Black+Decker 8-Cup Review

Chopping

We chopped onions, carrots, and almonds with this model and evaluated the finished product on quality and consistency, as well as comparing the stopping time of the “Pulse” button between different models. The Black+Decker scores average, which put it close to the back of the pack. It only had a slight pause between the release of the pulse button.

The Black+Decker produced some of the worst onions of the group, with a huge range of sizes varying from practically minced to huge chunks. Its performance substantially improved in our carrot test. The chop was a little on the larger side, but it was relatively even. It took a few more pulses than some other models to reach a quality result.

Quality dropped again in our almond test; the Black+Decker tied with a handful of other food processors for the dubious honor of having the second-worst chopped nuts. It left a non-trivial amount of whole almonds and larger chunks while simultaneously producing a decent amount of pulverized almond dust. This directly contrasts the desired result of small, even pieces.

Mixing

Our mixing test was the only metric where the Black+Decker scored above average. In our test kitchen, we whipped up pie crust, pizza dough, and mayonnaise from scratch. This model doesn't have a dough blade but still makes fine pizza dough. The motor sounded like it struggled a little bit, and when the ball of dough formed, it pressed on the lid very hard, actually bending it while it was rotating around. However, there appeared to be no negative repercussions.

The performance was similar when making pie crust, though it took a little longer with this machine. When rolled out, the dough had a few dry spots, lacking slightly behind higher scoring models. However, the Black+Decker failed at making mayonnaise in our test. The blade spins too high in the bowl to make the amount prescribed in our test recipe, so while this model could effectively make mayonnaise, you would need to make a very large batch at a time.

Pureeing

The pureeing score was based on the quality of hummus, applesauce, nut butter, and tomato sauce, as judged by our panel of tasters. Additionally, we performed a leak test with the container filled with water. This machine produced the worst hummus of the group; after two and a half minutes of pureeing, the hummus was by far the coarsest in texture. It took around an additional five minutes of pureeing time before the hummus was even close to being as smooth as some of the other models. This model also did a subpar job at grinding nut butter, requiring periodic scrapes of a spatula to help it on its way. It took about 25 minutes to complete, so making nut butter is not a task to be undertaken lightly with this model. This machine is also exceptionally loud, measuring 92.5 dBA about 3' away.

Both applesauce and tomato sauce were slightly below average, leaving a decent number of chunky bits of tomato and an entire apple slice un-pureed. This model also leaked, with water slowly dripping out and occasionally splashing through the lid seam.

Shredding

Continuing its downward trend, the Black+Decker performed worse at shredding than pureeing. We evaluated its shredding capabilities with cheese, potatoes, and carrots and compared the adjustability of shredding settings to the other models. It only offers a medium shred setting, and the feed tube was too small to fit a 2lb block of cheese, requiring us to slice it in half lengthwise. A large portion of the cheese crumbled rather than shredded, and there were copious amounts stuck in the space between the lid and the shredding disc. However, the 50% of the cheese that was shredded properly was of acceptable quality, though the machine sounded like it might break throughout this.

The quality of shredded potatoes and carrots dropped significantly, with extremely inconsistently sized, flimsy shreds being produced. There were also large chunks of foodstuffs remaining in the gap between the lid and shredding disc.

Slicing

The Black+Decker did marginally better at slicing than shredding. The tests were practically identical to shredding, substituting tomatoes and zucchini for cheese and carrots. It again has no adjustability for size, and the feed tube fit most of our tomatoes, though it was too small for the largest one. The sliced tomatoes weren't bad, ranking about average, and weren't completely mutilated or mangled.

Performance fell when it came to slicing potatoes or zucchini, creating slices that had a wide range in thickness with tapered cuts.

Cleaning

The bowl, lid, blades, and discs are all dishwasher safe, though for the top shelf only. The blade was relatively easy to clean by hand, though the smooth texture made it a little hard to hold onto when it was all soaped up. The bowl didn't have any particularly troublesome spots to clean, but its smaller size added a little difficulty to the process. The lid wasn't bad, though there is a small gap between the edge of the lid and where the feed tube intersects that can be quite difficult to get a sponge or brush, allowing some food scraps to be overlooked.

Should You Buy the Black+Decker 8-Cup?

If you need a bare-bones food processor for a super affordable price, this is that device. If you don't plan to use your food processor often and need something basic, it could do the job. Otherwise, we'd recommend spending a few bucks more on one of the higher-performing machines.

What Other Food Processor Should You Consider?

This is a basic and very affordable machine, but it scores the lowest of the group. We'd recommend spending a few more bucks on the Hamilton Beach 10-Cup or the Ninja Professional Food Processor, both of which earn significantly higher overall scores. If you want the best you can get and don't mind paying for it, the Breville Sous Chef 16 Pro is the way to go.