Everyone knows they should eat plenty of vegetables, but sometimes the prep involved after a hard day is just too much. A vegetable chopper significantly cuts down on prep time, so you can get more veggies in your meals without it taking hours to get dinner on the table.
You'll need to choose between two main types of chopper: manual or electric. Then there are other considerations, such as how they operate and how easy they are to clean. The Hamilton Beach Electric Vegetable Chopper is a versatile choice that does more than just chop.
Both manual and electric vegetable choppers have their places, but which is right for you?
Choppers come in various designs with different ways to operate them. Some people find certain methods of operation easier.
Some choppers have bowls or containers to hold chopped vegetables. Those with small capacities can be frustrating when you're cooking for a crowd. A 2- to 3-cup capacity is large enough without being oversized.
You can find choppers that come with more than one set of blades to give you a choice of precise dice size. Without this, you simply have to operate the chopper until you get the size you want.
If it takes longer to clean your chopper than it would have taken to simply chop your vegetables with a knife, it becomes redundant. Avoid those with nooks and crannies that are hard to reach and look for those with dishwasher-safe parts.
Some choppers are more versatile than others. For instance, electric choppers can also make dips and sauces.
Most cost $15 to $30. However, you can find some larger, more elaborate electric choppers that double as mini food processors for $50 to $75, with those from big-name brands costing the most.
A. This depends on a range of factors, such as how much you cook from scratch and how useful it would be to save time on prep. If you only occasionally cook meals from scratch, the time you'd save chopping the occasional onion might not seem worth buying a food chopper for. That said, you might think you'd cook from scratch more if prep time was quicker.
People who cook regularly, especially meals that contain a lot of chopped veggies, can really speed things up with an electric chopper. However, some people enjoy the meditative quality of chopping vegetables by hand, in which case an electric chopper isn't ideal.
A. In manual choppers, you can chop most vegetables, but some struggle with harder ones, such as carrots, potatoes and winter squash. They generally excel at chopping somewhat softer produce, including celery, onions and tomatoes. Electric choppers are a little more robust and have the strength of a motor, so they're a better choice for hard vegetables.
A. If you want to chop relatively small quantities of vegetables, a food chopper is right for you. However, if you want to be able to chop large amounts and want more versatility, a food processor is great. Food processors can also shred and slice, plus they're great for making dips and sauces, kneading dough and whipping up batters.
Hamilton Beach Electric Vegetable Chopper
What you need to know: This electric chopper is a versatile choice that's great for chopping and dicing, as well as tasks such as whipping up pesto.
What you’ll love: The 350-watt motor is powerful enough to dice hard vegetables. It has a 3-cup capacity, generous but not overly large. The oil dispenser makes it easy to emulsify dips and sauces.
What you should consider: Some users find it annoyingly loud.
Where to buy: Sold by Amazon
Vidalia The Original Chop Wizard
What you need to know: With a hinged design, it chops in a single swift motion.
What you’ll love: It comes with two sets of blades: one with a larger grid for chopping and the other with a smaller grid for dicing. The container below holds the chopped vegetables until you're ready to use them. It's easy to clean and has dishwasher-safe parts.
What you should consider: It can be hard to press down, and it struggles with hard veggies.
Where to buy: Sold by Amazon
Cuisinart Stainless Steel Chopper
What you need to know: Simply place it over the vegetables you want to chop, press down on the handles and it gets to work.
What you’ll love: It's great for onions and garlic, but is also strong enough to chop harder veggies, such as carrots. There's no bowl or container to catch what comes out, which means there's one less thing to clean and you can simply use it on a chopping board as you would when chopping with a knife.
What you should consider: It can be difficult to clean and it only chops roughly, sometimes leaving chunks that are too large.
Where to buy: Sold by Amazon
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Lauren Corona writes for BestReviews. BestReviews has helped millions of consumers simplify their purchasing decisions, saving them time and money.
