Why we tested
At $400, the Breville Sous Chef 16 sits at the top of the home food processor market. It costs double the most popular Cuisinart and competes directly with semi-professional models. The core question for this review: does it deliver a meaningfully better cooking experience, or is it paying for aesthetics and a spec sheet? We purchased this unit at retail and ran parallel tests against the Cuisinart DFP-14BCWN and KitchenAid KFP1466ER over two months of active kitchen use.
How we tested
Standard chopping protocol: one large yellow onion, 10 pulses, output spread and measured for size consistency. We ran this five times per session and two sessions total. Slicing tests: whole carrots, raw potatoes, and English cucumbers through all five disc thicknesses, measuring thickness variance with a caliper across 20 consecutive slices per disc. Noise measurements taken at 18 inches with a calibrated sound level meter, five readings per task averaged. Leak test: 10 cups of tomato salsa (high liquid content) processed 30 seconds continuous. Dough test: double-batch sandwich bread, 6 cups flour. Cleanup: all parts hand-rinsed immediately, then dishwasher top rack.
All food processor tests in this series follow our standardized food processor testing methodology.
Chopping and pulse control: the best we have tested
Ten pulses on a large onion produced an outlier rate of 8% in our tests, the lowest of any machine in this comparison. The Sous Chef’s 1200-watt motor maintains blade speed through the full pulse duration more consistently than the 720-watt Cuisinart, which means the blade contact pattern is more predictable. The practical result: fewer large surviving chunks and less overprocessed mush at the bowl wall.
The pulse button itself is tactile and precise. The blade stops fast (within 45 degrees of rotation after release), which gives real control over coarse chop texture. For a rough chop of celery or bell peppers destined for a braise, 4 pulses. For a fine mince, 12 to 14. The motor headroom means you can run continuous mode on soft foods for a full 30 seconds without the blade speed decaying.
Slicing: five discs actually change what you cook
This is where the Sous Chef separates from the field. The 0.3mm disc produced potato slices thin enough for oven chips without pre-soaking, something a standard 4mm disc cannot accomplish and a mandoline is typically needed for. We measured average thickness at 0.31mm with a variance of plus or minus 0.04mm — genuinely consistent at a thickness where most mandolines vary by 0.1mm or more.
At 4mm (the standard thickness), carrot slices showed a variance of plus or minus 0.2mm, slightly better than the Cuisinart’s 0.3mm. At 8mm, thick potato slices for a gratin came out clean with no surface tearing. The heavier disc construction (the 8mm disc is noticeably denser than the others) contributes to that clean cut at thicker settings.
One practical note: storing eight discs requires the included disc storage case, which is a separate unit that sits next to the machine. Factor that into counter-space planning.
Noise: genuinely quieter
We measured 77 dB at arm’s length processing carrots on continuous mode. The Cuisinart measured 82 dB on the same task. Five decibels may sound modest but it represents roughly a 40% reduction in perceived loudness (acoustic power, not linear). In an open-plan kitchen where noise carries to adjacent rooms, this is a real quality-of-life difference. The motor housing’s insulation is noticeably denser when you tap on it compared to the Cuisinart, and the lid seal reduces bowl resonance.
Pulse mode measured 73 dB, which is closer to a normal conversation volume and genuinely comfortable to operate without leaving the room.
Bowl design and leak performance
The 16-cup bowl uses a different seal design than the Cuisinart: a soft gasket around the lid perimeter rather than a rigid friction fit. Our 10-cup salsa leak test produced zero seepage at the bowl base. The lid locks with a single clockwise quarter-turn rather than the Cuisinart’s two-handed press-and-click mechanism, which is faster and more intuitive.
The integrated 2.5-cup mini bowl is the feature most Sous Chef owners mention first. For mincing 4 garlic cloves or processing a small herb pesto, running the full 16-cup bowl means washing a lot of plastic for a small task. The mini bowl handles these jobs in 20 seconds and cleans in another 20.
Who should buy this
Buy the Breville Sous Chef 16 if you cook four or more times per week, use a food processor as a primary prep tool, and want to eliminate a mandoline from your kitchen. The five disc thicknesses, 1200-watt motor, and dual-bowl configuration make it the most complete home food processor available.
Skip it if you cook occasionally and primarily need rough chopping. The Cuisinart DFP-14BCWN covers those use cases for $200 less, and the $200 savings is real money for equipment you use twice a month.
Breville BFP800XL Sous Chef 16 vs. the competition
| Product | Verdict |
|---|---|
| Cuisinart DFP-14BCWN | Alternative - excellent for the basics at half the price, but only one slicing thickness and louder. |
| Magimix 5200XL | Alternative - the only machine that rivals this on build quality, but $200 more and harder to source parts. |
| KitchenAid KFP1466ER 14-Cup | Skip at this price comparison - similar capacity to the Cuisinart but more expensive than both and without the Breville's disc range. |
Full specifications
| Capacity | 16 cup (plus 2.5-cup mini bowl) |
| Motor | 1200 watts |
| Blades/Discs | 8 included (5 slicing discs, 2 shredding discs, S-blade) |
| Dimensions | 9.8 x 8.1 x 16.9 inches |
| Weight | 18 lbs |
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Should you buy the Breville BFP800XL Sous Chef 16?
The Breville Sous Chef 16 is the food processor you buy when you are serious about cooking and want to stop compromising on disc thickness options, motor headroom, and noise. At $400 it is not cheap, but it replaces a mandoline, a box grater, a dough machine, and a standard food processor in one unit. Two months of heavy testing produced no performance complaints -- only a size and price caveat for smaller kitchens or occasional users.
Frequently asked questions
Is the Breville Sous Chef 16 worth $400 over a $200 Cuisinart?+
For cooks who use a food processor more than twice a week: yes. The five slicing disc thicknesses alone replace a $60-$120 mandoline. The quieter operation and larger capacity are genuine daily-use upgrades. For someone who processes vegetables once a week, the Cuisinart performs the core tasks well enough that the $200 difference is hard to justify.
Can the Breville Sous Chef 16 make bread dough?+
Yes. The 1200-watt motor and included plastic dough blade handled a double batch of standard sandwich bread dough (6 cups flour, yeast, water, oil) in 60 seconds with no stalling. The 16-cup bowl gives enough headroom for a large dough batch. Do not run dough for more than 90 seconds continuously -- the friction heats the dough, which can affect yeast activity in enriched recipes.
What is the slicing range on the Breville Sous Chef 16?+
The five included slicing discs cover 0.3mm (mandoline-thin for potato chips), 1.3mm, 4mm (standard), 6mm, and 8mm (thick slices for gratins). We tested each disc on raw potatoes and carrots. At 0.3mm the slices are genuinely thin enough for baked chips. At 8mm the result is thick but clean, with no tearing.
How does the 2.5-cup mini bowl work?+
It nests inside the main 16-cup bowl and uses a separate smaller S-blade. It is useful for mincing garlic, processing a small amount of herbs, or making a single-serving portion of dip. Switching between the main and mini bowls takes about 30 seconds. The mini bowl also goes in the dishwasher.
📅 Update log
- May 27, 2026Initial review published.
