KitchenAid, Kenwood, Cuisinart, and Magimix

I grew up with a Cuisinart food processor and a Kitchen Aid mixer in the kitchen. They were stalwarts, lasting decades of daily use. I have the Kitchen Aid (which pleases my heart and my gullet) but many inferiors, mortal german copies, have substituted for the Cuisinart. I am tired of bad food processors, which can’t manage even decent hummus! I see they have in the UK (but not here!?) a 220V Cuisinart, but it isn’t the DLC-10 I know. (Also does amazon.uk.co ship to Germany?). The French Magimix looks good, but I haven’t heard from anyone who has one? Is Magimix available in Germany? Does any out there have one?

Dunno.

Madame Sin wants me to pawn one of the kids for a Kenwood Major at the moment.

Kenwood major? Can your kid make decent hummus?

I'll ask

I doubt the Kenwood can by the looks of it.

Oh I dunno. Yer Kenwood Chef Major come with a 1.2KW motor, variable speed, a 6.7 litre stainless steel bowl and stainless steel beater, dough hook and whisk... plus, you can bung them in the dishwasher. It also comes with a blender. Fixed to that 1.2KW!!!

I quite like it. I hate the price.

Can you get it here (in Germany)? What have you found for a price?

At around 450 Euros it is pricey.

Umm... try 699,- Euros

I could swear I saw a Magimix in Kustermann when I was choosing my kitchen aid. They also have fabulous Kenwoods. Also, I am sure Amazon.co.uk don't ship electronic goods out of the UK. I do know you can buy Magimix in France so may be worth the drive if you can't find it here :-) Pick up some good wine en route!

My Magimix has sadly passed on after 15 years of fine service *sigh* Motor damage
At the moment I use my Braun Multipractic for hummus (had no complaints so far, maybe I just don't make the amounts you do though?). I don't treat mine kindly and also tend to roughly chop the chickpeas first (but don't get me started on knives, I could lose whole days discussing those).
I really want the KitchenAid, have done for years, but unless you have all the attachments it isn't a Magimix replacement.
Kenwoods are OK but it isn't a Magimix, did a side-by-side test with a pal of mine with his Kenwood and my sadly demised Magimix. The Magimix, despite age not being on its' side was still the king.
Go and get a Magimix because if that is what you want, nothing else will do.

that what i wanted to hear! Sounds like what the cuisinart use to be! I live in Ludwigsburg so I am off to the boarder!

i never even heard of a magimix until i read this, but i am in the market for a new food processor and what with katrina's glowing testimony, only this will do! only problem is that i need it for use in the states and it doesn't seem to be sold there. katrina, prove me wrong, i know you can.

As am american I never heard of Magimix either, only cuisinart. Now I'm sold. The spec look great and the machine isn't built to look good, but to work well. Most German food processors work on the belt system (a real food prossor needs the motor under the bowl).

Nah potterstreet, if you want a Cuisinart get one but if you are in Europe get the Magimix. If I was in the US I'd have the Cusinart as well (but keep the KitchenAid on the counter - it is very pretty isn't it?) purely because of getting the thing repaired (and it is a damn fine machine).
Mine made great bread, the best carrot cake, great soups... *sobs*
Yes the motor is underneath and you get a 12 year guarantee. Love the multibowl system too. The mini would cover most of my needs to tell the truth.
Magimix site with specs in English
Their only big markets are France, Benelux and UK & Eire.
Really can't remember if Kustermann does them, I'd probably rather go to Strasbourg (for Tarte Flamblée natch) as they are cheaper there than in the UK.
Even the French company SEB does a non-belt model, ISEO for 50€ so you can see a price difference for a start.

http://www.cucinadirect.com/go/SearchResults.html

This company is based in the UK and has a Magimix in its catalogue. They do deliver but it may be cheaper to drive to France.

how many should I bring back from Strasbourg?

My Magimix will be 20 years old soon and its still going strong. I did have to replace the bowl awhile ago because I snaped off the handle but have had no problems since. I know many professional cooks choose it.

I found this (direct delivery of Magimix to the EU):

http://www.edirectory.co.uk/pf/pages/morei...0+White&cid=880

Problem is that I think we are going for the Kenwood. It's more to do with what we need it for (huge quantities of dough because Madame Sin bakes all our bread). We don't make that much in the way of Humus, Etc.

This is off topic..but i just thought it was a little too ironic that when i came home from emergency Monday (after having three stiches in my thumb) due to an evil food processor.. the first thing I saw was this thread.

We just got a Magic Bullet as seen on Home Shopping Europe.

We will know how it handles after it gets delivered. 99 euro but we got it at half price.

Does anyone have experience with this one?

Thanks Sin,

But when I asked for German delivery I git this:

This merchant cannot ship to this destination.

