Turns frozen fruit and nut-heavy mixes into silky smoothies or bowls without constant scraping or stalls.
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If your “smoothie” keeps turning into a chunky fruit salad, the right food processor can fix it with better power, blade design, and bowl control. These picks focus on the one thing that matters: getting a creamy blend without endless stopping and scraping.
In-depth Reviews
Breville Sous Chef 16 Pro Food Processor (BCG820BSS)
- Blends dense mixtures with less stopping and scraping
- Strong, consistent results with frozen fruit and nut-based smoothies
- Feels stable and controlled during longer purees
- Big footprint for smaller kitchens
- Premium pricing compared with basic processors
Cuisinart 14-Cup Custom Food Processor (DFP-14BCNY)
- Solid puree performance for the money
- Reliable for daily prep beyond smoothies
- Straightforward controls that are easy to use quickly
- Can require a scrape-down for ultra-smooth texture
- Louder than some premium options
KitchenAid 13-Cup Food Processor (KFP1318)
- Quick to assemble, run, and rinse between uses
- Good control for thick smoothie bowl textures
- Less splatter when starting thicker blends
- Not as forgiving with very hard frozen ingredients
- Storage for accessories can feel bulky
Magimix 5200XL Food Processor
- Exceptional puree texture with fewer gritty bits
- Handles thick blends without constantly bogging down
- Feels built for long-term, frequent use
- Expensive upfront
- More components to wash and store
Ninja Professional Plus Kitchen System with Auto-iQ (BN801)
- Best results for pourable, drinkable smoothies
- Switches easily between smoothie cups, pitcher, and processor tasks
- Presets help avoid overprocessing thick mixes
- Noisy compared with quieter processors
- More pieces to store on busy counters
Buying Guide
Pro Tip: Get Creamier Smoothies From a Food Processor (Without Burning Out the Motor)
Think “puree” first, not “blend.” A food processor is happiest when ingredients can circulate around the blade. If you dump in frozen fruit and expect it to behave like a blender, it often stalls and leaves chunks riding the bowl wall. Start with your liquid base and soft ingredients, then add frozen items on top so the blade can grab and break them down gradually.
Use the scrape-and-reset method on purpose. For the smoothest texture, run until the mixture starts climbing the sides, stop, scrape down, and run again. That single reset is usually what separates “pretty good” from “actually creamy,” especially with greens, chia, oats, or protein powders that love to stick. If your processor has a pulse option, use a few pulses at the beginning to break up frozen pieces, then switch to continuous running once everything is moving.
Warmth matters for texture. Ice-cold ingredients can stay stubbornly grainy in a processor, particularly banana, mango, and berry blends. Let frozen fruit sit on the counter briefly, or mix frozen fruit with refrigerated yogurt (instead of all frozen plus cold liquid) to help the puree come together faster. For smoothie bowls, finish with short pulses to keep the mix thick and scoopable. For drinkable smoothies, add liquid in small splashes at the end until it pours easily.
Clean it like you mean it. Smoothies leave a thin film of nut butter, protein, and fruit sugars that can get tacky fast. Rinse the bowl and lid immediately, then wash with warm soapy water so the gasket and lid channels stay clean. If you wait, you often end up scrubbing the lid creases and fighting odors later.
💡 Editor’s Final Thoughts
Final verdict: The Breville Sous Chef 16 Pro is the top pick if you want consistently smooth purees from frozen fruit and dense add-ins with less stalling and less fuss. If you are primarily a drinkable-smoothie person, the Ninja Professional Plus Kitchen System is the most satisfying option because its blender setup does the heavy lifting fast.
See also
If you are deciding whether a processor is the right tool for your morning routine, compare it with the best home juicers for smoothies and fresh juice and our roundup of gadgets that earn counter space.
- Essential kitchen tools you will actually use (not just store)
- Time-saving kitchen gadgets for busy moms
- Kitchen accessories that upgrade everyday cooking
Frequently Asked Questions ▾
Can a food processor make smoothies as smooth as a blender?
Sometimes, but it depends on the style of smoothie. A blender usually wins for drinkable, ultra-silky smoothies because it creates a strong vortex that keeps pulling ingredients into the blades. A food processor can still make a very smooth blend, especially for thicker smoothies and smoothie bowls, but you may need to stop once or twice to scrape the sides and re-level the mixture. If you want thin, pourable smoothies daily, a system with a dedicated blender pitcher is often the easiest path.
What is the best way to load a food processor for smoothies?
Start with liquids and soft ingredients first (yogurt, milk, juice, nut butter), then add fresh fruit, greens, and finally frozen items on top. This helps the blade grab and circulate the mix instead of skating over a solid frozen layer. For greens, consider tearing or roughly chopping them so they do not cling to the bowl wall. If the mixture stalls, pulse a few times, then run again after scraping down. The goal is steady movement around the blade, not a packed mound.
How much liquid do I need to add for a smooth blend in a processor?
More than most people expect. Food processors do not pull ingredients down as aggressively as blenders, so the mixture needs enough moisture to flow and re-circulate. If you are getting grainy bits or the motor sounds strained, add a small splash of liquid, scrape once, and continue. For smoothie bowls, use just enough liquid to keep the blades moving, then finish with short pulses to keep the texture thick. When in doubt, start slightly thicker, then thin it gradually to your preferred consistency.
Is it safe to blend frozen fruit and ice in a food processor?
Frozen fruit is generally fine in a quality full-size processor, but treat ice with more caution. Some processors can handle it, but frequent ice crushing can be noisy, hard on blades, and more likely to cause stalling. If you do use ice, add it after there is already liquid in the bowl so the cubes are cushioned and move around instead of getting hammered in one spot. Avoid overfilling, and use short bursts until you get the texture you want. If you routinely want icy, slushy drinks, a blender pitcher is the better tool.
How do you prevent leaks and messy lids when making smoothies in a food processor?
First, do not fill the bowl anywhere near the top when blending liquids; processors are designed for chopping and mixing, not spinning large volumes of fluid. Second, make sure the lid and gasket areas are clean before locking in, since a thin smear of nut butter or puree can prevent a tight seal. Start with a few pulses to break up frozen pieces, then run continuously once the mixture is flowing. If your model has a drizzle opening, cover it with the cap during blending to reduce splatter.
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