Food processors and mixers

[Goodliz]

Morning!

I'm thinking about getting a food processor. Seems like they make the chopping and food prep lighter work.

They vary in price from about ?40 to over ?300. What is the difference? I know many people have them so any advice would be appreciated. Also do any processors also become mixers/ blenders or do you have to purchase those separately?

Please let me know your opinions :-)

Many thanks

Liz

[Lochie]

I have the magimix micro and it is a regular part of my cooking. It's only ?50 and is small, but perfect size to chop veggies e.g. I just peel and cut an onion in two, wack each half in, and it's blitzed in about 5 seconds. Also chops very hard root veggies well e.g. parsnips, carrots etc. I've had it for over 3 years since I started weaning with my first child and it makes things so easy. I like the fact its small as I can't be arsed with getting out a full size mixer each time I want to make something and then having to wash it up!! Great too for making smoothies, blitzing ice etc.

Only downside is its not big enough to make soups etc.

[womanofdulwich]

i have a kenwood multi pro which i use for pastry, cakes,biscuits, blitzing, soup making,grating, breadcrumb making, soup and smoottie blending. It came with a huge amount of attachments which probably do other stuff but I have never used them.

So it has a big blade at the bottom for processing , but it coems with a " liquideiser" i use for blending soups etc, and a smaller thing, I think called a coffee grinder, which I use for coffee, herbs etc. I am happy with it. I did inherit a kenwood chef but the bowl size on that means it really only works for medium/ large quantities, and its so heavy to move around hte kitchen, but I do use it for making big quantites, which the kenwood multi pro can't manage- eg Christmas cake.

[Goodliz]

Thanks Lochie and Womanof dulwich. I noticed the multipro is on offer in big sainsbury at the moment.

[mima08]

Hiya, just jumping on this thread as I been wondering about getting a food processor:

- do you think it can replace a hand-held mixer for making cakes dough and the like?

- do you find it really chops/grates all of the veg (meaning you don't have big chunks of it left at the end?)

Goodliz: I saw the offer in Sainsbury but when I looked (about 4 weeks ago) there were cheaper options on Amazon for the same items.

mx

[BeccaL]

Love mine (think is Magimix or Moulinex, bought last year after previous Kenwood died aged about 10) but don't use for veg chopping etc on a daily basis as couldn't be bothered with the washing up! Great for baking (mix fairy cakes in less than 5 mins) and for blending soup (has separate blender bowl). Not as good as my Kenwood was, but couldn't find a like for like replacement sadly. Amazon cheapest for them (but they would be as they don't pay tax...!)

[Goodliz]

BeccaL - thanks. Does your one chop up stuff and mix cakes too?

mima08 - I want mine for the same things as you do I think.

Thanks, Liz

[Jellybeanz]

Magi mix is amazing

[katgod]

This thread amysed me because for many years I was happily chopping cakes instead of mixing them in my kenwood, partly because I had forgotten where all the bits were and partly because it just hadn't occurred to me that a different attachment would be needed. My cakes were not prize winning, but certainly edible. So wouldn't worry too much. Ps I use electric whisk now for cakes- is that right??

[BeccaL]

Liz, yes, it chops stuff and mixes cakes too...

[Goodliz]

Katgod, I have a hand held cake mixer too which works really well but I quite like the idea of pressing a button and walking off to do something else while the cake mixes - I need to get a life I know :-)

Thanks BeccaL I shall look into that one then.

[mima08]

Goodliz, that it's exactly the reason why I want a processor that it's good at mixing, plus I'm feed up with the flour cloud when using the hand mixer....I have this idea in my head that I'd be creating these lovely cakes and making wonderful meals if only I had a food processor....yes, I know I'm delusional :-)

[mima08]

Hiya - I bought this one last week and so far am really happy:

http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B004YGAFII/ref=oh_details_o01_s00_i00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

not used it for the mixing yet, but slicing, grating, blending is ace. The reviews are true, though: the instruction booklet is abysmal, you have to figure out yourself how it all fits together (which it does, very nicely, actually).

mx

[Goodliz]

mima08 Wrote:

-------------------------------------------------------

> Hiya - I bought this one last week and so far am

> really happy:

> http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B004YGAFII/ref=

> oh_details_o01_s00_i00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

> not used it for the mixing yet, but slicing,

> grating, blending is ace. The reviews are true,

> though: the instruction booklet is abysmal, you

> have to figure out yourself how it all fits

> together (which it does, very nicely, actually).

> mx

Funnily enough I was going put an update up too :-)

I bought the one that BeccaL and Womanofdulwich recommended - the multipro FP730. I've chopped veg into tiny little pieces, ground nutmeg without slicing my fingers as I would normally do on the grater and also made bread using the dough mixing knife.

So far I am pleased with it. I could not afford a magimix so this was a good option I think.

Thanks for the recommendations. Good luck with your's mima08. I am glad you found a processor too ;-)