A portable food processor can be used to chop or puree foods.
A portable food processor is a device small enough to be picked up or held in your hand and used to chop or puree food. Unlike countertop food processors, a portable food processor typically doesn’t have a large bowl that the food is chopped into; instead, it simply releases the processed food down a chute where it can be collected in a separate container or tray. Some designs are small and may actually have a small compartment to put the food in before cutting it with the blades, although the compartment is usually very small so that the machine is not difficult to lift and use. Another type of device sometimes called a portable food processor is also known as an immersion blender, and is a long cylinder with a rotating blade at one end that can be placed directly into a bowl or pan to chop or puree food .
The lid of a food processor can be helpful to prevent food spills.
One type of portable food processor is designed to be a lightweight version of a tabletop model. They typically have a motor contained in a small base that spins a cylinder-shaped blade known as a drum. The drum may have different cut patterns on the surface that will cut food in different ways. On top of the drum there may be a small chute that is used to feed the ingredients into the portable food processor where gravity will push the food against the drum. The minced food falls into the center of the drum and then comes out of the machine through another hopper after processing.
Another type of portable food processor looks like a small, compact cylinder with a transparent compartment on top. This processor is designed to chop small amounts of food and is very lightweight, allowing it to be lifted and shaken or emptied as needed. The drive motor is at the bottom of the cylinder, with a set of blades at the top. The food is placed in a chamber at the top of the machine, where the blades are, and a lid is placed on top. Once the food has been chopped, the food processor is lifted and inverted to empty the contents into a plate or pan.
An immersion blender is sometimes called a portable food processor. This is a long, thin, rod-shaped device that has a pair of blades at the bottom of the unit that are usually partially covered with a protective shield. The equipment is placed directly on the food, after which the blades are activated, cutting or grinding the food in the container in which it is placed. However, unlike other types of portable food processors, an immersion blender isn’t as effective at chopping dry ingredients and usually requires some liquid to allow the food to move onto the chopping blades.