Which food mixer?

[Saracen]

Interesting. I can't even see that one on their website.

The one I was looking at, I. THINK the KMC030 01, seems to have gone up from about £380 to £500. Maybe a promotion has finished, but that settles that for me, because I was hesitant at £380 (inc a free attachment, like the mincer), but at £500? No way. Not worth that for me.

So .... back to the drawing board. Or, sit and wait for the next suitable promotion deal.

[peterb]

http://www.argos.co.uk/static/Produc...er/4236124.htm

The offer ends today - either the blender or the mincer half price - the blender is more use to me at the moment.

amazon are doing the KMC570 at about £339 - essentially the same, except it is a bundle and you get the flexible beater attachment as well - which has mixed reviews!

[Saracen]

That seems to link to the 636, Peter, not the 571 ..... http://www.argos.co.uk/static/Produc...er/9020146.htm

But I must be getting old. I thought you said Currys, which is where I couldn't find it. D'oh.

Argos' detail are also a bit confusing. In the description, it says 571 is 1100w. In the spec, it's 1000w. I think the latter is correct.

I was looking at more powerful machines, but I REALLY don't know how much difference 1300/1400w would make, to me in my kitchen, over 1000w (or 1100w). And at the current £500? Nope.

[peterb]

Oh yes, my mistake. Yes, I thought long and hard - the major has the intermediate speed outlet, but there is only one attachment (the for processor) that uses it, and I don't really need the extra capacity that the 1400W machines provide. On the other hand, the one I bought has cast aluminium components (the cheaper ones - classic? - are now plastic bodied) so it seemed more robust (although I suspect the gearbox and drive mechanics are similar). The smaller one takes up a bit less space in my kitchen too, it fits in under the wall units!

[Saracen]

All good points, Peter. Harking back to the start of this thread, my major question was about which unit to get, being spoilt for choice among what I can only describe as a confusing mish-mash of Kenwood models. I'm so confused over which offers what that I'm at risk of spending so much time trying to work out what each offers in relation to the others that I'll end up resolving it by not getting any at all.

It surely cannot be good marketing by Kenwood to have no just such a wide range of models, but such a confusing range. Even their website doesn't give any real help as to who should buy this or that model, and why.

Size and weight are medium-important, given that I prefer to have this type of device out, because if I have to keep getting it out, I end up not bothering. But .... food processor, blender and bread-maker do need so sit on the counter-top, because I do use them.

As for the medium outlet, if it's just for the blender, it's irrelevant to me as I use the Vitamix for that. The sausage-maker, well, the idea appeals but in reality, I just don't know how often I'll use it.

Mainly, it's for cake mixes and bread doughs. I can use the FP, certainly for lighter muxes/doughs and it does a decent job, but somehow, my existing Kenwood antique just seems to do a better job that the FP, even with the dedicated mixer blade.

Oh, I don't know. Eventually, I'll just spot a deal that appeals, and grab one.

[peterb]

The blender uses the high speed output (at the back above the motor) and all the Chef/titanium/major models have that. The medium speed is for the processor unit.

Kenwood seem to sell the same models under different model numbers depending on what they are packaged with. The KMC570 and the 571 (for example) are identical, but the 570 comes with the blender, the three basic tools (beater, whisk and dough hook) and the flexibeater. The 571 just comes with the three basic tools and no extras.

The more expensive models also come with sturdier beaters. Mine are cast aluminium with a non-stick coating - the more expensive ones have (I think) stainless steel beater - I could buy them for mine, but I don't have any real need - the ones I have will be fine for the quantities I am preparing. The bigger motor versions do allow you to prepare larger quantities.

But ultimately there are about 6 basic models, it is the bundled accessories that gives the different model numbers - but the model ranges are reasonably logical - once they have been decoded

I agree with you about having it on the worktop - it is quite a heavy item (although not as heavy as the original models!) so keeping it out will encourage use. Might be trying the dough hook tomorrow!

