I recently had the honor of reviewing one of KitchenAid’s amazing food processors. This was perfect timing, because the food processor that I was using was on its last legs and just could not hold up to the demands that I required of it. I require a lot of my food processors. I use it all the time, whether it’s shredding cheese, slicing veggies, or whipping up a batch of Almond Butter Protein Snacks or Chocolate Energy Bars.
I typically use my food processor a few times a week, but I do go through stretches where I use it daily. The cheap brands just can’t hold up to the constant work! Because we have been on a tight budget over the last few years, I have been purchasing the cheaper food processors (think $30ish). In the last three years, I have been through three food processors. Not a good track record! This is a perfect lesson in “you get what you pay for”.
So, the hard lesson learned is that when you are going to buy a kitchen appliance, especially when you do as much cooking as I do, then it pays to invest the money in a quality product from a brand with a proven track record, even if you have to save up for a little while. I have used KitchenAid appliances for years in my kitchen, as has my family, so I don’t know why I didn’t just go with a trusted brand. That’s my fault for only looking only at cost, rather than cost and value!
The model that I was given to review was the KitchenAid 13-cup Food Processor with ExactSlice™ System, Model KFP1333. Thank you KitchenAid for the opportunity to review it!
KitchenAid Food Processor Features
Where to start?
Well, the first thing I will say about this food processor is that it is beautiful. I received the red one for review and it matches my fantastic KitchenAid stand mixer, which, as you know, is critical to proper kitchen functioning! 
All kidding aside, the first thing that stood out to me as I was unpacking it, was that it comes with many more gadgets than I have ever seen with a food processor. Here is what the package came with:
- Heavy duty processor base (for as big as it is, it’s not as heavy as you’d expect)
- BPA-free 13-cup bowl (with 3-in-1 Ultra Wide Mouth™ Feed Tube)
- BPA-free 4-cup mini bowl
- Adjustable slicing disk (so you can vary the thickness of the items you’re slicing)
- Reversible shredding disk (with two shred thicknesses)
- Multipurpose processor blade
- Mini processor blade (to use with the 4-cup bowl)
- Dough blade
- Storage case for all the accessories
This food processor has the first EVER and ONLY externally adjustable slicing feature. You can choose the thickness of your slices, by using the easy-to-reach lever on the front of the processor. It’s nice to have options!
The appliance also features the ONLY 3-in-1 Ultra Wide Mouth™ Feed Tube. This is probably one of the best features of this product. It allows you three different widths for processing a wide variety of foods.
There are three speeds – “Low”, “High”, and “Pulse”. Most food processors only have “Pulse” and “On” options. The extra choices for speed really help you control the results of your end product. Also, the lid features their UltraTight™ Seal that has a leak resistant ring and locking system to help prevent leaks and spills.
The KitchenAid 13-Cup Food Processor with ExactSlice™ System is available in Contour Silver, Empire Red, Onyx Black, and White.
Here’s a photo of the whole system (please excuse all the other clutter on my counter!).
KitchenAid Food Processor Features – My Thoughts On the Product and Accessories
OK. Just as a side note, I actually had to read the user manual to figure out how everything worked! I have never had to do that before, but there were so many options that I actually need to crack the booklet open!
First, a storage case? Why yes, a storage case! Do you know how awesome that is? No longer are my food processor accessories scattered around my kitchen cupboards and drawers. Now, they’re in one easy-to-find location. Plus, I know having everything tucked away in a case will help preserve the quality of the parts as well.
Storage Case with slicing and shredding blades in the bottom
Storage case with the chopping blades, dough blade, and adapters safely stowed.
All of my food processor accessories safely stowed!
Second, two work bowls? This is awesome! Many times I am using my food processor for several different things at the same time and this gives me some options without having to wash the bowl every time I want to shred or slice something new.
Two bowls – one 13-cup and one 4-cup. Super handy on busy cooking days!
Third, an adjustable slicing disk? Awesome! All of my past food processors have had one-size-fits all. If I wanted anything other than medium slices, then I had to do it by hand. There was no option for thin or thick. But, now, I have that option! Also, I love the reversible shredding disk with two shred sizes. Again, all of my past food processor accessories have only had one shred size. Now, I can shred up the big blocks of cheese that I get from Costco into whatever shred size suits my fancy that day! I like the regular size shreds for my cheddar and the thin shreds for my Parmesan. I love having the option!
