Urvashi Singh
In today’s post, we will clear the confusion in the difference between Mixer Grinder and Food Processor and which is better?
In 2023, with a variety of kitchen tools such as blenders, grinders, mixer juicers or food processors, it is very easy to get confused and understand who does what. Moreover, if you Google best and most used kitchen appliances, you will often see Mixer Grinders and Food Processors in that list.
The confusion is obvious because both these kitchen appliances look alike and with the right attachments, these tools will give you an output which is very similar to each other.
But, there is a certain degree of difference between Mixer Grinders and Food Processors and this is what we will cover today so you can make the right choice as per your requirements.
In simple words, you can use a mixer grinder for mixing, grinding, cutting, mashing and crushing. On the other hand, a food processor is best for chopping, grating, shedding, slicing, blending, etc.
As far as the price is concerned, food processors are almost twice as expensive as mixer grinders.
Also, read our recent post on Blenders vs Juicers, How to Choose a Mixer Grinder in 10 minutes and Glass Top Gas Stove Vs Stainless Steel Gas Stove.
Difference between Mixer Grinder and Food Processor – Which is Better?
1. Price – In terms of price, food processors are more expensive than mixer grinders. A good quality mixer grinder starts from 2,500 INR whereas a food processor’s minimum price range starts from 5,000 INR.
2. Popularity – When it comes to popularity between Mixer Grinder vs Food Processors, mixer grinders being an affordable option is more common in Indian kitchens than food processors.
3. Functionality – A mixer grinder can mix, grind, make puree, batter, convert wet and dry food items into a powdered form. If you add a juicer to a mixer grinder, it can extract juice as well from fruits and veggies. On the other hand, a food processor helps in performing tasks such as chopping, grating, slicing and shredding. The drawback here is you cannot use a food processor to make smoothies, juices or shakes.
4. Blades – A mixer grinder has fixed blades whereas blades of a food processor can be changed as per the requirement.
5. Power Consumption – A food processor consumes anywhere from 600 watts of power to 1,000 watts of power. On the other hand, a mixer grinder consumes around 500 watts of power to 1,000 watts of power. In general, food processors consume more electricity than mixer grinders.
6. Material – Bowls included in the food processor is made of unbreakable polycarbonate material whereas jars of a mixer grinder are usually stainless steel.
7. Cleaning – Cleaning a mixer grinder is much easier and less painful than cleaning a food processor.
What is a Mixer Grinder?
A mixer grinder is one of the most important kitchen appliances that we use on a daily basis. Their presence can be seen in almost every Indian kitchen as it can handle most common tasks such as grinding, mixing, making chutneys etc.
Now, there are 2 types of mixer grinders – Normal Mixer Grinder and Juicer Mixer Grinder.
A Normal Mixer Grinder in India comes with 3 jars – large one for grinding batter, medium one for pastes or purees and small one for making chutneys.
If you add a Juicer jar to the Normal Mixer Grinder, it becomes Juicer Mixer Grinder. I recently unboxed & reviewed 900 Watts Sujata Powermatic Plus Juicer Mixer Grinder which ended up as a good buy.
The reason a mixer grinder is so useful and common is because it can perform functions such as whisking, kneading, mixing, etc and you know how much time will these tasks take if you perform it manually.
The blades of a mixed grinder are fixed and they rotate at different speeds. When it comes to motor power, you will see a lot of mixer grinders with a motor power that varies from 500 watts to 1000 watts. Depending on the family size, you can pick the appropriate one.
For your basic idea, 750 Watts mixer grinder for a family of 4-5 members is good enough.
Best Juicer Mixer Grinder in India
What is a Food Processor?
A Food processor is an advanced kitchen appliance, it is generally more powerful than traditional mixer grinders and can chop, shred, slice, knead dough and do a lot more.
Unlike mixer grinders, you don’t need different jars to perform different tasks with a food processor. Blades of a food processor can be changed depending on what kind of task do you want to perform. Some of the food processors also come with a blender attachment so you can make smoothies and soups.
Food processors also includes a bowl that ranges from 1 litre to 4 litres. As far as the motor power is concerned, you will find food processors starting with 600 watts of power and it can go up to 1,000 Watts.
Again, depending on your usage, number of family members you can go for a food processor that comes with a larger bowl and higher motor power. For your basic idea, a food processor with 750 Watts of power and 1-2 litre bowl size is good enough for a family of 4-5 members.
Best Food Processors in India
Uses of Mixer Grinders
A mixer grinder is one of the most common kitchen appliances in the Indian kitchens, which can be used to reduce manual work and save a great deal of time. You can use a mixer grinder for pureeing, mixing, grinding, mincing or even chopping.
Most of the mixer grinders come with 2 separate jars for wet and dry grinding. Some brands also provide a separate jar for chutney. In addition to this, you can also use a mixer grinder for idli, dosa batter, masala powder, making chutneys, sugar grinding,
Pros
1. The biggest benefit of having a mixer grinder is it can handle liquids very well and it is very versatile.
2. Using a mixer grinder is fairly easy unlike food processors.
3. Cleaning is easier and not messy with a mixer grinder.
4. Due to multiple speed settings, you have more control in a mixer grinder.
5. A 500W mixer grinder starts from 2,500 INR meaning it is very much affordable for Indian kitchens.
6. Chopping or grinding by hands will take a lot of time as compared to a mixer grinder, hence the amount of time that can be saved is invaluable.
