Best Mini Choppers

Mini machines are ideal for small jobs

There are several mini choppers on the market that are designed for smaller, simpler tasks, such as mincing garlic. Cuisinart dominates this mini-machine market even more so than the full-sized food processors category. In fact, all recommended choppers we found are Cuisinarts. The best-rated mini chopper is the Cuisinart Mini-Prep Plus DLC-2A (*Est. $40). In professional tests, this 3-cup machine does very well at grating and chopping and moderately well at puréeing. Its controls are simple -- one button to chop and one to grind -- but users say there's a trick to using them; if you pulse too long, the chopper turns everything to purée. A larger version, the 4-cup Cuisinart Mini-Prep Plus DLC-4CHB (*Est. $50), gets similar results in professional tests and home use. The more basic Cuisinart Mini-Prep DLC-1 (*Est. $30) works much like the Mini-Prep Plus, but its performance is less consistent. We saw some complaints that when chopping, it produces a mixture of chunks and slush, rather than an evenly chopped mixture.

Like other mini choppers, all three Cuisinart Mini-Prep models are noisier than a full-sized food processor. Some reviewers find the noise level bothersome, while others say it's not a problem because each use is so brief. Also, all three machines get some complaints about durability. Some had motor failures, but the most common problem is broken blade housings -- which can create a serious hazard if they break during use. We read accounts for all three models of blades that came loose and sliced clean through the plastic bowl. A broken blade can be costly to replace, too, and these little Cuisinarts come with a limited 18-month warranty. Durability problems appear to be most prevalent with the inexpensive DLC-1 and least common with the DLC-2A.