Help me with my mixer conundrum

Stargazer7

Hi guys... so I promised myself to finally buy a mixer for my Birthday after many years of doing the work by hand. I am doing a baking course during the week and also working in a bakery so I would be looking for a machine that will cover all bases but will also be able to be a decent bread workhorse.

I have decided on getting a Kenwood for my bread making / mixing needs...but I am undecided as to:

A. Getting the 4.5L bowl vs the 6.7L bowl and
B. If going for the Titanium Model (1700W) rather than the Chef Model (1200W) is necessary (the titanium also has stainless steel attachments rather than brushed alumunium.)

Any ideas / thoughts / experiences welcome...also if I'm missing a trick here please let me know! Thanks!

Dizzyblonde

I have a very old Chef and haven't even looked at mixers for a long time, but having googled the Titanium model I have to say that it's very impressive. If I was buying a new one I'd definitely like the bigger bowl and more powerful wattage. If you'll be keeping it in a cupboard it would be worth checking the weight though - my Chef is heavy enough to lift out of a floor cupboard and up onto the worktop and I suspect the Titanium is quite a bit heavier.

Toto Wolfcastle

I have the Titanium. It’s definitely very heavy. Getting it from the sorting office to the car was tough! I’ve had it around 7 years now and it’s still going strong. It gets heavy usage, particularly for bread/pizza dough. I haven’t used the other one so I can’t compare but I’m very happy with mine.

Whistlejacket

I'd go for the titanium if you have space and you plan on kneading bread with the dough hook or using it for heavier work. My Dad has it and I have the Chef, as my kitchen is a lot smaller. They're both great but the titanium is bigger and more powerful, the mincer attachment for example is better on it. For whisking/beating cakes etc. they're both great.

CJhaughey

I've only used the KMC510 version which is 1200w and never found it wanting for power.
I make a pizza dough once a week usually and even with 600g flour in a stiff dough it powers away fine.
The bigger bowl might be better if you were doing larger amounts of dough but apart from that I can't see the need for it.
If you are whipping a few egg whites its a massive bowl just for that unless you are making a massive meringue.
Regarding power for mincing , 1200w geared low is a pretty powerful mincer, I bought an old mincer model AT950 and it powers through meat very easily. Very little smear with the cast iron blade and small hole disc.

I like compact machines and the KMC510 is a handy size in the kitchen and the bowl is a manageable size as well.

Stargazer7

Thanks for all the feedback everyone!

CJhaughey wrote: »

I've only used the KMC510 version which is 1200w and never found it wanting for power.
I make a pizza dough once a week usually and even with 600g flour in a stiff dough it powers away fine.
The bigger bowl might be better if you were doing larger amounts of dough but apart from that I can't see the need for it.
If you are whipping a few egg whites its a massive bowl just for that unless you are making a massive meringue.
Regarding power for mincing , 1200w geared low is a pretty powerful mincer, I bought an old mincer model AT950 and it powers through meat very easily. Very little smear with the cast iron blade and small hole disc.

I like compact machines and the KMC510 is a handy size in the kitchen and the bowl is a manageable size as well.

CJ - you hit the nail on the head in terms of the one thing I forgot to ask - will the bigger machines just skip over a smaller batter / mix due to their big size? I don't want to get something so big that it is a bit crappy if I just want to make a single sponge rather than a load of brioche...

Last week I made 1.2kg of pizza dough by hand for a group of friends so the size of batches I make can vary quite a lot.

With regard to weight / size...where i'm living at the moment is pretty compact (read tiny :pac:) so I think no matter what size the machine is it will feel pretty massive:o

Dizzyblonde

Stargazer7 wrote: »

Thanks for all the feedback everyone!



CJ - you hit the nail on the head in terms of the one thing I forgot to ask - will the bigger machines just skip over a smaller batter / mix due to their big size? I don't want to get something so big that it is a bit crappy if I just want to make a single sponge rather than a load of brioche...

Last week I made 1.2kg of pizza dough by hand for a group of friends so the size of batches I make can vary quite a lot.

