If you're running a commercial kitchen, you know that efficiency and precision are key to delivering delicious meals to your customers.
With competitive price and timely delivery, Nuovo Machinery sincerely hope to be your supplier and partner.
That's where a high-quality food processor comes in.
With their ability to slice, dice, grind, and puree, these machines are crucial tools for any professional chef.
In this guide, we'll explore the top features to look for when selecting a commercial food processor, and some of the best options available in the market today.
Let's get started!
To make an informed decision about the industrial food processor that best suits your requirements, it is essential to understand the various types available and their distinct features.
So, let's delve into the intricacies of these machines and explore their unique characteristics.
Choosing the correct equipment for your commercial kitchen is essential for efficient and precise food preparation.
While blenders and food processors can sometimes overlap in functionality, referring to the table below provides a clear comparison of their features and capabilities.
This will help you make an informed decision and select the equipment that best suits your needs, ensuring outstanding results in your culinary pursuits.
Motor power is a vital aspect of commercial food processors in Canadian kitchens.
With power ranging from 0.5 to 3 horsepower (370 to watts), higher wattage enables efficient processing of various ingredients.
This table summarizes the motor power ranges commonly found in commercial food processors:
To make an informed decision when selecting a commercial food processor, it is important to examine the finer details of various features.
Factors such as bowl material, hopper style, controls and speeds, RPM, and noise level play a pivotal role in influencing performance and creating a harmonious working environment in your commercial kitchen.
Let's explore these features, understand their importance, and help you confidently choose the right equipment.
Commercial food processors are equipped with a range of speed settings and revolutions per minute (RPM) options, carefully designed to meet the diverse needs of chefs and kitchen professionals.
These features play a pivotal role in ensuring precise and consistent results in culinary preparations.
By understanding the nuances of speed settings and RPM options, you can unleash the full potential of your commercial food processor, elevating your culinary creations to new levels of excellence.
Variable speed
Commercial food processors are frequently equipped with adjustable speed settings, enabling chefs to customize the processing speed based on specific recipe demands.
This versatility lets you achieve greater control and precision, so you can get the desired textures and consistencies with finesse.
Fixed speed
Certain models feature fixed speed settings, often providing two or three pre-set speed levels.
These options prioritize simplicity and user-friendliness, ensuring reliable performance at a consistent speed throughout culinary preparations.
RPM Range
The RPM range of commercial food processors typically falls between and .
This denotes the rotational speed of the processor's blades or discs, influencing its performance.
Fine chopping and blending
Higher RPM settings, ranging from to , excel at tasks requiring fine chopping and blending.
These speeds ensure precise processing, resulting in smooth textures and finely chopped ingredients that meet the highest culinary standards.
Coarse cutting
Lower RPM settings, typically around to , are more suitable for coarse cutting tasks.
This speed range enables the processor to handle tougher ingredients, delivering coarser cuts and textures that are ideal for specific recipes and culinary preferences within Canadian commercial kitchens.
As a chef, selecting the right bowl material for your commercial food processor is a crucial decision that can significantly impact the quality and consistency of your dishes.
Each bowl material has its unique advantages, and understanding them is essential to make an informed decision.
Clear plastic bowls offer the advantage of transparency, allowing you to visually monitor the progress without lifting the lid.
This feature is particularly useful when aiming for precise textures or consistency in culinary creations.
Commonly used in commercial kitchens, they excel at tasks such as emulsifying dressings, creating smooth purees, and preparing visually appealing layered desserts.
Grey plastic bowls are highly regarded for their durability, versatility, ease of use, and cost-effectiveness.
Crafted from high-quality food-grade materials, they can withstand the demanding nature of busy food preparation environments.
Their resistance to stains and odours ensures long-lasting performance and easy clean-up, making them a reliable choice.
Stainless steel bowls can safely handle hot or acidic ingredients without leaching chemicals.
They provide excellent heat retention and boast a sleek and professional appearance.
With easy cleaning and maintenance, stainless steel bowls offer longevity and a polished aesthetic desired by chefs seeking durability and elegance.
The bowl capacity of a commercial food processor plays an important role in optimizing efficiency and productivity within restaurant kitchens.