Two blades – one is an adjustable slicing disk, the other is a shredding disk with two sizes (regular and fine)
Perfectly sliced cucumbers. Hubby said they tasted better. Heh heh. 
Shredded cheddar cheese. So happy to have two options for shredding the massive blocks of cheese we get from Costco!
Fifth, the processor blades are S-H-A-R-P. When I first got the processor and was washing everything by hand, I sliced open the tip of my thumb on one of the blades. Just to give you an idea of how sharp it was, I didn’t even feel myself get cut until I looked down and saw blood. Back in the restaurant biz, we always used to say that you could determine the quality of your knives by how much pain you had when you cut yourself. There was none, so I dub these blades high quality! There is no comparison between these KitchenAid blades and the blades of my old food processor. The blade on my old processor is so dull that it barely chops up tomatoes! And yes, I’ll save you from seeing a picture of my finger!
KitchenAid Food Processor – Things I Think Are Important
So, now that I have discussed the features of the food processor, I wanted to share some of the things that stood out to me as I used it in my kitchen.
First and foremost, the food processor lid features the UltraTight™ Seal around the edge and I noticed it would stick when I was trying to twist the lid on and off. I quickly remedied that problem by rubbing a little coconut oil around the edge of the lid. Once I did that, the lid twisted on and off as smooth as butter, er, coconut oil.
Use some coconut oil around the seal of the lid and it will slide on and off easily.
Second, I just love having the three different sized mouth options. Not only can I slice a cucumber into perfectly even slices (thick or thin, depending on what I adjust the blade to), but I can also slice whole tomatoes and even a whole bell pepper! No more slicing veggies by hand. I think this food processor has single-handedly eliminated the need for me to spend much, if any, time slicing veggies by hand.
It’s hard to tell in the photo, but having three different mouth sizes is really handy. I can do individual carrots, a whole cucumber, or a whole bell pepper, depending on which size I use at the time.
Third, the speed and efficiency of the processor. My old processor was sluggish. Small motor and dull blades. Shredding cheese was a nightmare, because sometimes the blade would shift and get all askew, creating a horrible sound and getting cheese stuck all over the blade and lid. When I shredded a block of cheese in this processor, I felt like it took half the time it normally would, just because the blades turned faster and were much, much sharper. When I sliced a cucumber, I only had to hit the pulse button twice for the whole cucumber to be sliced. Amazing!
This food processor makes my old food processor seem tiny. This picture doesn’t do the comparison justice, but my old food processor is a 7-cup and the new one is a 13-cup. Almost double the size!
My new, 13-cup food processor next to my old 7-cup food processor. There is simply no comparison!
All in all, I am so pleased with this KitchenAid food processor. I know that it is going to make my kitchen prep so much easier and I am looking forward to seeing how it holds up to the test of time. I’m sure it will still be here years down the road!
Again, a big THANK YOU to KitchenAid for allowing me to review this small kitchen appliance!
What is your favorite kitchen appliance? Do you have something that you simply can’t live without? If so, leave me a comment below!
UPDATE October 2012: Because I want my review to be completely honest, I wanted to let you know that I did have one problem with the food processor. I was making a batch of these delicious muffins when the blade got stuck in the bowl. Because the blade was stuck in the bowl, the bowl was then stuck to the motor base. My husband and I tried EVERYTHING to get that blade out, to no avail. I finally contacted KitchenAid’s customer service and after a few troubleshooting emails back and forth, they decided to send me a replacement, because nothing we tried would work at loosening the blade. Their customer service was excellent and I was quite pleased with their responses and timeliness. I quickly received my new processor and shipped the old one back to them (they provided the pre-paid label). So far, I have not had any further problems with the blade getting stuck (knock on wood). I am still quite pleased with it and use it all the time! I consider what happened to me a fluke, because I Googled that issue and found very little info on it, so I don’t think it happens regularly.
Delicious Obsessions was founded by Jessica Espinoza in 2010. Jessica is passionate about real food, natural living, and more. She helps people see how to eat nourishing food, without breaking the bank. Her motto is "baby steps" -- making small, lasting changes, one at a time, is the best way to ensure long-term success. This website contains "affiliate links" where appropriate, on which, I may earn a small commission or referral fee on your purchase. This has no effect on your price. The monies earned help maintain and support this website's hosting, maintenance, and the development of free content. The content shared on this site is for informational and educational purposes only. Statements/products discussed have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and are not intended to diagnose, cure, treat, or prevent any disease or illness. Please consult your own health care practitioner before making changes to your current diet or before beginning any herbal or vitamin supplement regimen or exercise program.
