12 best mini choppers for speedy kitchen prep

Prices vary widely; the models we tested ranged from £15 to over £100 and covered basic, entry-level models as well as more advanced and professional-looking devices.

Best mini choppers at a glance

• Best mini chopper: KitchenAid Mini Chopper 5KFC3516, £54.95
• Best cordless mini chopper: Cuisinart Cordless Mini Prep Pro, £72
• Best mini chopper to leave on the counter: Magimix 18115 Le Micro Mini Chopper, £65
• Most versatile mini chopper: Russell Hobbs 24662 Desire Matte Black Mini Chopper, £35.99
• Best mini chopper for sauces, dips and curry pastes: Bosch Mini Chopper MMR08, £29.99
• Best mini chopper for small spaces: Salter EK2182 Mini Chopper Pro, £19.99
• Best mini chopper for ease of use: Kenwood Mini Chopper CH180A, £30.55
• Best mini chopper for large families or batch cooking: Homgeek Food Chopper, £29.99
• Best budget mini chopper: Lakeland Mini Chopper Plus, £29.99
• Best mini chopper for food processing tasks: Cuisinart Mini Prep Pro, £52.14
• Best portable mini chopper: KitchenAid Cordless Electric Chopper, £91.94
• Best manual mini chopper: Tefal Jamie Oliver Chop & Shaker, £21.49

Best mini choppers to buy in 2023

KitchenAid Mini Chopper 5KFC3516

Best mini chopper

Pros:

• Comes in a range of colours
• Small funnel for liquids
• Pouring lip
• Simple to use pulse button
• Dishwasher safe

Cons:

• Not the cheapest

Score: 5/5

Equipped with a range of added extras like a small funnel for liquids and a pouring lip, it’s no surprise that this KitchenAid mini chopper secured the top spot. It’s equipped with a 830ml bowl capacity, which equates to a working capacity of 500ml. It's available in a range of different colours to suit every kitchen.

Whether you’re chopping or blitzing, this KitchenAid model offers total control. Chopped ingredients were fine and evenly cut and our Thai green curry paste was silky smooth. This is one of the more expensive models on the market, but the quality of the results makes it a worthwhile investment.

Read our full KitchenAid Mini Chopper review

Cuisinart Cordless Mini Prep Pro

Best cordless mini chopper

Pros:

• 15-minute run time
• Generous capacity
• Drizzle hole
• Powerful blades
• Dishwasher-safe
• Safe to use

Cons:

• Charge time is long

Score: 5/5

This cordless mini chopper is an upgrade of Cuisinart's original Mini Prep Pro (also found on this list). It has a powerful motor and can chop and grind. This mini chopper takes two hours to charge fully, offering a generous 15 minutes of continuous chopping time.

The cordless Mini Prep Pro powered through our wet and dry chopping tests with absolute ease and produced a delightfully smooth paste in no time. The cordless nature of the mini chopper keeps work surfaces tidy and safe, plus if you're travelling for a UK staycation, this model is great to bring along to help with the cooking.

Read our full Cuisinart Cordless Mini Chopper review

Magimix 18115 Le Micro mini chopper

Best mini chopper to leave on the counter

Pros:

• Nifty chopper
• Looks the part
• Quiet
• Lots of accessories

Cons:

• Sometimes tricky to lock into place

Score: 4.5/5

Sleek, stylish and modern, this is one of the most aesthetically-pleasing mini choppers we tested and it’s available in a number of colourways (black, satin, cream and red). Considering its diminutive size, as well as its good looks, it’s definitely one you’d want to keep out on your countertop.

It’s not the cheapest model on the market, but given its power, consistency and aesthetic appeal, it’s certainly worth the price if you’re looking to use a mini chopper on a regular basis.

Read our full Magimix 18815 Le Micro review

Russell Hobbs 24662 Desire Mini Chopper

Most versatile mini chopper

Pros:

• Powerful
• Easy to operate
• Large capacity bowl
• Useful storage lid

Cons:

• Heavier than some models

Score: 4.5/5

One of the biggest benefits of this sleek model is its one-touch operation. To slice, dice and chop your ingredients, all that’s required is to firmly press the one-touch button on the top of the mini chopper. We loved the handy additional lid, which means the bowl doubles as storage for your food.

The base unit is large, and comfortable to hold and press, and the button is easy to operate – meaning you can whizz up large batches of ingredients, or use it for a lengthy amount of time, with ease. Overall, for its affordability, ease of use and effectiveness, it is good value for money.

Read our full Russell Hobbs Desire mini chopper review.

Bosch Mini Chopper MMR08

Best mini chopper for sauces, dips and curry pastes

Pros:

• Large capacity chopping bowl
• Dishwasher safe components
• Simple controls

Cons:

• Chopping speed is difficult to control
• No non-stick feet

Score: 4.5/5

This uniquely designed mini chopper features no buttons or switches – instead it is powered by pushing down on the lid. It has a generous 800ml bowl capacity, offering plenty of space for small and medium chopping tasks.

