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Any Bamix users out there?


the_nomad

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Just wondering if any of you guys use Bamix wand mixers? We picked one up for the Blenders test episode of Kamikaze Cookery (warning - crap blenders and some truly spectacular splashing featured, plus quite a lot of swearing...) and ended up recommending it pretty much unreservedly. Best foam-making hand blender I've ever seen.

But in my experience very few things do exactly what they claim. It's really impressive so far, but are there any gotchas with the Bamix experience? Also - anything you'd recommend instead?

Kamikaze Cookery: Three geeks cook. With Science. And occasionally, explosions.

http://www.kamikazecookery.com

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I do love a Bamix. It can mix stuff that other hand mixers just can't handle.

Only objection I have is that they don't come apart. I've picked up a heavy duty Braun for my ganache mixing, only because I can take the motor part off, then carry the container and the business end of the mixer over to the sink for cleaning. I have to stick closer to the sink with my Bamix.

I have a couple of them though, one at home, one on the boat and I pick up any I see at thrift stores and find new homes for them.

One of the nicest features is the size of the business end, you can put it in a mason jar and make your mayo or salad dressing right in the jar. Can't do that with my Braun cause the end's just too big.

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are there any gotchas with the Bamix experience?

The only problem I've had with mine is that the attachment with the tines has loosened to the point where it falls off quite easily. I have to be careful when pureeing or I will have to fish it out.

But o/w if you try to pry it from my fingers before I'm dead I'll beat you with it. And since it is so sturdy and well constructed it will hurt you and not the bamix ;)

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If I can find it Kerry, you can have mine.

I rarely use an immersion blender, but I switched to a Kitchen Aid for those few tasks that I do use it for. I think it's me though and I've just never figured out how to use one properly. :biggrin:

Marlene

Practice. Do it over. Get it right.

Mostly, I want people to be as happy eating my food as I am cooking it.

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A professional cook who is a good acquaintance of mine told me Bamix is the Rolls-Royce (well, this term no longer means what it used to, but you get my drift) of similar products.

Charles Milton Ling

Vienna, Austria

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I researched the crap out of stick blenders before buying a Bamix for my partner last year. She opened it up, thought it was one of those, you-bought-this-for-me-so-you-could-have-it things and didn't think much of it, I don't think.

Except that now, you'd have to pry it out of her cold dead hands. Gets used daily for smoothies and at least weekly for soups and sauces. The blender went out the window. Works like a charm, is built to last forever, looks fabulous, and is easy, easy, easy to clean.

What more could you want?

The top end model comes with a little gizmo that chops. Chops herbs, chops onions, chops nuts. Chop chop chop. And then holds the little Bamix disk thingys.

Lovely machine. Genius invented it.

I like to bake nice things. And then I eat them. Then I can bake some more.

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  • 5 months later...
The only problem I've had with mine is that the attachment with the tines has loosened to the point where it falls off quite easily.  I have to be careful when pureeing or I will have to fish it out.

Just saw this. If you look at the attachment there are two grooves cut into it. What has happened is that they have loosened through being put on and off. You can squeeze it gently with pliers so that it will grip well again.

Once my Bamix wouldn't turn any more. I contacted the distributor and they said it was a simple matter of screwing off the bottom round attachment and putting some oil in. It worked like a charm. These are really an industrial strength type item.

Nick Reynolds, aka "nickrey"

"The Internet is full of false information." Plato
My eG Foodblog

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The only problem I've had with mine is that the attachment with the tines has loosened to the point where it falls off quite easily.  I have to be careful when pureeing or I will have to fish it out.

Just saw this. If you look at the attachment there are two grooves cut into it. What has happened is that they have loosened through being put on and off. You can squeeze it gently with pliers so that it will grip well again.

That seems like a very reasonable thing to try. I'm embarrassed I haven't thought of it myself.

I have the one with the chopping attachment mentioned above. It's a miniature food processor and is outstanding for smaller jobs. I use to puree parsnips, or mix emulsions for marinating ... all kinds of stuff that a regular food processor is too big to bother with.

I bought my from a travelling salesman at our yearly exhibition believe it or not. First time I've ever purchased anything from a carnival hawker. Sometimes there's good stuff there. Vita-mix normally has a booth. So, maybe try a local fair or something in the summer to see if someone bought a truckload to sell at fairs and exhibitions.

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  • 9 months later...

