If you’re buying a food processor specifically to shred cheese, the disc matters more than the price tag. The Hamilton Beach 70725A ($49.99) has a genuinely reversible shredding disc — fine on one side, coarse on the other — plus a feed tube wide enough to push a whole block of cheddar through without cutting it down first. That beats machines twice its price that ship with only a single fixed grate. For bigger batches, or if you want one machine that also kneads dough and purees soup, the Cuisinart DFP-14BCNY ($229.95) has more power and a bigger bowl, at the cost of a disc that only cuts one way.
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| Product | Best For | Price | Rating | Buy |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hamilton Beach 70725A | Reversible disc, best value | $49.99 | 4.5★ (28,734) | Check Price |
| Cuisinart DFP-14BCNY | Large batches, more power | $229.95 | 4.6★ (22,259) | Check Price |
Hamilton Beach 70725A — Best Overall for Shredding Cheese
This is the pick if shredding cheese is genuinely the job. The reversible disc gives you two real options in one part — fine for a smooth melt on nachos, coarse for a pile of cheddar on a burger — instead of a fixed grate that only does one. The “Big Mouth” feed tube is wide enough to feed in a standard block of cheese whole, which is the actual time-saver over a box grater: no quartering the block first, no scraped knuckles.
At 12 cups it’s sized for a real batch — two pounds of shredded cheddar for a mac and cheese, not a token handful — and the 450-watt motor doesn’t stall doing it, based on the pattern in owner reviews describing repeated large-batch shredding sessions without issue.
Why it works
- Genuinely reversible shredding disc (fine + coarse) included in the box, not a $30 accessory
- Big Mouth feed tube fits a whole block of cheese without pre-cutting
- $49.99 — less than half the price of some single-purpose electric graters that do less
Where it falls short
- The 450-watt motor works, but it’s not as effortless as the Cuisinart on very hard, aged cheeses like parmesan in large batches — expect to work in shorter pushes
- Two speeds only, no variable control
- Owner reviews are mixed on long-term durability of the plastic housing and lid seal under heavy daily use, though the majority report years of reliable service
Cuisinart DFP-14BCNY — Best for Large Batches
The honest trade-off with this one: the shredding disc is a single fixed medium grate, not reversible like the Hamilton Beach’s. What you get instead is a 720-watt motor and a 14-cup bowl that shrugs off big batches — shredding a full block of hard cheese alongside a round of vegetables for a party platter without needing to empty the bowl partway through. The extra-large feed tube takes bigger chunks than most competitors, and every removable part is dishwasher-safe.
This is the machine to buy if shredding cheese is one job among several — dough, purees, slicing — rather than the main event, and you don’t mind paying a real premium for the extra headroom.
Why it works
- 720-watt motor tears through hard cheese in large batches without bogging down
- 14-cup bowl and extra-large feed tube handle more volume per run than the competition here
- Dishwasher-safe parts and a 3-year unit warranty (5-year on the motor)
Where it falls short
- The shredding disc doesn’t reverse — you get one grate size, not a choice
- $229.95 is a lot to spend if cheese-shredding is the main reason you’re buying
- The larger footprint needs real counter or cabinet space to store
Should You Buy a Dedicated Electric Cheese Grater Instead?
Single-purpose electric graters like the PARTNERJOY 7-in-1 ($88.89) exist specifically for this job, and owner reviews confirm they do shred cheese well when they’re working — one reviewer specifically called it “perfect for shredding superfine parmesan.” I’m not going to pretend they don’t work.
But I wouldn’t buy one over a food processor, and the ratings back that up: 3.8 stars from 204 reviews, against 4.5–4.6 stars from tens of thousands of reviews on both food processors above. That’s not noise. The recurring complaint is a plastic cam that holds the interchangeable blade cones in place — one reviewer’s cam broke specifically while grating hard cheese, five months in. Another flagged the base’s suction feet as too weak to hold the unit steady under load.
