Part of Cuisinart's Premier Food Processor line, the Prep 9 DLC-2009CHB is a mid-to-large size machine that can handle all of your food preparation tasks with ease. Sporting a 9-cup work bowl, the Prep 9 is sized in between the Prep 11 and Prep 7 processors in terms of usable capacity. It has a beautiful brushed stainless steel base, and comes with a stainless steel chopping blade, stainless steel medium slicing disc, stainless steel shredding disc, plastic dough blade, bowl cover with oversize feed tube and plastic spatula. You also get Cuisinart's How-to DVD and a comprehensive instruction/recipe book.

We can't say enough about the performance of this machine. Every task was done to perfection. The roomy work bowl can accommodate up to 8 cups of chopped produce, 7 cups of pureed fruits or vegetables, 2-3/4 cups of liquid ingredients or enough dough for two standard loaves (about 2 pounds). The oversize feed tube can fit whole fruits and vegetables. This not only saves time in terms of initial prep work, but enables you to obtain whole cucumber or onion slices for use in salads or cooking. Although the feed tube is not wide enough to hit large, beefsteak tomatoes, any fruit or vegetable with a diameter of up to 2-3/4 inches wide will fit. The slicing and shredding discs snap into place on a disc stem and are extremely efficient, not to mention fast, for preparing a wide assortment of ingredients.

The feed tube's only other limitation is height. Foods must be cut to 3-inch lengths in order for the food pusher to engage the motor. As a safety mechanism, a metal pin must make contact with an activating rod built into the work bowl. The one-piece Supreme feed tube has a small removable center, which can hold tall narrow produce or can be used for drizzling liquids into a batter. We chopped onions in about eight short pulses. An entire bag of walnuts was chopped in seconds and a full block of cheese was shredded without any precutting at all. The super sharp blades slice, shred, chop and puree all types of foods -- from hard Parmesan cheese to soft crimini mushrooms.

All of the components of this machine are solidly built -- from the wide bowl handle to the sturdy discs and heavy-duty base. We noticed that the base is heavier than some other models, weighing just over 11 pounds. We attributed this to the extra power and strength; however, individuals with arthritis or other limitations may find it difficult to lift. The unit's powerful motor is not overly noisy and is strong enough to withstand rigorous use.

The attribute we appreciated most was the simple operation. The functioning is boiled down to two choices: On or Pulse, which even a novice can master. For those who wish to tackle the more sophisticated jobs, the How-to DVD demonstrates the many techniques for using the various features.


Pros: Large 9-cup capacity, touchpad controls, oversize feed tube for slicing whole fruits and vegetables, instructional DVD
Cons: Heavy base (11 pounds) may be difficult to lift

Warranty
3 years, limited; 10 years, motor (limited)