Cuisinart Custom 14-Cup (DFP-14BCNY).

The Gavler Review.

Cuisinart Custom 14-Cup (DFP-14BCNY) Review: The Food Processor Most Kitchens Should Buy

The Cuisinart Custom 14-Cup (DFP-14BCNY) is the food processor most households should buy first. It is rank 1 on Gavler's Best Food Processors list with a score of 9.2/10: a 720-watt motor, a 14-cup bowl, two levers, and a price that sits far below the dicing machines above it in price. The main trade-offs are uneven cheese shredding and a bulky, heavy body. If you want even cubes, spend more on a Breville. Otherwise, start here.

What it is

This is the full-size, no-frills Cuisinart: a 14-cup work bowl, an On lever, and an Off/Pulse lever. According to Gavler's product data it ships with a 4mm slicing disc, a medium shredding disc and a stainless chopping blade, and the feed tube is extra large. There is no adjustable slicing ring, no dicing kit, and no touchscreen. Reviewed lists an MSRP of $199, and Amazon prices have moved around, so check the current number.

That simplicity is the product. You are paying for a big bowl and a motor, not for presets. Gavler's data records a 3-year unit warranty and a 5-year motor warranty. Tom's Guide confirms the 3-year limited warranty; we could not read Cuisinart's own page, so treat the 5-year motor figure as unconfirmed.

In use

Reviewers like how it behaves. Reviewed says "The Cuisinart excels in (almost) every food-processing task," and its slicing test with the 4mm disc produced near-uniform slices of potato and tomato. Gavler's vetted product data also carries Reviewed's line that this is "the food processor to beat," though we did not see that exact sentence when re-reading the page for this review.

Tom's Guide tested the Cuisinart 14 Cup Custom and found it "a powerful machine with a generous 14-cup capacity." Their numbers: an onion chopped in eight seconds, potatoes sliced in about two seconds, and cheese shredded in about ten. Their butter-and-sugar test is the interesting one: the Cuisinart "quickly and thoroughly blended butter and sugar together, a task that other machines struggled with." One caveat: Tom's Guide's page does not print the model number, though the specs it lists (720W, 14 cups, paddle controls) match the DFP-14BCNY.

Noise is the surprise. Tom's Guide measured 65.2 dBA, the quietest of the processors it tested, versus 79.2 dBA for its top pick. For a machine with a 720W motor, that matters in a small kitchen.

Strengths

• Capacity without the footprint of a Breville. Fourteen cups covers holiday shredding, a double batch of pie dough, or a week of slaw.
• Quiet and capable. The motor handles dough, per Tom's Guide, and the noise level is low for the class.
• Easy to live with. Reviewed notes that every part except the base is dishwasher safe, and the feed tube is wide enough for a whole large potato.
• Price. At around $200 it undercuts the next two machines on our list by hundreds of dollars.

Trade-offs and who should skip it

Cheese is the specific weakness. Reviewed: "The Cuisinart struggled to shred cheese evenly." Their cheddar came out usable but uneven, which is worth knowing if you shred blocks weekly.

Ergonomics are the second knock. Reviewed also found the rear-mounted chute "can make it pretty awkward to use," and said the discs are not adjustable and are tricky to attach to the stem. Weight is the third: 18 pounds per Reviewed, 20 per Tom's Guide. Tom's Guide lists only one power setting plus pulse.

Skip it if you dice vegetables weekly, want thickness control without swapping discs, or have little counter space.

How it compares

The Breville Paradice 16 (rank 2) adds a 1,450W motor and 8, 12 and 16mm dicing for around $700, and it is the right upgrade only if cubes are a routine job. The KitchenAid 13-Cup KFP1318 (rank 3) gives you an externally adjustable slicing disc and an in-bowl storage caddy for a similar price, with a shorter warranty. The Ninja Professional Plus BN601 (rank 5) is the choice if you want preset buttons over levers.

The Gavler verdict

9.2 out of 10. The DFP-14BCNY does the core jobs quietly and at a fair price, with uneven cheese shredding and a heavy, awkward-chute body as the honest costs. It is the default recommendation for a first processor. See where it ranks on our Best Food Processors list, and move up to a Breville only if dicing is your weekly job.

Common Questions

Is the Cuisinart Custom 14-Cup worth buying?

For most households, yes. It has a 720W motor, a large 14-cup bowl and simple lever controls at an MSRP Reviewed lists at $199. Skip it if you want a machine that dices or has adjustable slicing.

How loud is the Cuisinart Custom 14?

Tom's Guide measured 65.2 dBA and called it the quietest food processor it tested. Reviewed also described the motor as quiet.

How heavy is it?

Reviewed lists 18 pounds and Tom's Guide lists 20 pounds, so plan on a machine that lives on the counter rather than being lifted out daily.

Does it come with a dicing kit?

No. Gavler's product data lists a 4mm slicing disc, a medium shredding disc and an S-blade. Dicing needs a different machine, such as the Breville Paradice 16.

What is the warranty?

Tom's Guide lists a 3-year limited warranty. Gavler's product data also records a 5-year motor warranty, which we could not confirm on Cuisinart's own page, so check before buying.