Cuisinart Elite Vs. Elemental: Which food processor Should You Choose?

Do you want to know which food processor is better? Cuisinart or Elemental?

We are here to help.

This page will compare the two models and let you decide for yourself. It is a tough choice, but we can help guide you in the right direction.

At a Glance:

Best Pick

Cuisinart Elemental Food Processor

• Consumes lesser electricity 550 watts.
• Its lighter in weight (22 lb).
• Its cheaper than Elite.

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Staff Pick

Cuisinart Elite 14 cup Food Processor

• Powerful motor 1300 watt.
• Dishwasher safe.
• 3 years warranty.
• Best for kneading dough.

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Both of these machines are great options, so it all comes down to what your needs are as a consumer.

Elite and Elemental are different models of same brand named Cuisinart but they have some differences that you should know as a buyer.

If you do not have much experience with food processors, this comparison will be beneficial.

Let’s get started.

Cuisinart Food Processor Elite Vs Elemental Food Processor Overview

Models

Cuisinart Elite food processor comes in two variants ie 12 cup and 14 cup variant, but the 12 cup variant is discontinued.

Cuisinart Elemental food processor, comes in three variants and these are 8 ,11 and 13 cup variants.

Do I need Elite or Elemental

The question is quite easy to answer after detail comparison of both variants. If you are low on budget (Under $200), you have to go for Cuisinart Elemental. Now under Elemental brand, it all depends upon your family size. If you have to cook meals for a bigger family of 5 or more people you should go for 13 cup variant. If you have medium size family of 3 people, you should opt for 11 cup variant. And for a new honey moon couple of two people, the basic 8 cup variant is totally sufficient.

If budget is not a big constraint, and you need a powerful machine that works equally good for home use as well as professional or massive use, the Elite is your choice.

Power

In terms of power, Cuisinart Elite is far more powerful than Elemental. Both the variants of Elite variants i.e. 12 cup and 14 cup are more powerful than all variants of Elemental. 12 cup variants has 1000 watt power while the 14 cups variant has 1300 watt power.

Elemental has three variants and they differ mainly in size and power. These variants are 8, 11 and 13 cup variants.

The 8 cup variant operates at 350 watt, the 11 and 13 cup variants, both operate at 550 watt. So if the power usage is if supreme importance for you you should choose the 8 cup Elemental variant.

Weight

If you are an aged person, or if you are buying the food processor for some one having some disability or disease like arthritis or Parkinson’s disease, the weight is surely a concern. The Cuisinart Elite food processors weight more than the Elemental. Both the variants of Cuisinart food variants weight only 23.50 lb or 10 kg.

On the other hand, the basic 8 cup variant of Elemental food processor, weights only 10 lb or 4.5 kg, while the 13 cup variants weights 22lb or 10 kg.

Size and Dimensions (How big)

Some times when you have a compact kitchen, the size of the food processor or area it covers becomes the consumer’s major concern. Both the variant of Elite food processor have dimension of 20.00″ x 13.00″ x 15.75″ and these measurements are in inches. This size is big enough to hold almost 65 to 70 Liters of liquid.

The 8 cup variant of Elemental is smallest in size with dimensions of 10.83″ x 10.43″ x 17.91″ inches and hence suitable for smallest kitchen counters.

Warranty

Both Elite and Elemental variants of Cuisinart food processor come with 3 years limited warranty. It means that the damages are not covered under the warranty however any defects are covered.

Dishwasher safe

All the parts of Cuisinart Elemental and Elite food processor are dish washer safe except housing base. Also it is suggested to use the top rack only for dish washing.

Key Similarities

• Both models have Limited 3 years warranty.
• They both come with a cookbook, measuring cup, spatula, and recipe booklet.
• Both machines come with dough blade, which is perfect for all sort of kneading needs like bread or pizza dough.
• Both machines come with reversible shredding disks, which are powerful enough and is suitable for extremely fine and coarse shredding of cabbage, cheese or carrots.
• Both food processors are made of stainless steel.
• Both Elite and Elemental variants are BPA free.

Key Differences

• The Elemental variants are heavier as compared to Elemental variants.
• Cuisinart Elite consumes more electricity (1000 Watt) as compared of all models of Cuisinart Elemental (350 to 550) watts.
• The Elemental is cheaper than the Cuisinart Elite because it’s made from plastic instead of metal.
• The Elite variants need more space in your kitchen counter as compared to Elemental variants.

Frequently Asked Questions

What are the benefits or drawbacks of using Cuisinart Food Processor Elite Vs Elemental Food Processor in comparison to each other?

The Cuisinart Food Processor Elite and the Elemental food processor have many similarities, but there are also some critical differences between them. For instance:

Both can process vegetables into slices or chutneys without dealing with complex work like peeling using either tool for both tasks .

It takes less than 5 minutes altogether.

