Try tapping it around the base with a wooden spoon.

What did you process ? I had this happen when I made bread , years ago, and the dough was too wet. Got up under the part that pushes down on the stem. I had to send the whole thing off as it strips the mechanism. They fixed it . I never again made that mistake. c

Let's consider the bowl to be the steering wheel of a car. Looking down on it,you must turn the bowl as if you were making a left turn in your car to remove it from the mixer. Try pouring several cups of boiling water into the bowl and try your "left turn again". Careful! If that does not do it, wrap a towel around the bowl and put some crushed ice between it and the bowl near the bottom. Also soak up the hot water and remove it, replacing it with crushed ice and try to turn it. If you are lucky the bowl will come loose. If not, try the process a few more times.

On my original Cuisinart (robot coupe)turns to the RIGHT to remove.

i assume you've already given it a good strong whack? my motto is 'when in doubt--force it'. usually works.

EEEK! I thought you were never supposed to "force it." The reason I hate using my big Cuisinart is because of how difficult it is to engage and disengage that bowl. Also the lid. But, FWIW, mine disengages to the right, not the left. And it does take a lot of muscle. The Magimix is on my wish list, but I'm not expecting a great visit from Santa this year.

Oops! Forget what I said. I thought this was a mixer problem not a food processor!

Got the Magimix from Williams-Sonoma, after all. I love it. The thing is so easy to use.

I still think laat2's advice could work (sans ice which will only help with a metal bowl). I would put some near boiling liquid in the bowl and fill up the the hole in the center that the bowl inserts onto. I would definitely get a boiling hot wet dish towel (or two) and wrap it completely around the edges of the bottom outside of the bowl. I'd let it sit for 10 minutes, remove the towel, pour out the liquid, tap the handle very hard 4-5 times with something like a rubber mallet, then grip the bowl with both hands like a steering wheel and apply as much torque as you think you can without breaking the bowl.

Edlakin's advice makes me real nervous as I have done this many times and while it has worked a majority of the time, I have also broken a significant number of things over the years. Try other methods first and use maximum force only as a last result and if you can live with the fact that you might actually break it.

Oh and one more thing - if you're really going to apply "edlakin-like" force to the bowl while turning it, wear some sturdy work gloves that cover your wrists so that if the handle does break off with a jagged edge you don't end up in the emergency room. Please keep us posted, we'd like to know how it turns out.

trixieinthegarden - really great point!

Three cups of boiling water did the trick. There was a loud crack or pop as I added the water and within a few seconds I was able to open it (turning to the right) without any more whacks with my big rubber mallet.
The machine is about 27 years old and has been stubborn for a number of years.

Many thanks, Tom Webb

Mine was locked in place - thank you trixieinthegarden! - all I had to do was removed the lid and the bowl unlocked!

Even my weight-lifter husband couldn't get the bowl off my Cuisinart this morning. We tapped it. We put boiling water in it. Then I happened to notice that the stem that holds the attachments was not centered in the column in the center of the bowl. Gave it a jerk to move the stem to the center - problem solved. The bowl came right off. My husband was amazed that I was able to do something that he with all his strength couldn't do!

One time when I was demonstrating Cuisinarts in a Williams-Sonoma, a customer brought in her stuck workbowl and the entire machine. Not sure how she got into that dilemma, but we dribbled a little cooking oil around the contact edge and were able to remove the bowl.

Used my new Cuisinart for the first time and I also could not remove the bowl. Called customer support and they suggested I dip a Qtip in oil and swab it in the two cut out holes on each side of the bowl where it connects to the base. Worked like a charm.

That did the trick. I hate this food processor. The more I don’t use, the more I forget how to use it.

I tried the recommendation from Linda Scenna: dip a Qtip in oil and swab it in the two cut out holes on each side of the bowl where it connects to the base. While it still takes a bit of effort to get it off, at least now I don't have to put it in the recyling bin ;-)

I was about to LOSE MY MIND!!! Thank you ladies below. TAKE OFF THE LID!

It takes some muscle, but mine has loosened up over time. I have arthritis in my hands so this is not it’s finest point.

Mine won’t come off and I tried everything. The spring is stick down in the lock position and bowl won’t move!

It's simple.
I just figured it out.
On the work bowl:
Just lift the white pin through the open slots that's on the clear plastic tube.
Use a pointy knife to start it off 1st, then use a plastic fork tooth to push it up further.

Then turn the bowl and watch it come off the base.

Cause:
Water and or residue. Don't get the inner mechanism inside the tube wet with water and or food residue. It will clog it and run down to the release button on the base and clog that too.

Christine from Brooklyn, NY

bless you ladies, thought I was going to lose my mind! qtip worked like a charm!!

After twenty years in the back of a shelf, I decided to try again to use my Cuisinart. I t stuck again! Twenty five years ago the company said to put vasoline around the base. That’s what I tried to do again. It was still difficult. I will try the q-tip. If that doesn’t work, I am donating it! I bought it about 1987 at a Service Merchandise store, and I’ve never been able to use it. Such a beautiful recipe book—it’s such a shame.

Qtip with a little olive oil made it much looser. I actually just used my finger with some olive oil on it. Also lubed the other plastic to plastic contacts on bowl and lid. It wasnt an issue when i first got it a couple of years ago. Washing the bowl over time and wiping down the base unit must have made it too clean. I‘ll lube it each time I clean it.

I followed your advice. Worked beautifully. Thank you.

Thank you, mine was also stuck. I tried the Q-tip with a little oil tip from Linda Scenna, and it worked like a charm. I used olive oil, wiped the Q-tip drenched with oil around the 2 openings and a little inside, and let it sit a little. Thank you, Linda!

I-m disabled ,I wasn't cooking so I had not used my DL-7 for many months. Every thing was covered with dust so I decided to use the dishwasher to clean it after I wiped the dust off. Got the parts off until I tried to remove the base and I read here about using boiling,water. It worked and with one twist it came off easily. Then I saw what caused the problem, I t was some kind of syrup which had dried and acted like glue. Lesson learned, always clean every thing before putting back the bowl and take time to wipe down the base. Food crud can cause the bowl to stick and boiling hot water poured in the bowl will allow you to remove the bowl with ease. Examine the nobs on the base for residue that can cause the bowl not to turn so it will release.

I used to be a Cuisinart demonstrator. A customer brought her stuck Cuisinart into a Williams-Sonoma where I was working. We dabbed on a little cooking oil with a brush, and the top loosened pretty easily. (I was really nervous!)

The hot water trick worked in my antique cuisanart. I put a cup of hot water in the mixing container, drained water out and it came of easily! Thank you.