Russell Hobbs Desire food processor review

How easy is the Russell Hobbs Desire food processor to use?

We liked the cord storage groove on its base, so you can tuck the cord away. The machine also has non-slip suckers to keep it stable on the worktop – great for stability, as food processors can wobble at higher speeds.

There was no plastic smell on opening. The base is the size of a kettle, only requiring a small space on the counter-top, and there are two useful carry indents under the base for easy-manoeuvring.

When assembling the processor, a central stem is the first thing loaded into the motor unit. The 1.5-litre bowl then slots onto it, with a stem converter for the blades (which you remove if using the slicing/shredding disc). There's a tiny gap between the base of the bowl and the lowest blade – essential for ensuring that ingredients are scooped and chopped, rather than spread beneath the blade.

Russell Hobbs Desire food processor results

The lid features a broad feeder chute, which accommodated a large, un-sliced new potato with ease. A lid safety lock meant it didn't start unless properly clicked shut. The machine is noisy when processing and there was a 'new motor' smell when blitzing at the higher speed for a prolonged period. When tested, the Russell Hobbs didn't automatically shut-off.

The chopper blades produced a finer paste than the KitchenAid 2.1L food processor, despite costing a third of the price. Only having one slicing disc was actually a bonus. The reversible slicing/shredding blade produced thinly and evenly sliced ingredients. We tested the emulsifying accessory on double cream and it was efficient with large quantities (although a hand blender would be preferable).

The thumb-prod lid removal mechanism was easy to use, as is the disc that chops through whole potatoes and slices small onions thinly. The processor bowl lifts off the stem easily. When it came to testing the blender, its blades struggled to pick up some lumps of frozen fruit – but it still produced a smooth and thick super berry smoothie, with a bit of added milk.

Conclusion

Considering its price point, this Russell Hobbs machine is a great buy. The pesto we made was chopped to a fine consistency and it puréed basa gede spice paste better than any other machine tested.
One thing to mention is the processor's alleged 2.5-litre capacity – we found it to be more like 1.5 litres. It's a discrepancy that we've encountered with most food processors, though.
It's easy to use, stable during processing, great value-for-money and not particularly difficult or fiddly to clean. The convenience of attachments being dishwasher-safe can be a deciding factor. But look out for condensation in the food processor handle if you submerge it whilst cleaning.

Russell Hobbs Desire food processor specifications

Components: stainless steel blades, reversible slicing/shredding disc, dough blade and creaming disc
Wattage: 600W
Speed settings: low, medium, pulse
Bowl capacity: 2.5L food processor bowl (1.5L usable capacity) and 1.5L plastic jug.

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This review was last updated in February 2021. If you have any questions, suggestions for future reviews or spot anything that has changed in price or availability please get in touch at goodfoodwebsite@immediate.co.uk.