DeLonghi DFP250Have you been debating whether to get a food processor or a blender? Are you wondering where you will store it in your tiny kitchen? The DeLonghi DFP250 9-Cup food processor may be the answer to your prayers. This small kitchen machine combines all the best features of a food processor and a blender into one small bundle. A common problem with food processors is they do not handle blending liquids well, but with the DFP250 it is just one more standard feature. Let us take a closer look at the features of this impressive little food processor.

 

Food Processor and Blender Rolled into One

 

The feature which dominates this small food processor is its dual identity. DeLonghi has included both a 9-cup food processing work bowl and a 5-cup blending pitcher. This combination is a real plus for singles, couples, and apartment dwellers that do not need high capacity but do need a small footprint to save space.

This allows you to have only one base unit out on the countertop taking up space. You will still need to store the blender pitcher somewhere, but at least you save space on the counter.

Is the blender as good as a standalone blender? It is not quite up to the task of fully replacing a large blender for people who do a lot of juicing, mixing drinks, shakes or other beverages in high quantities. If you do not need more than 5 cups at a time the blender will do a good job. It is a fair tradeoff for the space you save.

The second side of the question is does the blender capability reduce your food processing capability? The answer to that question is no. DeLonghi built this as a food processor first and the blending function is the add-on.

There are a few other notes of interest on the blender attachment. It cannot handle hot liquids. It can only be run for 60 seconds at a time. DeLonghi recommends you should not use spices in the blender. They recommend you do not use the blender pitcher for storing liquids before or after blending, either. Many of these are common to blenders, but the 60-second time might cause you some delays as you pause while blending a pitcher of icy drinks.

 

Food Processing Capability and Performance

 

The fact the DeLonghi food processor can blend is great, but what can it do for you as a food processor? The first thing we need to look at is the power. The DFP250 is powered by a 400-watt motor which makes it one of the lowest powered food processors we have tested. Do not let this fact scare you away. The 400-watt motor provides plenty of power for the 9-cup food processor to handle most jobs.

The food processor comes equipped with the standard cutting and mixing tools you would expect. You have a dough blade, thin slicing-shredding disc, thick slicing-shredding disc, and the multipurpose knife blade. Notice that both slicing and shredding blades are reversible discs. One side holds the slicing blade, the other side has the shredding teeth.

If you are planning to use your food processor to make yeast dough you should probably consider at different food processor. The DeLonghi DFP250 has a maximum flour capacity for yeast dough of only 1 ½ cups of flour. That equates to making one loaf of bread at a time. This is the lowest dough volume of any food processor we have reviewed to date. This might be adequate for some people, but may be a huge disappointment to others.

An interesting feature of the DFP250 is the ability to reverse the motor and adjust speed dependent on function. The motor runs in the opposite direction when the blender attachment is used in place of the food processing bowl. This is to facilitate drawing liquids down to the blades.

 

Bowls, Pitchers, and Lids

 

The DeLonghi food processor follows the industry standard and uses a shatterproof clear plastic work bowl for food processing. This allows you to see the food as it is being sliced, shredded, and chopped. The lid is clear to allow unobstructed viewing as you feed food. The lid includes a tall wide mouth feed tube. This tube is not the oversized tube you find on many larger food processors but will handle small potatoes, tomatoes, and carrots. You will need to cut your larger potatoes, apples, and other fruits and vegetables before feeding them into the food processor.

The bowl and lid include a safety interlock system to make sure the blades cannot be started until it is sealed closed.

The blending pitcher offers another nice surprise from DeLonghi. They did not follow the industry with this pitcher. They chose to step up the quality a level and have included a glass blender pitcher. This helps reduce scratching and can improve the flavor of many mixed beverages. DeLonghi manages to score high marks for both their food processor bowl and blending pitcher.

 

High-Quality Base with Easy to Use Controls

 

The DeLonghi base has a very simple and stylish appearance. The base has a square footing area which tapers to a cylindrical area for mounting the bowl. The food processor is controlled through a simple rotary switch which offers four positions off, low speed, high speed, and pulse.

The dual speeds are another nice bonus. They allow you to adjust the speed for blending, mixing, and those times when you wish to use the dough mixer.

 

Easy Clean-Up is Missing in Action

 

The food processor is very easy to assemble, disassemble, and but not necessarily easy to clean. This is one area DeLonghi has fallen behind their competitors. Almost every component of the food processor is recommended to be washed by hand. They state you can wash the bowl, lids, and attachments in the dishwasher if you put them on the top rack on a short low-temperature cycle. This indicates the parts are subject to damage from heat and you would be better off washing by hand.

The blade unit of the blender cannot be immersed in water. Of course, the base unit cannot be immersed and should only be cleaned with a damp cloth.

If you do hand wash take extreme caution with cleaning blades and discs. Keep in mind the slicing-shredding discs are dual sided so are sharp on both surfaces.

