Ease of Cleaning
Food choppers are relatively easy to clean. Follow manufacturer instructions, but in general, many of the pieces are top-shelf dishwasher-safe.
What are the uses of a food chopper?
“Food choppers are brilliant time savers for people who aren’t comfortable or quick with knife work,” says Kendra Peterson of Drizzle Kitchen. And, if the chopper has you more likely to reach for the fresh garlic rather than the jar, “that’s a huge win from a flavor and cooking perspective,” she adds. There are many different uses for a food chopper from quickly dicing up vegetables as a part of meal prep to chopping up nuts or herbs. Most food choppers can make a quick salsa or guacamole, and some allow you to add liquid to make dips like hummus or pesto. Others can help you make nut butters or grind meat.
How do I clean a food chopper?
Cleaning a food chopper can be different depending on which one you choose. Many of them are dishwasher-safe (or top rack-safe) so make sure to read the manual. Be careful to never put any electric pieces into the dishwasher. If using a hand-pull chopper, try not to get the hand pull overly wet. If not dishwasher-safe, most can easily be wiped down with a cloth and warm water. If you are grinding meat, make sure that you wipe down well to avoid contamination.
What’s the difference between a food processor and a food chopper?
A food chopper and food processor can do many of the same tasks, including dicing and chopping. A food processor usually has a larger capacity and has a tube for continuous feeding/chopping, while a food chopper generally holds a set amount. The majority of food processors are electric, while food choppers have both manual and electric options. Food choppers are generally better for quick tasks like chopping an onion, whereas food processors can be more of a kitchen workhorse because it can do multiple tasks. Food choppers generally take up less space and are easier to store.
Why Trust Simply Recipes?
Samantha Lande is a food writer who spends a lot of time chopping up food for her family. With two young boys at home, she relishes any tool that can save her time prepping dinner. Her work has appeared in many publications, including Food Network, Allrecipes, and Epicurious. Read Next: The Best Spiralizers
