I love my Cuisinart!  I am a bargain shopper but this has been well worth the money I paid for it.  I've bought many cheaper ones in the past and none of them compare to my Cuisinart.  Yes, it takes up some space on my counter (and I don't have much counter space) but I use it almost every day because it is so easy.  It all comes apart and goes right in the dishwasher so it's easy to clean. 

 The motor is so powerful that it will chop almost anything.  I'm a big pesto maker and have made over 100 cups of pesto in a day using my Cuisinart.