The Cuisinart Food Processor revolutionized home cooking. A chef and entrepreneur named Carl Sontheimer brought the device to the mass-American market in the early 1970s. TV chefs, such as Julia Child, helped spread the word about the Cuisinart's versatility in preparing all manner of dishes. Although other household appliance makers have since created food processors that are at least as good as top Cuisinart models, most Americans still refer to generic food processor equipment as Cuisinarts.

How do food processors differ from standard blenders? In a blender, the blade is ultimately fixed, and the bowl is thinner and taller. Food processors, on the other hand, contain a moving shaft that hooks on to blades, discs, and other metallic components to chop up vegetables, knead dough, mash fruit and puree. Advanced Cuisinarts typically have at least six settings from which to choose.

Modern food processors employ ample safety protections. For instance, the bowl must be locked into the fastening device before the motor can operate. This prevents the blade from spinning in the open air and potentially causing injury. Similarly, food processors come with a feeding device used to push food through the feed tube into the shredding or grinding area.

Cuisinart is also a purveyor of other fine kitchen instruments, such as toasters, frozen yogurt makers, electric tea kettles, and so forth. Some food processors double as juicers, which enable independent chefs to concoct a dazzling variety of dishes using just a single machine. Cuisinart food processors are often given as wedding gifts to newlyweds.