Recently I was asked what my favourite kitchen gadget was. It has to be, without doubt, the food processor which I have embraced since the first Magimix came on the (Australian) market in the early 70s. When I moved to America, it was a Cuisinart. Although there is now a proliferation of food processors on the market, my preference remains for processors with a direct drive (as opposed to being belt driven) for ease of use and robustness. While Magimix still holds the main market share and the widest selection in terms of size and finish, Cuisinart and KitchenAid have now introduced good heavy duty alternatives.