Great for the average user

I enjoy cooking, but the kind of cooking I do doesn't require me to haul out a food processor very often. But when it does, I'm glad I have the DLC-5, which features the usual high Cuisinart quality but is less complicated, somewhat smaller, and much cheaper than its siblings.

Biggest advantage: price. Most of the time, I see the DLC-5 available for about $100, sometimes $90. That's a lot less than its brandmates, which usually start at $150 and skyward.

Durability. Everything about this Cuisinart is solid, from the fantastically tough bowl to the motor. Everything locks together tightly, even when the machine's working on its most difficult tasks.

Power. Somewhat less than its bigger cousins, it nevertheless handles one of the toughest chores I can give it: shredding frozen mozzarella (if you're wondering - mozz from the fridge is too gummy to shred easily, and the pre-shredded kind lacks flavor). The motor does a good job of protecting itself - shutting down quickly when the machine gets stuck. That happens a little more often with the DLC-5 than with the larger models, but that's a minor inconvenience.

Capacity. More than enough for a smaller family. I cook in decent quantities and have never run out of room in the bowl. The DLC-5's footprint on the counter is not much bigger than the bowl itself, so I'm willing to leave it out.

Feed Tube. The simplest of the Cuisinart line. The larger models all have a mammoth feed tube that can accommodate a whole (small) tomato or orange. The downside is that the big tube is actually three separate pieces, all of which accumulate bits of food that have to be washed out. To me, it's not worth the hassle. I appreciate the DLC-5's simple, narrow tube, with just a white pusher. It fits better in my dishwasher and rinses easily.

On the whole, I believe the DLC-5 is the best value in the Cuisinart line.