Great I have a vitamix what does this one does extra?
And what is the difference between this one and a stand mixer?
Thanks
Martine
Hi Martine – A Vitamix and a food processor are two different pieces of kitchen equipment. The Vitamix is a blender and is a great tool. But, you can’t slice veggies or shred cheese with it. The food processor can be used for a wide range of chopping, slicing, and shredding needs.
Again, a food processor and a stand mixer are two different pieces of kitchen equipment. The stand mixer is used mostly for making dough or batter (bread, cookie, cake, etc.). If you click on the links in the post, you’ll be able to see the difference between a stand mixer and the food processor.
Hope that helps!
Thanks for the thorough review. I am in need of a new food processor. My current one is limping along. We are using a wooden skewer stick to run it after the handle cracked and finally fell off. It’s daunting to make a commitment to just the right machine. Ha. Ha.
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You’re welcome! I had no idea there were such options when it came to food processors! I am truly in love with this one!!
Great review……I’m not in the market for a new food processor at this time, but I love the variable thickness for the slicing and the three mouth sizes! Those are two things my great processor doesn’t have that I wish it did!!
We wants it, Precious…
Cultured Mama Dawn recently posted..Traditional Tuesday’s Nutritious and Delicious Blog Carnival
WOW. It would be SO nice to be able to slice things without having to cut them up to fit a little, narrow chute first!
KerryAnn @ CookingTF.com recently posted..Top Ten Reasons the Real Food Movement Needs To Get Over Itself
Sooooo jealous!
Lea H @ Nourishing Treasures recently posted..EWG’s Shopper’s Guide for 2012
Jessica,
I am very intrigued to hear about this b/c I have a fabulous food processor, but it isn’t made any longer and I’d like one to recommend to my readers. Just about 1/2 hour ago my best friend was asking what one I have.
Do you think it could handle a lot of hummus? or my Bean Fudge? I don’t want to burn one out!
Also, how did you get your cukes so cute on the outside???
.
Adrienne @ Whole New Mom recently posted..On the Road with Special Diets ~ and Focaccia Flax Bread (gluten-free with vegan option) {Balanced Platter}
Hi Adrienne – Yes, I think this one could hold up to pretty much anything. It is high quality and also comes from a reputable brand. I’m pretty sure you wouldn’t burn it out! Regarding the cucumbers, after I wash them, I peel parts of the skin off, so you end up with sections of skin, no skin, skin, no skin.
Wow, that’s a real beauty! My food processor is an old workhorse GE that I found at a thrift store. Like you I’ve been disappointed in the inexpensive processors – they really can’t handle a lot. This one sounds like it would hold up. I love my KitchenAid stand mixer. Thanks for telling us all about this one!
Starlene @ GAPS Diet Journey recently posted..Recipe: Bacon Muffins Gluten-Free Dairy-Free Made with Coconut Flour
Hi Jessica, I really want this!! But it all depends on how easy the clean up is. I don’t use the food processor I have now because its annoying to clean. I want to be able to throw EVERYTHING into the dishwasher. Can you do that with this one, because it looks like alot of parts. Thanks
Hi Cory. All of the parts are safe for the dishwasher. I wash the bowls and lid in the top rack of my dishwasher. I try to always wash the blades by hand, in order to keep them sharper longer, but, those are also dishwasher safe if you don’t want to wash by hand. I love, love, love this processor. It’s a beast and I honestly use it more than I ever thought I would!
Hi Jessica,
I am wondering whether you experienced difficulty with removing the blades once they are installed in the bowl? I am really struggling with that and find that the instruction book does not provide any instruction as to how to properly, safely remove the blades. Appreciate any advice you have.
Denise
Hi Denise – Thank you for stopping by. It’s funny that you asked me that, because I actually just had that happen recently. I need to go back and update this post with my most recent experience. I was making muffin batter in the large bowl and the blade would not come out when I was done. And, what’s worse, is that because the blade was stuck, the bowl was stuck to the motor. I couldn’t get the bowl off to wash it. I tried getting the blade out. My husband tried. Both of us tried together. The blade was stuck on the shaft of the bowl. After many tries, I ended up calling KitchenAid’s customer service and they gave me some things to troubleshoot. I tried them all and nothing worked, so they happily sent me a new food processor. Their customer service is really good. I would suggest calling them about it. At one point, I even put on heavy, leather work gloves and tried to pry the blade up from the bottom to no avail. All in all, I still love this food processor and I hope that this is a rare occurrence. Let me know what you find out if you call! Would love to hear!
