Food processor, mixer or blender?

Should you buy a Food Processor, Stand Mixer or something else? Find the best kitchen gadget for you using our guide.

If you're tired of doing everything by hand in the kitchen, there are plenty of handy gadgets available to take the labour out of cooking and baking jobs. You can spend anything from £5 to more than £400, and you'll find some products that are great all-rounders, while others excel at a particular task. Discover the pros and cons of Food Processors, mini choppers, stand mixers, Hand Mixers, blenders and Hand Blenders to help you choose the best one for you.
Main types of food prep gadgets and what they're for

Food processors - geared towards chopping, slicing, grating and mixing. Good for adventurous cooks

Mini choppers - basic, compact processors perfect for quick prep jobs and smaller quantities such as puréeing, chopping herbs or nuts.

Stand mixers (also called food mixers or kitchen machines) - geared towards bakers, with a large mixing bowl and accessories for kneading, mixing and whisking

Hand mixers - electric handheld mixer, smaller and cheaper option for light baking jobs

Blenders - best for liquid blends such as soups and smoothies

Hand blenders - handy for the odd blending, chopping or puréeing job if you`re short on space

Which? kitchen gadget reviews There are plenty of different gadgets to choose from. What's right for you depends on your budget, what you like to cook, and how much space you have. If you're keen to take your cooking to the next level, make sure you've also got a top-notch oven, as we've found that some models have unreliable temperature controls that could spell the end for your soufflés.