Tuesday, March 19, 2024

Cuisinart Pro Classic™ 7 Cup

Cuisinart Pro Classic™ 7 Cup Review

Food Processors

Product Grade
Report Card Grade
0 Reviews
Best Feature:
Affordable, high quality food processer
Worst Feature:
Feeder tube system exceptionally hard to clean/use
Best Uses:
Small jobs (capable and versatile in all realms)
Pricing:
$99.00
Manufacturer:

Where to Buy

Store Name
Price
$99.00
$129.99
$168.33
$180.00

Overview

The Cuisinart Pro Classic Food Processor is a great size for a small household. More than a chopper, it offers the features of the bigger Cuisinart models in a compact, classic unit. It won our Editor's Choice Award for its great performance and modest price point. It is a powerful and efficient food processor that will make fast work of your cooking projects. If you are looking for a moderate size, affordable, and versatile machine, it is an excellent choice. We were impressed with its performance in all the tests we put it through, from slicing tomatoes to blending homemade almond butter. In addition, it has one of our favorite features, the flat work bowl lid. We wished all the food processors that we tested had one.

Compact in size, the Cuisinart Pro Classic will slip easily into a cupboard or under your cabinets.
Compact in size, the Cuisinart Pro Classic will slip easily into a cupboard or under your cabinets.
Credit: Mary Griffin

You can compare the Cuisinart Pro Classic Food Processor (DLC10S) to other food processors in the Food Processor Review.

Photos

The Cuisinart Pro Classic 7-Cup Food Processor.
Compact in size, the Cuisinart Pro Classic will slip easily into a cupboard or under your cabinets.
The paddle switch easily moves up and down with one hand to turn on continuous processing or to pulse.
We felt this feeder tube system was not only difficult to clean but a hassle to use.
The slicing disc makes easy work of this russet potato.
The DLC10S did an excellent job slicing tomatoes and potatoes.
We love this flat work bowl lid. It's easy to clean and use.
Processing onions in the Cuisinart DLC10S.
Sharp blades did an exceptional job chopping onions and mincing parsley.
Chopped onions.
Stacking carrots helps stabilize them for fast, consistent shredding or slicing.
The Cuisinart has excellent shredding capabilities.
Quick and easy pizza dough.
Almond butter came out smooth and creamy.

 
This Product
Overall Winner
Overall Score
73%
93%
93%
Our Awards
Date Reviewed
January 2016
January 2016
January 2016
Pros
quiet; compact with excellent versatility; affordable; flat work lid; simple paddle control
excellent performance; 25-year warranty; 8 attachments; blade storage; wide feeder tube; large and small work bowls; timer; good customer service
excellent performance; quiet; two work bowls; great warranty; wide feeder tube; blade storage; good capacity; efficient; versitile
Cons
feeder tube system is hard to clean and complicated to use
expensive; heavy base; difficult to clean; poor emulsifying capability
expensive; poor performance with whipping; difficult to clean; no cord storage; heavy
Functionality (30%)
Processing Quality (30%)
Ease of Set Up & Clean Up (30%)
Storage Options (10%)
Type
Mid-Size
Full-Size
Full-Size
Capacity (cups)
7
16 and 2.5
16-cup and 4.5
Liquid Capacity (cups)
2
5
7.75
Price
$99.99
$399.99
$299.99
Warranty
5-year motor warranty; 3-year limited warranty on unit
25-year motor warranty; 1-year limited warranty on unit
20-year motor warranty; 3-year limited warranty on unit
Product Depth
11.25"
10.25"
15.75"
Product Height
14.5"
17.75"
20"
Product Width
7"
8"
13"
Motor Power (watts)
600
1,200
1,300
Base Weight (our measurement)
9.4 lbs
15.4 lbs
15 lbs
Control Panel
One Paddle
Touchpad
Touchpad
Speed Settings
On, Off, Pulse
Continuous and Pulse
On, Off, Dough, or Pulse
Attachments
3 attachments: 'S' blade, slicing disc and shredding disc
8 attachments: 2 'S' blades, dough blade, adjustable slicing disc, reversible shredding disc, julienne disc, French fry disc, and whisking/emulsifying disc
5 attachments: 2 'S' blades, dough blade, adjustable slicing disc, reversible shredding disc
Large Tube
4.5" x 2.5"
5.75" x 3"
5.75" x 3"
Small Tubes
1.75" circular
2" circular
3" x 2"
Cord Storage
No
Yes
Yes
BPA-Free Plastic
Yes
Yes
Yes

Product Background

The Cuisinart Pro Classic Food Processor (DLC10S) has a BPA-free, dishwasher safe work bowl with 7 cups of dry capacity and 2 cups of liquid capacity. It has a paddle switch that offers continuous or pulse processing, and it comes with 3 stainless steel attachments including a 4mm slicing disc, a shredding disc, and a chopping/mixing 'S' blade. The Pro Classic has two feed tubes, the large feed tube is 4 1/2" x 2 3/4", while the smaller, round feed tube is 1 3/4" for more narrow food items. It also comes with a compact flat cover for easy use and cleaning when you don't need to use the feeder chutes. Lastly, it features a standard safety locking system and also has rubber stoppers on the bottom to help stabilize the unit during use.


ProductReportCard Editors' In-Depth Review


Specifications

Performance Comparison

Functionality

We tested ten food processors, and without a doubt, the Cuisinart Pro Classic was one of our favorites. Seven cups of dry capacity was sufficient for all of our tests, and we thought two cups of liquid capacity was impressive considering the size of the work bowl. Although this model only comes with the basic attachments, we found that they were able to meet all of our processing needs. This included a wide array of tests from kneading dough and shredding cheese to chopping parsley. In addition, we preferred the design of this paddle switch to the one on the Cuisinart Prep 11 Plus because it was simple and more responsive.

