Hamilton Beach 70740 8-Cup Food Processor Review
The Hamilton Beach 70740 8-Cup Food Processor comes with a budget friendly price, its users rave about its lightening speed in chopping, slicing and dicing, but is it too good to be true? Can you expect great performance at such a low price?
What are you giving up in exchange for such a low price? My review tells you everything you need to know about this great little food processor. However, because of its limitations it might not work for everyone. Let’s dive into the details so you can decide if this will work for you.
Capacity
The Hamilton Beach 70740 Food Processor has a 8-cup work bowl which is made out of Polypropylene and it is also BPA free, a nice feature considering the low price. I did some quick research on Polypropylene and basically it is a kind of plastic used in consumer goods because it has a high melting point compared to other plastics. This means that it will not warp if you wash it in hot water or wash it in the dishwasher.
I did speak with a very friendly agent at Hamilton Beach because I wanted to find out if the bowl was cold and heat resistant, she really did not know for sure but said it’s “somewhat.”
Even though the stated capacity is 8-cups, you can only take up to 3 cups of fruits and veggies and even less for cheese and meat. The liquid capacity is only 14 ounces (1.75 cups), which is not a lot if you intend to use this processor to make soups or sauces. You’ll either need to make small batches or upgrade to a larger size.
The bowl is also not shatterproof, so be careful not to drop it or it might break. A replacement bowl costs about $17 which is half the price of a brand new unit.
Size of Feed Tube
The feed tube is not big enough to fit whole vegetables like cucumbers or potatoes, so you’ll need to cut your veggies to fit into the feed chute. Also, it only comes with one pusher and there is no option in the pusher for you to drizzle oil or other liquids into the bowl for when you’re making things like mayonnaise.
Knead Dough
The 70740 Food Processor does not come with a dough blade. In fact the instructions specifically state the machine should not be used to knead dough. So if you think you’ll need this function, then you should pass on this model.
Controls/Speed
This unit has a control knob with two speeds plus pulse. When you turn the knob to 1 or 2, the processor will run continuously while turning it to pulse (P) will cycle it on and off. I called the company to find out what’s the difference between speed 1 and speed 2, and was told that one was faster than the other but the agent could not tell me which one was faster.
Power
Comes with a 450 watt motor which is adequate for what the machine is designed to do, that is chopping, slicing and shredding.
Blades
The 70740 Food Processor only comes with two blades:
1. Stainless steel S-Blade – for chopping, mixing and pureeing
2. Stainless steel Reversible slicing and shredding disc – for shredding cheese or slicing veggies
The blades store conveniently in the lid, so there is no need to buy a separate disc holder.
Hamilton Beach 70740 8-Cup Food Processor Dimensions
Height: 15.57 inches
Width: 10.71 inches
Depth: 8.4 inches
Weight: 6.3 lbs
Power cord: 29 inches
Additional Features
The Hamilton Beach 70740 8-Cup Food Processor is lightweight so it’s easy to store in your kitchen cabinets and it is not going to hog all your counter space. Another nice feature is the suction cups that are attached to the base of the unit to keep it stable during processing tasks.
The processor is fast, and the blades are razor sharp which means they can whip through your veggies and other foods with no problem at all.
It is very easy to put together plus when you’re done working it is also very easy to take it apart for cleaning.
Hamilton Beach 70740 8-Cup Food Processor Included Accessories
- 8-cup work bowl and lid
- Stainless steel S-Blade
- Stainless steel Reversible slicing and shredding disc
- Food pusher
Pros
- Ease of use
- Super fast processing
- Suction cups on the base ensures the unit stays put on your counter and does not move around while processing
- Very easy to clean
- Dishwasher safe
- Conveniently stores the blades inside the work bowl
- Small footprint, takes up very little space on the countertop
- Lightweight
- Inexpensive
Cons
- Noisy
Hamilton Beach 70740 8-Cup Food Processor Reviews and Ratings
I was pleasantly surprised that such an inexpensive machine like the Hamilton Beach 70740 8-Cup Food Processor would receive so many positive reviews. The overall theme of the reviews is that the unit is very fast, it processes in seconds.
Another recurrent theme is that the machine is very easy to clean, which increases the likelihood that you’ll want to use it more often because it is a snap to clean. I came across very, very few negative reviews. Interestedly, most of the reviewers only seem to have had the machine for a short time, in most cases less than a year, so it is really hard to tell how the machine is going to hold up over time.
What I found is that the majority of consumers who have purchased and used the 70740 Food Processor really like the value they got for the money and the performance of the unit itself.
Price
If you are comparison shopping for food processors, then you know this model is at the low end of the scale. I’ve seen this model being sold for up to $50 but you don’t have to pay that much for it as I’ve also seen it priced for under $35.
Summary
The Hamilton Beach 70740 8-Cup Food Processor will definitely make your meal prep a lot easier and go a lot faster, not to mention it beats standing on your feet for hours chopping, slicing and dicing. This is a great entry-level food processor, so if you want to chop, slice and shred faster than you can by hand, and want to keep the price under $40, this machine fits the bill.
