Cuisinart Kitchen Central CFP-800 Food Processor review

One base, three distinct preparation setups

The discontinued Cuisinart Kitchen Central CFP-800 combines an eight-cup food processor with two separate attachments: a 40-ounce blender jar and a juice extractor. The manufacturer page calls it a three-in-one package and lists a 500-watt motor, a simple control dial and a three-year limited warranty. The linked 120-page booklet confirms the parts separately: the processor bowl and reversible slice/shred discs, a blender jar with measure-pour lid, and a juicer assembly with a clear juice bowl, mesh filter basket and blade, pusher, lid and 0.7-liter pulp tank.

The distinction between a separate blender and a personal blending cup matters. The CFP-800 package includes a 40-ounce jar, not individual drink cups. Its processor-bowl booklet separately documents milk shakes and smoothies using the included chopping/mixing/dough blade; that is a work-bowl method, not proof that the bowl and jar are interchangeable or that they yield the same texture. The juice extractor is another distinct filter-and-pulp-container setup, not a citrus press. If you need the unusual combination of a full-size blender jar and juice extractor, the CFP-800 is worth examining. If you need only a processor, those extra vessels and parts may add storage and washing you will rarely use.

Processor capacity is still task-specific

For food processing, the eight-cup bowl accepts the included metal chopping/mixing blade and reversible slicing and shredding discs. The manual's capacity chart recommends up to 2½ cups of flour for a bread or pizza dough batch and two cups of nuts for nut butter. Those numbers describe the processor operation; they do not describe how much liquid fits in the blender jar or how much produce can be juiced. Choosing an eight-cup bowl does not make the package equivalent to a 12- or 14-cup processor for large prep runs.

The product page's dial is a simpler interface than a processor with separate speed buttons or several automatic programs. The booklet includes instructions for the three attachments, but buyers still need to change the setup for chopping, blending or juicing. That versatility is useful only if the household wants more than one task from the base. If the processor bowl is the main job, a conventional 8-cup model with a more clearly documented disc set may offer a more direct path. If a full blender jar and juice extractor would actually replace other appliances, the CFP-800 can consolidate counter equipment, subject to confirming that the particular used package has all its parts.

Cleaning and package verification

The three attachments mean three different assemblies to learn and store, including the juicer's filter and pulp tank. Before considering a used unit, compare the included parts against the exact CFP-800 booklet rather than a listing photo. A missing blender jar, filter basket or processor disc changes the package substantially, and a product image alone cannot establish what is included. The exact U.S. page now shows the discontinued model out of stock, so no current availability is implied.

The CFP-800 is not the answer when the essential need is a citrus press, a personal blending cup, an extra-large feed tube, or a bowl greater than eight cups. Its listed 500 watts is not a performance test, and the manufacturer does not publish an automatic program count for this dial-operated package. The unit is best viewed as an older combination processor/blender/juice extractor, not as a high-capacity processor that happens to include a drink accessory.

When the questionnaire should return it

Choosing the earlier-model option is required because Cuisinart has discontinued the CFP-800. A requirement for both a separate blender jar and juice extractor can make its combination package relevant; a higher minimum bowl size, dicing kit, citrus attachment or dedicated processor-only workflow changes the answer. The model cannot meet a need for personal cups just because it has a blender jar, nor a citrus juicer just because it extracts juice from produce.

Compare it with a current full-size processor if slicing, shredding and dough are the only repeated jobs; compare a dedicated blender if drink-making is primary; and compare a citrus press when juice is mainly from citrus. Those are different tools and not claims that one package performs as well as another. This is a source-grounded assessment of the exact U.S. model and booklet, not a hands-on test; no claim is made about juice yield, blending texture, noise, speed or durability.

Primary sources: Cuisinart CFP-800 product page and CFP-800 instruction booklet.