Which features are important in a food processor if any?

The best food processor has several different attachments to help you prepare all types of foods, including chopping and mincing. The motor must be powerful enough for heavy-duty work like slicing meat or crushing ice cubes into slushies.

Do you think that size or power is more important in a food processor?

A food processor can be used for many different purposes, but what kind of work do you want to do with it? More giant blades are better if precision is your top priority.

On the other hand, smaller models make slicing more accessible and provide more power than larger counterparts, so they are great when speed matters most.

Are Cuisinart elite food processor replacement parts available?

A strong reason for choosing Cuisinart food processors is because all the replacement parts can be ordered from the company website. You can purchase new work bowls, covers, pushers, shredding discs and slicing discs for your Cuisinart food processor.

Not only for the latest food processor models but the replacement parts are available for the discontinued Cuisinart food processor models.

List of discontinued models whose replacement parts are available

One of the reason that Cuisinart is one of the most popular Food processor brand in United States is because all of the discontinued models are still repairable. Not only company repairs them but also provides replacement parts of all discontinued models given below.

• 7 Cup Food Processor (DLC-5)
• 7 Cup Food Processor (MFP-107BC)
• 8-Cup Food Processor
• Deluxe 11™ 11 Cup Food Processor (DFP-11)
• Elite Collection™ 12 Cup Food Processor (FP-12DC)
• Elite Collection™ 14 Cup Food Processor (FP-14DC)
• Handy Prep™ 3 Cup Food Processor (DFP-3)
• Limited Edition Metal™ 14 Cup Food Processor (MP-14)
• Limited Edition Metal™ 14 Cup Food Processor (MP-14N)
• Little Pro Plus™ Compact 3 Cup Food Processor/Juicer (LPP)
• Mini-Mate Plus® 9 Ounce Chopper/Grinder (MM-2M)
• Mini-Prep® 2.6-Cup Food Processor (DLC-1)
• Mini-Prep® Plus Processor (DLC-2BK)
• Original 7 Cup Food Processor (DFP-7BC)
• Plus™ 20 Cup Food Processor (DLC-XP)
• Plus™ 20 Cup Food Processor (DLC-XPBCN)
• Prep 11 Plus™ 11 Cup Food Processor (DLC-2011CHB)
• Prep 7® 7 Cup Food Processor (DLC-2007)
• Prep 7® 7 Cup Food Processor (DLC-2007N)
• Prep 9™ 9 Cup Food Processor – The Ideal Prep Tool (DLC-2009CHB)
• PrepExpress™ Handheld Food Processor (HFP-300)
• PrepExpress™ Slicer, Shredder and Spiralizer (SSL-100GM)
• Elemental 11 Cup Food Processor (FP-11SV)
• Elemental 13 Cup Food Processor with Dicing (FP-13DGM)
• Elemental 4-Cup Chopper/Grinder (ECH-4GM)
• Elemental 8 Cup Food Processor(FP-8SVP1)
• Elite Collection® 12 Cup Food Processor (FP-12DCN)
• Elite Collection® 2.0 14 Cup Food Processor (FP-14DCN)
• Elite Collection™ 4 Cup Chopper/Grinder(CH-4DC)
• EvolutionX Cordless Mini Chopper (RMC-100)
• Kitchen Central™ 3-in-1 Food Processor (CFP-800)
• Mini-Prep® Plus 24 Ounce Processor (DLC-2A)
• PowerPrep Plus® 14 Cup Food Processor (DLC-2014N)
• PowerPrep Plus® 14 Cup Food Processor (DLC-2014CHB)

Cuisinart Elite 14 cup Food Processor

Staff Pick

Cleaning the lid of Cuisinart elite food processor

You may be confused about how to clean the lid of your Cuisinart Elite food processor. First of all you should try to clean the lid by hand. You should not put any water directly on any electrical parts of the food processor. You need a damp cloth, soapy water and a hand brush with a long handle to clean the lid of your Elite food processor. Scrub away any dirt or food particles with that brush or a scrub brush. After cleaning the lid with fresh water dry the lid instantly with the damp cloth.

You can also clean the lid using the dish washer but we suggest that you always clean the lid though your hands because it will increase the life of your food processor.

Pros

• Powerful motor 1300 watt.
• Dishwasher safe.
• 3 years warranty.
• Best for kneading dough.

Cons

• Consumes more power 1000 watt.
• Bigger in size.
• Heavier in weight.
• Its costly.

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Cuisinart Elemental Food Processor

Best Pick

Pros

• Consumes lesser electricity 550 watts.
• Its lighter in weight (22 lb).
• Its cheaper than Elite.

Cons

• Less powerful motor.

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Wrapping Up!

We hope we have been able to help you decide with this detailed review of Cuisinart and Elemental food processors.

Let us know which one is your favorite or if any other questions come up as you continue shopping around for the best kitchen appliance.