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What Food Mixer?? Buying advice needed.


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Old 12-01-2011, 21:46
Shuttermaze
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I'm looking to purchase in the not too distant future, a new Food Mixer. At the moment I'm using an old Moulinex, roughly 20 years old. Whilst it's okay at some functions, the blender has seen better days, and no longer functions as well as we'd like. So, here's my dilemma,,,

Do I fork out various limbs for a Kenwood Chef, or a Kitchenaid Artisan? I love the look of the Artisan range, but the mixer only has 300W power, against the Kenwoods 1400W Power.

I'm also in a quandary if I should go for a completer unit, like the Chef, or go for separates, like the Artisan range.

Or.... is there another range I have totally missed out, that would be worth me considering?

I'd really appreciate any thoughts, and your experiences with either of the above models I've mentioned, and any that I've not.

Thank You in advance for any advice you can give me.
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Old 12-01-2011, 23:02
petral_gal
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My mum's had a Kenwood chef for 30 years and it's never let her down yet!!! That's longevity for you!!!!
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Old 12-01-2011, 23:07
stud u like
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I have Kenwood. They last a very long time.
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Old 12-01-2011, 23:13
pixieboots
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I have the kenwood titanium with the massive mixing bowl and I love it but its very expensive and the processor attachment that comes with it is tiny, any more than 150grms flour and its too clogged for pastry but you get 3 blades for grating/slicing that are great. I'm not shelling out for a bigger one either. Got a blender attachment in the pack too and its great. 4 different beaters also included -whisk, rubbery k beater, metal kbeater and dough hooks.
The ice cream attachment cost 40 quid and its just a plastic bowl with the freezer bowl thing and a little plastic arm. Its worked so far but the plastic churning arm looks very flimsy.
Overall its a great machine but I went for motor power and I reckon the smaller version would be fine as long as you weren't feeding an army.

http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B...R7WZHPD8F0388N
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Old 13-01-2011, 07:48
molliepops
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Kenwood chef fan here mine is 27 years old and still going strong, all the parts seem easy to get too if you need to replace anything (pyrex bowl took a tumble 10 years ago) also lots of extras if you want them.
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Old 13-01-2011, 08:13
indianwells
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I have a Kenwood Titanium and as a mixer it is superb but I don't think much of the processor that sits on top so i've recently bought a Magimix processor which I am absolutely delighted with!
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Old 13-01-2011, 16:03
Shuttermaze
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Thank you all for the replies so far. It's interesting to see that you've all suggested the Kenwood. I still can't make up my mind. Part of me really wants to get that one, and yet the other side of me thinks I should go for separates. Sometimes, it's a right pain in the *bleep* being a Gemini!

Any more suggestions would be really appreciated.
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Old 13-01-2011, 17:05
Angiekav
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I recently purchased a Kenwood Chef (after using Moms for years!) they are a bargain on Amazon at the moment. I got the small one as I am on my own - cost me less than £150!

http://www.amazon.co.uk/s/ref=nb_sb_...x=kenwood+chef
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Old 13-01-2011, 17:27
mirabelle
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Kenwood as well I'm afraid. My mum has still got her and she's had it since we were kids. Noisy but brilliant. Agree blender on top isn't that great buy it depends what you want to blend.
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Old 13-01-2011, 17:36
LaChatteGitane
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I have a Kenwood and love it very much.
I don't use the blender, though, as I have a handheld one for 30 odd years. I use the latter for soups, mayonnaise, tapenades......
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Old 13-01-2011, 18:18
Sallysally
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Yep - another Kenwood fan here. Had a Chef for over 35 years (wedding pressie) which was still going strong, but gave that to eldest daughter (it is still going strong after another 6 years!) and bought myself a new one just for the hell of it.
As you can tell, I love it to bits. I have all the attachments and when the kids were little, I think I used it everyday. Now, I use it about once or twice a wee and I certainly could not do my Xmas cake without it.

I've heard good reports of Kitchen Aid (all the TV chefs seem to use it) but never used one.
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Old 13-01-2011, 18:31
Elanor
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I think it depends what you want it to do. I have a KitchenAid Artisan and I absolutely love it. I do a lot of baking though, and it gets a lot of use. I don't use it for chopping or blending and so on, although I know it has attachments that do that. I've used a Kenwood for baking and not liked it much, I prefer the Artisan by a long way.
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Old 13-01-2011, 21:56
Erlang
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I bought Mrs Erlang a Kenwood about 23 years ago, and for three of those years she used it in a cake making business that made about 10 - 15 cakes a week.