The bigger issue is value: at $88.89, this costs almost double the Hamilton Beach food processor above, and it only shreds and slices. The Hamilton Beach does the same shredding job for less money, plus chopping, pureeing, and dough — there’s no scenario where the dedicated grater is the better buy unless you have zero room for anything larger and will genuinely never need a food processor for anything else.
What to Actually Look For
- Reversible vs. fixed shredding disc. Reversible gives you fine and coarse from one part. A fixed disc means one grate size for the life of the machine unless you buy a second disc separately.
- Feed tube width. A tube wide enough for a whole block of cheese saves real time over one that forces you to cut everything into chunks first.
- Motor wattage. 450 watts handles regular cheddar and mozzarella fine. For frequent large batches of hard, aged cheese like parmesan, 700+ watts works with noticeably less strain.
- Bowl size vs. storage space. A 14-cup bowl is only an advantage if you have the counter or cabinet space to store a machine that size. Don’t buy more capacity than your kitchen can hold.
FAQ
Can any food processor shred cheese?
Only if it comes with a shredding (grating) disc — not every model includes one. Check the included attachments before buying; a processor with only an S-blade can chop cheese but won’t shred it.
Should you chill the cheese first?
Yes, for soft or medium cheeses. Fifteen minutes in the freezer firms up cheddar or mozzarella enough to shred cleanly instead of smearing into the disc. Hard cheeses like parmesan don’t need this step.
What’s the difference between a food processor disc and a box grater?
The cutting geometry is similar, but a food processor pushes several pounds through in seconds with zero hand fatigue, and a reversible disc gives you two grate sizes without buying a second tool. A box grater is fine for a handful of cheese; it’s a real chore for a large batch.
Can food processors shred soft cheese like mozzarella?
Yes, if it’s chilled first. Fresh, unrefrigerated mozzarella is too soft and will clump or smear on any shredding disc, food processor or otherwise.
Is a dedicated electric cheese grater better than a food processor?
Not for most people. It does one job a food processor also does, usually at a similar or higher price, with weaker reliability ratings in owner reviews. It only makes sense if counter and storage space rule out a full-size food processor entirely.
How long do shredding discs last?
Years, under normal use — they’re stamped metal with no fine edge to dull the way the main S-blade does. See how to sharpen food processor blades for the S-blade specifically, which does need maintenance the shredding disc doesn’t.
Other Food Processor Jobs Worth Knowing About
Shredding is one job among many. If you’re weighing whether a food processor earns its counter space beyond cheese, 10 creative uses for a food processor covers dough, nut butter, and more. If shredding vegetables alongside cheese is the real use case, the best vegetable chopper guide covers dedicated choppers built for that job specifically. And if the machine also needs to handle meat prep, best meat slicers is a separate tool built for that, not something to expect from a shredding disc.
The Short Version
Buy the Hamilton Beach 70725A if shredding cheese is the main job — the reversible disc and wide feed tube are the right tools for it, and it’s the cheaper machine besides. Step up to the Cuisinart DFP-14BCNY if you want one processor that also handles dough and large-batch prep, and can live with a single grate size. Skip the single-purpose electric grater — it costs about as much as the better food processor and does less.
For everything else a food processor can do beyond cheese, see the full food processor buying guide and the food processor hub. If a shredding disc alone isn’t enough and you also want a blender in the same machine, the blender food processor combo guide covers that trade-off. And if your current processor’s main blade has gone from chopping to crushing, that’s usually the S-blade going dull, not the shredding disc — fix that here before you replace anything.
Picks based on my own experience shredding cheese for weeknight cooking, plus verified specs, current pricing, and owner review patterns pulled directly from Amazon at the time of writing.
Glenn is the founder of Kitchenware Compare and has spent years researching, testing, and reviewing kitchen appliances, cookware, and gadgets. A lifelong home cook raised in a family that treated every meal as an occasion, Glenn started this site to cut through the noise of conflicting product reviews and give readers honest, practical guidance. When he is not testing the latest air fryer or digging into the specs of a new espresso machine, he can usually be found experimenting with new recipes or hunting for the perfect cast iron skillet at a flea market.
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