Here's why it holds such significance:
The hopper is an integral part of a commercial food processor as it determines how ingredients are processed, affecting both efficiency and ingredient compatibility.
Here are some hopper styles to consider when choosing the right food processor for your needs.
Characterized by its spacious capacity and wide opening, the bulk feed hopper lets you process a substantial amount of ingredients at once.
This style excels in handling high-volume food preparation and is ideal for processing large quantities of fruits, vegetables and more.
The bulk feed hopper enables efficient and continuous feeding, minimizing the need for frequent ingredient reloading, making it highly advantageous in busy commercial kitchens.
Also known as a round hopper, the full moon hopper features a round wide opening. It is specifically designed to accommodate larger or bulkier ingredients, such as whole fruits or vegetables.
With ample space for easy loading and processing, this hopper style is commonly used in commercial food processors for tasks that involve slicing or grating large fruits or vegetables, or preparing bulk quantities of salad ingredients.
Referred to as a crescent hopper, the half moon hopper has a semi-circular shape with a narrow opening compared to the full moon hopper.
This design enables controlled feeding and precise processing of smaller or more delicate ingredients.
It is particularly suitable for tasks that require precision slicing, dicing, or julienning of ingredients.
The half moon hopper provides stability and control during the processing of smaller or irregularly shaped ingredients, making it an excellent choice for creating uniform cuts and achieving fine textures in commercial food preparation.
Have you ever been in a commercial kitchen where the food processor sounds like a jet engine, drowning out all other noise?
Well, the good news is that you don't have to put up with it anymore!
The secret to a quieter food processor lies in understanding the factors that contribute to noise levels.
The power of the motor, blade design, and overall construction all play a crucial role in determining how loud your food processor will be.
High-powered motors and high-speed blades tend to be noisier, while vibrations and resonances can amplify the sound.
To combat this, manufacturers incorporate sound-dampening materials, anti-vibration mechanisms, and improved motor designs to reduce noise levels.
Additionally, regular maintenance, lubrication, and inspection of the food processor can also contribute to noise reduction.
Now that you have a handle on the different types of food processors and important features to consider, let's shift our focus to another crucial aspect: blades and discs.
These components are vital to the performance and versatility of food processors, enabling precise cutting, chopping, slicing, and more.
In this section, we will discuss the various types and styles of blades and discs used in commercial food preparation.
We will explore their specific functions and how they are applied, providing useful information to enhance your culinary skills.
These primary blades are perfect for general chopping, pureeing, and blending tasks.
They excel at creating smooth sauces, dips, and dressings.
Equipped with small, sharp teeth along the edge, excel at effortlessly slicing through tougher ingredients such as bread or fibrous vegetables.
These blades provide clean and precise cuts without crushing the food, ensuring optimal texture and presentation in your culinary endeavours.
Equipped with evenly spaced holes, perforated blades ensure precise slicing while preventing sticking or jamming.
They are commonly used for delicate foods like tomatoes or soft fruits.
Slicing discs offer adjustable or interchangeable blades that allow for precise thickness control.
They effortlessly slice through a wide range of ingredients, ensuring consistent results.
Julienne discs feature sharp blades that are evenly spaced, allowing you to effortlessly create thin strips or matchstick cuts.
These discs are ideal for preparing uniform vegetable strips, perfect for salads, stir-fries, or garnishes.
Grating/shredding discs come in various sizes to quickly process ingredients like cheese, vegetables, or chocolate.
They offer versatility in creating different textures for a wide range of recipes.
Brunoise discs specialize in creating small, uniform cubes or dice.
They are ideal for precise and consistent cuts, commonly used for fruits, vegetables, or garnishes.
Whipping discs transform your food processor into a whipping powerhouse, perfect for whipping cream, beating egg whites, or creating light and fluffy mousses.
Gaufrette or waffle discs are designed to create waffle-cut slices or crinkle-cut edges, enhancing the visual appeal of your dishes.
These discs are commonly used for firm vegetables like potatoes or carrots, adding an extra touch of creativity and texture to your culinary creations.
They consist of a combination of blades and grids for quick and effortless dicing of ingredients.
