Cuisinart DFP-14BCN Custom 14-Cup Food Processor Review

“Wow! This thing is the best tool possible you can put in your kitchen!” So claims a Cuisinart DFP-14BCN Custom Food Processor reviewer. But wait, there is more: “The large size is great for dough work, but it’s not TOO big that it can’t handle some of your smaller jobs. “Makes hard tasks easy” and “Simple, Strong, Workhorse of a processor.”

In writing my review these are some of the positive things that are being said about this particular Cuisinart model. Quite a number of the reviews are from die-hard Cuisinart fans, some on their second or third food processor.

This model boasts a large capacity and a powerful motor to tackle all those tedious and time consuming kitchen tasks, not to mention that it looks good on your countertop and complements your other stylish appliances.

Is there anything lacking in this model? Is it worth the price? Let’s go over the features together and we’ll figure out if this is the right food processor for you.

Update: This model is discontinued and is being replaced with the Cuisinart DFP-14BCNY 14-Cup Food Processor.

Capacity

When you’re creating a meal it often involves several steps and the need to process several ingredients at a time. With the DFP-14BCN 14-Cup capacity you’ll have plenty of room to make large batches of fresh hummus, salsa and knead enough dough for multiple loaves of bread. No need to split the recipe and process in multiple batches, which can be time consuming and a hassle. With such a large capacity, you can get practically all your food prep work done in one fell swoop.

Customers are taking advantage of the large size to puree soups and make large batches of salsa, pesto and even dog food. It makes large batch cooking a snap.

The 14-Cup work bowl features:

• Shatter resistant Lexan® plastic
• Cold and heat resistant
• Goes right into the dishwasher
• BPA free – so no toxic plastic chemicals are leaching into your food
• The bowl is 7 inches in diameter and 6 inches high

The work bowl can hold up to 3 pounds or 6 cups of all-purpose flour, 3-1/2 cups of whole-grain flour and 14 cups of sliced or shredded fruit, cheese, or vegetables. The liquid capacity is much less. There is a max fill level for liquids that is clearly marked on the bowl, just be sure to not go over that line and you’ll save yourself from a messy situation.

Just follow Cuisinart’s recommendations to you use no more than 3 cups thin or 6 cups thick liquid and you’ll do fine.

The work bowl does not come with a compact flat cover, the cover with this model has the extra-large feed tube integrated into it.  There is an option to purchase a Flat Cover with Cap for about $15

One last thing I wanted to point out about the work bowl (I found this info in the manual) is that chopping certain foods like ice or whole spices can scratch the bowl and also using certain oils like wintergreen oil may make the work bowl cloudy over time. Cuisinart suggests  you  buy another one so that you can dedicate one bowl just for your spices  or oils

Unfortunately this model only comes with the one 14-Cup bowl and there isn’t an option to add a smaller bowl.

Size of Feed Tube

Processing larger items such as cheese and zucchini is a snap with the included extra-large feed tube. It can accommodate those large batches of vegetables from your garden or farmer’s market with ease. Using the large pusher you can push whole potatoes or tomatoes through the large feed tube, no need to cut them into smaller pieces first, which cuts down on your prep time.

There is also a small food pusher which can be used when you need to process say one carrot or cucumber or when you need to add oil or other liquids and it will incorporate it slowly into your mixture in the bowl.

Some customers did find it a bit of a nuisance that the feed tube is located at the back of the machine. Being in the back made it more awkward to operate, I suspect because the conrol buttons are in the front of the machine.

Knead Dough

The included plastic dough blade along with the large 14-Cup capacity work bowl lets you make big batches of your favorite dough. It is great for kneading bread dough and making pizza, pie and cookie dough.

Controls/Speed

Paddle controls feature an off/pulse control to quickly process dough and raw dry ingredients as well as the “on” button that allows for continuous operation.

All food processors have an on and pulse buttons.  The continuous on button is used to grind meat, make nut butters or pureeing fruits and vegetables to make baby food or other recipes.

You use the pulse button by pressing it on and off and to get the required consistency that you want. If you pulse too long you can over process your food and turn it into mush.

Power

The motor base houses a 720-watt heavy-duty motor that is powerful yet quiet. It is not going to get bogged down or give up when processing heavy dough.

NOTE: One thing I wanted to point out is that the “how to” video on the Cuisinart website said the machine comes with a “powerful induction motor,” but when I called customer service to ask them what is the benefit of an induction motor, the agent said the machine comes with a “Direct Drive” motor, which means there are no gears connecting the motor to the shaft so it is less likely to break.

Blades

Each blade is engineered to make full use of the power from the DFP-14BCN 720 watt motor. The blades are versatile and will make your food preparation very quick and easy. The discs have balancers on the bottom to keep them level while working.

1. Stainless Steel Slicing Disc (4mm) – the slicing disc can thinly slice any food item such as lemons, cabbage, or potatoes for au gratin

2. Medium Shredding Disc – can act as a fine grater or french cutter shredding disc

3. Stainless Steel Chopping/Mixing Blade – the all-purpose chopping blade can puree pesto and sauce or slice through herbs quickly. This blade can be used for a variety of projects in the kitchen.

4. Plastic Dough Blade – can mix a variety of dough and batter

Some customers noted that the blades didn’t seem to be of the same quality as earlier models and that they cracked or broke over time.  Replacement discs are available, however they are expensive. The 4mm slicing disk costs $32 and the medium shredding disc costs $26

These blades are very versatile and can do vegetables, purees, chop & puree meats and fish, bread dough, nuts, cheese, cake batter and cookie dough, whip egg whites, whip cream, bread crumbs

In the demo video, the Cuisinart representative was able to quickly slice red peppers and they came out beautifully, all the slices were uniform. But would it do the same for soft high water content vegetables like tomatoes? One user noted that the slicing disc is great for slicing hard vegetables but it did not do so well with tomatoes. It may take some trial and error to get the results you need with soft veggies.

