CHICAGO, March 6, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- In the decades since the first humble food processors made it possible for home cooks to quickly convert mountains of cabbage into coleslaw, relatively little has changed in terms of its design and capabilities.  While they made short work of many simple tasks, they left many cooks unimpressed, uninspired and unwilling to lug them out from their place of exile in the lower kitchen cabinets.

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Enter KitchenAid, debuting a new line of food processors that should convert even the most skeptical home cooks. As it has done with stand mixers, blenders and other countertop appliances, KitchenAid challenged its engineers to develop new features and capabilities that would deliver on the food processor's revolutionary but largely unmet promise.  

The new KitchenAid food processors, introduced today at the International Home + Housewares Show, utilize a newly designed cutting system together with variable speeds to provide extraordinary control of ingredients and food preparation.  Just as radically, the highest end models are the first to incorporate an external blade control that allows cooks to raise and lower blades with the simple shift of a lever.

"These features allow you to cook like a pro while creating large amounts of food for parties with precision and flexibility, from paper thin vegetable chips and thickly sliced tomatoes for a gratin to delicately sliced strawberries," notes Debbie O'Connor, senior manager of brand experience for KitchenAid.  "And because blade settings can be adjusted externally, this can all be done without having to change the blade."

"Beyond slicing and chopping, it can even mix dough and shred chocolate or coconut for the dessert," she adds.

The food processor's blades can be variably adjusted from thin to thick, and speeds are adjustable to three settings, allowing cooks to slice everything from softer vegetables using the slower speed to harder foods using the higher speed.  "Cuts are clean and precise, allowing even delicate foods like mushrooms to be perfectly sliced without crumbling or shredding," notes O'Connor.

The new models also feature a double "bowl-within-a-bowl" design, which allows for performing different tasks without cleaning bowls between jobs. All include leak-resistant, BPA-free bowls and dishwasher safe parts.

The new food processors will be available starting in summer in 7-, 9- and 13-cup models, carrying suggested manufacturer's retail prices ranging from $99.99 to $249.99.  Colors will include White, Onyx Black, Empire Red, Brushed Chrome and Contour Silver.  

Since the introduction of its legendary stand mixer in 1919 and first dishwasher in 1949, KitchenAid has built on the legacy of these icons to create a complete line of products designed for cooks.  Today, the KitchenAid brand offers virtually every essential for the well-equipped kitchen with a collection that includes everything from countertop appliances to cookware, ranges to refrigerators, and whisks to wine cellars.  This year marks the brand's 10th anniversary of Cook for the Cure®, a partnership with Susan G. Komen for the Cure® that has raised over $8 million to help find a cure for breast cancer.  To learn why chefs choose KitchenAid for their homes more than any other brand*, visit www.KitchenAid.com  or join us at http://facebook.com/KitchenAid and http://twitter.com/KitchenAidUSA.  

* Based on a 2010 survey, KitchenAid was found to be the home kitchen appliance brand chosen most often by members of the International Association of Culinary Professionals.

SOURCE KitchenAid