Best hand blenders, food processors and choppers for making refreshing summer salads

These tools can help you have the tastiest summer salads with minimal effort

There are plenty of things to love about summer. The delicious produce that’s in season has to top the list. With fruits and veggies like tomatoes, corn, strawberries and bell peppers, you can make amazing summer salads. But, having to chop, dice and julienne all the ingredients can be a chore. If you have the right appliances in your kitchen, though, you can cut, prepare and enjoy your salad as soon as possible. Here are the best hand blenders, food processors and choppers for making fresh, tasty summer salads. No matter how lacking your knife skills may be.

Shop this article: Chef’n VeggiChop Hand-Powered Food Chopper, Hamilton Beach Stack and Snap Food Processor and Vegetable Chopper, Cuisinart 14-Cup Food Processor

How to make the best summer salad

• Mix greens: You can make a summer salad with classic iceberg lettuce, but you get the best flavor and texture if you mix greens. Try a mix of spinach, radicchio, butter lettuce or endive to create the perfect base for your salad.
• Use seasonal veggies: Many delicious vegetables are in season in summer, so they’re the perfect addition to your salad. Mix veggies such as cucumbers, bell peppers, carrots, zucchini, beets and radishes with your greens for added flavor.
• Don't forget the fruit: You might think of a salad as a vehicle for greens and veggies, but you can add some brightness with the right fruit. Small fruits and berries such as strawberries, blackberries, blueberries, cherries and grapes are an excellent addition. You can also slice up oranges, peaches and nectarines.
• Think about crunch: It helps to have varying textures in your salad. Since many vegetables, greens and fruit are soft, consider adding some crunchy ingredients. Nuts and seeds like walnuts, pistachios, sunflower seeds and chia seeds are all perfect toppings.
• Add some protein: To ensure your salad is as filling as possible, include some protein. Grilled chicken, steak, shrimp or tofu can make it more hearty. Even adding some cheese helps increase the protein in your salad.
• Make your own dressing: You can find plenty of high-quality salad dressings at the store, but the best flavor comes from making your own. A simple vinaigrette made with vinegar, oil, herbs and seasonings is the perfect dressing for a summer salad. Particularly if you mix in some lemon or lime juice to brighten the flavor.

Best hand blenders, food processors and choppers

Chef’n VeggiChop Hand-Powered Food Chopper

This manual food chopper is powerful enough to chop fruits and vegetables to get them small enough for salsa, so it can handle salad prep work. The compact design doesn’t take up much drawer or shelf space, and all the components are dishwasher-safe.

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OXO Good Grips Chopper

This lightweight chopper has blades with a wave pattern to precisely chop all your fruits and vegetables. The non-slip knob lets you chop quickly and safely, while the container has a snap-on lid to allow for food storage.

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Hamilton Beach Immersion Hand Blender with Blending Wand, Whisk and 3-Cup Food Chopping Bowl

This Hamilton Beach blender comes with stainless steel blades and a chopping bowl to make quick work of your salad prep. The immersion blender offers two speeds and also comes with a whisk attachment that's ideal for whipping up homemade salad dressings.

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Ninja Countertop Blender and Chopper

With a 400-watt motor, this countertop Ninja blender and chopper can mince, dice and chop to prepare all your salad ingredients. Its chopper bowl offers a 16-ounce capacity, and the non-slip base keeps the chopper from sliding around.

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Black and Decker 8-Cup Food Processor

This mid-size food processor comes with a pusher tool to help direct food toward the slicing blades. It also offers safe operation because the blades won’t move if the lid isn’t firmly attached. The parts are dishwasher-safe, too.

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Ninja Food Chopper Express Chop

This mini Ninja food processor can mince, chop, grind and even blend all the ingredients for a summer salad. The bowl holds 2 cups and has a non-slip base to keep it steady. The large power button also provides better control.

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KitchenAid 3.5-Cup Food Chopper

This compact, lightweight KitchenAid food processor works well for everyday use because it doesn’t take up too much space on your counter. Its stainless steel blade chops foods with precision, and the two speeds and pulse feature let you achieve the perfect results.

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Hamilton Beach Stack and Snap Food Processor and Vegetable Chopper

With a powerful 450-watt motor and two speeds, this well-sized food processor can easily chop, slice, shred and mix. Its food chute has a wide mouth, so you don’t have to do much pre-chopping. The blades, bowl and lid are also dishwasher-safe.

Sold by Amazon and Wayfair

KitchenAid 7-Cup Food Processor 

This easy-to-clean food processor has a one-click, twist-free bowl assembly, so you can use it quickly and efficiently. It’s also easy to store due to its compact design and convenient cord wrap feature. The three speed options let you control how fine or coarse your ingredients are.

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GE 12-Cup Food Processor

Boasting a 550-watt motor and a 12-cup capacity jar, this food processor is large and powerful enough to make salads for a crowd. It has three speed options for versatility and stainless steel accessories to improve durability. The large feed tube also means you don’t have to pre-chop ingredients.

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Braun 3-in-1 Immersion Hand Blender and 2-Cup Food Processor

This hand blender includes a 2-cup chopper that makes chopping, dicing and shredding ingredients for a summer salad much easier. It has a 500-watt motor, so it can handle even the hardest foods with ease.

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Cuisinart 14-Cup Food Processor

With a stainless steel slicing disc, shredding disc and chopping blade, you can prepare all your salad ingredients in a hurry. Its 720-watt motor provides plenty of power, so it can chop even hard fruits and veggies. The 14-cup work bowl on the Cuisinart food processor is large enough for a group.

Sold by Amazon and Wayfair

Breville Sous Chef 12-Cup Food Processor

This versatile food processor has a BPA-free plastic work bowl that’s easy to clean and a powerful 1,000-watt induction motor. It also includes three feed chute size options and an adjustable slicing disc. The micro-serrated S-blade provides fast, consistent results.

Sold by Amazon

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Jennifer Blair writes for BestReviews. BestReviews has helped millions of consumers simplify their purchasing decisions, saving them time and money.