The only thing wrong with it is I stripped the attachment port, trying to mince, some chicken carcasses.
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Old 13-01-2011, 22:29
camer
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If the mixer is going to get a lot of use then a Robocop would be my choice followed by a kenwood.
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Old 13-01-2011, 23:03
Druid_uk
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Kenwood, am only saying this on the basis that my mum has got one which is 50 years old (handed down from my nan) and still going strong. I've just got one am chuffed to bits with it. The design hasn't changed much - why? because it works and works well ....just a shame they are now made in china.
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Old 14-01-2011, 06:48
indianwells
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If the mixer is going to get a lot of use then a Robocop would be my choice followed by a kenwood.
I think you mean Robot-Coupe!
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Old 14-01-2011, 10:18
Shuttermaze
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I think it depends what you want it to do. I have a KitchenAid Artisan and I absolutely love it. I do a lot of baking though, and it gets a lot of use. I don't use it for chopping or blending and so on, although I know it has attachments that do that. I've used a Kenwood for baking and not liked it much, I prefer the Artisan by a long way.
I think it would mainly be used for cake, bread and pastry use. But we do use our rather decrepit blender a lot too, for sauces etc. So what ever I get is going to have varied use really, possibly weekly; fortnightly at least.

I bought Mrs Erlang a Kenwood about 23 years ago, and for three of those years she used it in a cake making business that made about 10 - 15 cakes a week.

The only thing wrong with it is I stripped the attachment port, trying to mince, some chicken carcasses.
That's well worth noting really. If a machine can stand up to that kind of usage, then it's got to be worth the money!

Kenwood, am only saying this on the basis that my mum has got one which is 50 years old (handed down from my nan) and still going strong. I've just got one am chuffed to bits with it. The design hasn't changed much - why? because it works and works well ....just a shame they are now made in china.

Certainly seems that Kenwood is the brand to go for... Now, do I go for the Chef Titanium, or get Kenwood separates? Ohh I don't know! lol...

Currys have a Kenwood in stock at the moment, I think it might be the Titanium Major.Might go and have another shufty at it once I'm back from the Dentist!

Any more experiences with either of the Machines, or new ones would really help this fickle Gemini.
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Old 14-01-2011, 14:23
SeasideLady
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Kenwood just last forever it seems. I have a Kenwood Chefette, the smaller food mixer. My mother - in - law gave it to me 20 years ago, and she'd had it nearly as long herself. It's got a good liquidiser, grating/slicing attachments, and works perfectly. I only use it as a hand-held mixer nowadays, as I have more modern equipment, but would definitely buy Kenwood again - so reliable.
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Old 15-01-2011, 20:42
pompey73
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Another vote here for the Kenwood Chef. I got mine off ebay about 6 years ago, in really good condition even though it's almost 40 years old. It came with loads of attachments including the liquidiser and mincer. Including postage I paid about £70 for it and it's worth every penny. I do a fair bit of baking and I suppose on average I use it about 3 times a week. It does sound like a tank though I love it to bits, my favourite ebay purchase ever.
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Old 15-01-2011, 20:49
Mrs Fosdyke
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My Kenwood is years old and still going strong, but because it's so heavy I find I don't use it so much these days apart from the bread mixer.

If you don't need all those attachments, I'd recommend a Moulinex A320, it's basically a large version of those coffee grinders. It'll chop up anything, and it can come with a liquidiser if you pay a bit more.
It's incredibly powerful and doesn't take up a lot of space.
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Old 15-01-2011, 22:48
bostin_austin
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Kenwood Major, without a doubt is just brilliant. Only had mine a couple of years, but love it. My son bought me the mincer and ice cream maker attachments too.Use it all the time and would be lost without it now.
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Old 16-01-2011, 09:06
littleRB
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http://www.kenwoodworld.com/uk/Produ...cessors/FP980/

I got this for christmas and it's fabulous! Has lots of attachments and seems to do everything and so far i am obsessed with it using it every day .
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Old 16-01-2011, 13:47
Shuttermaze
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Thank you all so much for your replies. I definitely think I'm going down the Kenwood root now. Whilst the Artisan is undoubtedly attractive, I want to have a really good make (not saying that KitchenAid aren't good or anything) but I just can't deny all the recommendations I've seen about the Kenwood range. I think it'll be the Chef Titanium, or the Kenwood Premier chef and possibly the Multi Pro Excel food processor.

I read a HUGE thread yesterday on Amazon, and whilst the Kitchen Aid gets some sound recommendations, the Kenwood positively glows!

So, Thank You all so much for the feedback. I really appreciated it.
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Old 16-01-2011, 18:17
hooter
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My mum's had a Kenwood chef for 30 years and it's never let her down yet!!! That's longevity for you!!!!
I`ve had mine for about the same amount of time..
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Old 16-01-2011, 21:34
Pixie Queen
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My food processor was a wedding gift and is almost 25 years old. It gets used at least 4 times a week however the bowl part has recently developed lots of tiny cracks . The cracks could have been there for some time but I borrowed #2 Slavette's glasses and could actually see them.

This thread has saved me lots of research. I know I'm going to be perving the Kenwoods down the local electrical superstore after we've had the boiler replaced. If I can't get a replacement bowl.

Now for the "doh" question.

What's the difference between a food processor and a food mixer?
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