Although we found the speed of the blade a little tricky to control, firm ingredients like onions were well chopped. It struggled when chopping bread for breadcrumbs, as the results weren’t as consistent as we’d have liked. But, our Thai green curry paste was perfectly chopped and consistent. At under £30, this is a steal.

Read our full Bosch Mini Chopper MMR08 review

Salter EK2182

Best mini chopper for small spaces

Pros:

• Budget-friendly
• Compact

Cons:

• May be too small for larger families

Score: 4.5/5

The most compact model we tested, this is neat, tidy, and affordable. It can chop nuts, meat and fish, as well as make breadcrumbs and dips such as guacamole and hummus.

It’s just the thing if you’re looking for a gadget to save you time in the kitchen every now and then. Larger families or keen cooks may want a more powerful or sizeable model. Its reasonable price means that even if it’s used only occasionally, it’s still worth buying. Overall, it’s a great entry-level mini chopper.

Read our full Salter mini chopper pro review

Kenwood Mini Chopper CH180A

Best mini chopper for ease of use

Pros:

• Very compact
• Some elements can be washed in the dishwasher
• Dripper for liquids and oils

Cons:

• Quite loud
• Could just about fit a small onion in the bowl

Score: 4.5/5

This self-contained mini chopper from Kenwood is a neat and compact little machine. Equipped with two controls in one, speed one is activated by pushing the control button halfway down and for speed two you need to push the control button all the way down. The bowl is easy to fit and remove, making it a super simple mini chopper to use.

It hasn’t got the largest chopper bowl – just a 150ml capacity – so we struggled to fit a small onion inside. But it chopped the onions, herbs and breadcrumbs brilliantly. We had to reduce our curry paste recipe by two-thirds to ensure all the ingredients would fit, so we feel this model is better suited to singletons or couples.

Read our full Kenwood Mini Chopper CH180A review.

Homgeek Food Chopper

Best mini chopper for large families or batch cooking

• Available from eBay (£29.99)

Pros:

• Sleek all-rounder
• Four blades
• Minces meat
• Large bowl

Cons:

• Dual blades tricky to affix and take apart
• Could be too large for smaller households

Score: 4/5

This efficient model is able to chop, blend, purée, mix and even mince in no time, with each task taking no longer than approximately 10 seconds.

It comes with a large, 1.8-litre capacity bowl, in either stainless steel or glass. Despite being the largest we tested, the metal bowl was also one of the lightest. The stainless steel power unit is relatively heavy, but of a similar weight to similarly-designed models.

We particularly liked that the bowl comes with a lid, meaning you can store your ingredients for later use, without decanting them into another container.

Read our full Homgeek food chopper review.

• Available from eBay (£29.99)

Lakeland Mini Chopper Plus

Best budget mini chopper

Pros:

• Compact
• Nifty
• Simple to operate

Cons:

• Could be too small for larger families

Score: 4/5

One of the smallest and most compact models we tested, Lakeland’s mini chopper is able to take on nuts, breadcrumbs, meat and fish. It can whizz up every day portions of onions and ingredients, but if you have a larger household, you may need a bigger model.

It’s easy to use, with a one-touch operation. The bowl and lid are dishwasher-safe, but, like most models we tested, the blade isn’t.

Read our full Lakeland mini chopper plus review.

Cuisinart Mini Prep Pro

Best mini chopper for food processing tasks

Pros:

• Two settings
• Can tackle coffee beans, nuts and more

Cons:

• Can be tricky to lock into place

Score: 4.5/5

The Cuisinart Mini Prep Pro’s 900ml bowl capacity is larger than most models we tested, making it a great contender for a large household, or those looking to batch cook or prep in advance.

It comes with a dual blade – one is curved and sharp for chopping and mixing, the other is flatter and more blunt for tasks such as grinding. It’s also surprisingly compact. Aesthetics-wise, it’s nice enough to keep out on the counter, but equally can be stowed away without taking up too much space. It’s a powerhouse and an indispensable kitchen gadget for the keen cook.

Read our full Cuisinart Mini Prep Pro review

KitchenAid cordless electric mini chopper

Best portable mini chopper

Pros:

• Cordless
• Efficient
• Powerful
• Compact

Cons:

• Lid can be fiddly to fit

Score: 4.5/5

One of the only cordless models we tested, you can charge the KitchenAid chopper for up to two hours to use cordless – it claims to be able to chop up to 40 onions in that time. It’s relatively lightweight, compact, and small enough to keep out on the countertop, or to store away without taking up too much space. It’s also straightforward to use, offering one-touch operation via the power button on the top, and the speed controller dial on its side. It has two speed settings, and it can pulse, which means it can really get to work when making breadcrumbs, blitzing parsley stalks or taking on tougher ingredients such as meat and nuts.

