Category — Cuisinart

If you’re pressed for kitchen storage space, or you just like keeping things simple, you should take a look at some of the new blenders on the market that also double as a food processor.  On these models, the blender pitcher, and a food processor attachment interchangeably use the same power base.

The Cuisinart blender shown above comes with a 40-ounce glass blender jar, and a 3 cup food processor.  I especially like that the motor has a special ice crusher setting, because if you try to crush ice in a blender that’s not made for it, you can easily ruin it.

The motor of the blender/food processor combo has 7 speeds, including pulse.  For the food processor attachment, a chopping blade, and a reversible shredding disc are included.   I found the Cuisinart Duet blender at Cooking.Com for $89.95.

Here’s a list of food processor and blender recipes from Recipe Zaar.

Coffee makers can be a minor purchase, or a major purchase depending on how many “options” you need.  I’ve been through a few, and have finally settled on this one: the Cuisinart Grind and Brew.  I’ve been brewing coffee every day, often twice a day, with this coffee maker for the last 2 years, and it still seems to be holding up very well.  Here are the pros and cons:

The Pros: I like this coffee pot because it grinds and brews the coffee in an enclosed unit.  If you’ve ever fumbled around with a coffee grinder at 6AM, spilling ground coffee on the counter and floor- you’ll appreciate this too. I also like the thermal carafe, because it eliminates that scorched taste you can sometimes get with coffee makers that have burners and glass pots, and it keeps the coffee hot for hours.

In addition, the Cuisinart Grind and Brew has a built in charcoal water filter, something which I think makes a big difference in the quality of the coffee brewed.  And, if you don’t want to use coffee beans for every pot, you can just add ground coffee to the basket.

The Cons: Although it’s my favorite coffee pot of all time, I would change the following things if I could. First, the grinder mechanism has to be cleaned every time you grind coffee beans, because it steams up when the coffee brews.  This means a few extra minutes of prep time.  Second, the Cuisinart water filters for this model are a little bit expensive.  They’re around $5 each, which is higher than the water filters for other coffee makers.

The Cuisinart Grind and Brew is available at 1st in Coffee for $129.