Over the years I have owned about 6 different mini food choppers, including those from Cuisinart, Sunbeam, Black & Decker and Rival. The KitchenAid Chef's Chopper KFC3100 has proven to be the best of the lot.
What makes this chopper unique is the action of the blades which are angled and designed to cut in reverse motion which pulls the food down into the blades like a blender does, instead of smashing the food up against the walls of the bowl, as many other small choppers do.
There is only one button (PULSE) to operate, but this is sufficient since a pulsing action is the preferred method when using a chopper.
There are 2 openings in the feed tube....a large one for dry ingredients and a smaller one for liquids. They seem to work very well except that care must be exercised when feeding a liquid to prevent spilling over.
The capacity is about 2-3 cups depending on what you are chopping and the consistency desired. Some practice and experience with different ingredients will give you the hang of this pretty quickly.
All of the working parts are dishwasher safe and there is a nice power cord storage under the base. The plastic bowl could have been made a little sturdier as I worry that its thin design may succumb to cracks with long term use. If KitchenAid would re-design the bowl with sturdier plastic, I believe this would be a perfect little chopper.
It is available in various colors including black, red, white etc. to complement any kitchen decor or match a larger mixer or food processor.
The one thing I am not concerned about is the motor on this machine. I have owned many KitchenAid appliances in the past and I can attest to the solid and long-lasting motors in their products.
Some reviewers have commented on the excessive noise produced by this chopper, but I do not agree on this point. It produces a reasonably acceptable operating noise that in my opinion is no louder than any other comparably sized electric appliance.
I bought mine at Amazon.com for $39.95 with free shipping and feel that it is well worth the price for the performance and good looks of this fine machine.
Kitchen Universe
