Russell Hobbs Desire Matte Black Food Processor RHFP5BLK

Simple but generally effective – I'm writing this review as part of Product Review's Ambassador Program. This food processor/blender was securely packed and arrived well. My disappointment was in the amount of plastic packaging used in conjuction with carboard. There are very suitable recycled paper and cardboard options available to manufacturers for all packaging and plastic… Read more

is not acceptable.

On first handling the item is very light weight with all parts except blades being plastic, which gives the impression of an inferior quality however, the light weight does make it very easy to move, handle, and wash up.

The suction cups on the base are a bit of a trick. They hold it to our kitchen bench corian surface if I try to lift it, but don't stop it sliding around. Refer video.

The parts fit together satisfactorily and as this is a new machine I haven't experienced any assembly difficulty or faults as yet.

AS I'm currently nannying two pre-kinders, I found using the grater to make fritters for them I was happy with the grating speed and consistency of the grated veggies (sweet potato and white potato, carrots and onions) using the pusher to send pieces down the tube but, wasn't happy with the remaining chunks of veggie that spun onto the top of the blade and got lodged. These should have been grated as efficiently as the rest of the pieces. The option to turn the blade over for a different type of 'cut' is convenient and easy.

The blender works really well for mixed smoothies (including kale), which I will have 5 times a week, and for fruit smoothies for the little ones. Also I chopped almonds, which I had soaked overnight in water using pulse of the motor, so no complaints right now.

I did try making cheesecake and crumbling the base was easy in the processor, however I found the filling would not mix evenly so I had to keep stopping and using a spatula to ensure an even blend. I was able to achieve a satisfactory filling but would have preferred the blending to be easier.

All in all, for the retail price, which is very reasonable, I found the item to be easy to use with sufficient attachments/accessories that produced a good result. I have given it 3.5 stars overall as there could be some improvement in the effectiveness of the attachments and suction, and packaging.

For the price, I would recommend this Russell Hobbs Desire Matte Black Food Processor RHFP5BLK as a simple appliance to have in the kitchen.

Good value for a processor with accessories – When researching and buying food processors it's hard to find sensibly priced processors that don't come with loads of extras I'm unlikely to use. Although graters and slicers are handy for large jobs, I find for smaller tasks thesetuo, cleanup and packing away defeat the purpose. The first thing I liked about the Russel Hobbs was its… Read more

price point inclusive of accessories. Despite my comments above, for the price to have the option of a slicer and grater for those larger tasks is a bonus.

The other thing I look for is the setup of the blades. Although a food processor doesn’t specialise in the smaller stuff, like a pesto, and doesn’t advertise itself as doing so, the closeness of the blades to the bottom of the bowl does affect the likelihood of stuff passing under the blades and getting missed in a really fine chop. Of course this depends on what you're chopping, and isn't too critical for general tasks that its designed for. The blades on the Russel Hobbs are quite well positioned in that respect, and although not as close as my Breville, better than many I have seen or used.

But for all of the above there are some compromises in my opinion. Presumably to keep within budget, there is a single spindle which sits outside the main bowl. When you take the bowl off the spindle comes off and need to be replaced again before refitting the bowl (see pic). This is in contrast to other processors I have used where the bowl simply lifts off and the spindle stays attached to the base.

In use I cant help compare it to the Breville I own. A notable difference is the Breville has four blades, the second set placed half way up the bowl. When processing foods that do not naturally fall to the bottom of the bowl, the four blades are a distinct advantage. With the two bladed Russel Hobbs, when making a cheescake, I found some of the cheese formed into a ball which rotated round the spindle above the blades (see pic).

Easily remedied, you can just take the lid off and push the excess balled cheese down to the blades and re-process. Of course there are many two bladed processors, and the Breville I have is over 50% more expensive – so hardly a like for like comparison.

But this leads nicely to my overall conclusion. The Russel Hobbs certainly does its job, and to me represents great value for money with the extras inclusive of separate blender attachment. If you are happy with the arguable compromises for the price I would recommend this as a serious consideration. If you care less about value for money, you should also look at a four bladed version with a fixed centre spindle. However whether you want or need to pay the extra for this and if a more expensive item can do the job better, which is not necessarily the case, is something you would need to decide.

I can Not recommend product – Not packaged environmentally. Company/manufacturer needs to STOP all the plastic bags and bubble wrap items also in a bag. Totally unnecessary.
 See photos I have been testing this product almost daily over the last month. Grater/Slicer Sure it does most of what it says it will does it do them well? 
Grater disc yes it does do well with all… Read more

the items carrots, cabbage, apple, cheese all grated. Like many food processors with this grater style disc generally the last bit ends up with a chunk of it not being processed only to spin around on top of the disc. 
The disc is double sided grating one side, slicer the other. I personally like my coleslaw in larger sizes and this is too small and mushy for my personal preferences. The slicer was good on the whole. It would be good to have a larger hole size disc included Much simpler and easier washing up clean up using knife and grater.


