KitchenAid Cordless Food Chopper review - once you go cordless, you'll never go back

The KitchenAid Cordless Food Chopper is available in both the UK and the US. In the States, it’s known as the KitchenAid KFCB519ER Cordless Chopper, and in the UK you can find it available on the KitchenAid website. 

There’s no denying that a cord-free kitchen counter looks a little easier on the eye, but can a cordless chopper live up to its corded counterparts? We put the KitchenAid Cordless Food Chopper to the test in our review, trying out all its functions and considering how easy it is to use and clean. 

The verdict? This is a lovely addition to your kitchen, but where it really shines is its portability. It is one of the best food processors you can buy for convenience, but it’s a little small for something so expensive. You can take this chopper on the go to cookouts, picnics and camping trips, making it a great way to expand your outdoor cooking capabilities.  

• Shopping in the UK? Buy direct from the KitchenAid store

What’s in the box?

• Capacity: 5 cups/1.19 litres
• Attachments: Multi-purpose stainless steel blade, Whisk accessory
• Speed settings: 2
• Recharge time: 2 hours
• Battery life: 40 onions
• Charger: Included

This cordless chopper arrives with two attachments. The one you’ll use the most is the multipurpose blade, but there’s also a whisking accessory which slots neatly onto the work bowl. Once you’ve attached the bowl onto the base and the lid onto the bowl, it’s just a case of pressing down on the notched lid that overhangs the handle and your chopper will begin to whiz. It’s easy to do one-handed, and I could imagine myself grilling a chicken with one hand while I blend up a salsa verde with the other. There are two speed settings on the KitchenAid Cordless Food Chopper, which can be adjusted by sliding along the dial on the base. Adjacent to these is the charging port.

How long does the battery last?  

KitchenAid claims that one battery charge can chop up to 40 onions, which isn’t a time metric we’ve used before but it feels fairly accurate. I was really impressed by the battery life on the KitchenAid Cordless Food Chopper. I only needed to charge it once in the process of testing, and I used it for about three weeks. 

You can absolutely take this chopper with you on a trip and unless you’re doing some serious cooking, the battery running out won’t be a problem. Even if it does run out, charging time is around two hours and even a short charge will give it a new lease of life. 

What does the KitchenAid Cordless Food Chopper look like?  

For those who have a KitchenAid stand mixer, it’s nice to know this chopper comes in the basic colours you’ll find on the best stand mixers. That includes Blue Velvet, Empire Red, Matte Black and White. The base is plastic though, which was a surprise to me as I associate KitchenAid with high-quality metal materials. At first I was a little disappointed that the plastic design felt a little on the lightweight side, but it does make this mini chopper immensely portable, weighing just under four pounds .

What it’s like to use the KitchenAid Cordless Food Chopper?

Using this cordless chopper is nothing short of delightful. In the past I’ve thought that cordless kitchen appliances can be a little gimmicky, but you don’t realise quite how convenient they can be until you use them. I was able to take this chopper anywhere - that included parts of the kitchen that had no power sockets, and even outdoors when reviewing some of the best grills. If you love to barbecue, this will be a game-changer. I used it to make all sorts - guacamole, chopped onions, salad dressings and aioli, and I think it would be a real game-changer for taking on trips or cooking outdoors.  

Using the multipurpose blade

The multipurpose blade is powerful and easy to use. It’s great for chopping onions, garlic and other vegetables, and I found that it blitzed evenly and quickly. 

I’ve also chopped wet ingredients in this mini chopper, including a marinara sauce. It only took a few seconds to smooth my chopped tomatoes out to my desired consistency. 

The inside of the plastic bowl is ridged, which does make it difficult to clear out completely. Things can get stuck in the ridges and even though it’s a dishwasher-safe bowl, it does make it difficult to clean by hand. 

Using the whisking accessory

I made a lemon and herb mayonnaise in the KitchenAid Cordless Food Chopper and it came out brilliantly. It thickened out in a few minutes, and I was confident that it wouldn’t split because of the slow-pour drizzle basin in the lid. 

One thing I would say about using this mini food chopper is because you’ll need to have your thumb on the lid while it’s chopping, it’s harder to use the drizzle basin. This requires your other hand, whereas when I make sauces in my regular food processor I can switch it on and pay full attention to the sauce. 

Is it easy to clean?

As I said, all of the attachments for the KitchenAid Cordless Food Chopper are dishwasher-safe. The base wipes clean thanks to its smooth design. 

After cleaning the mixing bowl in the dishwasher a few times I noticed that the clear inside of the handle is prone to catching sediment and other scraps. This is unpleasant, and because of the small and hard-to-reach areas, when the sediment gets stuck it’s virtually impossible to remove. While it’s perfectly usable after this happens, it does slightly get in the way of the visual appeal. The same happens with the drizzle basin, which is also a little hard to clean by hand. 

Should you buy the KitchenAid Cordless Food Chopper? 

I would recommend this food chopper to those who want a new toy for the kitchen, but it's by no means an essential. As a food processor it does work very well, with a surprising amount of power for something cordless and rechargeable. It's good to have two speeds to choose from, and it's also very easy to use. 

Where the KitchenAid Cordless Food Chopper will really shine is in an outdoor cooking space or somewhere without any power sockets. Its battery has an impressive life and it's very lightweight. 

About this review, and the reviewer

Millie Fender is an editor at Real Homes, specialising in small appliances and all things cooking. She loves putting new products to the test, whether they're air fryers, blenders, or even pizza ovens, and her family and friends love eating the results. 

Millie has a constant stream of new products waiting to be reviewed in her kitchen. It's a little snug, so if she thinks anything deserves to stay there, you know it's something special.