Hi Jessica,
KitchenAid did replace my food processor but alas, they did not have a solution as to how to remove the blade. I got to use the food processor during Thanksgiving dinner preparations. When I used the large bowl and blade, I would simply remove the entire bowl (including blade) and dump contents into whatever I was making. When I was finished with the bowl, I would turn it upside down in the sink and from the bottom of the bowl, insert my finger thru the shaft opening and gently pushed the blade away from the shaft. This insured that I wouldn’t have to tug from the top to remove the blade and kept my hands safely away from the blade. I think the removal of the blade needs to be re-engineered by Kitchenaid. The machine is awesome, but removing the blade needs to be easier and safer.
Denise
Hi Denise – Thanks for the tips! Great ideas to keep the digits safe!
Thanks for posting such a comprehensive review of this food processor! It’s a bit long but I wanted to share how I got to your review – which is the only one I could find that discussed the quality and function of the blades, features etc.
I absolutely love my KitchenAid stand mixer and have been drooling over the commercials for their new adjustable thickness food processor for weeks. Every time I saw it, I hinted to my husband that it would make the perfect early Christmas gift since I start my holiday cooking a week ahead. My first food processor, a GE, burnt out on pasta dough after 6 months so I’ve been chopping by hand or using my mother’s late 70′s model GE for larger quantities. I’ve been meaning to buy a newer model but didn’t see one that caught my eye until now.
Last night my husband placed a few wrapped presents in front of the fireplace announcing to the kids “these presents are for Mommy, no peeking!” I realized how quick the holidays are approaching and did a search of reviews and prices so I could hint at the model I wanted and where the best deal was.
I typed “kitchenaid food processor slice” into amazon and saw the “precise slice” model in the drop-down suggestions. Not realizing the “precise slice” was not the newer (and better) “exact slice”, I read one awful review after another aloud to my husband. I was so disappointed after reading a mountain of horrible “precise slice” reviews that I told my husband to forget the food processor – I wanted the slightly better reviewed, but still not great, slicer/shredder attachment for my stand mixer and I would just keep waiting until a better working model was released.
This morning my husband, looking pretty defeated, said “So, umm, are you sure you don’t want that food processor? It’s up to you but I bought it yesterday. Why don’t you unwrap it and check it out. If it’s as bad as the reviews I’ll return it for whatever you want. It was torture listening to one bad review after another while the box was sitting right in front of me but I want you to have one that works and does what it’s supposed to do.”
I felt so bad about the whole thing and unwrapped the box. I was so relieved when I unwrapped the box and saw “NEW Exact Slice System”. I realized it was not the model I had been reading reviews about and was even more relieved to find your thorough and positive review of the exact slice system. Mine is the smaller 9 cup model which uses the low and high speed settings to adjust slicing thickness. I admit that I have a bit of storage case envy at the moment but am going to find a bag/case to store the attachments. I can’t wait to try all the different blades and features while making quesadillas for tonight’s dinner and look forward to trying some of your delicious recipes
Thanks again for posting your review – it was a major factor in my decision to keep this food processor vs. returning it for a different model.
Hi Jess – This is awesome! Thank you so much for taking the time to read my review and leave such a detailed comment! You really did make my day! And how fantastic of hubby to get you that as a gift! Some ulterior motive, I’m sure, seeing that you’ll be creating such wonderful culinary delights for him to partake in! heh heh!
In all seriousness, I truly love this food processor. I use it all the time and am always amazed at the power and the gadgets.
I do have to say that since I got your comment, it reminded me that I had not updated the review to include a recent experience that I had. I have since done that, in an effort to keep the review honest. Let me tell you what happened. So, back in October, I was making a batch of muffins in the big bowl with the regular blade. When the batter was done and I tried to remove the blade, I found that it was stuck in the bowl. I tried everything to get it out, including using leather gloves to stick my fingers underneath the blade and try to pop it loose. Hubby even tried, to no avail. Because the blade was stuck in the bowl, the bowl was then stuck to the motor base and I couldn’t get the bowl off at all to get the batter out or wash it. You should have seen me picking up the entire food processor and having my hubby help scrape the batter out! My husband and I tried EVERYTHING to get that blade out. I finally contacted KitchenAid’s customer service. We sent a few troubleshooting emails back and forth and when nothing they suggested worked, they decided to send me a replacement. Their customer service was excellent and I was quite pleased with their responses and timeliness. I quickly received my new processor and shipped the old one back to them (they provided the pre-paid label). So far, I have not had any further problems with the blade getting stuck (knock on wood). I honestly believe that what happened to me to be a fluke, because I Googled that issue and found very little info on it, so I don’t think it happens regularly.
