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Components

Food processors tend to stick to a fairly conventional design. The basic unit under the bowl contains the motor, controls and electrical internals. There is then an internal shaft connected to the motor, which comes out of the base and into the bowls internal chamber. It's the shaft which is spun around at different rates of speed, reliant upon the motor wattage and control settings.

The top of the shaft is designed so that attachments can be placed on and removed off it. The size of the bowl varies from machine to machine, usually it's either the shape of a jug, or a cylindrical bowl. With some food processors it's also possible to buy additional bowls for different tasks.

Finally there is a lid for the bowl, which includes a food tube. The tube allows you to insert vegetables etc. while the processor is operating, without the risk of injury. The tube has a pusher inserted into it, which can be removed, so that food is inserted using the pusher. This avoids the risk of someone placing their finger too far into the bowl.

The man to invent the concept was Pierre Verdon, which was refined by Carl G. Sontheimer. Verdon created the MagiMix appliance, whereas Sontheimer created the Cuisinart processor. Both these companies continue to hold a large market share of global sales, alongside the likes of Breville and Kenwood.