Processing in the kitchen (Morphy Richards Food Processor)

Member Name: Cowboy22

Product:	Morphy Richards Food Processor
Date:	21/04/02 (593 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Processes food, Easy to use

Disadvantages: None

The Morphy Richards food processor 48504 is a very useful appliance for the kitchen. The appliance has two main functions, a main processing unit and a blender unit. The blender unit is situated on the top left of the appliance, above the control knobs, whereas the main processing unit is on the bottom right of the appliance.

Functions of the main processor

The main processor is where most of the work is done. The main unit has a 1 litre jug with a lid that clips on to the jug rim. The lid has a small chute so that you can drop items into the processor safely. The chute has a small insert so that splattering is avoided. You simply add the ingredients into the jug through the chute and before you set it going you push in the small insert.

The processor works by rotating a blade/plate at high speed in the bottom of the jug. There are various blades/plates that you can select. The main blade is simply two very sharp blades attached to a central spindle. These blades are capable of chopping up anything you drop into the processor. They are also used for mixing ingredients together, such as dough or cake mixes.

Other than just using the blades, you can choose from a range of plates that have different functions. One plate has a raised blade that acts like a peeler. This can be used to chop vegetables into chunks. Other plates act like a grater in various degrees. They range from a rough grade through to a very fine grade. This enables you to choose how fine you wish to grate the ingredients.

Functions of the blender unit

The blender is mainly used to form liquid based product. The blender has only one type of blade which is permanently fixed into the bottom of the jug. Again, the jug of the blender holds 1 litre of liquid. The lid of the blender is simple a round push fit lid with a small hole in the centre to enable you to add ingredients. The hole can be covered with a small peg before you switch on
the blender. This saves you having to remove the lid all the time.

The blender is great for purifying mixtures such as boiled vegetables which can be blended to create soups. It is also great for creating baby foods, as you can just add in whatever you require. Milkshakes are a great drink to make using the blender. You can simply add fresh whole fruits into the jug and let the blender do the work for you. Seconds later you have a refreshing milkshake.

Settings of the food processor

There are only two settings on the food processor.

The first switch selects either off, on or pulse. The pulse position is used when only short bursts of processing are required, such as when you are blending. When the switch is in the pulse position it is spring loaded. Therefore, when you let go of the switch, it returns to the off position automatically. For other processing where it takes a bit longer, you can simply switch to the on position. In this case you have to manually switch the processor off, as it is not spring loaded in the on position.

The second switch selects the speed of the processor. This can be either 1 or 2. Setting 1 is slower and setting 2 is faster.
Therefore, when more power is needed you can select the higher setting. If you are mixing dough or chopping large vegetables you will require the higher speed setting. If you are just making a milkshake or grating, you may only require a slow speed setting.

When we purchased the food processor it was £70 from Argos. I would imagine the price will have dropped slightly since then as it was over 2 years ago since we purchased it.

Summary: