Bottom line
The Cuisinart Custom 14 is still the sensible default: a wide feed tube, one useful bowl, and controls you can operate by feel.
Home cooks who make dips, slaws, doughs, or big batches.
Your prep is mostly small amounts of herbs and garlic.
A processor earns space when it removes repetitive knife work. We focused on bowl size, feed-tube usefulness, cleanup, and the prep jobs that come back every week. If you are weighing bowl capacity against controlled feeding, compare the Cuisinart Custom 14 and Breville Sous Chef 12.
Bowl size, blades, and prep jobs
These are editorial recommendations, not a lab score. Product details and availability can change. Links may earn us a commission without changing what you pay.
| Pick | Why it stands out | |
|---|---|---|
 Video: Cuisinart's own product video 01 Cuisinart Custom 14-Cup Best overall | Wide feed tube. Simple, dependable controls. | Check price on Amazon |
 Video: Breville's own product video 02 Breville Sous Chef 12 Best premium pick | Beautifully precise slicing. Sturdy bowl. | Check price on Amazon |
What we like
- Wide feed tube
- Simple, dependable controls
What to know
- Takes real shelf space
Buy for the prep you repeat
Choose a food processor for the ingredients you regularly slice, shred, chop, or turn into dough. If those jobs are occasional and small, the storage cost can outweigh the time saved.
Questions, answered
What can a food processor do better than a blender?
A processor is built for dry ingredients, slicing, shredding, and dough. A blender needs liquid to move food through the blades.
Which food processor has the larger work bowl?
Cuisinart publishes a 14-cup work bowl for the Custom 14. Breville publishes a 12-cup bowl for the Sous Chef 12, so the Cuisinart gives you more stated bowl capacity.
Which processor is easier to fit around large ingredients?
Cuisinart publishes an extra-large feed tube, while Breville publishes a wide feed chute with more than one opening size. Choose based on the shapes you prep most, and use the pusher rather than forcing food through.
Are the processor parts dishwasher safe?
Cuisinart says the Custom 14 parts are dishwasher safe except for the motor base. Breville says the Sous Chef 12 bowl and lid are dishwasher safe; keep the motor base out of water and follow the current manuals for blades and discs.
What does the Cuisinart give up compared with the Breville?
The Cuisinart keeps the setup simpler, but it gives up Breville’s integrated accessory caddy and more controlled feed-chute system. Choose Breville when organized attachments and feed control matter more than the larger Cuisinart bowl.