A food processor is one of the most useful kitchen appliances, which can easily and quickly puree, grind, shred, slice, and chop almost any edible item. Some models can even help in preparing vegetable and citrus juice, kneading bread dough, beating cake batter, grinding vegetables and meats, beating egg whites, and performing virtually any task.
History of Food processors
For the first time, the food processor was introduced in North America by an engineer known as Carl Sontheimer in 1973. But, it took a few years time to become a popular item amongst the kitchen appliances; this was mainly due to the lack of awareness amongst the customers about its capabilities. More so, the cost was on the higher side during the initial years, but just as the technology progressed, cost came down, and so the sales figures went up drastically.
In this post, we are going to discuss about working and application of food processors in usual kitchen jobs.
Types of Modern Food Processor
The latest food processors are available in three standard sizes and shapes; they are –
• mini,
• compact, and
• full size.
The size is not that important in determining the performance, since the components used for manufacturing all the devices is more or less the same; these include a feed tube and a lid, a bowl, a motor, and some attachments.
Design Food Processors
Design of Food Processors
Coming to its design, a motor is designed at appliance’s base and this is the heaviest part of the food processor unit.
The full size food processors generally comprise of larger and more powerful motors, which weigh close to 20 lbs (9 kg). If the processor has more weight, the stability is higher, and it doesn’t vibrate too much when the motor runs,
Initially, the first-ever food processor was designed in white color with hard plastic material, but you can find food processor in vibrant colors, and stylish designs to blend with the modern kitchens.
Coming to the design of motor, a shaft is designed to direct power to the other attachments. The bowl used with the motor is usually developed with high durable transparent plastic, which fits the shaft and helps it in positioning it accurately.
Usually, the lid is made up of the similar material, mounted on the bowl’s top. However, the latest models are designed with on and off buttons or a switch to operate the appliance.
This cool video clip shows how a food processor works:
The Bowl
The lid is installed with the help of a plunger. It is possible to keep the food in this appliance via the feed tube, pushing down with the plunger. Some versions are designed with narrower and wider feed tubes to be used with smaller and larger food varieties.
The size of the bowl depends on the size of the machine. Generally, large size bowls come with capacity of 9 to 13 cups. In case of compact or medium sized bowls, they can accommodate five to seven cups, whereas the small size bowls have the capacity to hold 2 to 5 cups.
Here’s another video demonstration showing how the food processor can be used: