Discs
Cuisinart includes two multifunction discs with this unit, a reversible fine/medium shredding disc and an adjustable slicing disc that goes from 1mm to 6mm in a total of 16 steps. Both discs mount to a sturdy stem adapter; both have two round holes to facilitate easy removal one handed removal from the work bowl.
In operation, we were extremely impressed by the slicing disc, the depth of which is adjusted by rotating the disc on its stem. It provided consistently clean and dry cuts as well as being a big space-saver. We found that the ability to switch thicknesses allows the user to achieve terrific results by fine-tuning the depth of the blade for each specific application, such as slicing cabbage.
The two-sided shredding disc also helps control clutter. We found that it produced solid results, but in the context of the stellar performance of the slicing disc (and of the unit in general) we were slightly disappointed. The unit produced above average moisture when shredding vegetables and fruits and produced a fair amount of powdered bits when processing soft cheese.
Blades
The unit comes with a multi-purpose chopping blade (which can be used in both the 16 and 13-cup bowls), a stainless dough blade (used in the largest bowl), and a small chopping blade for use in the mini bowl (used in conjunction with the stem adapter. Each blade is engaged by pressing it down onto either the motor shaft or stem adapter (mini bowl chopper): this also locks the blade so that the unit can be partially or totally inverted to pour out liquids without having to worry about the blade falling out.
The blades are of high quality and are mounted to sturdy plastic housings; they can be easily lifted due to the presence of tabs, or a knob in the case of the largest blade.
Ease of Cleaning
Despite the fact that the Cuisinart has lots of parts, we found that it was among the easiest to clean, thanks to several good design elements. In contrast to some other systems, such as the Magimix 4200XL, the Cuisinart Elite was thankfully free of unnecessary ridges and angles (especially in the feed tube) that trap food and moisture. The plastic used for the bowls and pusher assembly was among the best we have tested at sloughing off moisture. It did a good job resisting scratching, as well as penetration by oils. We found that parts dry more easily because surfaces that would trap water (such as the bottom rims of the bowls) have been cleverly pierced to allow water to drain off.
On the negative side, the complex surfaces of the lid’s rubber and plastic gasket did tend to attract food particles during certain tasks. However, thanks to the presence of small flow through channels around the circumference of the lid, we found that it was fairly easy to flush these particles out. All in all, we believe that users will accept the occasional inconvenience in return for the capabilities the SealTight system offers.
Storage
Cuisinart provides a high quality plastic storage case with this unit. The three blades and drive extender fit in a upper compartment under a hinged, transparent lid, while the two discs fit within a pull out drawer. The unit has a switch that locks both the drawer and lid in the closed position. Our only criticism of the storage system is that it makes cabinet storage less user friendly, forcing the user to, in most cases have the storage box on the counter in order to access parts. Furthermore, the two discs store one on top of the other, meaning that to get to the shredding disc, the slicing disc needs to be removed first. While we appreciated the high quality of the storage box, we preferred to more easily accessible design of the Magimix 4200XL, which allowed for access to all parts when the storage case was stored in a cabinet.
Warranty & Documentation
The 16DCWS comes with an outstanding warranty, which includes a 3-year limited warranty on all parts and an industry-leading 20-year motor warranty.
Our unit included an excellent DVD that featured instructions and recipes. It also included a combination instructions/recipe booklet.