Mixing Disc
 The mixing blade did whip cream satisfactorily and did Ok with making pastry and Tortilla.

 Unfortunately the ability to make the items was overtaken badly with the actual operation and dissatisfaction with how it actually works. The main spindle is inserted up through the exterior of the base of the processor bowl, you then have another piece that slides over the spindle inside the bowl that you then slide the required blade/mixer over this. There is NO locking mechanism to ensure that the blade/mixer disc does not move up with the volume of ingredients in the bowl. This is ridiculous especially when you are emptying whatever you have processed. The blade/mixer piece slides up and down when I tried to empty into cake tin, out onto floured board or into a storage bowl. I then tried removing the two part blade/mixer attachment from inside and this was so awkward and extremely messy. (See photos ) 
On eventually getting these out I found there was so much of my mix, ie cream or cake even pastry that was all over the mixing disc for my cream it was basically 1/4 of what I had whipped. It went up under the actual support inside the hollow too. I had to have plate to rest these mixer disc on then spatula that clean to retrieve my mixed ingredients, or whipped item. It was just horrible mess and a lot of it was wasted because I was so frustrated by the whole thing. 
I also am concerned that this has the potential for injury with the sharp blade in attempting to remove it.



Another thing to note is that whilst there are suction cups on the base of the motor depending on what you are doing, the machine can move about. I have wood and a laminated area of cupboard tops and it happened on both when making pastry, tortilla and using the blender. The suction cups did nothing, I had to actually hold it down when I made pastry. 

It is a loud machine.



Pastry seemed to work better than I expected. Sadly again it was pushed up into the hollow underside of the over the spindle bit of plastic that you then put the blade or mixer on. 
I would NEVER use this machine again for making a cakes I tried several flavours and all were flatter more rubbery in consistency. 
Actually I doubt I would ever use the mixing disc for anything, the amount of mess and time to clean up everything just ridiculous. A bowl hand held mixer so much better and even for pastry I would just rather do it by hand, than use this processor; it might take a little longer to mix however the end result and clean up so much easier. 



It comes with a blender attachment. For me it was a fail. I made smoothies with varied ingredients yogurt, and honey. I noted that yogurt was still stuck to the side and on the bottom under the blade I could still see honey not mixed in. Both speeds and even the pulse action tried for way longer than you should need to do and still not blended. My other annoyance with the blender is the base does not seperate, which may be fine in a dishwasher, but for hand washing is potentially risky as the blades are sharp, I also did ice and it was ok however the machine moved about as the ’suction cups’ on the base of the motor do not hold it in place. It is loud too.

  I made an apricot smoothie as well later and again you can see yogurt and honey not mixed and againI

 see Photos. Tried making a milkshake with ice cream and flavouring again flavouring left on the base, and strangely the ice cream once down to a smaller size seemed to miss being blended by the blades. More smoothies but same issues every time.

I decided to try a recipe from the manual, Tortillas. 
Firstly the recipe itself was terrible..I had to add more flour and would never use this recipe for making Tortillas

, the end product was unpleasant and flavourless (no salt in the recipe).  I did keep using this food processor for longer than I would have because I was asked to review it. I wanted to ensure I had really given it an overall coverage of usage. So I whipped cream , made cakes, chopped salads veggies, made pastry, tortilla, chopped nuts. I also made drinks in the blender cocktails and again the ingredients failed to be mixed as I felt was right.
Chopping blade used this to try nuts..again some nuts were not chopped as they seemed to be under the blade and not get mixed into the rest. I had to push them about to get them to all get chopped as I wanted. Ice similar experience. I feel the blade set up is the issue. It can not be locked into place so when something is under it the whole blade rises up and misses areas its supposed to be chopping. The blade is also small in my opinion and items get missed in the chopping process. Humus with tinned chickpeas again the same issue things not getting blended properly and again I tried it in the food processor with dried rehydrated chick peas and again good amount left under the blade and not really well mixed whilst some was well mixed.

I also attempted Ice in the food processor and similar issue arose, and was incredibly loud. I feel the motor is powerful enough, in fact the motor seem good (I have only used it fairly consistently for four weeks) It is the actually design and functionality of the blade/disc and how they cover the mixing bowl/blender area add to this the blade/disc not locking into place.

I liked the amount of space the actual machine took up. Sadly all the bits to it do not fit inside the bowl of the machine for storage. Meaning you have to store these items in a different location. I liked the size of the bowl itself. The fact it is all dishwasher safe is good. The fact the blender is not great to wash by hand since you can not take the base of it not good. The lid of the blender was good and sealed it well. The power cord was a good length for me. I have a very old kitchen where power points are few and far. For a more modern kitchen some may find the cord length long.

