FABULOUS COUNTER-TOP SIZE W/ CUISINART POWER

Cuisinart is a name synonymous with POWER... at least in food processing... And, as with all machinery, it is the POWER OF THE MOTOR that matters... everything else is window-dressing, ie: colour, style, design, etc.... So, if you want the best food processor money can buy, a machine whose performance is time-proven, a machine that will LAST for years and years and years, then buy the best-- Cuisinart.

I have a 14-Cup model from the Year 1... *lol*... It is at least 15 years old, and runs as strong today, as it did when I first bought it... Alas, the kids are grown and gone, and it's just my husband and me now... The large model is just too big anymore for our everyday needs... So, I decided to purchase a smaller model...

I found the Cuisinart DFP-3 at ebay for the incredibly low price of $33.00 plus $8 dollars shipping... The least expensive I have found this model is $63 dollars retail... What I have come to understand is that the extra $30 bucks is actually covering the warranty and retail store front... but with a Cuisinart, you don't need a warranty... that's how good it is!!! *lol*... So, I felt very confident in purchasing this item and forgetting about not being covered thru the warranty... Like I said, I have the large model from 15 years ago, and it's still just as good as the day I bought it... *s*

To give you an 'idea' of the 'use' of the large model I have engaged all these years-- I had, at the time of purchase, two young sons... One Hyperactive-ADD, the other Type-1 Diabetic... For 15 years, all I did was cook... and I mean, COOK FROM SCRATCH... stock, bread, preserves, sauces, pastas, sausages, candy, cookies, birthday cakes- yes, I'm a Wilton decorator! *lol*-, punch, egg nog, jerky, EVERYTHING!!! {Almost nothing was store-bought save meat and some fruits and vegetables, and that was from the health-food store... We grew many of our own vegetables, and had our own fruit trees}... Anyway, I got so good, *lol*, I ended up teaching cooking privately to those folks whose family's had strict dietary requirements, {gluten-free, sugar-free, salicylic acid-free, lactose-free, etc}... Then, I was hired by Robinson's Department Store, {before it became Robinson's-May}, to teach cooking in their Housewares Department, thereby demonstrating all the various appliances for sale, ie: how to use them, what can be made with them, etc... and the Cuisinart Food Processor has been with me all the way... Don't get me wrong, I have used and demonstrated other food processors, but NOTHING beats a Cuisinart...

This very small model is no exception... It has the same POWER, just a much smaller base, {to house the motor}, and work bowl, {3-Cup capacity}... a very big departure for me from 14-Cups!!!... But our needs, as I said, are much smaller now... To make large holiday dinners and family gatherings, I still use the 14-Cup model size, but for everyday, I use the 3-Cup DFP...

The DFP-3 is so small, you can keep it right on the countertop... It measures approximately, 5" Wide x 7" Deep x 7" Tall... There is no reason anyone cannot keep this small, but powerful and much-needed appliance, on their countertop at all times, {especially if counter space is a valuable commodity to you}... I don't know about you, but I just hate having to put away an appliance I use off-and-on all day, every day...

You can do everything with it that can be done with the larger models... Make bread... Grind meat... etc... you just, sometimes, have to do it in two batches, depending on what it is you're preparing... But most jobs are of the chopping, mincing, shredding, slicing, and blending-of-small-amounts variety, and so you will find yourself using this machine constantly...

The other REALLY GREAT feature of this model {which is why I chose it instead of the even smaller 21 oz version}, is that it has a 'CHUTE' attachment... So instead of your cheese going into the Workbowl, it will shoot right out the side and onto the plate, or into the bowl, you've chosen... I find this feature absolutely marvelous as cheese can be a sticky mess, and slicing cucumbers a rather wet proposition... And so, if there are other things you want to do, {such as mince garlic or chop an onion after shredding the cheese/slicing the cucumbers}, you have had to, in the past, clean out the Workbowl... All of this is now passe with the Chute Attachment... I don't know why every model doesn't have one... *lol*

If, as I said, space is at a premium in your kitchen, and this consideration has kept you from purchasing a Cuisinart Food Processor in the past, then I heartily recommend this smaller DFP-3-Cup model... You will be pleasantly surprised at its compactness, and even more surprised at its POWER... AS WELL AS-- having the convenience of a Mandolin {slicer/shredder}, a Mixer {whipped cream/egg whites/cake batter/cream soups/etc.}, a Meat Grinder {you have not had a hamburger until you've had one ground from the New York Strip steak you bought at the butcher or market!}, a Chopper/Mincer {onions- no more tears!- garlic, parsley, cilantro, nuts, you-name-it}, and a Kneader {yes, at last, you CAN make homemade bread! *lol*}, all rolled into one...

Do I recommend the Cuisinart DFP-3 Food Processor with Chute Attachment??? You betcha... *s*

Bon Apetit!!!

UPDATE: THANK YOU ALL for your comments and suggestions... I didn't think there would be so many responses!!! As suggested, here is a bit more information on the Cuisinart DFP-3 Food Processor... and I promise I will do better in my next Epinion!!! *lol*

1. The Workbowl, Blade, Chute Attachment, Discs, and Spatula are all dishwasher safe... The Base is cleansed by just wiping it down...

2. Included are the Blade-- for chopping/mincing/mixing/kneading/grinding... Two Discs-- one a 2mm Slicing Disc, the other a Medium-Size Shredder Disc... and a Spatula...

3. The 'Chute Attachment', {for use with either of the Discs}, takes the place of the Workbowl for continuous slicing/shredding...

4. The 'Control' is a single lever with 3 positions... ON, OFF, PULSE... The 'middle position' is the 'OFF' position... The 'down position' is a 'PULSE' that turns the machine on when pressed down, and stops the machine immediately when released... The 'up position' is a continuous 'ON'... To turn the machine off from this position requires that you push the lever back down to the middle 'OFF' position...

5. There is an Instruction/Recipe Booklet also included... {However, the recipe section is rather meager, and so I highly recommend Abby Mandel's 'Cuisinart Cooking' as both an excellent 'Method and Recipe' cookbook, adapting Everyday and Holiday cooking to the Cuisinart}...

Thank you again for your responses... I hope this added information helps you make a better, more-informed decision... *s*