[Saracen]

The add-on accessories don't really interest me much, if at all. Certainly, neither blender nor food processor do, by virtue of having a top-end Magimix FP and a Vitamix blender. Sausage-maker? Maybe. Pasta machine? Well, again, I have a little manual that does the job pretty well, for a fairly small amount of elbow grease to do the winding.

I would much prefer stainless steel tools, but like you, they'll only get fairly light domestic use. Nor am I really going to be mixing large batches, though maybe some fairly "heavy" bread doughs.

I did detect some trends in models, like "Major" is, well, big bowls, and Titanium seems to be a premium end which hopefully is reflected in build sturdiness, not just cosmetic appearance. And some have a timer, which sounds like a good idea at first thoyght, byt in practice, I'm not likely to wander off and leave the thing going, and a few quid on a portable kitchen timer (which Ialready gave) does the job.

So probably, the only accessory outlet I'd use would be the low-speed front one, and in reality, maybe not even that.

My existing 1970s midel does currently still work, though the noises make me wonder how much longer for.I would strip it down and grease it up, but I wonder if it'll work again when I rebuild.

Antway, while it's working, I can sit and wait and see what deals come up. I probably should have grabbed that KMC030 deal while it was on. Never mind. No rush.

[peterb]

Just looked at the box - mine is the Chef Premier, 1000W motor and the bowl has a 4.6l capacity - not sure if that is to the brim - obviously wouldn't do that, but as a guide in the enclosed documentation:

(Item, Chef, Major)

Shortcrust pastry  680g flour      910g 

Stiff yeast dough   1.36Kg flour   1.5Kg

    Total weight      2.18Kg           2.4Kg 

Soft yeast dough   1.3Kg            2.6Kg

    Total weight      2.5Kg            5.0Kg

Fruit cake mix       2.72Kg          4.55Kg  (Total weight)

Egg whites            12                 16

The Chef range has product number in the KM300 - KM800 range
The Major has product numbers in the KM001 - KM007 range

If you are nursing your existing Chef, you might find this site useful

http://kenwoodchefrestore.co.uk

[Saracen]

Yup, that was the site I was planning to use to have my machine serviced, but it now appears that you have a choice of a motor repair kit which isn't relevant, or a full restoration, which includes cosmetic restoration I don't want, and at quite a high price. If it was a full service/upgrade of the mechanicals, at a more modest cost, I might well have done it. But nearly £200 for a restoration? Other than perhaps for sentimental reasons, I find that hard to justify.

[peterb]

1 Feb 2014

Amazon currently have the KMC010 at nearly £10 discount. May also be discounted at other stores.

I was 'relieved' to note that the KMC570 that I bought was still slightly more than I paid - so maybe the other discounts are not quite as god as they appear.

[Saracen]

1 Feb 2014

Amazon currently have the KMC010 at nearly £10 discount. May also be discounted at other stores.

I was 'relieved' to note that the KMC570 that I bought was still slightly more than I paid - so maybe the other discounts are not quite as god as they appear.

A whole £10. I'll get two.

I presume you mean nearly £100?

Thanks for the info, but still more than I want to pay, at least, right now. I'll keep an eye open for a price deal at a time when Kenwood are running a 'free accessory' offer, like maybe a secondbowl, or an attachment I might actually use. I should grabbed that 030 deal at £380 (IIRC) + free mincer/sausage-maker, etc.

If mine actually dies, it'll be more urgent, but for now, I have the option to bide my time, waiting for the right chance.

[peterb]

Yes, £100 Just flagged it up "just in case".

On the subject - really pleased with mine - I know you have a separate blender, but I have found the add on blender really good for soups (Just made a batch of butterniut squash soup to freeze) and chopping nuts and seeds. My little Bamix is still better for small quantities (chopped walnuts for a coffee and walnut cake for example, where the small quantity would get lost in the Kenwood blender) and blending in a separate bowl but the Kenwood has plenty of grunt for larger quantities - at least for my needs.