Thanks again for stopping by and for your kind words about my site and the review! I hope you enjoy your new toy and create many amazing meals with it!!
I bought a Kitchenaid food processor such as the one reviewed in the above article a year ago at a department store. I use my processor every other day. In a very short time, weeks, the blade stopped spinning if I put anything more challenging in it than the consistency of water. I contacted Kitchenaid and they sent me a new one. I got the new one and decided to make Red Velvet cake. During that recipe, the blades stopped turning again and the blade couldn’t be removed from the machine so I sent it back to Kitchenaid with the batter still in it. They sent a new one. The third one , the blade stopped turning about the second time out. At this point, I did not want this product anymore. I have owned a food processor all my married life (35 years) and have never had such issues before. I only process recommended foods. I have yet to hear back from Kitchenaid as to what they intend to do. I do not have the bill from the store anymore. Anyone out there with similiar experiences?
Wow! I am so sorry about all of that! So far, knock on wood, I have only had the one issue. I did spend some time Googling the issues I had with the stuck blade and didn’t find much online about it, so I assumed it was a rare occurrence. I feel like sometimes, we just end up getting lemons. It can happen with any brand, though I am surprised that they have not responded back to you. I have had great success with their customer service. Thank you for stopping by!
Hi, My husband bought me the same food processor for Christmas in red, I love it. Only problem I have had is trying to take apart the drive adapter from the slicing/shredding adapter. My husband and I were tugging on it and finally it came apart. Did you have this problem? I am hoping the more it is used it won’t be so tough. What would you suggest?
Thanks
Hi Susan – I haven’t had any issues with those two adapters. I did have the issue where the blade got stuck in the bowl and we absolutely could not get it out. I wonder if you put just a tiny bit of oil on the adapter before using if that would help it release? I think I will experiment with that moving forward — it might save me from experiencing the same issues that you have. Does that help at all?
Thanks Jessica, I thought about that but I didn’t know if that would keep it from working properly?
You know, I’m not sure. I haven’t tried it yet, but I’m going to the next time I need to use it. I’ll add my experience into the post!
Hi. I have had my food processor since May 2012. I to am having difficulty with the large blade. The blade will move but as soon as I put anything in the bowl the large blade stops moving. My kitchenaid will also suddenly stop working. I realized that it has something to do with the wide mouth opening. If I press the wide mouth plunger down really hard it will work again. I find it very difficult to open but I will use the coconut oil. Does it have to be coconut oil or can I use vegetable oil? I haven’ t contacted kitchenaid yet but I finally realize that these problems are not common. I do love what this food processor can do when it is working but I am very disappointed with the problems that I am having
Hi Claire – Sorry for the delay in responding! I have not had that issue with mine. Any kind of oil should work. You just need a tiny bit. If you continue to have issues with it, I do recommend contacting them. They had great customer service and seemed happy to help. It is so frustrating to spend money on something and not have it work correctly.
Hi, I am having so many bad issues with the 13 cup adjustable slicing F.P. I just spoke to Kitchen Aid and they are replacing it, however, I bought it as a refurbished model. So, they will only help me once, as they said. My large s-blade spins slower than molasses. Tried chopping walnuts today, didn’t work. Kitchen Aid told me it was because walnuts were so oily and I had to drop them 1/2 Cup at a time through the feed chute. That’ll take a while. Well, even doing that didn’t process the walnuts. I tried garlic cloves and oranges the other day for a dressing, everything stayed whole. And the amount of food that gets stuck in the rim of the lid is disappointing. All in all, I am not happy. Also, I haven’t noticed much difference in the size of slices from the adjustable slicing disc. All seem the same size. If I could return it I would do so in a heartbeat. I am very unhappy, even as a refurbished model, it cost a lot!
I am so sorry to hear this LuLu. So far (knock on wood), I have not experienced any issues like that.
I do think that sometimes there are just lemons when it comes to machines. I hope the one they replace it with works normally! Thanks for stopping by and sharing your experience though!
Can you put in a whole regular sized baking potato and get slices for potato chips?
Hi Pam – Yep! You sure can!