I Tested the KitchenAid 3.5 Cup Chopper for a Week – Here's What I Learned

KitchenAid 3.5 Cup Chopper

Model: 5KFC3516
Bowl capacity: 3.5 cups
Mist pool: Yes
Dimensions: 5.95 (D) x 7 (W) x 8.74 (H) inches
Weight: 2.7 pounds
Speeds: 2, more pulse
Material: Plastic
Engine: 240 watts
Cord length:
Colors: 11

One of best food processors is an essential piece of kit in any kitchen. They can help you slice, dice and chop a multitude of fruits, vegetables and proteins to save you time. And if fine chopping isn’t your strong suit, they’ll present you with consistent results in a fraction of the time you could do it yourself.

However, sometimes a standard-sized food processor is too large for certain tasks. Maybe you want to chop an onion, blend a small smoothie, or make a dip. All this can be achieved using a compact appliance, which handles smaller portions more easily than a large appliance, where the ingredients get lost in a spacious bowl.

With this in mind, I had the opportunity to test and evaluate Kitchen helpThe 3.5-cup Food Chopper – the smallest food processor KitchenAid produces – to find out if it was up to the task.

KitchenAid 3.5-Cup Chopper: Price and Availability

KitchenAid Countertop Chopper

(Image credit: Future)

The KitchenAid 3.5 Cup Food Chopper is normally available from Amazon For $59, although at the time of writing it is marked down 25% to $44. You can also purchase it directly from KitchenAid for $59which is also currently marked down to $44. This compact mini food processor pairs with other KitchenAid choppers and food processors, ranging in capacity from 5 cups to 13 cups.

Although this product has a smaller capacity, it is priced similar to the Hamilton Beach Food Processor, available for $54, which has a capacity of 10 cups.

KitchenAid 3.5 Cup Chopper: Design

KitchenAid Chopper in Pistachio

(Image credit: KitchenAid)

This mini chopper has a neat, compact design and will fit well with any other KitchenAid appliance in your kitchen. The style is consistent with KitchenAid’s other small kitchen appliances, including its Classic and Artisan stand mixers and Artisan espresso machines.

With a choice of 11 colors, you’re bound to find one that perfectly matches the aesthetic of your kitchen. Even though I tested the device in white, I like the look of the device. Pistachio version, but if you prefer a bolder colorway, you may prefer Empire Red Or Onyx black.

Tailored to the size of the chopper, it’s also lightweight, at just 2.7 lbs, so moving it across your counters and in and out of cupboards won’t be a problem. It is much lighter than Cusinart Elemental 8-Cup Food Processorwhich we recommend as the best lightweight device in our buying guide. It also has a neat channel where the cable is stored around the base of the device, meaning you won’t need to juggle a cable when not in use.

In addition to having a small footprint, the base of the unit feels sturdy and solid, with no issues moving around or becoming unstable when in use.

Unboxing the KitchenAid Chopper

(Image credit: Future)

Unpacking the device
Unboxing the device is simple. It comes in a cardboard box measuring 6.75 (D) x 8 (W) x 9.5 (H) inches and has been packed compactly without excess packaging. However, this is made easier because there are no awkwardly shaped accessories to fix in place and the blade is stored securely in the bowl.

Facility
It’s relatively simple because you only have one blade to choose from, which fits easily into the work bowl. It is very different from Breville Paradice 16 Food Processor which comes with two boxes of attachments. However, I had a hard time getting the hang of attaching the bowl to the base correctly, and I’ll talk more about that in the “Ease of Use” section.

KitchenAid 3.5 Cup Chopper: Functionality

Picture 1 of 3

KitchenAid chopper disassembled — (Image credit: Future)

This chopper is designed for chopping raw fruits, vegetables or nuts, herbs and garlic. It can also puree cooked fruits or vegetables for baby foods, soups and sauces.

The work bowl has a 3-cup capacity and includes a pour spout, which allows for easy pouring of liquids, convenient for blending smoothies and other liquids. The lid includes a pouring basin, so liquids can be poured gradually into your ingredients without having to stop the unit every time you want to add additional liquid.

However, it only comes with one blade, a cutting blade, so if you were hoping to make mayonnaise, this particular device isn’t for you.

In addition to the two-speed settings, operated by a lever at the base of the work bowl, you can press the lid handle to pulse the food, giving you a coarse or finer mixture depending on your needs. And when in action, it measures 75 dBA. It’s not the quietest food processor, unlike the Cuisinart 14-Cup Custom Food Processorwhich records at 65.2 dBA, but it doesn’t seem too loud, and even then you found the noise level too loud, although it won’t work for long.

