Shape (long and narrow versus short and stubby) aside?
Inter changeable blades.
But really the shape of the vessel is a really big difference. It dictates the size of the blades and what can be chopped up in them.
A blender is pretty useless for anything but liquids. A food processor can make dough grind meet etc. Then with different blades you can grate and slice things.
The blade on a blender has a watertight bearing and seal to the … pitcher… thingy. Thus you can completely fill it with a liquid. The blades or attachments on a food processor aren’t watertight, so you can only fill it about halfway. But a food processor can do much more than puree liquids – there are dough kneading blades, slicing attachments, grating attachments. It’s more versatile but doesn’t do a great job for smoothies or soups.
A blender is intended to crush and liquify ingredients.
Food processors are inteded for chopping and mixing–their blades are too coarse and the bowl to big to crush & liquify.
Food processor blades also tend to be significantly sharper. If you reach into a (non-running) blender and grab the blades, you probably won’t hurt yourself. Do the same with a food processor, and you’re likely to slice up your fingers.
What’s the difference between a blender and a food processor?
About $100…
Also power. I have an Oster Blender/Food Processor combo unit. I burned out two gear boxes on the food processor attachment grinding nuts for a spread I make and was starting to make the motor give off that burnin’ motor aroma before I bought a regular dedicated food processor. Blender still makes Margaritas just fine. Just didn’t have the power to grind my nuts.
The original food processor was a blender with a washing machine motor in it. The extra power was the big selling point. Blenders were really designed for liquid materials; food processors could handle solids.
On a cooking show they explained that the blender motor spins much faster than a processor and can therefore liquify, whereas a food processor cannot. If I’m making a sauce or dip that I want to be creamy smooth I use the blender. The food processor will not get it creamy smooth (there will be lumps).
Sometimes I’m forced to use a blender to make hummus, rather than my food processor (like when I’m at someone else’s house). Hummus is much to thick to make in a blender, whereas the food processor does just fine (and without lumps). I’ve had crappy food processors in the past where things were inconsistent/lumpy, but now that I’ve treated myself to my current model, I can say that a little bit of money does make a difference.
Definitely. I once put a nice gash in my palm while cleaning a food processor blade. I’ve never hurt myself on a blender blade.