With these kits, you can achieve consistent cube shapes that are perfect for salads, stews, or casseroles, ensuring uniformity in your culinary creations.
Crimping discs create decorative crimped edges on dough, adding a professional touch to pies, pastries, or tart shells.
French fry kits simplify the process of making in-house French fries by quickly cutting potatoes into uniform sticks ready for frying or baking.
When selecting a food processor, consider the available discs and blades it comes with.
Different models offer varying numbers, typically ranging from 0 to 16 or more.
These discs and blades have unique capabilities, allowing you to process a wide variety of ingredients.
This versatility makes the food processor an essential and valuable tool for your kitchen.
Robot Coupe, founded in in France, has a worldwide presence, including Canada, as a leading brand in commercial food processing.
Acknowledged for its high-quality, durable and innovative food processors, Robot Coupe is trusted in the Canadian culinary industry.
Their products, recognized for efficiency and versatility, support busy commercial kitchens and enhance productivity, making Robot Coupe an indispensable partner in Canada's food service sector.
Recommended brands include the Robot Coupe CL 50E, a continuous feed food processor with a 1-speed operation at 425 RPM and a powerful 1.5 HP motor.
For smaller-scale needs, consider the Robot Coupe R2B, a 3-quart food processor with a handle and smooth "S" blade assembly.
Shop Robot Coupe food processors now.
Hobart, established in the late 19th century, is a leading name in the foodservice industry, including commercial food processors in Canada.
Its prominence comes from superior engineering, robust construction, and energy-efficient designs. Offering reliable, durable, and user-friendly products, Hobart supports high-volume kitchens while emphasizing sustainability, aligning with Canada's eco-friendly ethos.
Recommended models include the FP100, a continuous-feed food processor featuring a large, removable half-size feed hopper, all-aluminum hopper and housing, and an interlock switch for safety.
Another option is the FP400i, a continuous-feed food processor with a two-speed motor. It offers a triple hopper/cover interlock system and four legs (two stationary front legs and two rear legs with casters) for easy mobility.
Shop Hobart commercial food processors now.
Sammic, established in in Spain, has become a global authority in foodservice equipment, including in the Canadian market.
Known for innovative, efficient designs, Sammic's commercial food processors are robust and reliable.
With a focus on technology, Sammic delivers superior performance while prioritizing energy efficiency.
Its commitment to quality and usability makes it a trusted choice for Canada's diverse, high-volume foodservice environments.
Recommended models include the Sammic KE-5V, a variable-speed emulsifier with a powerful 3 HP motor for quick chopping and mixing.
It offers adjustable speeds from 300 to 3,000 RPM, a stainless steel motor block, 5.5-litre stainless steel hopper, serrated 'S' blade, and a "cut and mix" scraper.
Another option is the Sammic CK-5V, a countertop vegetable prep slicer processor featuring brushless technology and a robust 3 HP motor.
Shop Sammic food processors now.
Waring, founded in , is a pioneer in the American foodservice industry, with significant influence in Canada.
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Its commercial food processors are prized for their innovative design, robust construction, and powerful performance.
Waring integrates advanced technology with practical user-friendly features, ensuring durability and efficiency.
A trusted name for rigorous commercial environments, Waring ensures high-quality food preparation while enhancing operational productivity.
Recommended brands include the Waring Commercial WFP11S, a versatile batch bowl food processor with slicing, shredding, puréeing, and chopping capabilities.
Its completely sealed 2.5-quart batch bowl is ideal for soups, sauces, and marinades.
Another option is the Waring Commercial FP, capable of processing up to 1,400 pounds per hour. It includes 5 discs (2 slicing, 2 dicing, and 1 shredding) and an "S" blade, making it perfect for high-volume kitchens in need of versatility.
Shop Waring commercial food processors now.
Omcan, since its inception in , has evolved into a key player in the foodservice industry, making a mark in the Canadian market.
Omcan's commercial food processors are noted for their robustness, efficiency, and versatility.
The brand combines state-of-the-art technology with durable materials, producing equipment that withstands high-volume usage.