The paddle switch easily moves up and down with one hand to turn on continuous processing or to pulse.
The paddle switch easily moves up and down with one hand to turn on continuous processing or to pulse.
Credit: Cate Doucette

Although all the Cuisinart models that we tested require the pusher to be engaged in the feed tube before the motor will run, the Pro Classic is designed with the pusher permanently attached to the sleeve system, which we felt added a layer of unnecessary complication. Not only is it annoying and challenging to clean, it also requires more cutting of foods before you process them. We did find, however, that the large feed tube will still accommodate a whole tomato.

We felt this feeder tube system was not only difficult to clean but a hassle to use.
We felt this feeder tube system was not only difficult to clean but a hassle to use.
Credit: Cate Doucette

The flat "work lid" that comes with the unit is a bonus we didn't expect. We loved when we were using the 'S' blade that we didn't have to use the hard-to-clean lid with feeder tubes- instead, we could use the easy-to-clean flat lid and add ingredients through the center hole.

We love this flat work bowl lid. It's easy to clean and use.
We love this flat work bowl lid. It's easy to clean and use.
Credit: Cate Doucette
Processing Quality

Overall, we were very impressed with the Cuisinart Pro Classic's processing performance during all of our tests. At a base weight of 9.4 pounds, it is a relatively heavy unit compared to the other compact machines we tested like the Hamilton Beach 8 Cup or the Black & Decker 8 Cup. The 600-watt motor is powerful but still runs quietly. Although this model is small, it was stable and hardly moved as we taxed it with heavy duty projects like kneading dough.

Quick and easy pizza dough.
Quick and easy pizza dough.
Credit: Cate Doucette

We were also impressed with the sharpness of the 'S' blade and thought that it did a better job chopping onions and mincing parsley than more expensive machines like the KitchenAid 11-Cup Food Processor.

Sharp blades did an exceptional job chopping onions and mincing parsley.
Sharp blades did an exceptional job chopping onions and mincing parsley.
Credit: Cate Doucette

Using the universal 'S' blade, the Pro Classic was also capable of grinding whole almonds into smooth and creamy homemade almond butter.

Almond butter came out smooth and creamy.
Almond butter came out smooth and creamy.
Credit: Cate Doucette

The sharp blade and powerful motor of the Pro Classic turned out fast, consistent slicing of both potatoes and the more challenging task of tomatoes.

The DLC10S did an excellent job slicing tomatoes and potatoes.
The DLC10S did an excellent job slicing tomatoes and potatoes.
Credit: Cate Doucette

We also thought the Cuisinart did an efficient job shredding both carrots and parmesan cheese. The shreds came out quickly and uniformly, with little food waste.

The Cuisinart has excellent shredding capabilities.
The Cuisinart has excellent shredding capabilities.
Credit: Cate Doucette

It also handled the more delicate job of whipping cream fairly well. We used the flat work top (so we didn't have to clean the feeder-tube lid), and it quickly turned our heavy cream into smooth whipped cream.

Whipped cream courtesy of the Cuisinart Pro Classic.
Whipped cream courtesy of the Cuisinart Pro Classic.
Credit: Cate Doucette
Ease of Set Up and Clean Up:

The Cuisinart Pro Classic was relatively easy to set up. The only challenge we faced initially was trying to figure out how to attach the stem to the slicing and grating discs. It took us a few tries, but, once we figured it out, it was easy and stable. In terms of clean up, the Pro Classic is dishwasher safe, but it is also easy to clean by hand with the exception of the lid with the attached feeder tubes. That was a huge pain to clean. However, we are willing to forgive it because of the flat work bowl lid. No other machine we tested offers one, and we feel it makes the Pro Classic more appealing to use on a regular basis.

Storage Options:

The Cuisinart Pro Classic is relatively compact and should fit easily on a countertop or in a cabinet. It doesn't come with blade storage or cord storage.

Best Uses

The Cuisinart Pro Classic is perfect for any small volume processing projects.

Value

At $100, the Cuisinart Pro Classic is the most affordable Cuisinart that we tested and we felt it was a fantastic value. In addition, it comes with an excellent warranty. The entire unit is guaranteed for 3 years and the motor for 5 years. You must pay for all shipping and handling and they will repair or replace any defective Pro Classic model.

Conclusion

The Cuisinart Pro Classic won our Editor's Choice Award. We thought it was by far the best machine for under $100, and we even liked it better than some of the more expensive models we tested. It is a compact food processor that packs a punch. Not only is it exceptionally quiet, but its strong motor and sharp blades consistently delivered impressive results. It was also great for making dough and nut butters, two projects that the Hamilton Beach Big Mouth Deluxe 14 Cup and Black & Decker 8 Cup models couldn't handle. Our only complaint would be the difficult-to-clean lid with feeder tubes, but you don't have to use it all of the time thanks to the option of the flat top lid. Overall, we thought that the performance of this machine was superior. We would highly recommend the Cuisinart Pro Classic to anyone who can afford it.

Alternatives:

KitchenAid 11-Cup with ExactSlice System

- $200

- 360-watt motor

- 11-cup dry capacity and 3-cup liquid capacity

- Adjustable slicing disc

- Only has a 1-year warranty

Oster Total Prep 10 Cup

- $60

- 500-watt motor

- Also capable of kneading dough, but can't make nut butter

- Only has a 1-year warranty

Hamilton Beach Big Mouth Deluxe 14 Cup

- $80

- 525-watt motor

- Large feeder tube

- Can't handle dough or nut butter

We suggest that you check out our Buying Advice for Food Processors to get an idea for what machine will best suit your needs.

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