Which food processor brand is the most reliable?

We've investigated the performance and reliability of some of the most popular food processor brands including Kenwood, Bosch and Ninja.

In our unique survey of small appliances, we ask more than 1,800 Which? members and members of the public if they were happy with their food processor or if they’d experienced problems, so you can see the brands that are worth the money.

Take a look at our round-up of the best food processors if you're looking for some inspiration before you buy.

Which food processor brands develop the fewest faults?

This table summarises what we found out about how quickly food processor brands develop faults, based on those bought in the past six years.

Which? members can log in to view which food processor brands are the most and least reliable, and which our members are most satisfied with. If you're not yet a member, join Which? to get instant access.

Which food processor brands do owners recommend?

As well as faults, our survey also revealed the food processor brands owners feel happy with – and which they'd recommend to a friend.

These results are shown as each brand’s customer score and are based on food processors bought in the past six years.

Which? members can log in to view the food processor brands that last the longest before they need to be replaced. If you're not yet a member, join Which? to get instant access.

Take a look at our food processor reviews to see how our top scorers fared in the lab

The three most common food processor faults

More than 1,800 food processor owners told us about the reliability track record of their appliances. 

They let us in on the problems and niggles that their food processors have caused over the years, from dodgy attachments to electrical faults. Here are the three most frequent.

1. Broken attachment (39% of all faults reported)

More than a third of survey respondents who reported a fault cited one of the attachments breaking – such as the paddle, knife or dough hook.

Whether this fault can be repaired depends on the type of attachment that has broken, along with how severe the damage is. In most cases, though, it's likely to be cheaper (and less frustrating) to just buy a replacement attachment so you can get back to using your food processor as normal.

Most brands sell their own replacement attachments direct, so it shouldn't be too difficult to get your hands on one either online or over the phone.

2. Broken or damaged power cable or plug (27%)

Unless you're a qualified electrician, we wouldn't advise dabbling with the power cable on your food processor – or any other kitchen appliances for that matter.

Fixing a faulty plug is simpler, but not one for a DIY novice, so if you're at all unsure, it's probably wise to employ a professional.

3. Broken blade (24%)

As with attachments, a broken blade doesn't have to signal the end of your food processor's life. 

In most cases, they're a standalone part, so you should just be able to get a new one from the manufacturer – and if the appliance is still under warranty then you can ask them to send you a new one for free. 

If the broken blade damages the rest of the machine, it may need a more in-depth repair, and that's likely to be a job for an expert.

Not sure what each part of your food processor does? Head to our handy guide on food processor attachments explained.

Can a broken food processor be repaired?

Depending on the severity and nature of the fault, you might be able to repair your broken food processor yourself.

It could be something relatively straightforward, such as the controls not working properly because the bowl, lid or cover isn't aligned properly, and the safety feature is preventing the unit from turning on. If that's the problem, simply switch off the appliance, realign the parts and see if that fixes it.

Alternatively, a myriad of other issues can be solved simply by ordering a replacement part from your manufacturer. 

If the fault is the result of an electrical failure, we wouldn't advise attempting to fix this yourself as it could be dangerous. Instead, contact a qualified professional who should be able to help.

Find out how to recycle electrical items.

Which food processor brands offer the best guarantees?

Most food processor brands offer a one-year guarantee as standard, but these brands offer longer cover:

• Bosch Two-year guarantee as standard.
• Braun Two-year guarantee as standard.
• John Lewis Three-year guarantee as standard.
• Magimix Parts are guaranteed for three years and motors for 30 years as standard.
• Ninja Two-year guarantee as standard (only for products purchased since 1 January 2023).

KitchenAid offers guarantees anywhere between one and 10 years, depending on the product, so check before buying.

Bought a faulty product? Find out how to get a refund, repair or replacement.

How we discover the most reliable brands

Which? has a wealth of information on Britain's favourite brands. Every year we ask Which? members to tell us about the home appliances they own – from how likely they would be to recommend a brand to how reliable the products are once they get them home.

This year, 10,718 Which? Connect Panel members and members of the public told us about more than 32,000 individual products. We calculate a brand's customer score, fault rate and proportion replaced or repaired based on the results of our annual survey.

Our surveys, combined with our extensive lab tests, mean we can recommend the best food processor to buy.

Read our guide on how we test food processors to find out just what it takes to earn a Best Buy recommendation.