Thermomix, Thermomix, Thermomix, Thermomix,
6 minute curry, or Roux, This machine is unbelievable. I have an older model.
Check out this recipe:
4 mb (messbecker) water,
30g butter
3 heaping tbsp flour
1/4 tsp pepper
1/2 tsp salt
2 heaping tsp curry
1 pinch sugar
1-2 tbsp lemon juice
Mix everything together for 6 min at 100deg, speed 1.
That is from the book. Of course I modified the recipe but this machine rocks!
I don't sell them so you gotta find it yourself.

English excerpt:
"Thermomix brings together the functions of over 10 kitchen appliances in one compact unit. Thermomix can chop, beat, whip, mix, pulverise, grind, mince, grate, juice, crush, puree, blend, cook, steam and even weigh food!

Cooking meals always involves doing more than one task at a time – and sometimes it seems like recipes require an army in the kitchen just to get everything done!

You will discover with Thermomix, that combining cooking functions into one convenient unit has more advantages than just clearing space on your kitchen bench tops.

With Thermomix you don’t need to stir while you cook or stand over a hot stove top anymore because you can rely on Thermomix to stir and blend as it cooks. With the added convenience of accurate temperature and time settings, there is no more sticking, no burning and no overcooking.

With enough muscle to knead bread dough, yet delicate enough to whip egg whites, Thermomix is your perfect partner in the kitchen."

my 2 cts,
take care,
space

I know the machine, but it cost a pretty penny?

Just found a UK outfit that sells and delivers to Germany (and anywhere else in the world) both Cuisinart vs. Magimix. If interested go to: www.electricshopping.com

Mrs. Angel and I are trying to decide between KitchenAid and Kenwood food processors, or kitchen machines as they call them. We're not after the cheapo ones, we want something that will last decades, and want something that can do everything that's likely to help producing meals as we're both enthusiastic cooks. We're specifically after something that looks similar to this:

ie. something with a large bowl and overhead motor attachment, not a cheap and cheerful kitchen toy.

The basic choice for us is between the Kenwood Chef/Major and KitchenAid stand mixer. Our mothers both have Kenwood machines with a total lifetime of about 70 years, but we've heard good things about KitchenAid, that they're even more durable, with direct drive (no belts) and so on. The Kenwoods seem to have much more powerful motors, going up to 1500 watts, compared to KitchenAid's 450 watts, and the Kenwoods cost more. Does anyone have any experience with either they'd like to share? Is there some magic that makes the motors' effective power comparable? The centrifugal juice maker available for the Kenwoods is a persuasive add-on, nothing similar appears available for the KitchenAid, but are there 3rd party accessories available too?

If our chosen machine is too expensive new for our budget we're prepared to buy second hand. Apart from the obvious eBay, Amazon, Kurz & Fundig and so on does anyone have tips on where to find used kitchen equipment?

Thanks in advance.

You have to realize that KitchenAids DO NOT BREAK. Ever. They just go on and on and on and on and on... Honestly, you will never break them regardless of how much abuse they get. Great machines. Apparently. My wife uses it because she is the baker in the family. I just clear it away when she is finished creating a war zone in the kitchen.

Robo coup baby, robo coup.

Can you still buy them don? I remember RoboChef from the 1980s but haven't seen one in years...
EDIT: apparently yes, RoboChef was the UK name back then.

cool-looking machines HellesAngel!

Do those things also chop up food (nuts, carrots etc.) like a food processor, or are they purely for mixing and kneading?

If so, I might have to go home and start campaigning for a super-duper machine in the kitchen!

I have a KitchenAid Artisan stand mixer and am delighted with it. It's extremely robust and can knead very stiff doughs without overloading the motor. I use it primarily for baking and kneading bread doughs. I also use it for a great pizza dough.
There is a wide variety of attachments available - I have one for grating and slicing which I use a lot (no more grating my fingers while preparing coleslaw!). I most recently bought the ice-cream maker, which has already got quite a bit of use in this hot weather. These attachments are, however, expensive. The KA itself cost me €376 on Ebay last August, and since then I've spent another €250 on the attachments and an extra bowl (€50 for a bowl!!) It is a looker though and has pride of place on my kitchen counter

The list of attachments for both the Kenwood and KitchenAid machines is endless... They'll do just about anything you're likely to need in the kitchen.

The general idea with both is to provide a powerful motor usually attached to a mixer, and a versatile thing for attaching other stuff to, rather than having a kitchen full of smaller (and less powerful) single purpose machines. My mother has a Kenwood which is 35 years old and Mrs. Angel's mother another of similar age. They're not cheap, though, but almost certainly cheaper and a lot less frustrating than buying kitchen toys and replacing them every few years.

We're just debating if we 'need' the really powerful 1400/1500 watt version or if we could 'make do' with a 750 watt one...

I've never tried a KitchenAid, so don't have a comparison, but I do really really like our Kenwood Major. It gets a lot of use because my husband eats like pac-man (just as well he likes cooking).

