If you’ve tried your hand at growing some tomatoes recently, you’re probably eager to start making use of your crop with one of the best tomato choppers!
Chopping up all your fruits and vegetables by hand can be a bit of a chore. We recommend investing in a tomato chopper to make the most of your tomato harvest and your time in the kitchen.
Sometimes called a tomato dicer or, more generically, a vegetable chopper, this tool will come in handy for all kinds of recipes, from salsas to salads to sauces.
But we know choosing the best kitchen tool for you and your needs can be overwhelming. There are so many options out there – how do you even choose?
With that concern in mind, we’ve sorted through some products for you to help you decide which gadget is suitable for you. Here are a few tried and true options for the best homemade tomato chopper!
Our Top Picks
Best Overall:
Fullstar Vegetable Chopper
Best Electric:
Black+Decker FreshPrep
The Budget Choice:
Cambom Manual Vegetable Chopper
Best Overall
Fullstar Vegetable Chopper
Product Features
The Fullstar Vegetable Chopper comes with four different blades for different kinds of cuts, as well as a large catch tray to minimize mess and collect your expertly chopped veggies.
And though it comes with cleaning brushes, getting softer fruits and vegetables out of the nooks and crannies can be tricky. But thankfully, it’s dishwasher safe to help with ease of cleaning.
Pros
- Dishwasher safe parts
- BPA free
- Safety features to protect your fingers
Cons
- Lots of different parts
- Not worth the setup for smaller chopping jobs
Best Electric
Black+Decker FreshPrep
Product Features
If you’re short on time, an electric tomato chopper might be your best option.
This product from Black+Decker is easy to clean, easy to use, and hands-free, saving you the work of a manual chopper. However, the automated functions make for fewer chopping options and less control.
But an electric chopper like this could be a great option to reduce prep time, especially for smaller chopping jobs.
Pros
- Dishwasher safe parts
- Easy to use
Cons
- Small capacity
- Less control
- There is only one style of blade
The Budget Choice
Cambom Manual Vegetable Chopper
Product Features
The Cambom Manual Vegetable Chopper is an excellent option for anyone looking to keep costs low or if you want to try out different kinds of tomato choppers without spending too much money.
As it’s operated by pulling a cord that turns the blade, this model requires a bit of labor to chop your tomatoes.
The blades are super sharp, which is a plus if you’re looking for an easy, neat cut. But be careful – it’s easy to knick your finger when assembling and cleaning!
Pros
- BPA free
- It comes in different sizes for different needs
- Control over the size of the chop
Cons
- No safety measures for the blade
- Tough to clean
OXO Tot
Product Features
When it comes to choosing the best tomato chopper for you, one size doesn’t quite fit all – literally!
Suppose you’re an avid enjoyer of smaller tomato varieties like cherry, grape, or plum tomatoes. In that case, you might be looking for a different kind of cut since you won’t be slicing up big tomatoes for sandwiches or dicing them for salsa.
The OXO Tot Tomato Chopper quarters smaller tomato varieties, and the blade is sharp enough not to squash the fruit in the process.
Though it can be a bit tough to clean, this handy little gadget is a salad lover’s best friend.
As an added bonus, this tool is great for cutting up other fruits and vegetables into a size that is safe for toddlers!
Pros
- Quick and easy to use
- Specific for small tomato varieties
- Kid-friendly
Cons
- Difficult to clean
- Not the most durable option
Tomato Chopper Buyer’s Guide
There’s a lot to keep in mind when buying a tomato chopper. Here are a few things we considered while making this list.
Materials
Because they’re prone to rusting or even corrosion from the acids in the fruits, veggies, or herbs you may be chopping up, most of the blades are made of stainless steel, which is highly durable.
However, tomato choppers will also have some plastic parts, which might be less durable depending on the quality.
Though you won’t have to worry too much about the blade, it’s important to assess the quality of the plastic parts to ensure you’re getting the value you want from your tomato chopper.
Ease Of Use
In terms of ease of use, you have two main options to choose from: a manual or electric tomato chopper. Both options have pros and cons.
Manual tomato choppers require a hands-on operation, making it challenging to multitask when making a recipe. However, because you are the one operating it, you have much more control over your chopped tomatoes’ size, shape, and thickness.
On the other hand, electric choppers save you lots of time in the kitchen and allow for multitasking. This option is great if you’re making a recipe with a lot of steps or you aren’t too concerned about the size of your tomatoes after they’ve been chopped.
Ultimately, both options are very easy to use. Which type you go with comes down to personal preference, what you like to cook, and how often you plan on using it.
What to Look for in a Tomato Chopper
Size
One big factor in determining what is the best tomato chopper for you is size. Though most tomato choppers have a three-cup capacity, they can range anywhere from one to six cups.
