If you’re looking for the ultimate in compact kitchen convenience, try this model on for size. As you can see just by looking at it, this is a food chopper and puree maker like the KitchenAid KFC0516BM rather than a “real” food processor, which at a minimum can also shred and slice. If you’re not too concerned about which shape your ingredients end up in, though, it may well be all you need, and it’s not that expensive.
Unlike with most food processors, the lightweight motor housing can be held in your hand and lowered over the bowl. This design makes for easier storage than a fixed base. There are also no buttons to push: you simply push down on it to start. This is also the only safety feature apart from the motor remaining locked if the blades aren’t attached correctly.
Best for Grinding Meat
Though the powerful motor is only intended to be run for about 15 seconds at a time, a few seconds might be all you need even to reduce roughly cubed meat to tiny fragments. Having such a powerful motor, as well as an easy-to-clean glass bowl, makes this a good choice for people who want to grind meat or even make their own pate.
You would be right that this is therefore something of a specialty appliance. While it is equally useful to chop up some vegetables or make purees, few other food processors can easily handle uncooked meat. You could, of course, simply buy hamburger at the store, but making your own gives you much greater control over the final consistency and also improves food hygiene. Ground meat has a large surface area, which means that it spoils much faster than whole cuts. If you’re planning to serve something like steak tartare, grinding your own just before it’s needed may make all the difference.
Built Tough
In keeping with its primary role as a meat grinder, this machine uses titanium-coated blades instead of the more common stainless steel. This makes them significantly more durable and helps to keep them sharp even when used to crush ice. If you’re looking for an appliance that can handle harder tasks like grinding dried legumes and spices to powder, you should really consider the Mosaic, even if this means buying another food processor for everyday use.
Similarly, the sturdy glass bowl is unlikely to shatter without good reason, while the motor is encased in a stainless steel housing. You’ll find a rubber pad on the bowl’s base for better stability. Like the Ninja BL770, the Mosaic uses a 4-blade assembly instead of a conventional S-blade. If desired, you can also remove the top part and use a single pair of blades.
Considering the amount of power it puts out, the Mosaic is relatively quiet and comparable to some of the best food processors. You’ll generally run it for only seconds at a time, though. The 12-month warranty covers the motor only, but the glass bowl is very sturdy and won’t be degraded by time in the dishwasher. Note that this is the newer version of this product, which is sold with an updated blade assembly design which rectified some weaknesses in the earlier model.
- Very easy to use and clean
- Perfect for grinding meat
- Compact and powerful
- Can only chop and puree
- Not meant for continuous use
- Limited capacity