By offering dependable, user-friendly solutions, Omcan supports diverse foodservice requirements while championing operational efficacy.
Recommended models include the Omcan FP-IT-, featuring a 3 qt. bowl, a 0.4 horsepower motor, and a set of blades at the bottom for efficient processing. Its single-speed motor operates at 2,800 RPM.
For larger-scale needs, consider the Omcan FP-IT--VT with a 9 qt. bowl, a powerful 1 horsepower motor, and a set of blades for thorough processing. Its motor offers two speeds ranging from 600 to 2,800 RPM.
Shop Omcan commercial food processors now.
Spending thousands of dollars on a new commercial food processor can put a strain on your budget and cash flow.
If you’d prefer not to invest a lot of money in a commercial food processor, a cheaper, pre-owned appliance might be the solution you’re looking for.
SilverChef’s range of ‘Certified Used’ commercial equipment is mostly ex-rental equipment sourced from businesses we know and trust.
The equipment is typically less than two-and-a-half years old, has been fully refurbished by us, and is backed by a three-month parts-and-labour warranty.
Considering the effective, or useful, life of a commercial food processor is around 10 years, you can be sure our Certified Used commercial food processors have plenty of life left in it.
You can either buy or finance the ‘Certified Used’ (and clearance) equipment on our website.
We’re one of the few financiers, if not the only one, in Canada that funds second-hand commercial kitchen equipment.
Read more about ‘Certified Used’ equipment
While the question may seem straightforward, it continues to be frequently asked due to the varying levels of familiarity with the full capabilities of commercial food processors.
This powerful kitchen appliance holds untapped potential that even experienced restaurateurs may not fully explore.
Beyond their basic functions, food processors offer remarkable versatility that enhances efficiency and unlocks creative culinary possibilities in a commercial kitchen.
Dough kneading
Food processors can efficiently knead dough for bread or pastries, saving valuable time and effort.
Emulsifying ingredients
They excel at emulsifying ingredients to create smooth vinaigrettes, aioli, or mayonnaise, ensuring consistent texture.
Fresh juice extraction
Certain food processors come with attachments for extracting fresh juice from citrus fruits, providing preservative-free options.
Texture control
With adjustable speed settings, chefs can effortlessly achieve desired textures, from coarse chopping to fine mincing.
Additional attachments
Food processors can be equipped with attachments for tasks such as grating cheese or shredding vegetables, streamlining your meal prep.
Yes, a food processor can serve as a blender with the appropriate attachments.
However, it is important to understand the distinction between their intended functions.
While a food processor is capable of handling some blending tasks, its primary strengths lie in chopping, slicing, and grating ingredients.
If your focus is on achieving consistent textures and smooth blending, particularly in industries like smoothie bars or establishments that prioritize fine purees, investing in a dedicated blender is recommended.
On the other hand, for industries where versatility and space-saving are paramount, such as small cafes, utilizing a food processor with blender capabilities can offer a practical solution.
The decision should be based on the specific requirements and priorities of your establishment, ensuring optimal results in your culinary endeavours.
When in the market for a commercial food processor, explore distinctive features that align precisely with your kitchen's unique requirements.
These encompass:
Speeds
Choose processors with on/off and pulse settings to ensure precise control. Some models offer high and low pulse settings for efficient chopping tasks.
Multifunctional accessories
Make sure the processor comes with shredding and slicing disks, and check if it offers additional attachments like a juicer or interchangeable blades for versatile food processing.
Dough blade
For those regularly working with dough, a processor with a dedicated dough blade can enhance performance and consistency in kneading tasks.
Touchpad controls
Go for processors equipped with touchpad controls, providing a sleek and modern interface that is easy to clean.
Liquid 'max' line
To prevent overfilling and potential leaks, opt for processors that feature a distinct 'Max' line on their mixing bowl.
Storage case
Take into account the models that provide a storage case as part of their package, offering a practical solution for keeping blades and accessories organized and easily accessible.
Feed tube
Save time and effort by selecting processors with a wide feed tube, allowing you to process larger food items without the need for pre-cutting.
Elevate your kitchen's performance with a commercial food processor that integrates these essential features, enabling culinary excellence and unmatched efficiency that will distinguish your establishment from the competition.