Cons
1. Due to the blade shape and the space it takes, sometimes it can be difficult to take out chopped food from the mixer, if you are not careful you can hurt yourself too.
2. Mixer grinders tend to get overheated if used for a longer period of time, look out for Overheating protection while buying a mixer.
3. If the base is not firm, you will have to hold the jar so it does not move.
4. Noise from a mixer grinder is usually around 70-90 Decibels and can be irritating at times.
Uses of Food Processors
Anything in the kitchen which involves chopping, blending, slicing, whisking, grinding and puréeing, can be performed easily if you have a food processor. Just like a grinder, having a food processor will help you to reduce manual work and save precious time.
Most of the food processors will come with a motor, a bowl with a lid and feed tube, and a set of attachments. You can also use a food processor to make peanut butter, fresh pasta dough, grind meat, shred potatoes, almond butter, etc.
If you are a fan of pasta, you can also check our post on 7 Best Pasta Maker Machine in India.
Pros
1. A food processor is a multi-use kitchen tool that allows you to go a notch up in terms of your cooking skills.
2. Not just chopping and slicing, a food processor can also perform tasks such as shredding, puree making, chopping and grinding nuts, dough etc.
3. Ideal for occasions when you have to cook multiple dishes, huge time saver on time and energy both.
4. Unlike mixers, chances of hurting yourself due to sharp blades are less with a food processor.
5. A food processor is an ideal kitchen tool if you like to maintain fitness goals as you can quickly make hygienic and delicious salads.
Cons
1. A food processor is a bulky equipment that takes more space than a mixer grinder.
2. If you like to make soups or liquid drinks, food processor is not the right kitchen tool for you.
3. Cleaning is not something you will enjoy in a food processor, so better do it as soon as you are done with the task.
4. Electricity consumption is more with a food processor as compared to mixer grinders.
5. Food processors tend to make more noise than mixer grinders.
How to Choose a Mixer Grinder
Considering you are going to use a mixer grinder almost everyday for your cooking needs, there are some factors you should take into account before buying a Mixer Grinder.
1. Types of Mixer Grinder – You will have to choose between Stand Mixer and Traditional Mixer. Go for Traditional ones if you are not going to use it in a bakery. Stand Mixers are more for commercial use.
2. Number of Jars – Depending on your cooking requirements and number of members in the family, choose a mixer grinder accordingly. I recommend to go for minimum 3 jars so you can use them for different purpose.
3. Power – Remember higher the wattage, more the electricity usage. So, choose a mixer grinder with at least 500 Watts of power, a 750 watts mixer is ideal for a family of 4-5 people.
4. Speed – Check out the rotations per minute of the blade, RPM of around 20,000 is ideal for Indian cooking.
5. Other Features – It is important that you look at other important features such as Overheating protection, maintenance requirements, ease of cleaning, blade material, price and warranty, etc.
How to Choose a Food Processor
A food processor is one of the most expensive things you can buy for your kitchen. This makes it imperative for you to look at below points before shopping for a food processor.
1. Speed – A food processor can perform multiple tasks and therefore, it is important there are different speed settings as it allows you to improvise more with your cooking needs. You can also check out the food processor that has “Pulse Setting” to whip up the creams.
2. Power – From 600 watts to 1,000 watts, you can choose any food processor depending on your family size and cooking requirements. Remember, if you choose a higher wattage food processor, noise will be less and vice-versa.
3. Capacity – A 10 attachment (consisting of Jars and Blades) food processor should be ideal if you have a family of 4-5 people. For anything less or more, choose a processor accordingly.
4. Blade Material – After the motor, blades are the most important part of a food processor. Ensure blades of the processor are sharp enough to perform different tasks, stainless steel blades are usually the best.
5. Other Features – It is worth to check other features such as safety lock, overload protection, stability, cleaning, maintenance, warranty, dishwasher compatibility, BPA free jars etc.
Do you need both?
Considering both of these kitchen appliances are good for different kitchen tasks, yet they are overlapping in some aspects. Overall, you can make this decision depending on what you do in the kitchen.
For someone who does a lot of dough mixing, meat grinding, spice grinding, a mixer grinder may be the best choice. At the same time, a food processor is an ideal kitchen tool for fine cutting, chopping, grinding, etc.
A modern food processor can also handle both solid and liquids. It comes with different blades, so you can use it for different purposes, giving you more flexibility in the kitchen. One of the benefit you will get from a mixer grinder is that it can hold a variety of ingredients at a time.
If you are more into grinding spices, you can also check 8 Best Spice Grinder in India.
Which is Better?
Imagine for a second if both these kitchen appliances were to perform the same job, there won’t be a market for it, right? This means both these tools are manufactured and designed for different needs and cannot substitute one another, no matter what. Having said this, if you have to make a choice between a Food Processor and a Mixer Grinder, here is what we think:
If you like to cook, innovate or surprise your loved ones with new dishes you must choose a Food Processor. A food processor will certainly reduce your kitchen time, save huge amount of effort and most importantly will give you optimum results.
On the other hand, if you can buy a mixer grinder with a chopper jar, you will not need a food processor. If I were you, I would have bought a Chopper to cut, slice and chop fruits, veggies and a branded Mixer Grinder Juicer, this way I will not only save money, but I will save a lot of space in the kitchen too.
Hope you now understand everything you need to know about the difference between Mixer Grinder and Food Processor. Do comment if you have a question or a suggestion.
