Cuisinart DLC-4CHB Mini-Prep Plus 4-Cup Food Processor Review

Those of us that prepare food only in small quantities don’t have the need for a large, bulky and expensive food processor so a mini machine will serve us just fine. Enter the Cuisinart 4-Cup Mini-Prep Plus Processor. This elegant little machine can handle the usual basic food processing tasks of chopping, blending, grinding and pureeing, but is limited to small jobs with its 4-cup capacity.

Reviews on the Mini-Prep Plus are generally positive, but still rather mixed so this review is one you’ll want to read if you’re considering this model.

Read Consumer Reviews on the Mini-Prep Plus

Features of the Cuisinart DLC-4CHB Mini-Prep Plus 4-Cup Food Processor

• Auto-reverse SmartPower Blade system
• User-friendly Touchpad Controls
• Chop and Grind function
• 4-cup work bowl with large handle and cover
• Instructions, Recipe book
• Dishwasher-safe
• Warranty: 18-month limited

Design

Pretty much the talking point of the Mini-Prep Plus is its highly compact size. With its measurement being just 5-2/5" x 7-3/5" x 9-8/9", it can fit snugly on the countertop even in kitchens where space is at a premium. Aesthetically, the machine looks nice and elegant with its brushed stainless finish. However, the material under the finish is plastic so it lacks the high durability of die-cast machines which cost considerably more.

Chop or Grind

The Cuisinart DLC-4CHB Mini-Prep Plus has just two processing buttons for its functions (Chop or Grind), which are situated at the front of the unit. The chop function is ideal for chopping, mixing and pureeing. The grind function is used for tasks like grinding spices and chopping harder foods such as nuts or seeds.

The machine does get bogged down occasionally if you attempt to make large batches of harder foods, so we recommend you stick to smaller batches when processing harder foods to avoid the machine stalling.

Tip: If you press both the Chop and Grind buttons alternatively, the blade direction gets reversed which allows your produce to get processed by the machine more efficiently.

4-Cup Work Bowl

The 4-cup work bowl features a large handle which makes placing and removing the bowl to and from the base that much easier. As a safety precaution, the work bowl has to be fully locked to the base or the machine won’t start.

Pros and Cons of the Cuisinart DLC-4CHB Mini-Prep Plus 4-Cup Food Processor

Pros

The Mini-Prep Plus is a low-cost, compact and lightweight food processor which does a fine job at processing non-dense foods quickly. All removable parts are dish-washer safe thus making them easy to clean.

Cons

The body is constructed of plastic so durability problems in the long term are a potential issue. However, given the low cost of this machine and its purpose as a low volume processor, the plastic body suffices.

Considering the small size of this unit, it has a good amount of power, but is known for grinding to a halt under too much load so if you intend on making full use of the 4-cup capacity with denser foods then we’d recommend another model.

Final Thoughts

For small food prep tasks in the kitchen, the Cuisinart DLC-4CHB Mini-Prep Plus 4-Cup Food Processor is the perfect size and an adequate performer. However, those wanting a machine that will process dense foods or foods in large batches should look elsewhere.