A control setting that delivers a burst of power for a short duration, allowing more precise control over the processing.
Ideal for roughly chopping ingredients or blending delicate items.
The most common blade type in a food processor, shaped like an 'S'. It's ideal for chopping, mincing, and pureeing ingredients.
A special type of blade, with short blunt arms, designed for kneading dough. It's typically made of plastic, unlike other metal blades.
The chute through which food is added into the food processor. It comes in different styles and sizes based on the model.
A type of motor known for its sturdiness and endurance.
It operates more silently and has a longer lifespan than universal motors.
A direct drive motor configuration places the motor directly beneath the bowl, enabling efficient power transfer.
This design optimizes the performance of the food processor, ensuring consistent and reliable operation for various culinary tasks.
A mechanism that unlocks the motor when the lid is open or not properly secured, serving as a vital safety feature.
Hospitality equipment can be expensive and paying for it outright can put pressure on your business’s cash flow.
Our finance solutions allow you to get the equipment you want now and to pay for it in small, regular amounts out of the revenue it helps generates.
Rent–Try–Buy® not only helps you maintain your cash flow, it also gives you unrivalled flexibility to adapt your equipment to the changing needs of your business.
You can upgrade or buy the equipment at any time or, after 12 months, return or continue renting it.
If you decide to buy the equipment, we’ll give you back 60% of the net rent you paid in the first year and 20% of any rental payments thereafter — to put toward the purchase price.
Food processors have become standard kitchen equipment and are virtually indispensable. But with so many styles, models and specifications, how to choose the right one for your operation?
It’s a lot like buying a car, with most of the same criteria: power, capacity, accessories and durability. And, as with buying a car, a little market research will pay dividends in making sure you choose wisely from our collection of commercial food processors.
In this article, we'll cover:
• Types of Commercial Food Processors
• Commercial Food Processor Accessories & Attachments
• Commercial Food Processor Features
Batch bowl food processors are the familiar food processors you’d see in any domestic kitchen. They are perfect for smaller amounts as their capacity is limited by the capacity of the bowl. The larger the bowl, the more food that can be processed at one time. As long as you are comfortable with the volume of food you can process in one operation, a batch bowl is likely the right choice for you.
All food processors work along the same lines: a self-contained electric motor drives a shaft to which a cutting blade or disc is attached. As you might guess from their name, continuous feed food processors differ from batch bowl models in their ability to dispense the processed food from the machine into a receptacle.
With a continuous feed, you can feed food items into the processor to your heart’s content without having to stop to empty the bowl. You only have to remove the bowl when you want to change to a different food item. Great for processing large batches of food, ideally suited to busy, high volume establishments.
Can’t decide between the bowl and continuous feed models? There’s a solution to that, namely a combination food processor, which is a hybrid of the two. Depending on the job at hand, processed food can stay contained in the bowl, or with the addition of a continuous feed attachment, the food is ejected into a receptacle as it’s processed.
The same motor base is used and the batch bowl or continuous feed units are interchanged as needed.
For most operations, the standard smooth “S” blade is all you need. This is the blade that all processors come equipped with. There are also serrated blades that handle harder items like nuts and frozen foods. A perforated blade is designed for emulsions and other smooth sauces. Making a lot of dough? There’s a blade for that, too.
Blades dull over time, so having a spare blade on hand may be a good idea.
Discs are what do all the slicing, chopping, dicing and grating. Each manufacturer and even different models from the same manufacturer may differ in what discs come with their food processor units.
For added versatility, some discs are adjustable to vary the shape or cut thickness. But depends on the manufacturer and the model.
Here are some of the more common types of food processor discs:
Through the spinning action, slicing discs cut items into flat, thin slices like cucumbers, carrots and eggplants. A specialized type of slicing disc is a ripple cut (can also be called crimping crinkle-cut) slicing disc, giving you grooved slices of fruits and vegetables. A more complicated cut also possible specialty ripple cut discs is a waffle-cut.
These types of discs cut items into long, thin lengths, like vegetable sticks, or with a finer setting for hash browns and rösti potatoes.