Any Bamix Gastro 200 users out there? I am in need of replacing my Bamix copy, The Thunder Stick, which has actually worked very well for near 8+ years. I want the real thing and have found one place selling the Gastro model for $179 in the US. The mono which was around $99 a few years ago has crept up to $129. The Gastro is 2 inches longer and a little more powerful. Just wanted to know if there were any downsides to the Gastro model. I read for some online review that the head was bigger and it was a problem blending in some containers. Questions to Bamix-USA have gone unanswered.

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Thanks Scout-21. In doing more research I stumbled across the L'equip immersion blender as well. Uses the same type head and blades as the Bamix and my old Thunder Stick. It boast a 550W 2 speed motor. The Gastro maxes out at 200W as well as the other Bamix models. I know there is hype surrounding wattage but the L'equip is only $69. Oh and is from China.

Anyone have a L'equip?

For durability and longevity I would have to assume the Bamix would be superior but L'equip is getting some good reviews.

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  • 2 weeks later...
  • 3 weeks later...

That means you have a dry grinder attachment. How well does it work? Can it make pastes? Or is it only for making powder from whole seeds? Can you describe it for me? I don't see any video, or any detailed info on their site about it.

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The grinder is not just dry. If you were to make a paste, the only issue I find is that if it is too thick, the paste will hide from the blades - or rather just stick to the sides and hide from the blades. If not too thick, just give the whole contraption a shake or two. Great for small batches of salsa.

Think of it as a 1 cup food processor. If you would have to stop and scrape down a big batch in a full sized processor, you will have to do the same with the grinder for a small batch. Plenty of power though, and very quiet.

I really like mine.

-e

-e

Good judgment comes from experience. Experience comes from bad judgment.

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I called Bamix USA and they gave me some interesting info.

Basically Bamix makes 2 motors.

The most powerful one is on the Swissline and the Gastro series.

The less powerful one is on the Deluxe, Mono, Cassette, etc.

The only other differences are (1) the accessories included and (2) the Gastro lines have a longer wand (but again, same motor as the Swissline so same power and same durability).

The guy on the phone reminded me that the motor housing can be easily submerged halfway and not damage the machine since it is sealed near the top. This fact makes getting a Gastro serious overkill for the vast majority (unless you are making industrial quantities of sauces in industrial size pots). The Gastro's extra long wand can make it clumsy to handle.

I did have a Swissline in France and loved it, and I have mostly seen regular sized Bamixes in pro kitchens.

I went with the Swissline here in the States as well.

_______________

On the grinder: it *is* meant for dry ingredients although you can also use it to chop herbs (leaves that you have removed surface water from for example) or veggies (again, dry surface).

There is also a "processor" which is meant for wet and dry.

See: USA Version Accessories

Also: Bamix Headquarters Accessories: Grinder and Processor

I have both and confess that I have never tried to make a paste in the dry grinder (great for grinding spices to powder, though). I have however successfully made pastes (harissa, thai curry pastes, etc) in the wet/dry processor. It does need enough moisture to form a paste and often this is more moisture than the recipe calls for. I started out adding extra vegetable oil until I realized I could just add some water and the paste came together beautifully without added grease. I also reduce garlic & ginger to a paste simply by adding a little water. I can get 4 cloves of garlic to paste with a 2-3 TBsp water with one or two scrape downs max. The water goes away when I add the paste to hot oil, so it doesn't affect my recipes.

__________________________

In case anyone is wondering I have used the meat chopping blade (to make pet food) and found it worked beautifully.

I have also used the SliceSy and had great success shredding veggies as well as starting out pie doughs (cutting the butter into the flour, but then mixing in the liquid ingredients by hand in a separate bowl) and to make crumble toppings. These were all in circumstance where I was travelling and had no ready access to other major kitchen appliances. I was honestly surprised how well these little machines stood in for processors and blenders (sadly nothing replaces a standing mixer for serious dough work).

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I bought the Gastro because I wanted the extra horses - that's just me - and I found a good deal. While I don't find mine clumsy, I do agree the extra 2" is not a huge benefit in my kitchen. The Swiss line would have worked for me, but couldn't find it anywhere but bamix-usa. The dry grinder serves my wet purposes just fine, and I don't need the stand, dvd, recipe book, nor the silly plastic beakers.

-e

Good judgment comes from experience. Experience comes from bad judgment.

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