Cuisinart DLC-5 Food Processor Review

Following the demise of my vintage, circa 1980 Cuisinart 11-cup food processor a few years ago I balked at spending the $249 or so that it was going to cost to replace it.

After going the cheap route selecting two Black & Decker food processors that lasted from 1 - 2 years I've come back to Cuisinart and I didn't have to spend $249 to do it.

 Cuisinart DLC-5 Food Processor

The DLC-5 bears a striking resemblance to my original 11 cup Cuisinart but at about 2/3rds the size.  It comes with the usual chopping blade and a pair of disks for slicing and shredding.  Unlike my original Cuisinart that had two controls on its face, the DLC-5 has one control switch for "continuous on", off and pulse.  Except when I'm using it to slice and shred, I almost exclusively use the pulse feature.  The very sharp blades of the chopping blade does a very good job of turning over ingredients with each pulse.

The slicing and shredding blades differ from my older model in that they are permanently attached to stems that slip over the drive-shaft.  This does make them a bit harder to store, but no biggie.

Adapting to its size

Remember, this is a 7-Cup machine.  It is smaller.  But then, so too is my family these days.  And the fact is that even when we were preparing for 5, I probably could have used this machine.  Sure, there might have been the occasion that I might have had to process an ingredient in two batches, but honestly I really don't think this would have been much of an issue.

Its reduced physical size makes it practical to keep this processor out on my counter-top.  At just 14"H x 9.5"D x 6.5"W it doesn't demand much real estate.

The 600 watt motor on a processor of this size is impressive.  The DLC-5 will shred a block of hard cheese in 2 seconds.  That's quick. 

For those familiar with Cuisinart food processors you'll find the same high quality build in the DLC-5.  Work bowl and top work on the same double latching safety design.  Both bowl and top are made of rugged lexan plastic.

Warranty

Cuisinart warranties the entire machine for 3 years.  The motor is warrantied for 10 years.

My Viewpoint

The DLC-5 has been around for several years.  The original white plastic base has given way to a chrome or stainless steel colored plastic base to give it a more modern look.  While it is sold in some stores for as much as $149, it can often be found for less than $100.  I purchased mine on sale for $79.99 several weeks ago.

While there are other manufacturers offering high quality processors, for my 80 bucks it's nice to come home to Cuisinart.  I recommend the DLC-5 for the small to medium size family.

Rudi