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Nerdy Science in the Kitchen

What’s the Best Nut Chopper for Almonds

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Old-fashioned or modern, which nut chopper is best for almonds?
Old-fashioned or modern, which nut chopper is best for almonds?

Nuts are a high energy food source. They’re packed with protein, fatty acids, vitamins, minerals, fiber, and other important nutrients. The specific amounts, of course, depend on the variety. And boy, are there a lot of varieties! As long as you aren’t allergic, there’s a nut out there sure to satisfy your dietary requirements, and your taste buds.

Nut choppers can help you easily integrate nuts into your diet. Find my favorite chopper at Amazon.

Best Nut Chopper for AlmondsWhy We Like It
1. Nopro Hand Cranked Walnut, Almond and Peanut Chopper is small, efficient, durable
2. RSVP Endurance Stainless Steel Vintage Nut Chopper fits over mason jar for neat and clean transfer of contents
3. Prepworks by Progressive International handle is suitable for left-handed and right-handed users
4. RSVP Endurance Stainless Steel Nut Grinder is completely dishwasher safe
5. HIC Manual Nut Chopper priced for a budget
6. Cuisinart CTG-00-SCHP Stainless Steel Chopper has easy push-down handle for chopping
7. OXO Good Grips Chopper is best combination of price and value

A great snack

The best nuts are raw, shelled or unshelled nuts that have not been high-heat steamed or fumigated. Manually-processed or straight from the tree is the ideal way of getting the best from nuts.

The high-calorie content makes some hesitant to incorporate nuts into their diet. However, it only takes a handful of nuts to satiate and satisfy. This makes them a good snack food and can help you avoid overeating at meal times.

Although eating just a few nuts raw is no problem, you can also prepare them by soaking, draining, and rinsing them. This is to eliminate an enzyme inhibitor that can impede the absorption of nutrients. Also, because nuts tend to be on the acidic side, it is best to balance them with more alkaline foods such as green leafy vegetables.

Keep your spinach fresher for longer with these great ways to store spinach in the fridge!

Health benefits of nuts

The fat content in nuts is mostly comprised of monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats, with only a small amount of saturated fats. Many also contain high amounts of phytosterols, including beta-sitesterol, stigmasterol, campersterol, sitesterol and campestanol. These substances have a cholesterol-lowering effect.

Some studies have shown that nuts offer protection against heart disease. Eating a small amount of nuts just four times a week can be beneficial for your cardiovascular health! Both walnuts and almonds have shown to lower cholesterol levels.

Incorporating nuts into your diet is no problem with such a wide variety to choose from!
Incorporating nuts into your diet is no problem with such a wide variety to choose from!

Amazing almonds

Almonds are known as one of the world’s healthiest foods. They’re full of nutrients, including riboflavin, vitamin E, niacin, manganese, magnesium, copper, and phosphorous. One ounce of almonds will satisfy your calcium needs and 8% of your iron intake for the day. They also include 6 grams of protein and 14 grams of fat. Not bad for only 162 calories!

Additionally, the riboflavin, manganese, and copper help in energy production and stimulate your metabolism, thus helping with weight loss. Those are calories well-invested, I’d say!

Almonds are one of the most alkaline of nuts. They don’t need to be balanced out with as many less alkaline foods, unlike other more acidic nuts. As such, they’ll help you maintain a good PH-balance. If you suffer from digestive health issues, four or five almonds per day, along with plenty of water, can aid in the prevention of constipation.

If that isn’t enough to convince you that almonds are a superfood, consider this! They have a variety of neurological benefits as well. These nuts can promote good brain development in children and increase brain activity. Studies even suggest that the riboflavin and L-carnitine in almonds increase the brain’s defenses against Alzheimer’s disease.

Did you know that kefir is a probiotic that’s even better than yogurt? Learn how to make kefir at home with the best strainer for kefir grains.

Almond milk

Buy organic to ensure you're getting steam-pasteurized, not fumigated, almonds.
Buy organic to ensure you’re getting steam-pasteurized, not fumigated, almonds.

One of the coolest ways to incorporate more almonds into your diet is to make almond milk. Not only is it delicious, but it’s also amazingly low in calories.

Almond milk, a monounsaturated fat, helps satisfy your appetite and prevents over-eating. The fiber also helps to give you a feeling of fullness. If you’d like to make your own fresh almond milk at home, see this post.

You can even make vegan buttermilk using almond milk, which can substitute anywhere you’d use the real thing. Head on over to this article to learn a simple recipe for making delicious almond “buttermilk.”

A note about raw almonds

It is better to try and source nuts, especially almonds, straight from growers. This is because as of September 2007, it became illegal to manufacture or sell unpasteurized, raw almonds in the United States. Farmers markets are a loophole in this law, provided they only sell 100 lbs or less.

Opt for organic almonds. Of the two methods of pasteurization, fumigation is the most concerning, as it may be a source of carcinogens. But if you buy organic, you can guarantee your almonds have been steam-treated instead of fumigated.

Love almond milk? Check out my picks for the best milk frother for almond milk.

The best nut choppers for almonds

In tests done with cooking knives, food processors, and hand-cranked nut choppers, the hand-cranked machines came out in front. Chopping with knives can be a messy business with nuts flying all over your kitchen. Food processors showed mixed results, leaving some nuts mushed up whilst others were of various sizes and consistencies. Hand-cranked machines have a much simpler design and consistently chop nuts to a similar size. The following are some of the best on the market.

If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it! Learn about why you should be using a food mill for processing soft foods, old-school style.