 

Dimension, Weight, and Other Physical Attributes

 

The DeLonghi DFP250 is a small food processor which makes it great for your small kitchen. The dimensions, weight and other physical characteristics are as follows:

  • Height – 14.17”
  • Width – 7.87”
  • Depth – 7.87”
  • Weight – 9 pounds
  • Color – Brush die cast base with clear pitchers using gray plastic handles.

 

Additional Features

 

One feature we like to mention on every food processor is the warranty. Food processors often receive a lot of use and may need warranty repair more commonly than many other small kitchen appliances. The DeLonghi food processor comes with a standard 1-year warranty covering defects in materials and workmanship.

The warranty requires you to ship your food processor to their approved service center or factory at your own expense, but DeLonghi does pay for the return shipping. As with most ship-in warranties, you should plan to be without your food processor for several weeks if repairs are required.

 

Included and Optional Accessories

 

The DFP250 food processor comes bundled with the main items you need for everyday food processing, but there are some great extra accessories you can order, too. Following is a list of the included accessories followed by a list of optional items you can purchase.

 

Included Accessories

 

  • 9-cup Mixing bowl made of shatterproof plastic.
  • 5-cup glass blender attachment.
  • 2-speed base with 400 watt motor.
  • Clear plastic food processor lid with tall wide feed tube.
  • Food pusher.
  • Stainless steel multipurpose chopping blade.
  • Fine dual-sided slicing and shredding disc.
  • Thick dual-sided slicing and shredding disc.
  • Dough tool.
  • Spatula.

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Optional Accessories

 

  • Twin beater geared whipping whisk. (Looks like blades from a hand mixer.)
  • Rasping/grating disc.
  • Geared citrus press.

There is an interesting note in the manual concerning the whipping whisk. Just because it looks like a hand mixer, do not make the assumption it can handle tasks like mashing potatoes, stirring a cake mix, or other tasks beyond whipping. The manual makes it very clear you should use the knife blade for these other tasks.

As you can see, there are some definite limitations on options for the DeLonghi DFP250. If you were hoping for a Julienne disc, French fry cutter, or other accessories they are not currently being offered. This might be a factor which leads you to other options.

 

Advantages and Disadvantages of the DFP250

 

Pros

 

  • Dual purpose use with food processor bowl and blending pitcher.
  • Adequate power with 400-watt motor.
  • A Clever motor system which auto reverses and adjusts speeds for blending or food processing.
  • Small footprint.
  • Easy to use dial control offering 2 speeds and pulse.
  • Easy assembly and disassembly.
  • Easy clean-up. (With reservations listed in the cons section.)

 

Cons

 

  • DeLonghi recommends hand washing of all parts but does allow for dishwasher cleaning on the top shelf, low temp, and low power. Multiple devices cannot be submerged including the citrus press, whipping disc option, and of course the base.
  • Ship-in only warranty.
  • Blender limited to 60-second bursts.
  • Poorly formatted instruction manual, no recipes, hard to follow.
  • Limited optional accessories.
  • Dual-sided slicing and shredding discs mean more frequent cleanup during meal preparation.

 

Consumer Ratings

 

At this time there are very few buyer reviews and ratings from major retailers, but we can still give you an overview of the current sentiments. About 90% of buyers are giving the DFP250 excellent marks. They state clearly they are getting exactly what they expected, a small efficient food processor and blender for light use.

The negative reviews paint a slightly different picture. These users report discovering their DFP250 came bundled with a plastic blender pitcher instead of the glass pitcher DeLonghi promises on their website. One reviewer reported their unit failed on their first usage. Keep in mind that happens on almost every brand of food processor if enough are sold which always results in a negative review. Overall the reviews for the DeLonghi DFP250 are surprisingly strong.

 

Price for the Dual Purpose DeLonghi Food Processor

 

The price for the DFP250 varies wildly between online vendors, but can commonly be found under $150. The price of this combination food processor and blender is outstanding considering you are getting two kitchen appliances for the price of one.

 

Conclusion

 

This food processor causes us a major dilemma. When compared to other food processor options it does not measure up. The lower wattage motor, lack of options, and other limitations do not allow it to stack up against high-quality Cuisinart, KitchenAid, and other brands of food processors, but then again, it does not need to. This combination food processor and blender is targeted to a very special category of people and can serve them well.

This food processor is a tremendous value for people who need limited food processing capability, a basic blender, and have limited kitchen space. It can accomplish all the basic food processing tasks and function as a lightweight blender very successfully. With the low price and ease of use, it is a very compelling product.

Our recommendation is very simple. If you have a small kitchen and only need light food processing and blending capabilities take a very close look at the DeLonghi DFP250 food processor. You are the person it is designed to satisfy. If you are someone who loves to cook and is going to push your food processor to the maximum this is definitely not for you.

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