KitchenAid 3.5 Cup Chopper: Performance

Three bowls of food chopped in the KitchenAid food chopper

(Image credit: Future)

Unlike a standard food processor, which comes with multiple blades, I was limited in the foods I could test. With only one cutting blade and no other accessories, I wasn’t able to whisk or slice the ingredients.

However, I still chopped some nuts, a celery and onion mix, and mixed in some flour and butter for a crumble mixture. I also made hummus, which I was able to use to test the mist basin and pour oil into it.

Picture 1 of 2

Nuts chopped in the KitchenAid chopper — (Image credit: Future)

Although I love cooking, I’ve never been good at finely chopping ingredients, so I usually rely on a similar gadget to chop nuts and onions when preparing dishes. What’s great about this chopper is its size. When you’re dealing with small portions, there’s no need to break out a big food processor to chop up an onion or a handful of nuts. The compact device also takes up less space in the dishwasher, which is always a plus.

Picture 1 of 2

Onion and celery chopped in KitchenAid chopper — (Image credit: Future)

I was impressed with the overall results. It chopped the walnut, celery, and onion mixture very quickly and evenly, and it performed as I expected. He also mixed together a mixture of flour and butter for a crumble topping, which I then poured into another bowl to incorporate the sugar. (This is a quick tip for making crumble that I often make in my little chopper, and it saves me having to use my KitchenAid Stand Mixer.)

Picture 1 of 2

Crumble the mixture in the KitchenAid chopper — (Image credit: Future)

I then made hummus, which requires mixing a few different ingredients rather than a simple chop. I started chopping a can of chickpeas before adding tahini and letting it blend. The next step was to add a little lemon juice, which I poured into the pouring basin on the top of the lid. This went relatively smoothly and the lemon flowed out without any problems. However, when I started adding the olive oil to the misting basin, I ran into a problem. It was too dense; it was in the pelvis section and was not leaking. So I had to remove the lid and pour in the olive oil that way. However, this meant having to shut down the device between each addition.

Picture 1 of 3

Hummus prepared in the Kitchen Aid chopper — (Image credit: Future)

Since testing the KitchenAid food chopper, I have continued to use it. I blended berries with Greek yogurt to make a fruity smoothie for one and also blended crackers to form “crumbs” to add to the meatballs. There seem to be endless things this little appliance can help you achieve in the kitchen.

KitchenAid 3-Cup Chopper: Ease of Use

Pour oil through the funnel of the KitchenAid chopper lid

(Image credit: Future)

When I first started, I felt like the user manual that came with the product wasn’t worth getting. It is full of warnings rather than instructions on how to use the product. The only useful information was about maintenance and cleaning. After some searching online I found a downloadable file manualwhich gives clear instructions on how to use the device.

There’s not much to the device, and with just one blade, you don’t need to keep swapping parts. The lever to control the speed is also easy to use. However, I found it a little tricky to place the bowl on the base in the correct position to then start the device. And despite testing it multiple times, I never really understood the talent. In comparison, useful guided on Breville Sous Chef 12-Cup Food Processormake it easier to align the bowl and lid.

The other problem I found was the drizzle pool. The gap will pass thin liquids, like water, lemon juice, and vinegar, but the olive oil was too thick. But despite these two problems, it remains a relatively simple device to use.

KitchenAid 3-Cup Chopper: Cleaning

This chopper is relatively easy to clean. The work bowl, lid and blade can be washed in the top rack of the dishwasher. Alternatively, all parts can be washed in hot soapy water, rinsed and allowed to dry. The base should be cleaned with a damp cloth, avoiding abrasive cleaners or scouring pads. I had no problem cleaning the grinder after adding a multitude of different ingredients. However, if food gets stuck on the blade, I suggest leaving it in place in the work bowl, adding hot soapy water and letting it soak.

KitchenAid 3-Cup Chopper: The Verdict

I enjoyed using this KitchenAid 3-cup chopper, which works well for small portions. Although you won’t be making large batches of soup with this mini but powerful machine, it’s perfect for small batches when a standard food processor is too large. There doesn’t seem to be much point in using a normal food processor to chop up a few nuts or mix up a dip. This would be great for pureeing baby food, although it’s been a while since I’ve processed batches of fruits and vegetables to store in ice cube trays in my freezer!