Nopro Hand Cranked Walnut, Almond and Peanut Chopper

Norpro Nut/Topping Chopper

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This Nopro chopper is the first of my recommendations. It has a 1 ¼ cup capacity, which is plenty for home use. This model features stainless steel blade and crank that works both ways. At 3.75 x 7.25 x 4.25 inches, it won’t take up too much space in your kitchen.

It has stainless steel blades and a glass holder, making it very durable. Overall, this is a great model. The only minor drawback with the Nopro is that its hand wash recommended, but it’s easy enough to rinse it off in the sink.

RSVP Endurance Stainless Steel Vintage Nut Chopper

RSVP Endurance Stainless Steel Vintage Inspired 1/4-Cup Nut Grinder

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The RSVP Nut Chopper is my next choice. The sleek of this machine makes it a nice addition to any kitchen. It has a shatterproof hopper, and the device fits over a standard wide mouth mason jar, which serves as the collector for the chopped nuts. At 3 1/4 x 6 inches, and with a decent capacity, it’s well-suited for chopping almonds for snacking and baking.

The only potential downside with this model is the reviews based on quality. If you don’t plan to grind nuts on a large volume basis, this may work, however I would go for a more expensive and higher quality version if you are nut serious. This chopper is dishwasher safe.

Prepworks by Progressive International

Prepworks by Progressive Nut Chopper with Non-Skid Base

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My favorite almond chopper is the Prepworks Nut Chopper by Progressive International. This machine has a 1 ½ cup capacity, with dimensions of 7.88 x 5.53 x 4 inches. The non-skid base ensures it’s stable on your counter as you work, and the printed measure marks on the hopper are very convenient.

You can also adjust the size of the nut pieces simply by turning the handle clockwise or anticlockwise. The handle, by the way, is suitable for both right-handed and left-handed individuals!

It has a unique elliptical design as well for easy loading (in the top compartment) and unloading from the bottom once your food is all chopped. The stainless steel blades can be found in the middle, and depending on which way you churn the knob, you can chop either fine or coarse nuts.

This machine is particularly recommended for harder nuts like almonds. It is also dishwasher-friendly! All these convenient features make the Prepworks my top choice.

RSVP Endurance Stainless Steel Nut Grinder

RSVP Endurance Stainless Steel Vintage Inspired 1/4-Cup Nut Grinder

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Another great choice is the Endurance Stainless Steel Nut Grinder from RSVP. This grinder can handle both hard and soft nuts, chopping both up into small sized perfect for baking or snacking! It has a 1 and a quarter cup capacity too.

The mechanism that chops the nuts themselves is a manual hand crank. The chopper is stainless steel and super strong, which is why this machine can handle hard nuts in big batches. The container is also clear, making it easy to see how your nuts are chopping up.

In terms of cleaning, it is entirely dishwasher safe for your convenience. It also has a sliding door for easy access to the main compartment for spot cleaning jobs.

HIC Manual Nut Chopper

HIC Harold Import Co. HIC Manual Nut Chopper, White

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If you’re on a budget, a great option is the HIC Manual Nut Chopper. This is another manual crank mechanism for chopping up your nuts. It also has the same 1 and a quarter cup capacity as the RSVP.

The blades are made from 18/8 stainless steel for maximum performance. The holding container is glass, so you can see the final product as it comes out. The entire machine is also BPA and lead-free so you can be assured that any snack you get out of here is safe! It is, however, hand wash only. You can throw the glass base into the dishwasher, though.

Cuisinart CTG-00-SCHP Stainless Steel Chopper

Cuisinart CTG-00-SCHP Stainless Steel Chopper,8.2" x 3.9" x 3.9"

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We all know the name Cuisinart, so it’s no surprise that their extensive line of cookware also includes a nut chopper! Their machine is made entirely out of stainless steel, so you can be sure you’re making a good investment with this purchase.

You can also chop all types of food with this chopper from Cuisinart – everything from hard cheeses to some vegetables and, of course, nuts! It’s dishwasher safe too.

It has a slightly different mechanism than the other models as well. With this one, there’s an easy push-down handle that operates the chopping. The added leverage makes this operation very comprehensive.

OXO Good Grips Chopper

OXO Good Grips Chopper,White/Black

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For the best combination of price and value, OXO is always a good brand to turn to. This chopper is definitely the best combination of price and value.

What makes this model so special is the way the stainless steel blades operate. They move in a wave pattern so that the nuts are chopped evenly and completely in a rotating motion within the machine. For safety and easy operation, there is a no-slip lid that gives you a”good grip,” if you will, on the chopper.

The features and accessories that come with this chopper also make it stand out. It comes with a scooper spoon to easily remove your chopped food, as well as a snap on lid for an instant container and easy storage! The handle locks down for compact storage and the blade also unscrews for easy cleaning. This is an all-around awesome product.

Go nuts for nuts!

If this article hasn’t satisfied your craving for delicious, healthful nuts, check out this post about the best food processors for nut butters!

Why not use that tasty almond milk in nutritious smoothies and shakes? Shake lovers might want to see my recommendation on the best blender for shakes with ice. Or, add chopped nuts to homemade ice cream, made in one of these awesome home ice cream makers perfect for non-dairy ice cream!

Additional Resources

Kitchen Professor author
About the Author: Bryce Heitman

Bryce is not a real professor, but he's real nerdy in the kitchen. He's been barbecuing, chopping, and generally blazing food for many decades. He thinks there's definitely a better spatula or utensil out there that hasn't been invented yet.

1 thought on “What’s the Best Nut Chopper for Almonds”

  1. I looked up all of the reviews on these choppers and most were not good. I need a good heavy duty hand operated nut chopper that will also chop hard nuts like almonds without breaking or the blades bending. I can’t seem to find anything.

    Reply

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