Read our full KitchenAid cordless electric mini chopper review.

Tefal Jamie Oliver Chop & Shaker

Best manual mini chopper

Pros:

• Neat and compact
• No plugs needed
• Great for camping
• Measurements up the side of the bowl
• Easy to assemble
• Dishwasher-safe
• Non-slip

Cons:

• Not ideal for families
• Struggled to make a curry paste

Score: 4/5

Operated by a single pull mechanism, this electricity-free mini chopper is a doddle to use. Comprised of a 300ml bowl, blades and a lid, it’s small too, taking up no more space than a mug.

This mini chopper excelled on our onion chopping test, producing the fine, minced results we were looing for. We also thought it’d be ideal for other hard ingredients like carrot and celery. Unfortunately we struggled to chop lightweight herbs and make a curry paste.

If you’re short on space or like to camp, this is a good choice for basic tasks.

Read the full Tefal Jamie Oliver Chop & Shaker review

How to choose the best mini chopper

What is a mini chopper?

Although some models look similar, a mini chopper should not be confused with a food processor. Mini choppers typically come in one of two key designs; either a smaller version of a food processor, with a button-controlled base, or a small device with a large bowl on the bottom and a pushable button on top.

What can a mini chopper be used for?

These small but mighty bits of kit can be used in many different ways.

The ultra sharp blades will also render ingredients down to a wet paste, making them ideal for creating recipes like pesto. The strength of this small appliance means it can also work through hard veg, to create dishes like cauliflower rice, and even roasted nuts to pulverise them into a tasty homemade nut butter.

What to look out for when buying a mini chopper?

Not all mini choppers are made the same, so there are a number of things to consider before buying one:

Bowl capacity: Some mini choppers are very small, offering just enough space for an onion and a few extra ingredients. Others have larger capacities for bigger dips, sauces or pastes. Bowls up to 500ml are ideal for small chopping tasks. Anything above 500ml will process small and large (pre-chopped) ingredients.

Speed settings: Most mini choppers will come with just one speed setting, but some come with two. The lower speed is usually reserved for chopping things like homemade breadcrumbs, nuts to garnish an easy carrot cake or dried fruit to use in this fruity tabbouleh with feta. The fastest speed is used for pureeing, so ideal for guacamole, marinades like this chicken marinade or to whip up a Thai green curry paste.

Additional features: Not content with just chopping, some manufacturers have added extra features to the design of their mini choppers to make their use go further. Ones to look out for include:

• Dripper holes: these take the form of small indents in the lid of the chopper. They have a hole on the underside and can be used when making emulsions, like mayonnaise, as the oil drips into the mix slowly.
• Pouring lips: like a pouring lip on a jug, this feature makes getting your mixes out of the bowl cleaner and easier.
• Storage lids and bowls that double as serving bowls: store or serve your food in the mixing bowl instead of having to decant it.
• Dishwasher-safe: for convenience sake, dishwasher-safe bowls, blades and lids make clean up easier.

How we tested mini choppers

We tested a range of mini choppers, using each one to blitz bread to breadcrumbs, as well as onions and parsley. For consistency, the onion was pre-chopped into 2cm pieces, which tends to be the standard requirement for mini choppers. We also made Good Food’s Thai green curry paste, not only to check that the blades could cut through fibrous ingredients, but to also ensure the bowl could house the quantity of ingredients required. We tested the mini choppers against the following criteria:

• Ease of use: we wanted to see mini choppers that were easy to assemble, with an unfussy control panel
• Speed of processing: the blades shouldn’t spin too quickly or too slowly. Different speed options are a plus.
• Safety: the blades should not spin if the lid is not secured
• Kitchen footprint and storage: mini by name, mini by nature. Small, compact designs are what we wanted to see, not something that could be mistaken for a food processor
• Loudness: quiet mini choppers are preferred
• Finished results: we were looking for fine and even results whatever we chopped. Onions should be cleanly cut, not mushy. Breadcrumbs needed to be consistently cut. We didn’t want to see any tearing of the parsley leaves, and curry pastes should be smooth
• Design and aesthetic: logical design and good-looking pieces of kit were scored highly
• Functions: easy to use buttons, dials and knobs that make using the mini chopper a breezer were preferred
• Capacity of the bowl: as with speed, we wanted a good balance, we didn’t want the capacity to be too small that we couldn’t even fit an onion in it, equally not too large that it was verging into food processor territory
• Ease of washing: easy-to-clean parts with not too many nooks and crannies. If parts can be cleaned in the dishwasher, even better
• Added features: design features like a dripper for making mayo and a pouring lip are welcome additions

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