While there are many kitchen devices that perform the similar functions of processing the food into different consistencies, food processor and mixer grinder are the two which are most suitable for Indian cooking requirements like making batter for dosas, idli etc and making chutneys, grinding spices and more.
However, many people think that food processors and grinders are the same things. This is not true. The fundamental function might be similar but they are quite different from one another. Food processor is more suitable for solid food while a mixer and grinder can handle both dry and wet ingredients. Another main difference is that the food processor can perform much more functions than a mixer and grinder.
If you are wondering what are some of the other major differences between the two and which one will be suitable for your kitchen then read along.
What is a Food Processor?
A food processor as the name suggests can handle a wide range of food items and can perform multiple functions such as chop, shred, knead dough, slice, grate, mixing and more.
It generally comes with multiple blade attachments to perform all of these functions. It also has multiple speed settings that allow you to customize it according to the result you want. They are powerful enough to grind nuts, slice fruits and vegetables or grind meat etc.
The major disadvantage of a food processor is that it cannot handle liquids. This means you cannot use this for milkshakes, juices or make batter. Other than that, the resulting consistency from a food processor will always be coarse, you cannot make fine, powdery or paste-like consistency using a food processor.
PROS:
- Can perform a wide range of functions
- Comes with multiple blade attachments and accessories for multiple functions
- Great for a bigger family where large quantities of food prepping are needed
CONS:
- Is not suitable for liquids which means you cannot make batter or chutneys using this
- It cannot produce very fine consistency like flour, paste, sauces etc
- Requires more space as it comes with many attachments and accessories.
What is a Mixer Grinder?
Unlike food processors, mixer grinders are very commonly used in India. This is because it can grin
d products into a finer and smoother consistency. You can make idli/dosa batter, chutneys, pastes or flours etc. They come with 2 to 3 jars of different sizes that will make it easier for you to grind products as per your need.
Mixer grinder can handle both wet and dry products. You can grind sugar, pulses etc into powder consistency as well as make sauces, juices etc. However, they cannot chop, dice or knead the dough with this.
PROS:
- Suitable for Indian cooking
- Can handle both wet and dry ingredients
- The final result is a very fine and smooth consistency
CONS:
- Even though they can handle wet ingredients, they are not ideal for juicing as the pulp will remain in the juice, for juicing you will need a separate juicer.
- Can only give you a fine powder/batter-like consistency or a smooth liquid. Does not work for chopping, dicing and other day to day kitchen uses.
- Does not come with a lot of attachments
Major Difference Between a Mixer Grinder and a Food Processor:
Now, let us compare both of them on some major factors to see which one is better in each regard:
| FOOD PROCESSOR | MIXER GRINDER | |
|---|---|---|
| Usage | Food processor can be used to slice, chop, dice, grate, knead and more | Here the primary function is too grind the food into finer consistency or mix them |
| Attachments | Comes with a wide range of blade, jars attachments as well as additional accessories. | Generally comes with 2 jar attachments and a couple of blade attachments but no accessories. |
| Space | Requires more counter space | Requires lesser counter space |
| Materials & technology used | Here the blades are designed to finely cut/slice the food into desired size | The blades here work much faster to make very fine consistency |
| Power consumption | The electricity consumption of a food processor on an average is 650 to 1000 watts. | On an average, the power consumption of a mixer grinder is 500 to 750 watts. |
| Price | As they have more attachments and functions, they tend to be much costlier. | They are affordable and generally cost fraction the cost of a food processor |
Let us discuss these points in details;
1. Usage:
This is the most important thing you need to consider before buying either a food processor or mixer grinder. A food processor is great for everyday usage as it almost completely replaces the need for a knife, it can chop, dice, shred, knead efficiently which will make your day to day cooking easier. If you have a large family that requires a lot of vegetable prepping then a food processor will be quite beneficial for you.
On the other hand, a mixer grinder is more suitable if you cook a lot of Indian recipes like idli, vada, dosa, chutneys, lassis, make various kinds of flours and batters etc. These days they also come with additional features which will allow you to juice and blend the foods.
2. Attachments:
Both of them come with additional attachments. A food processor comes with a lot of additional accessories and attachments. They generally have 3 – 4 jars along with 4-5 blade attachments like kneading blade, centrifugal juicer, chopping, mincing blades, citrus juicer etc.
A mixer grinder comes with 2-3 jars of different sizes and 2-3 blade variants. In general, they don’t come with additional accessories.
3. Space:
A food processor has a bigger body. This is because most food processors can hold 2 jars simultaneously which requires a bigger base. They also come with more jars, accessories and attachments which makes it a hassle to store them. They will also occupy a significant amount of counter space.
A mixer grinder is much more compact than a food processor as it can hold a single jar at a time. They are also considerably lighter than a food processor.
4. Material and Technology Used:
Food processors have clear polycarbonate jars but some might also include steel jars whereas a mixer grinder mandatorily uses stainless steel jars with rubber tight lids.
Both the food processor and the mixer and grinder use the gear drive technology to both chops or grind the food items. The difference in the consistency in both the device is solely due to the blades.
5. Power Consumption:
The power consumption of either of the devices will depend on the duration of usage. On average they will consume similar power. The power consumption will also vary from brand to brand and the energy efficiency option that each one has to offer. Fundamentally, the difference between the two in terms of energy consumption is not significant.
6. Price:
In India, on average, a mixer grinder can cost between Rs.1500 to Rs.3000 depending on the brand and features offered. On the other hand, a good processor will cost you anywhere between Rs.4,000 to Rs.11,000 depending on the brand and features offered. This means that a mixer grinder is costing you a fraction of a food processor. But this is because the function of a mixer grinder is much more limited than a food processor.
You must choose the right device for your kitchen. The perfect device for you is not the one that can perform the most functions but the one that you will use the most. Take careful consideration of your daily cooking and eating habits and then decide which one would be more beneficial for your kitchen.
