You get what you pay for in the Hamilton Beach 8 Cup Food Processor 70740. With a flimsy construction, we found this unit was underwhelming and limited in its processing capabilities. It definitely can't handle heavy jobs like kneading dough or making nut butter. It also did a poor job of slicing tomatoes, and the feeder tube is so small that fruits and vegetables needed to be trimmed extensively in order to fit. Additionally, it didn't offer much liquid capacity (1.75 cups) and isn't great if you are planning on using your machine for larger liquid projects. With that being said, it is extremely easy to assemble, operate, and clean. If you need an easy, lightweight option for simple chopping, shredding, and mixing, and you're on a budget, this may be a good fit for you.
You can compare the Hamilton Beach 8 Cup Food Processor 70740 to other food processors in the Food Processor Review.
Overall WinnerPowered by a 450-watt motor, the Hamilton Beach 70740 has an 8-cup dry capacity and a 1 3/4-cup liquid capacity. It has pulse functionality and can also process continuously at two different speed settings. It offers one feed tube that measures 3" x 1 3/4" and food items can be continuously fed through it while the machine is running. This model features two stainless steel attachments including a universal chopping/mixing blade and a reversible shredding/slicing disc. While it doesn't come with cord storage, the lid can be flipped over into the work bowl so it fits easily into a cupboard when not in use. The Hamilton Beach 8 Cup is dishwasher safe and BPA-free.
The Hamilton Beach 8 Cup food processor doesn't have a huge capacity, but it should be sufficient for a small household. Since it is so small and inexpensive, it doesn't surprise us that the liquid capacity is less than 2 cups. If you intend to use your food processor for large liquid projects, however, this may not be a great choice for you. In terms of the controls, we found them to be responsive, but we didn't feel like we needed different speed settings for continuous processing.
In addition to the standard chopping/mixing blade, the Hamilton Beach 8 Cup comes with a reversible shredding/slicing disc. We really liked the simplicity of having one disc with two functions, especially on such an inexpensive machine.
During our tests, we found that the feeder chute was small and we had to pare down most food to fit into it. However, we did appreciate that the feed tube allows for the continuous processing of longer food items like carrots.
During our tests, we felt the Hamilton Beach 8 Cup was pretty loud and generally flimsy in construction. It was the most lightweight model we tested at 2.8lbs, but we found that the suction cup feet did a relatively good job of stabilizing the unit during use. It also has a safety locking system, which prevents the machine from starting until the work bowl and lid are secured.
Processing Quality
For a $35 food processor, we thought the Hamilton Beach 8 Cup did an adequate job of chopping, shredding, mixing, and pureeing. With a 450-watt motor, it is powerful enough for simple processing jobs, but we didn't feel that it provided very precise processing results and the 'S' blade could easily liquefy food items if we weren't careful. For instance, onions emerged wet and over-processed during our test.
We thought that the Hamilton Beach did a decent job with parsley, particularly when compared to a similarly priced machine like the Oster.
We also thought it did a good job shredding for this price point. Both parmesan and carrots came out nicely, but we felt there was more food waste than with other more expensive machines.
We weren't really impressed with the slicing disc. Due to the small feeder tube, we had to excessively trim both the potato and tomato, which left us with inconsistent and small slices. The tomato slices were particularly beat up and seem to indicate that the machine has a duller blade than others we tested.
One of the best features of the Hamilton Beach 8 Cup Food Processor is its simple design that makes it a snap to assemble and clean up. The work bowl and lid fit together smoothly and easily. After dealing with complicated feeder tube and seal systems on other machines, it was a relief to be able to clean out the bowl and lid without struggling to remove small food particles stuck in various crevices. Although it is easy to wash by hand, it is also dishwasher safe.
Storage OptionsThe Hamilton Beach 8 Cup is a very compact food processor. While it doesn't have a retractable cord, its blades can be kept inside the work bowl and the lid flips over for easy storage.
Best UsesWe'd only recommend using the Hamilton Beach 8 Cup food processor for simple processing jobs like shredding, mincing, and pureeing fruits and vegetables. It is not suitable for heavier processing projects.
ValueAt $35, this Hamilton Beach 8 Cup model is the most inexpensive food processor we tested and we think you get what you pay for. It comes with a 1-year limited warranty that covers defective materials or craftsmanship.
ConclusionOverall, the Hamilton Beach 8 Cup Food Processor 70740 was not one of our top picks. If a $35 machine is all you can afford however, it is adequate at basic food processing functions. We also found it easy to assemble, clean, and store. With that said, if you can afford to spend a little more, we would suggest looking at the alternatives listed below.
Alternatives- $60
- 500-watt motor
- Capable of kneading dough
Hamilton Beach Big Mouth Deluxe 14 Cup
- $80
- 525-watt motor
- Large feeder tube
- $100
- 600-watt motor
- Heavier base at 9.4lbs
- Simple paddle control
We suggest that you check out our Buying Advice for Food Processors to get an idea for what machine will best suit your needs.* indicates required field
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The Best Food Processor Review Our Food Processor review compares 11 of the most popular models on the market. Read on to see how they measured up. |
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