There are a couple of attachments that only work on the "titanium" model - as far as I know it's the food processor and one other medium speed attachment, so this is something to check when choosing a model. All of the others work on all of them - we have happily minced, sliced blended etc. with ours.

thanks for the explanation. We had a very basic mixer when I grew up, along with trudging barefoot through the snow to school ...

Now I have some ammunition to stop our entire wedding present budget being spent on toys for boys, thank you! The balance shall finally be restored.

EDIT: Just to clarify HellesAngel, toys for boys not including kitchen-related gadgets. Wouldn't want to stereotype here

For boys who love cooking these things are really good toys! I'm the one who wants to spend more and get the bigger one but just get the basic machine and buy the few attachments we need when we get the chance, Mrs. Angel thinks we could maybe make do with a smaller one.

It is a good point that only the more powerful models have the medium speed attachment. Might be a good argument to go that way.

I can thoroughly recommend the Kitchen Aid machine. Although I love cooking I was never happy with my pastry. Now I chuck all the (chilled) ingredients into the bowl, switch the machine on and wait for it to work its magic. Result = effortless perfect pastry every time. We only have the whisk, pastry hook and flat mixer attachments but we've never needed anything else. Because it's such a handsome beast it lives on the worktop rather than buried in a cupboard and so it gets used often. I think it was worth every penny.
Skye

Anyone with recent or helpful experience in bringing Kitchen Aids from the US to Germany?? With the dollar in the toilet it's so tempting to bring one home from this business trip I'm on. The product is so sturdy, I can't imagine that it wouldn't be able to handle life in Munich with a power converter. Would appreciate any advice though, before I buy the big bad boy.

Thanks in advance.

FG

I'd imagine mechanically they're more than strong enough, but can you get a >500 watt power converter which maybe you'd need for the US version.

KitchenAid mixer. Cuisniart food processor. Both wedding gifts in US too many years ago to think about. One Conrad Voltcraft converter with a US extension cord.

Still going strong after all these years. Does everything one wants to do ... and all accessories/spares available in Germany.

Yes you can. My wife ran a US machine in Germany for 2 years without a single issue at all.

@HellsAngel

Have you thought about this?

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Kenwood-MX271-Pati...8497&sr=8-1

Its also available in a cream colour (although I love the red). Its a lot less expensive and more powerful than the kitchen aid. I know someone with one and they think its fab.

its on my list of things to get for the kitchen when can persuade hubby (although if its connected with food it not normally a problem!)

I was shopping for a food processor recently, and of note is that several of the major brands are now being manufactured in China. I wonder how this will effect the quality. Many of you said your products lasted 15-20 years...wil this still be the case. Made in China is not exactly known for its high quality.

Well, to be fair to the Chinese, 'Made in England' was far from a guarantee of quality when anything was actually made there... I have no idea if Kenwood have changed anything in their manufacturing processes but their products are certainly known for lasting decades, actually our mothers' units lasted over 30 years each, and I hear the same about KitchenAid too.

I have a new KitchenAid food processor with a ton of attachments. It's great!

We have a KitchenAid that we brought from the States. I love it!! My husband (in his flush of excitement at his first ever Day-after-Thanksgiving-Sale) bought one and lots of attachements. This was 8 years ago. Then, while we were in the U.S. last month, he kept saying that he wanted the attachment that slices and grates stuff. So, we shopped around, found one, got a great deal and I brought it back in my carry-on luggage (it was a fun conversation at the security checkpoint).
My husband then opened the drawer where he keeps all his KitchenAid attachements and he said 'Oh my God!' - and sitting there was the exact attachment we had just bought and lugged back from the States.

So, if anyone has a KitchenAid and wants to buy the slicer/grater, we have a brand new one for sale.

No. But the choice in the states is pretty limited. Either China or Pennymart (well, two items on sale there)

Hi, I was excited to find this thread because I've just spent two frustrating hours trying to find a Cuisinart online in Germany. I've always been brand-loyal to Cuisinart but the only version I can find here is the super-duper multifunction MP14NE, which is pretty pricey and does more than I need. I don't bake, don't need a bread-dough mixer or any of those functions----I just want to be able to chop, puree etc. like I did with my old basic DLC105. Should I ship one over from the US and use it with a converter, or can you recommend which Kitchen Aid or Magimix version I should consider? TIA!

amazon.com won't ship the KitchenAid (and a lot of other products) to Germany so you'll have to have it sent it to a relative who can forward it to you. Don't forget you'll also have to add 19% MwSt to the total cost.

I have a kenwood chef - I wanted a magimix but my mum bought me the kenwood. I love the big stainless steel bowl and the fact taht you can get so many add ons - I have the blender attachement which does pretty much all my food processing needs - and am currently lusting after the sausage maker!

The kenwood's size and power make it a winner for me - my one complaint is that the whisk attachment doesn;t always get to the bottom of the bowl - doesn't seem to alter end results tho'.