Black & Decker 3 Cup Ergo Chopper With Two Nestable Bowls

A week with a compact chopper that punches above its size

I put the Ergo chopper to work over the course of a week’s worth of weeknight meals—salsas, dressings, chopped veg for omelets, nut toppings, even a quick batch of hummus. The promise is simple: a compact, 3-cup, corded mini-processor with two nestable bowls, airtight lids, and a stainless steel S-blade. In practice, it behaves like a scaled-down food processor with just enough control to be useful without complicating the workflow.

Setup, design, and everyday usability

Out of the box, the footprint is small and friendly to tight counters and shallow cabinets. The two bowls nest cleanly, and the included lids click on with a reassuring seal. Measurement lines on the bowls are more than cosmetic; I used them constantly to portion nuts and to eyeball liquids for vinaigrettes without pulling a separate measuring cup. The blade drops onto a central post and the lid twists to lock—there’s a safety interlock, so it won’t run unless everything is seated correctly.

Controls are straightforward. You press down on the top to run, and there’s a simple high/low speed selector. I gravitated to low for herbs and softer items and high for nuts, carrots, and chickpeas. The difference between the two settings is noticeable enough to matter. There’s also a bit of “pulse-by-hand” control: quick presses give you coarse, even chops, while longer holds push toward a puree.

One small but welcome touch: the lid has small drip-holes along the perimeter, so you can drizzle oil while the blade spins. That’s great for emulsions like dressings or aioli, and it worked reliably for me without splatter.

If I could change one thing on the design side, it would be the power cord. It’s on the short side and there’s no cord wrap. If your outlets are scarce or set back under cabinets, you may need an extension or to rearrange nearby appliances.

Capacity and performance

The 3-cup capacity is a sweet spot for small households. It’s significantly more accommodating than the 1–2 cup “mini” choppers, but it still keeps ingredients close to the blade for fast results. In practice:

• Onions, garlic, and herbs: Quartered onion in the bowl, a few quick pulses on low, and I had a consistent dice without turning it to mush. Parsley and cilantro chopped evenly with minimal bruising when I kept to short bursts.
• Nuts and chocolate: On high, it made quick work of almonds and walnuts for salads and baking. For chocolate, brief pulses avoided melting and produced a coarse chop suitable for cookies.
• Salsa and pico: Tomatoes, onion, jalapeño, and cilantro came together in seconds on low. The line between “chopped” and “sauce” is easy to cross, so light taps are key.
• Hummus and bean spreads: A can of chickpeas, tahini, lemon, and garlic came together smoothly on high, though I did scrape down once to catch a few stubborn bits. The end result was creamier than I expected from a compact unit.
• Dressings and emulsions: Using the lid’s drip-holes to stream oil into a vinegar/mustard base produced a tight emulsion quickly, with no mess.

Where it struggles is where most small choppers struggle: very dense or hard-frozen items. Sliced frozen bananas and rock-hard frozen berries are a chore and can force extended run times, which is noisy and not great for the motor. If frozen prep is your routine, thaw briefly or look to a more powerful, full-size processor or blender. Likewise, dry, very hard cheeses are not this machine’s forte.

Noise, stability, and control

This is not a whisper-quiet appliance. On high, it’s louder than a hand blender and roughly on par with other compact choppers I’ve used. It’s a brief burst of noise for most tasks, which keeps it tolerable, but if you’re in a thin-walled apartment or often cook late at night, the volume is worth considering. The motor tone is steady and doesn’t sound strained unless you overfill or tackle frozen items.

Rubberized feet keep the base planted. The unit stayed put on my stone countertop, even when I loaded up the bowl with denser ingredients. As with any small processor, keeping a hand on the top while you pulse gives you better control and prevents the base from walking.

Cleaning and maintenance

Cleanup is refreshingly simple. The bowl, lid, and blade are dishwasher safe, and they also rinse clean under hot water with a drop of soap. I recommend a quick rinse immediately after oily or sticky jobs; the small drip-holes around the lid can trap residue if you let things dry in place. The base wipes down easily with a damp cloth. The stainless steel blade is sharp—another reason it performs well—so I handle it by the hub and store it nested in the bowl to avoid accidental nicks.

The airtight lids are a genuine value add. After making salsa and a herb dressing, I snapped on the lids and put both directly into the fridge. No extra containers to wash, and no onion scent creeping around. The seals held up when transporting a sauce to a neighbor; I wouldn’t trust them with thin soups, but for dips, salsas, and dressings, they’re secure.

Two bowls are better than one

Having two bowls sounds minor until you’re mid-recipe. I chopped nuts in one and onions in the other without washing in between, then stored both with their own lids. The bowls nest for storage, keeping the cabinet footprint small, and the measurement lines kept me honest with portioning. For weekend meal prep, this was the feature I appreciated most.

Speed settings and technique tips

The high/low selector isn’t a gimmick. Here’s how I got the best results:

• Low speed for herbs, onions, and anything you want chopped, not pureed. Use quick, repeated presses.
• High speed for nuts, carrots, and legumes, especially when you’re pushing toward a paste or smooth sauce.
• Avoid overfilling. Two-thirds full keeps ingredients moving and the motor happy.
• Pre-cut harder items into 1-inch pieces. It reduces run time, keeps noise down, and improves uniformity.
• Use a spatula to scrape the walls once if you’re after a perfectly smooth spread; one intervention is typically enough.

Build quality and warranty

The plastics feel sturdy for the category, the bowl locks positively into the base, and the blade hub has little play. I didn’t run into any misalignment or false starts as long as the lid was fully twisted into place. For a compact appliance, it inspires enough confidence to live in the daily-use rotation. A two-year limited warranty provides a bit of safety net, which I appreciate for a motorized tool that will see frequent use.

What could be better

• Noise: It’s part and parcel of small choppers, but the sound level on high is noticeable.
• Cord length: Plan your placement; a longer cord or a wrap would improve flexibility.
• Hard, frozen items: This is not the right tool for solid frozen fruit or ice. Expect extended processing times and uneven results if you push it there.

None of these are deal-breakers in everyday prep, but they’re good to know before you buy.

The bottom line

The Ergo chopper earns its counter space with thoughtful touches—the two nestable bowls with airtight lids, measurement lines, a simple but useful high/low control, and dishwasher-safe parts—paired with solid, predictable performance on the tasks most of us do daily. It won’t replace a full-size food processor if you’re cooking for a crowd or tackling heavy doughs and frozen ingredients, and it’s not the quietest option you can own. But for quick, consistent chopping, small-batch sauces, and weeknight prep, it’s quick, compact, and easy to live with.

Recommendation: I recommend this chopper for small kitchens, meal preppers, and anyone who wants a reliable, compact helper for everyday tasks. Its two-bowl system and airtight lids streamline workflow and storage, the high/low speeds provide real control, and cleanup is painless. If you need whisper-quiet operation, a longer cord, or heavy-duty power for frozen foods, consider a larger processor. Otherwise, this hits the right balance of convenience, capability, and size.