Monday, March 18, 2024

Hamilton Beach 8 Cup

Hamilton Beach 8 Cup Review

Food Processors

Product Grade
Report Card Grade
0 Reviews
Best Feature:
Affordable. Easy to assemble and clean
Worst Feature:
Small feeder tube and limited processing capabilities
Best Uses:
Shredding and chopping
Pricing:
$34.99
Manufacturer:

Where to Buy

Store Name
Price
$21.59
$26.89
$26.99
$29.82
$34.99

Overview

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.

Hamilton Beach 8 Cup Food Processor 70740.
Hamilton Beach 8 Cup Food Processor 70740.
Credit: Mary Griffin

You can compare the Hamilton Beach 8 Cup Food Processor 70740 to other food processors in the Food Processor Review.

Photos

Unpacking the Hamilton Beach 8 Cup food processor.
The Hamilton Beach 8 Cup Food Processor 70740.
The Hamilton Beach 8 Cup control knob.
The reversible shredding/slicing disc is easy to use and store.
We had to pare down food items to fit them in the feed chute.
We were happy with the shredding disc. It worked well on our parmesan test.
Paring down food resulted in inconsistent slices.
We were pleasantly surprised when we chopped parsley with this unit.
Our shredding test results.
Our chopped onion test.

 
This Product
Overall Winner
Overall Score
59%
93%
93%
Our Awards
Date Reviewed
January 2016
January 2016
January 2016
Pros
inexpensive; easy to set up and clean up; good shredding cheese
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
small feed tube; low liquid capacity; loud; flimsy and lightweight
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)
8
16 and 2.5
16-cup and 4.5
Liquid Capacity (cups)
1.75
5
7.75
Price
$34.99
$399.99
$299.99
Warranty
1-year limited warranty
25-year motor warranty; 1-year limited warranty on unit
20-year motor warranty; 3-year limited warranty on unit
Product Depth
8.4"
10.25"
15.75"
Product Height
15.57"
17.75"
20"
Product Width
10.71"
8"
13"
Motor Power (watts)
450
1,200
1,300
Base Weight (our measurement)
2.8 lbs
15.4 lbs
15 lbs
Control Panel
Knob
Touchpad
Touchpad
Speed Settings
Pulse, 0, 1, 2
Continuous and Pulse
On, Off, Dough, or Pulse
Attachments
2 attachments: 'S' blade and reversible shredding/slicing 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
3" x 1.75"
5.75" x 3"
5.75" x 3"
Small Tubes
n/a
2" circular
3" x 2"
Cord Storage
No
Yes
Yes
BPA-Free Plastic
Yes
Yes
Yes

Product Background

Powered 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.


ProductReportCard Editors' In-Depth Review


Specifications

Performance Comparison

Functionality

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.

The Hamilton Beach 8 Cup control knob.
The Hamilton Beach 8 Cup control knob.
Credit: Mary Griffin

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.

The reversible shredding/slicing disc is easy to use and store.
The reversible shredding/slicing disc is easy to use and store.
Credit: Mary Griffin

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.

We had to pare down food items to fit them in the feed chute.
We had to pare down food items to fit them in the feed chute.
Credit: Mary Griffin

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.

Our chopped onion test.
Our chopped onion test.
Credit: Mary Griffin

We thought that the Hamilton Beach did a decent job with parsley, particularly when compared to a similarly priced machine like the Oster.

We were pleasantly surprised when we chopped parsley with this unit.
We were pleasantly surprised when we chopped parsley with this unit.
Credit: Mary Griffin

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.

Our shredding test results.
Our shredding test results.
Credit: Mary Griffin

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.

Paring down food resulted in inconsistent slices.
Paring down food resulted in inconsistent slices.
Credit: Mary Griffin
Ease of Set Up and Clean Up

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 Options

The 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 Uses

We'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.

Value

At $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.

Conclusion

Overall, 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

Oster Total Prep 10 Cup

- $60

- 500-watt motor

- Capable of kneading dough

Hamilton Beach Big Mouth Deluxe 14 Cup

- $80

- 525-watt motor

- Large feeder tube

Cuisinart Pro Classic 7 Cup

- $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.

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