food processor- which brand is best?

I need to buy (my first) food processor and am a bit confused on where to start. What brands should I consider?

I don't need a large capacity, although I want to be able to make pizza dough every once in a while, so flexiblity is important. I don't want a lot of bells and whistles, and I am willing to pay for higher quality.

Cusinart, Braun, Kitchenaid are the brands I'm starting with. Any others I should consider? Any insight would be much appreciated, thanks.

when I was shopping for a food processor I posted a similar question on Chowhound and also did a TON of research. I ended up with the KitchenAid 11-cup Professional model and I love it. I know you said you don't need "bells and whistles", but this one has three different plates for grating and slicing, plus a dough hook, a citrus juicer (which is great for making fresh-squeezed OJ or juicing lemons or limes for pies), and two extra bowls.

I love my machine--the only drawback is that sometimes I'm hesitant to clean it because it's a pain in the butt to do so-- especially when you've grated cheese with one of the plates. But still, it's indispensible. Making pie crust and biscuit or scone dough is particularly easy, as is making tapenade, creamed vegetable soup, or really soupy salsa (I haven't mastered not over-pulsing).

i've had an 11-cup kitchenaid (the heavier of the two they make) for years, and have been quite happy. like you, i didn't require a lot of bells and whistles. of course, had i not gotten a real deal from from chefs catalogue ($20 off regular price, free shipping, additional $20 rebate, and a 10-inch kitchenaid saute pan)i might well have bought a cusinart and been just as happy.

I've had both, and I prefer the Kitchenaid. Mine came with a smaller bowl and blade, which is handy for smaller jobs. I find it easier to clean, particularly because the chute is in two pieces.

ditto! i'm a chef and would prefer my kitchenaid over cuisinart's any day. love the second smaller bowl too!

Cuisinart 11-cup capacity. Big enough to handle a batch of dough, but not oversized. Plenty of power. Parts/repair widely available.

Ditto.

And another vote for the Cuisinart. I'm sure my preference is colored by growing up with the one we gave my mom in 1976 or so; gorgeous heavy metal base beast that works like a dream to this day.

But the Kitchenaid is made by the original manufacturer of the Cuisinart, Robot Coupe. I switched to Kitchenaid after having owned 2 Cuisinarts. The smaller chopping bowl and the extra almost full size "chef's bowl" are really useful. (I have the 11-cup "pro" model)