With regard to weight / size...where i'm living at the moment is pretty compact (read tiny :pac:) so I think no matter what size the machine is it will feel pretty massive:o

I seriously doubt that they would, being Kenwood. I'd love the bigger bowl because every so often I'll make two four-egg pavlovas and the normal sized bowl can't handle the volume.

harr

https://www.did.ie/kenwood-chef-elite-xl-1400w-food-mixer-silver-kvl6100s-kvl6100s-prd?gclid=Cj0KCQjw9ZDeBRD9ARIsAMbAmobdCwFKa1FP-m3JWTUfoge5jc00PGXXE58GJQkpEB4RQEwbCrCKkHsaAkylEALw_wcB#fo_c=1898&fo_k=d9f875b720a378616fd05f55cbc4bc65&fo_s=gplaie

This is what we use and I find it ideal..it has the larger bowl and that bit of extra power..

CJhaughey

1.2kg of pizza dough is about 600g flour and 4-500ml water no?
The smaller machine works that amount fine.
Maybe go down to the nearest dealer and have a look at a few in the flesh so to speak and if you can live with the larger frame mixer then opt for that one?
You can always make two batches of dough if one isn't enough, I find that recipes don't often scale up perfectly for some reason and sometimes prefer to make two small batches rather than one huge one.

shortcircuitie

A bit off topic, but I just want to sing the praises of the Kenwood Chef. I have one which is third-hand -went from my mother's friend to my mother and now to me. I reckon it is getting on 30-35 years old. And it's perfect. It weighs the same as a small car and you can't wash the attachments in the dishwasher, but I don't care. I just wish everything was made as well as it. What are the chances that any piece of kitchen electric gadgetry that we might buy today will still be working in 35 years time? I would say very slim!

Stargazer7

Thanks so much for your valid input guys.

I'm leaning towards go big or go home and so am thinking I'll go for he titanium XL.

Quick final question - have any of you gotten any bargains (particularly kenwood / mixer related bargains) on black Friday? Considering holding out a few weeks to save a few Yoyos.

RacoonQueen

Starting to see the black friday deals pop up now. Whats the story with kitchenaids? They seem to be very low wattage compared to other mixers?
Same with their hand mixers 85w compared to 2xx for 'lesser' names.

https://www.currys.ie/ieen/household-appliances/small-kitchen-appliances/food-and-drink-preparation/food-mixers/kitchenaid-artisan-5ksm150psblt-stand-mixer-caf-latte-10168881-pdt.html

Fann Linn

RacoonQueen wrote: »

Starting to see the black friday deals pop up now. Whats the story with kitchenaids? They seem to be very low wattage compared to other mixers?
Same with their hand mixers 85w compared to 2xx for 'lesser' names.

https://www.currys.ie/ieen/household-appliances/small-kitchen-appliances/food-and-drink-preparation/food-mixers/kitchenaid-artisan-5ksm150psblt-stand-mixer-caf-latte-10168881-pdt.html

The wife swears by the kitchenaid. I just showed her your link and she paid almost €600 for the same one approx 2 years ago. She uses it in a semi pro capacity and has bought different attachments over time also and ye can add mincers for sausages as well as different whisks, paddles etc. The great british bake off use them also.
Highly recommended by the licensed operator in this household!!!

harr

Fann Linn wrote: »

The wife swears by the kitchenaid. I just showed her your link and she paid almost €600 for the same one approx 2 years ago. She uses it in a semi pro capacity and has bought different attachments over time also and ye can add mincers for sausages as well as different whisks, paddles etc. The great british bake off use them also.
Highly recommended by the licensed operator in this household!!!