As the name implies, these discs are used for shredding or grating items like cabbage for coleslaw, cheese and nuts.
Yes, you guessed it, dicing discs dice ingredients. However, it takes more than one disc for a good dice and are therefore sold as dicing kits. Specialty dicing kits can make French fries.
In addition, depending on your needs, there are whipping discs that can whip egg whites and cream in seconds and can even make butter.
The amount of food you can process at one time with a batch bowl processor is entirely governed by the size of the bowl. Once it’s full you have to stop. Bowls come in many sizes, so choosing the right bowl size is crucial. If it’s too small you are going to be spending a lot of time removing, emptying out and reassembling. Size matters.
Other than the crucial question of the bowl’s capacity, bowls can differ in the materials they’re made from and locking mechanisms.
A clear, plastic - usually polycarbonate - bowl allows you to see what’s going on within. Plastic bowls are perfectly adequate in most situations, being virtually unbreakable and scratch-resistant. A metal bowl, more often found on the heavier duty models, is even more durable.
A key function of a good locking mechanism is to prevent liquids escaping.
You may want to consider buying a second, spare bowl, which you can use while the first bowl is being emptied and washed – saves time!
The more powerful the motor the faster the food gets processed. More powerful motors also tend to be quieter – they don’t have to strain as much. And they generally last longer. The size of motor you should consider all depends on what your needs are. If you are going to be processing large amounts of sweet potatoes – notoriously tough little tubers – you’ll need a powerful motor. If you’re not planning a lot of heavy use you can safely opt for less power.
Motor power is measured in horsepower (HP), sometimes in wattage. One HP is equivalent to 746 watts.
A light-duty processor has somewhere between ½ to 1 ½ HP. The term “light duty” is misleading: a 1 HP processor can handle almost all tasks you can throw at it, and a continuous-feed light-duty processor can process impressive quantities. With relatively small footprint, they save valuable kitchen space as well. Under normal circumstances only heavy and continuous use calls for more than 1 ½ HP.
A medium-duty machine has anywhere between 1 ½ to 2 ½ HP. Medium duty models are designed to handle larger batches – they often come with a hopper for bulk loading – and are particularly useful for kneading dough and emulsifying or liquifying.
A heavy-duty model ranges from 3 to 5 HP. Unless you’re running a very high-volume kitchen, say in a hospital or army barracks, this is a lot more power that you’re ever going to need.
Some processors have a simple “on/off” switch. Other models offer variable speeds, but perhaps the most useful option is a pulse mode, which gives you valuable control over how food is processed and distributed in the bowl.
Another important factor is revolutions per minute (RPM). This measures how many times the blade rotates around the shaft per minute. Higher RPM means quicker processing – especially if combined with a more powerful motor to provide the needed torque.
The pusher enables you to apply even pressure on food items as they descend through the feeding tube. Always use it to avoid damage to the unit, or more importantly, your fingers.
If you are going to process bulkier items like cabbages or lettuce, make sure the feeder tube opening is wide enough to accommodate them, saving the time it would take to pre-cut.
With the exception of the motor base, all parts of a food processor have to be cleaned regularly. Fortunately, parts are dishwasher-safe - unless the manufacturer specifies otherwise. Pay extra attention when cleaning discs: food bits can easily get wedged in them.
Some manufacturers have disc cleaning kits, that assist in removing bits before the cleaning process.
Included with the literature that comes with your new food processor there will be a set of safety instructions. Read, understand and follow them.
With safety in mind, look for models with an automatic shut-off, a magnetic safety device that stops the motor as soon as you open the cutter lid and assured that the bowl and/or continuous feed unit is properly attached.
As with all major purchases, check out the terms of the warranty. These can cover parts and labour for one, two or three years. The warranty on the motor is often for five years or more. Refer to manufacturer specifications and conditions for validating the warranty.
A food processor designed for commercial kitchens saves valuable labour by reducing prep time whether you slice, dice, chop, whip or emulsify. Whatever size your kitchen and food processing needs, the right size and style can significantly reduce the amount of time it takes to get ingredients ready to serve your guests.
Written By Charles Bruce-Thompson
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