How to Use the Hamilton Beach Food Processor

How to use a Hamilton Beach food processor differs by family, and following the wrong family's steps is why people get stuck with a bowl that will not lock or a machine that will not start. Three assembly systems cover the range.

Twist-lock models

On models such as the 70730 bowl-scraper 10-cup, the 70740 8-cup and the 70580 Big Mouth, the bowl sits on the base and turns clockwise to lock. The lid then turns clockwise to lock as well.

Stack & Snap models

On the 70725 12-cup, the 70727 12-cup and the 70585 14-cup Duo, nothing twists. The bowl seats straight down, the lid sits flat, and a locking arm or latches snap over the lid to complete the safety circuit.

Compact latch-lid models

The 70510 Compact Stack & Snap works like the larger Stack & Snap machines, with lid latches that snap down instead of a twisting ring.

Where the model number is

The model number is printed on the base or under the base of the machine. Enter it on the Hamilton Beach Use & Care page at hamiltonbeach.com/use-and-care to pull the exact manual for your model. The steps below work across all three families, and that manual is the final word for your machine.

The order matters more than the individual moves, because each part you seat closes a contact in the safety circuit.

1. Unplug the machine before assembly and set the base on a dry, flat surface.
2. Seat the bowl. Twist it clockwise to lock on twist-lock models, or press it straight down until it clicks on Stack & Snap models. The machine will not run unless the bowl is locked.
3. Fit the attachment straight down onto the motor shaft, all the way down. Use the S-blade for chopping, mincing, mixing and pureeing, the reversible disc for slicing and shredding, and the plastic dough blade for kneading.
4. Add food. Cut pieces to about 1 inch (2.5 cm) for the chopping blade and leave room for the food to be tossed around.
5. Put the lid on and lock it, by twisting clockwise or by snapping the arm or latches. The machine will not run unless the lid is locked.
6. Push the large food pusher into the feed tube. On Stack & Snap models this is part of the interlock, and leaving it out is the most common hidden cause of a machine that will not turn on.
7. Plug in and press the speed. Guide food down the chute with the food pusher when slicing or shredding, never with fingers or a utensil.

The reversible disc is stamped SLICE on one face and SHRED on the other, and the word facing up is the function you get. On models with a bowl scraper, the scraper sweeps the bowl while the machine runs, but it cannot be used together with the reversible disc. Unplug the machine after use.

Pulse is the default for chopping and mincing: short bursts, then check between them. Overprocessing is the most common user error, because the blade keeps cutting while you are not looking.

Lo is recommended for most foods when you use the slicing or shredding disc. Hi is for pureeing, emulsifying and running the machine continuously for dips, hummus and nut butters. On models with Puree and Knead buttons, those run purees and dough made with the dough blade.

Control layouts differ by model: Lo, Hi and Pulse on some, a 1, 2 and P knob on others, and function buttons such as PUREE, MIX, PULSE TO CHOP, SLICE and SHRED on the Stack & Snap machines. The logic stays the same: pulse to chop, low for discs, high for puree.

Times and limits come from the manuals, and the bowl size changes the amounts. The figures below fit a 12-cup bowl; smaller bowls hold less, so check your model's chart.

• Onion: chopping blade, pulse, about 3 seconds.
• Potato and carrot for slicing: slicing disc, Lo, a few seconds each. Do not overpack the chute.
• Firm cheese such as cheddar, Swiss or Monterey Jack: shredding disc, chilled at least 30 minutes and processed straight out of the fridge. Soft cheese such as mozzarella goes in the freezer for 30 minutes first.
• Nuts and crackers: chopping blade, pulse, up to the bowl's dry capacity, which is 12 cups on the 12-cup model.
• Hummus, pesto, dips: chopping blade on Hi, scraping down as needed.
• Nut butter: chopping blade, continuous, about 10 minutes, scraping down.
• Dough on models with a dough blade: up to 4 cups of flour, liquid added slowly through the small holes in the small food pusher, then Puree or Knead. Start with cooler water, because kneading generates heat.
• Julienne: slice, take the slices out, restack them upright in the chute and slice again.

Capacity reminders for a 12-cup bowl: vegetables or fruit about 3 lb, cheese about 40 oz, thick sauces and dips about 8 cups, liquids about 7 cups. Batch large jobs rather than filling past the line.

Almost every failure traces back to a part that is not fully seated, or to the motor protecting itself.

• Will not turn on: check the plug and outlet, then check that the bowl is locked and the lid is locked. On Stack & Snap models, check that the large food pusher is in the chute and the locking arm is fully snapped over the lid.
• Stops mid-task: the lid may have shifted, a breaker may have tripped, or the motor overload protection has cut in. Unplug and let it cool about 15 minutes before restarting. After long continuous running, give it a rest of about 4 minutes.
• Burning smell on first use: a little manufacturing residue can burn off the first time. If the smell is strong or there is smoke, unplug immediately.
• Bowl hard to remove: rub a little vegetable oil on the base snaps, and do not store the machine with the bowl and lid locked.
• Uneven slices: do not overpack the chute and do not shove the pusher. Let the disc cut.
• Cheese smearing instead of shredding: the cheese is too warm. Chill firm cheese and freeze soft cheese.
• Leaks: thin liquid can work its way past the blade seal and onto the base. Keep liquids below the MAX LIQUID FILL line and batch.
• Loud running: food processors are loud because of how they work, not because of a defect.

The manuals set clear limits, and staying inside them keeps the machine working and you safe.

• No grinding grain, coffee beans or spices.
• No crushing ice.
• No slicing frozen meat.
• No kneading dough on models without a dough blade.
• Do not puree or mash starchy vegetables such as potatoes, which turn gummy.
• Do not process hot liquids. Let them cool first, because steam can lift the lid, and hot liquid is the most common cause of serious burns from a food processor.
• Do not fill past the MAX FILL or MAX LIQUID FILL line.
• Do not put your hand or a utensil down the feed tube. Use the pusher.
• Do not wash the motor base in water. Wipe it.

Unplug and take the machine apart before cleaning. The bowl, lid and blades are dishwasher-safe on the top rack, and a sanitize cycle is best avoided. Hand-wash the blades to keep the edges sharp.

The motor shaft does not come out on these models, so it is fiddly to clean: wipe around it carefully. Wipe the base only and never immerse it. Store the machine with the bowl and lid off the locked position so the snaps do not stiffen, and put a little vegetable oil on the snaps if they get stiff.