If you typically cook for yourself or if you cook every day, a smaller size would work just fine.
But, if you’re cooking for a large family or you like to meal prep, you may want to opt for a larger capacity so you can chop all your tomatoes up in one batch.
Price
On the whole, tomato choppers and slicers tend to be relatively inexpensive kitchen gadgets. Compared to a food processor, they’re much more affordable.
There are all kinds of tomato choppers for different budgets. Before you buy, it’s important to figure out what you want to get out of it.
Are you going to use it once in a while to chop up tomatoes for a salad? You probably don’t need the most expensive model on the market.
Do you want a tomato chopper to help make big batches of soup or bowls of salsa? Then you may want to invest in a higher quality product at a higher price point.
Durability
Similar to the price factor, durability is a feature to look at in the context of how you plan to use your tomato chopper.
If you plan to use it daily, you certainly don’t want a cheaper model that breaks every other week.
If you’re unsure how much you will actually use the tool, then it might be in your best interest to skimp a bit.
Safety
Though these tomato choppers are all relatively safe to use, they still contain a very sharp blade.
Some products have more safety features than others, and some won’t require you to handle the blade at all.
It’s good to keep this in mind when choosing the best tomato chopper for your household, especially if you have young kids or if the tomato chopper you like requires some assembly or cleaning by hand.
Storage
One added feature to look for when choosing your tomato chopper is the ease of storage. Though it’s not necessarily a deal breaker, it’s definitely a bonus when all the parts can easily store inside the catch tray.
Again, if safety is a concern for you and your household, you probably don’t want the loose blades and other parts lying around in your drawers.
Many of these choppers that come with a catch tray will also include a fitted lid. If you have extra veggies left over after adding all your necessary ingredients, you can simply snap the lid onto the catch tray and easily store it in the fridge.
Easy Recipes for Your Tomato Chopper
So, you’ve harvested your crop of fresh tomatoes and decided on the best tomato chopper for you. Now what?
If you’re looking for some ways to use your tomatoes and your new kitchen gadget, why don’t you try your hand at a few of our recipes?
Salsa
This easy-to-make, flavorful salsa recipe includes ingredients that can all go in your new tomato chopper! Slice up your veggies, add some seasonings, and you’ve got a bowl of fresh, homemade salsa.
Tomato Soup
Nothing says comfort like a bowl of tomato soup. And trust us; it tastes even better when you make it by hand.
Since this recipe calls for three pounds of chopped tomatoes, plus onions, garlic, and herbs, you’ll definitely want to whip out your new tomato chopper to help you save some time prepping your recipe.
Marinara Sauce
Marinara sauce is a key ingredient for classic homecooked recipes like pizzas or pasta bakes. Luckily, it’s super easy to prep at home in your kitchen.
Instead of using canned crushed tomatoes, you can roughly chop some tomatoes from your garden using your tomato chopper and add a bit of tomato paste.
Mix in the rest of your chopped vegetables, let it simmer, and you have some fresh marinara sauce. And the best part is? You can freeze it and save it for later!
Tomato Chopper Frequently Asked Questions
What does it mean for a tomato chopper to be BPA-free?
BPA stands for Bisphenol A, an industrial chemical used in plastic manufacturing that is thought to be harmful to your health.
In the past, most plastic, epoxy, and resin products have been made using BPA, including storage containers and bottles, making BPA contamination difficult to avoid.
When browsing for a kitchen gadget, or any kind of item you may eat or drink, the products that are BPA-free will say as much in their description.
If BPA contamination is an important factor in making your decision, it should be easy to determine which products will be right for you.
What can I use a tomato chopper for?
Tomato choppers are not at all limited to just tomatoes! Almost every kind of fruit, vegetable, or herb can be sliced and diced in your new tomato chopper (once necessary, peels, pits, or seeds have been removed). Some can even chop up nuts.
Thankfully, most of these choppers will come with a guide or suggestions for best use that will outline what can and cannot go in your vegetable chopper. Onions and peppers are a unanimous yes, while meat products are a hard no.
Can I put my tomato chopper in the dishwasher?
Well, that depends! Many tomato choppers are dishwasher safe, but it’s always good practice to double-check. The whole thing might be top rack safe, or some parts need hand-washing.
If you’re generally crunched for time when it comes to kitchen cleanup, this is a good feature to research. Comparing and contrasting ease of cleaning may automatically narrow down your search.
Now Let’s Find the Best Tomato Chopper for You
As you can see, there is no shortage of options for you to explore when looking for a tomato chopper. Whatever your concerns may be, there is a product out there for you to help whip up some delicious recipes in the kitchen.
To learn more about how to use and care for the fresh tomatoes you’ll be shopping up in your new vegetable chopper, check out our page about tomato plants!