I received this item to review and I do not know what its price point will be. I personally would not buy this product even at a low cost point. It sort of does the job in some ways yet every single thing with the exception of the grating/slicer disc was problematic. My experience compared to my current methods of doing these sorts of food prep, well a knife and chopping board are less cleanup and I get the results I want. A hand held mixer beats my cakes and whips cream brilliantly and so much cheaper and easier to clean up. It is not user friendly for anyone who is left handed and I even struggled with getting the machine to lock in and out of its set up and I am right handed and have no issues with my hands such as arthritis. My hands are chubby and on the small side. If you are looking for a food processor with a blender please check out others. Even those a bit more expensive than this one. I once thought Russell Hobbs products were great value and good items. Sadly for this item I can not recommend it at all.

A Homemaker's Haven: Russell Hobbs RHFP5BLK Food Processor – As a mother of two (with a new baby on the way), my kitchen is my sanctuary, and finding appliances that simplify meal prep while maintaining quality is paramount. The Russell Hobbs RHFP5BLK Food Processor has become an essential part of my culinary arsenal, and here's why. Effortless Use and Cleaning Using the Russell Hobbs RHFP5BLK Food… Read more

Processor is a breeze. With its simple design and intuitive attachments, it's almost as easy as turning it on and letting it do its magic. The reversible Slicing/Shredding Disc simplifies food preparation tasks, while the straightforward cleaning process ensures that I spend less time scrubbing and more time enjoying meals with my family.

Safety and Quality Assurance

The safety features of the Russell Hobbs RHFP5BLK Food Processor are a game-changer, especially with little ones around. The pusher design ensures that food is pushed down safely during slicing and shredding, while the stable rubber silicone feet keep the appliance firmly in place during operation. Despite its smaller feeding tube, I appreciate that it's designed with safety in mind, preventing accidents and minimizing food wastage.

Versatility in Every Bite

From blending frozen fruit smoothies to chopping onions and zucchinis, the Russell Hobbs RHFP5BLK Food Processor offers versatility like no other. Its compact design houses both a blender and food processor, making it a space-saving solution for busy kitchens. I particularly love the chopper attachment for preparing ingredients to my desired size, and the reversible Slicing/Shredding Disc makes quick work of cheese, carrots, and more.

Saving Time and Money while Eating Healthy

With the Russell Hobbs RHFP5BLK Food Processor, I've discovered a newfound love for homemade meals. Not only does it save me time in the kitchen, but it also encourages my family to eat healthier. Gone are the days of buying pre-sliced cheese and ham – now, I can effortlessly slice my own, saving money in the process. Plus, with its affordable price point, it's a worthwhile investment for any home cook.

Room for Improvement

While the Russell Hobbs RHFP5BLK Food Processor has exceeded my expectations in many ways, there are a couple of areas for improvement. I'd love to see an adjustable slicing disc that allows for paper-thin slices of cheese and potatoes, adding even more versatility to the appliance. Additionally, expanding the recipe book to include a wider range of dishes would inspire creativity and make meal planning a breeze.

Conclusion

The Russell Hobbs RHFP5BLK Food Processor has earned its place as a kitchen essential in my home. Its user-friendly design, safety features, and versatility make it a must-have for busy moms like me. Whether I'm preparing meals for my family or experimenting with new recipes, this food processor rises to the occasion every time. With its affordable price and effortless performance, it's a game-changer for anyone looking to streamline their cooking process and enjoy homemade meals with ease.

Excellent price for handy kitchen gear – Received my new Russell Hobbs food processor promptly. It was well-packaged, and easy to remove the box. Phew! It is a little smaller than I expected, but our children are close to leaving home so I’m no longer making food in bulk as I used to do. Our Breville Food Processor had a broken handle, and so it was time to replace it with the Russell… Read more

Hobbs brand. At first touch, the plastic feels very lightweight.

The blender/mixer have both been very easy to set up on our bench, and I particularly like the suction cups at the bottom of the base. They stick brilliantly well, even in the full power mode. The base doesn’t take up too much room at all. It’s easy to operate with clearly labelled dials, and the blades are also easy to switch in and out.

I think that the blending jug is a particularly useful addition, and we’ve been using it to make soups. It was a bit more difficult to clean food out of the threads than I thought it should be.

I’ve never put my blenders into the dishwasher before as I’ve been worried about the excessive heat fracturing the clear plastic, so I’ll be interested to see how this one fares after 20+ washes. I find that the plastic can break down and numbers can wear off after a few hot cycles. We will see. Time will tell!

In all, this has been a very useful addition to our kitchen and I love the price. Even if it only lasts for a year, we’ll make good use of it. The price is sensationally good for a simple piece of kitchen equipment.

Would have given it 5-stars if it was a bit easier to clean, but all of these food processors can of course be a bit fiddly. Love that it can go in the dishwasher though to save me some more time. 4-stars!