My mum has the classic version of the kitchenaid about 5 years now and swears by it.
The classic is a step down from the one linked above.
She has never had an issue with power from it and uses it daily and does fairly heavy bread dough on a regular basis.
She paid a hefty price even 5 years ago... so price above is a fantastic price for the artisan mixer.
The pasta attachment works fantastic...

rubadub

RacoonQueen wrote: »

Starting to see the black friday deals pop up now. Whats the story with kitchenaids? They seem to be very low wattage compared to other mixers?

https://mixitbakeit.com/kitchenaid-professional-6000-hd-review/

RacoonQueen

Fann Linn wrote: »

The wife swears by the kitchenaid. I just showed her your link and she paid almost €600 for the same one approx 2 years ago. She uses it in a semi pro capacity and has bought different attachments over time also and ye can add mincers for sausages as well as different whisks, paddles etc. The great british bake off use them also.
Highly recommended by the licensed operator in this household!!!

Yep, kitchenaid is the dream..pretty much all the youtube bakers use them too and the black friday deals always have me itching to buy (my very old lidl one is still going strong though, I don't really need a new mixer!) but today was the first time I noticed the wattage differences and the standard forms on currys/harvey norman etc don't allow for extra info on what else the kitchenaid has that other mixers don't.
rubadubs links explains it nicely though

sdp

My Kitchen aid is 20 years old, and still going strong, not as old as some of the Kenwoods, i know, but used 3/4 times a week, never had a issue with it,

RacoonQueen

Now Bank of Ireland are offering me 10% cashback with my next purchase at curry's.
It is like they want me to buy it.

Fann Linn

£299 in Lakeland in Enniskillen today.

Ryath

Kenwood Multione is on deal of the day on Amazon @ £179

Having all of the attachments is tempting but I but I'd say I'm just better going with the regular Chef Classic and getting the mincer and liquidiser later. It's all I really need and I'd imagine will last a lot longer and a lot better for breadmaking. Good price in Arnots @ €150

Usually make bread about twice a week and trying to get into habit of baking something sweet at the weekends.

Would like the food processor attachment. Have been using a Philips handheld blender for years with a chopper attachment but the gears are gone it attachment now. Mostly breadcrumbs, salsa and for curry pastes. Not sure what to replace it with the liquidiser would do a lot of it. The Chef food processor attachment is fairly pricey at nearly the cost of a stand alone one. I don't really have space for two machines though if I get a stand mixer. Any one using a higher end large food processor for dough and baking and as their main machine?



Likes of these Kenwood MultiPros
https://www.amazon.co.uk/Kenwood-MultiPro-Classic-FDM781BA-Processor/dp/B00MVWG0N6/ref=sr_1_3?s=kitchen-appliances&ie=UTF8&qid=1543148004&sr=1-3&keywords=kenwood+food+processor

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Kenwood-FPM910-Multi-Pro-Excel-Processor/dp/B00ARRAR54/ref=sr_1_4?s=kitchen-appliances&ie=UTF8&qid=1543148004&sr=1-4&keywords=kenwood%2Bfood%2Bprocessor&th=1

RacoonQueen

I decided I deserved to treat myself so caved and got the kitchen aid. It went out with courier yesterday so should arrive early this week
Been working hard between study and work lately so decided I deserve a little treat. Won't be able to really get stuck into using it until the new year when some exams are done but I'm so excited.


DID also have a great deal on the Kenwood Chef
https://www.did.ie/kenwood-1200w-chef-xl-food-mixer-white-kvl4100w-kvl4100w-prd

Ryath

The silver version is €90 cheaper
https://www.did.ie/kenwood-chef-xl-6-7l-1200w-food-mixer-silver-kvl4100s-kvl4100s-prd

That's very tempting. More power and bigger is always better! Maybe not from a storage point of view though!

RacoonQueen

Ryath wrote: »

The silver version is €90 cheaper
https://www.did.ie/kenwood-chef-xl-6-7l-1200w-food-mixer-silver-kvl4100s-kvl4100s-prd

That's very tempting. More power and bigger is always better! Maybe not from a storage point of view though!

Jayz thats a great deal! I probably would have gone for that instead of the kitchenaid if I'd spotted it
My lidl one currently lives on top of the fridge, going to have to clear space on the counter for the kitchenaid though I think :pac: