The 4 Best Food Processors for Hummus of 2024
Published on April 23, 2024
Hummus is one of my all-time favorite snacks to munch on, especially with some toasted pita bread or roasted veggies — YUM! It's also a delicious appetizer to serve up any time I have guests over. But rather than grab a container at the grocery store, I make my own at home, and with one of the best food processors for hummus, it's a breeze to do the same!
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Pin ItTo land on my list of the best food processors for hummus, I made sure each model had great reviews from customers. Not only did I include my personal favorite (this one from Cuisinart), but I also added in options with other great features from beloved kitchen brands like Breville and Ninja.
Below, check out the best food processors for hummus!
My Top Picks:
- What's in My Kitchen: Cuisinart 14-Cup Food Processor – $199.50 at Amazon
- Best Small Food Processor: KitchenAid 3.5-Cup Food Chopper – $59.95 at Amazon
- Best Splurge: Breville 16-Cup Sous Chef Food Processor – $374.99 at Amazon
- Best Blender and Food Processor Combo: Ninja BL770 Mega Kitchen System – $159 at Amazon
Reviews of The Best Food Processor for Hummus
1. What's in My Kitchen: Cuisinart 14-Cup Food Processor
This Cuisinart food processor is my favorite for making hummus! It keeps things simple with the “on” and “off/pulse” buttons, but it's still SUPER effective at shredding through chickpeas and whipping them into a creamy texture. I love that it has a 14-cup capacity, so you make a lot of hummus at once, while the feed tube is decently sized so you can add ingredients as you go.
While I love making my classic hummus with this food processor, I'd also recommend whipping up my Chipotle Hummus! It's full of flavor thanks to yummy add-ins like adobo sauce and smoked paprika.
The Specs:
- Capacity: 14 cups
- Power: 720 watts
- Weight: 18 pounds
- Dimensions: 11″ D x 7.9″ W x 14.8″ H
- Dishwasher-Safe?: Yes
The Pros:
- Easy to clean
- Simple settings
- Very durable
- Large capacity
The Cons:
- On the pricey side
What Others Are Saying:
This food processor was named best overall by The Spruce Eats, Food & Wine, and Wirecutter, and named best budget by Serious Eats. Plus, it has a 4.6-star rating from more than 19,200 reviewers on Amazon.
Buy the Cuisinart 14-Cup Food Processor:
2. Best Small Food Processor: KitchenAid 3.5-Cup Food Chopper
You definitely don't need a large food processor to make a decent-size portion of hummus, so if you're short on counter space or storage, this option from KitchenAid is a great one. Since there are only two speeds and a pulse setting, it's easy to use and awesome for blending through tougher ingredients.
I like that it has a hole in the lid that KitchenAid calls a “drizzle basin” to add liquid ingredients while the machine does its thing. It's a feature that'll come in handy if you need to add a little more olive oil or lemon juice to your Edamame Basil Hummus! As a bonus, it even comes in a bunch of different fun colors, like a sky blue and a neutral white.
The Specs:
- Capacity: 3.5 cups
- Power: 1,000 watts
- Weight: 2.7 pounds
- Dimensions: 5.95″ D x 7″ W x 8.74″ H
- Dishwasher-Safe?: Yes
The Pros:
- Lightweight
- Easy to store
- Easy to clean
- Powerful motor
- Comes in different colors
The Cons:
- Can't make larger portions
- No long feed tubing
What Others Are Saying:
Food & Wine called it best compact, The Strategist named it the best mini, CNET called it best small, and Good Housekeeping said it's the best mini food processor for emulsifying. It also has a 4.6-star rating from more than 23,700 reviewers on Amazon.
Buy the KitchenAid 3.5-Cup Food Chopper:
3. Best Splurge: Breville 16-Cup Sous Chef Food Processor
If you know you'll be using your food processor for a lot more than hummus, you might consider spending the extra dough on this Breville one. It has a 16-ounce bowl and a large feed chute (it's 5.5 inches wide!) for adding hefty add-ins like potatoes or squash into the machine for dicing.
It also comes with a whole kit of blades and discs to slice, dice, and peel, so it makes it easy to go through the prep work for a bunch of dishes. While you can make yummy Pesto Guacamole or Roasted Red Pepper and White Bean Dip, it's also amazing for my hearty Sweet Potato Hummus!
The Specs:
- Capacity: 16 cups
- Power: 1,200 watts
- Weight: 35 pounds
- Dimensions: 11″ D x 12″ W x 18″ H
- Dishwasher-Safe?: Yes
The Pros:
- Very versatile
- Easy to clean
- Wide feed chute
- Powerful motor
The Cons:
- Heavy
- Expensive
- Takes up a lot of counter space
What Others are Saying:
Serious Eats named it the best 16-cup food processor, Food & Wine dubbed it as the best splurge, and Wirecutter included it as the best upgrade option.
Buy the Breville 16-Cup Sous Chef Food Processor:
4. Best Blender and Food Processor Combo: Ninja BL770 Mega Kitchen System
Although I typically recommend using a food processor for hummus because it helps you get an extra smooth consistency, you can totally use a blender in a pinch.
If you're more likely to use a blender and only want one appliance, this Ninja machine is EXACTLY what you want. The 8-cup processor bowl means it'll serve up several helpings of hummus, and it also comes with a 9-cup pitcher and two 16-ounce to-go cups for smoothies. The 1,500-watt motor can easily crush all types of ingredients, frozen fruit, and even ice.
The Specs:
- Capacity: 9 cups
- Power: 1,500 watts
- Weight: 9.2 pounds
- Dimensions: 15.75″ D x 11.1″ W x 18.07″ H
- Dishwasher-Safe?: Yes
The Pros:
- Versatile
- Easy to clean
- Powerful motor
- Comes with multiple cups
The Cons:
- Takes up a decent amount of counter space
- No feed chute
What Others Are Saying:
Forbes recommends this as the best large capacity blender and food processor combo. Plus, it has a 4.7-star rating from more than 37,500 reviewers on Amazon.
Buy the Ninja BL770 Mega Kitchen System:
Other Food Processors for Hummus to Consider
Ninja BN601 Professional Plus Food Processor
This Ninja option caught my eye because it has great Amazon reviews. I know Ninja makes great blenders, which is why I chose to shout out the blender and processor combo. But if you don't need a blender, this food processor has a 9-cup bowl that can make a decent batch of hummus. The wide feed chute is also great if you want to use the machine for things like chopping veggies. It's a good model if you want a Ninja food processor, but I just prefer the versatility of the two-in-one blender/food processor I included above. The Ninja BN601 Professional Plus Food Processor is available at Amazon for $99.99.
KitchenAid 13-Cup Food Processor
Unlike its mini counterpart, this KitchenAid processor has a large bowl and feed chute to work through tougher ingredients. It has two speed settings as well as a pulse option, and it comes with a couple of different blades and discs, all of which help it work more efficiently. This didn't make my top picks only because I'd spring for the Cuisinart version with its larger bowl over this, but it's another great option with good reviews to match. The KitchenAid 13-Cup Food Processor is available at Amazon for $159.
Hamilton Beach Food Processor
This is a great budget-friendly option with a large-capacity bowl and a wide feed chute. That said, its motor isn't quite as powerful as the options above — at 450 watts, it may not blend up tough ingredients to make creamy hummus, or it may take a while to get the job done. It may work fine for hummus, but if you plan to also use it for recipes that involve grinding down tough ingredients, it may not be the best pick. The Hamilton Beach Food Processor is available at Amazon for $44.97.
Black+Decker 8-Cup Food Processor
This is another 450-watt processor that should work fine enough with hummus and other recipes that involve soft ingredients, but may not be up to snuff with anything tougher. Its 8-cup bowl is big enough to make plenty of hummus, though. In the long run, I think you'll like one of my top picks more, but this machine should suffice for things like dips and sauces. The Black+Decker 8-Cup Food Processor is available at Amazon for $39.99.
Why You Can Trust Me
Hi! I'm Maria, the founder of Two Peas and Their Pod, and I'm ALWAYS cooking and baking! I love coming up with new recipes to keep meals, snacks, and treats interesting and delicious. (And my husband and two kids are always happy to be taste testers!) When I can, I like to serve up some healthy and protein-packed foods (like hummus!) to fill all of our bellies and get us some nutrients at the same time. That's why I have a bunch of hummus recipes on the blog!
The best way to make hummus is with a food processor, which is why I rounded up the best options to get the job done! My list includes the one I use in my own kitchen as well as top-rated picks, according to reviews from editorial sites and retailers like Amazon.
Everything to Know Before Buying a Food Processor
What to Consider Before Buying a Food Processor
Here are some factors you should consider prior to purchasing your food processor.
- Bowl capacity: You can make hummus with any size food processor, so you should consider how much hummus you plan to make at once. You should also think about what other recipes you might be using the machine for. A mini 3.5-cup capacity machine works for individual-sized portions of things, but if you're into meal prepping or have many mouths to feed, you might want one with at least 8 cups.
- Power: More wattage means a more powerful food processor, which matters if you're using the machine to chop and blend rough ingredients like raw vegetables. With hummus, you're probably fine to skimp a little on wattage since it uses soft ingredients, but I recommend going with a machine that has at least 600 watts.
How Do You Make Hummus from Scratch?
I have several recipes on the blog that go into great detail on how to make hummus and what ingredients you need! To give you a glimpse, I add dried chickpeas and baking soda to a saucepan, cover them with water, and bring that to a boil.
Once the chickpeas are mushy, I drain the water and put them into my food processor, along with tahini, lemon juice, garlic, and salt, and blend them until pureed. While the machine continues running, I pour ice water in until the hummus is creamy. Then I add any other seasonings, garnishes, or toppings I want!
Should You Use a Blender or Food Processor to Make Hummus?
You can technically use either! I prefer a food processor with a strong motor that can make the hummus ultra-smooth. Sometimes blenders don't fully cut it. But in a pinch, a blender works too.
What Can You Dip in Hummus?
I LOVE dipping pita or naan bread, pita chips, raw or roasted veggies, crackers, pretzels, chicken gyros, or falafel into hummus! But don't forget that you can use hummus like a spread on sandwiches or as a dressing on top of salads or grain bowls too! It adds that perfect amount of creamy goodness!
Can You Freeze Hummus?
I usually store my hummus in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to five days. If you make a lot, you can store it in the freezer for about four months — just make sure it's in an airtight container or a bag.
The Best Hummus Recipes
Once you have your new food processor for hummus, you're ready to go! And I have a bunch of easy and delicious hummus recipes I'm sure you'll LOVE:
- Veggie Hummus
- Hummus
- Chipotle Hummus
- Edamame Basil Hummus
- Sweet Potato Hummus
- Spinach and Feta Hummus
Prices were accurate at time of publication.