8-Cup Food Processor, Black, FP1600B

Upgraded to a ninja and gave this one to my mom.. I want it back! This works so well! Much better than the more expensive ninja. Fine chops saving much time and makes hummus like a pro! Bought it over 8 years ago and it’s still great. It’s not too big and bulky. You can easily store it just like you would a blender.

UPDATE: The new one is a worthy successor. A bigger bowl, one lid for all the functions, and an improved safety system are great improvements. The Black and Decker Food Processor I’ve used since 1990 – 33 years ago, isn’t working quite as well as it did last year. The motor works fine, but the spindle is off center, so the chopping blade isn’t as effective and the top slicer so handy for grated cheese or shredded cabbage doesn’t work. Sadly, I need to buy a new processor. It was far and away the cheapest model available back then when I couldn’t afford much more. I never dreamed it would grow old with me. So, I took a look at what was available – there are a lot to choose from. When I looked at Black & Decker’s it had the same functions as mine, and it had a more modern look. It also looked to have solved the minor issue I had with its predecessor. The white housing was a little fussy to clean. The new one has a black housing and looks to be molded. Just like mine, all the parts can go into the dishwasher. Several of the reviewers marveled that it has lasted 8 or more years. Well, that’s what they do. Thirty-two years of service out of a machine that I think was about $18 in 1990. And in those 32 years, there was never a recipe it failed me on. While writing this, Amazon sent an alert that my new one has shipped for tomorrow delivery.

I bought my Black + Decker Food 8-Cup Processor in 2008 after I had signed up for a vegetable-only full CSA share and realized I'd be doing a tremendous amount of soup, sauce, and pesto making. Over the years my faithful food processor was also used for other things, most notably: buffalo chickpea dip, nut cheeze, fruit purees for baked oatmeals, and homemade Irish cream. Actually, it was the last of those things that caused her untimely death. However, I paid $25ish for her then, and I whole-heartedly believe I got my money's worth. Went to buy a new food processor and realized... why go with something else? So, for another $25ish (why didn't the price go up in the past ten years? I don't know, but I like it!) I bought another Black + Decker 8-Cup Food Processor. Some things have changed in the past decade, but all for the better, like how it's much easier to clean then it used to be because of the redesign of certain parts. Yes, this is a VERY, VERY loud machine. My significant other won't be in the same room with me when I'm having a food processing party. However, it's idiot proof. There are two buttons: ON and OFF/PULSE. It's easy to assemble. You can easily store the blade, the lock, and the black cover inside the bowl if you just flip everything upside down (so don't listen to those other reviewers, 'cause that's a moot point). And it gets the job done effectively and perfectly time and time again. I admit, sometimes she leaks a little, but I'm pretty sure this is user error ("8-Cups? HAH! I can get 9-Cups in!"). So - if you want a reliable food processor to make your ham salads, macadamia nut ricotta cheeze, or fruit-only smoothies (WARNING: don't attempt a kale smoothie in this unless you like drinking chunks of cruciferous veg), the best bang for your buck is this. My first one lasted me eight years with heavy use, so I expect to be back here in 2024 to buy another!

I have been using this product for about six weeks and I love it. I would have given it 5 stars but the assembly instructions are poorly written causing a number of reviewers, myself included, to encounter operating problems. Fortunately, once you know the procedure, it is so simple. 1) Set bowl on base (leave lid off for now) with its handle pointed in the direction of the power buttons and handle slightly turned to the right of center - no more than half an inch. Once the bowl is in this position and firmly on the base, slide the bowl left toward the center of the two power buttons. You will notice a lip on the front of the base, just above the center between the buttons, on which the handle rests when engaged. This lip has a dot on it into which the spring lock in the bowl handle fits. Slide the bowl handle toward the lip until it engages. 2)Place the chopper blade over the center post spindle (not to be confused with the spindle attachment which accommodates the round shredder/slicer blade)in the center of the bowl. 3)Now put on the lid the same way you positioned the bowl. The food chute on the lid goes toward the back of the base and away from the handle on the bowl. Place it on the bowl a half inch or less off center to the right front. Note that there is a small locking cylinder on the underside of the lid just behind the chute. The metal pin in the top of the chopper blade fits into the lock on the lid. Make sure the chopper pin is inside the lid lock, then slide the lid toward the handle until it slips into place. You can see the spring lock depress through the clear handle of the bowl as the lid engages. Now the lid and bowl are locked onto the base. When you are finished processing, remove the lid FIRST and then the bowl by reversing the instructions. Slide less than a half inch to the left and lift. This might sound complicated but it truly isn't. You just have to get the hang of it. Remember you must lock the bowl to the base first, then the lid and then remove in the reverse order due to the locking system design. This processor is well worth the price and has performed beautifully for me but there is something about the setup of this appliance that initially struck me as counter-intuitive. Maybe its because the bowl handle and the lid chute are opposite one another. Whatever the problem, once you know how to assemble the parts, it is a beautifully functioning machine. Please remember that you cannot remove the bowl from the base until you disengage the lid lock. You can use the slicing/shredding disc without the chopping blade by slipping the(spindle)adapter over the center post in the bowl. As mentioned by another reviewer, there is a small space between the bottom of the chute and the inside edge of the lid where food can collect. Just be sure you rinse it right after using when any remaining food can be easily dislodged with a stream of water, a stiff brush or butter knife depending upon the density of the food. This entire appliance cleans up quickly and easily with a little soap and water. And keep in mind that this is NOT a blender so I would not recommend trying to process liquids. I foolishly tried to process ingredients for a quiche and it leaked rather badly. However I have made salsa many times with no leakage so liquids combined with bulk haven't been a problem. Just don't let them sit too long or you will probably have leakage. As for noise,I expect any kitchen appliance with a motor to produce some sounds so it really hasn't bothered me. It is no more offensive than the blender, dishwasher, vacuum cleaner and sometimes the washer when it is off balance. But I will tell you that I have yet to use anything other than pulse mode. This processor is crazy powerful so unless you are pureeing baby food or making a thick sauce I suggest you use the pulse button, at least until you can judge the power of the machine for your particular purpose. The suction cup feet on the base are unusually "muscular." Don't think you can slide this baby around your counter because you have to break a strong suction to move it. I think this is a wonderful safety feature for those with toddlers because there is no way they have the strength to pull it off a counter onto their heads. And the locking system which secures together the base, bowl and lid ensures that the bowl won't be dislodged from the base by tiny fingers pulling on the handle. I am always searching for quality products at a great value and this B & D processor is one of my favorites. I hope my assembly instructions help but if you guys find them confusing just let me know and I will delete this post. Or maybe someone can improve my directions. I would have submitted a video review of assembly which takes about 5 seconds but can't find my camera... A picture is worth a thousand words. For those of you who are in the market for a sturdy, powerful, simple to use, easily maintained and inexpensive processor, I don't think you can go wrong with this one. It's kind of like a woman, know how the parts work before you expect it to function properly.