Extra Attachments

Cuisinart sells a variety of discs to add to your collection. These discs can be used on the Cuisinart DFP-14 Custom 14-Cup Food Processor and reduce the amount of kitchen clutter with gadgets such as mandolins or julienne devices.

To round out your collection and get a nice set of discs you can invest in the 3 Piece Specialty set which includes an extra thick slicing, fine grating and french fry discs. It cost about $70.

You can also purchase a Whisk Attachment (to beat cream, egg whites, etc).  The Cuisinart DLC-055TX-1 Food Processor Whisk Attachment  includes the whisk attachment, hub adapter, and 2 stainless steel beaters. It costs $62 on Amazon and $83 on the Cuisinart website.

For safety I would also recommend purchasing either the disc holder or the blade and disc holder to store all your blades and discs.

 

Cuisinart DFP-14BCN Custom Food Processor Dimensions

Height: 15.75 inches

Width: 9.75 inches

Depth: 7.50 inches

Weight: 18.4 pounds

Power cord: 30 inches

Additional Features

You won’t need a “cook’s thumb” to dish out wonderful recipes. The Cuisinart DFP-14BCN Custom 14-Cup Food Processor comes with a video demonstration and recipe booklet filled with recipes and ideas in addition to maintenance and usage instructions.

The base of this unit is fairly heavy, weighing in around 15 pounds, but this weight gives the machine stability. Like almost all food processors today, there are four rubber feet on the underside of the base that keeps it from walking across your countertop when the machine is processing heavy loads.

The chopping blade comes right to the edge of the bowl which makes it great for finely chopping herbs or garlic and you don’t have to constantly stop to scrape in all the little bits and pieces.

This model incorporates some important safety features into its design. In order for the machine to start, you must assemble it properly, meaning every part must be placed in its correct position and locked into place.

Brushed stainless steel It comes in an attractive brushed stainless steel finish that will complement most décor.

Cuisinart DFP-14BCN Food Processor Included Accessories

• 14-Cup Work Bowl with Handle
• Work Bowl Cover with Extra Large Feed Tube
• Large Pusher and Sleeve Assembly
• Small Feed Tube and Pusher
• Stainless Steel Standard Slicing Disc (4mm)
• Medium Shredding Disc
• Stainless Steel Chopping/Mixing Blade
• Plastic Dough Bleade
• Detachable Disc Stm
• Spatula
• How-to Video
• Instruction/Recipe Book

Pros

• Easy to Use
• Easy to Clean
• Large Capacity
• Performs Well
• Stylish
• Dishwasher friendly
• Solid engineering for a lifelong product
• Extra attachments available
• Sturdy – heavier than people expected
• Runs pretty quietly

Cons

• Somewhat tricky re-assembly
• The solid design creates such a strong construction that it may be difficult to get the hang of putting the machine back together at first. There is a safety mechanism that will prevent the processor from turning on unless latched properly.
• May require additional hand cleaning after being put in the dishwasher
• Some pieces of the equipment will require additional scrubbing depending on the food processed. The plastic components will also need to be soaked immediately with certain sauces such as tomato sauce to prevent staining over time.
• Food particles build up in the safety mechanism but someone sprays with vegetable oil after each use and puts in dishwasher so it will come loose or hand washes to make sure
• Can’t adjust the thickness of slices

Cuisinart DFP-14BCN Food Processor Reviews and Ratings

There are loads of reviews online for the Cuisinart DFP-14BCN Custom 14-Cup Food Processor. An overwhelming number of these reviews are positive, extolling the many features and benefits of this machine. Lots of them are fans of the Cuisinart brand in general.

Some of the negative reviews complained that the product is made in China, therefore the quality is not what it used to be. Some customers also complained about how frustrating the safety mechanism is, but it was put in place for a purpose; to prevent injury to life and limb. And lastly, some customers did not like the feed tube being in the rear instead of the front.

Price

I’ve seen this model priced way over $200, but at most retailers, the price hovers between $165 and $180 which is still pricey, so if you are going to invest in this model, make sure you use it often to justify the cost.

When I saw how much this model cost, I was thinking that they are less expensive food processors on the market so what are you getting for the extra money? Here’s what you’re really paying for:

• Very large capacity
• Powerful motor
• comes standard with a nice selection of blades including a dough blade
• Extra attachments available to give you more versatility in processing
• Sturdy, well built
• Trusted brand that has been making food processors for a long time.

Even though you can get a food processor for under $30, it probably wouldn’t hold up as well as the DFP-14BCN. In preparing this review, lots of customers said that they had previously purchased a cheap processor that did not perform very well. An inexpensive machine is fine if you really don’t use it that often or you are on a tight budget. But if you’re looking for a large capacity processor with lots of power and blade options that can handle practically anything you throw at it, then it is worth the price.

Summary

The large capacity of the Cuisinart DFP-14BCN Custom 14-Cup Food Processor makes it an ideal choice people who are vegan or on the raw food diet and need to chop lots and lots of veggies. It would also work great for moms and dads wanting to make preservative-free baby food for their little ones.

If you’re accustomed to chopping, slicing and dicing by hand, this machine is going to cut down on your food prep time considerably. Still at prices hovering around $200, it is not cheap, but when you consider the time and money saved (by shredding your own cheese, making your own fresh hummus etc), this machine starts to look pretty good.  Not to mention the health benefits of eating freshly prepared preservative-free food. Priceless.

In my opinion buying the DFP-14BCN is a good investment only if you use it often and don’t let it just sit there on your counter or in your cabinet collecting dust.

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