The Cuisinart Mini-Prep food processor stands 8 inches tall and just over 4 inches wide, but don't let the size fool you. The base houses a motor so powerful that you need to stabilize it with one hand when using the high setting to whip up a strawberry-banana smoothie for one in less than a minute. The clear plastic prep bowl locks into place with a simple twist, while the blades can be set sharp side up for chopping onions or grating Parmesan cheese, or turned blunt side up for making walnut pesto or whipping up chocolate frosting. The set includes a spatula and a cleaning brush to remove coffee grounds.

For best results, cut ingredients into small, even pieces--about 1/2-inch square or so works well. In general, use the sharp-edge approach for low speed and the blunt side of the blades for high speed. If you need to run the motor for longer than one minute, pause and begin again. The bowl, cover, and blade assembly can all be run through the dishwasher, but watch your fingers when dissembling the machine, as the blades are extremely sharp.