New kitchen, new appliances, and it's Black Friday!

[Franci]

Today, black Friday, there are some good deals on Amazon.

All my appliances are gone. I'm starting from zero. No more meat slicer, dehydrator, etc. Let's say that those appliances are not on the top of my list because I'm missing even the more basic stuff. My previous stand mixer was a bad purchase and l hate the idea to buy appliances and regret the wrong purchase.

1. a food processor. I'd like a magimix, but norw on amazon there is a Cuisinart 14 cups for half the price. What to do... I don't use heavily the mixer for shredding or slicing (prefer the mandoline) but in my old mixer I liked a disk for grating (not shredding) and was very useful for breadcrumbs and cheese.. I use the mixer for a quick pasta dough or shortbread mainly, for a stuffing.

2. Standmixer. I use to love my Delonghi. But maybe KA has more useful attachments. I don't bake many cakes and lately I'm not much baking bread either. Although I see myself going back to bake brioche or such.

3. A stick blender?

What would you get in my place?

Thanks

Edited November 13, 2020 by Smithy
Corrected title spelling (log)

[gfweb]

I find a micro food processor the perfect complement to the mandolin. http://www.amazon.com/Cuisinart-DLC-2A-Mini-Prep-Processor-White/dp/B0000645YL/ref=sr_1_4?ie=UTF8&qid=1385743372&sr=8-4&keywords=mini+prep%C2'> Black is the best color. Red is second best.

There are long eG threads on which big food processor or mixer is best. Lots of personal bias. About the only true nugget I've gleaned from them is that older KA mixers and Cuisinart processors are more powerful and more sturdy. Therefore you might check out eBay before buying new.

[Darienne]

I have an Oster stick blender. In fact, I had owned it for several years and never used it. Also have a blender, hand and stand mixer and food processor all this time all of which I did use.

Then, one day, I used the stick blender to do some eggs for scrambled...and as they say...the rest was history. Of course, it won't work for large quantities, but I find myself using it regularly now. Can't speak for any other stick blender and this one is quite old.

[Porthos]

Cuisinart 14 cup. Very useful tool. My 14 cup is out of service until I can locate a part I need. I purchased the Cuisinart 11 cup that is available at Costco. The power difference in the motors is significant. I would not recommend the 11 cup to others.

[Darienne]

Cuisinart 14 cup. Very useful tool. My 14 cup is out of service until I can locate a part I need. I purchased the Cuisinart 11 cup that is available at Costco. The power difference in the motors is significant. I would not recommend the 11 cup to others.

I know nothing of the Cuisinart processors, but my DH bought me a 7-cup Kitchen-aid which I would gladly toss for a better one.

[annabelle]

KA mixer, for sure. It has pasta attachments for extruded pastas and a roller attachment for sheets of pasta. You can get all of its attachments* for $99 right now on chefscatalogue.com. All items ship for free if you spend $25 or more. Free returns, too.

*meat grinder, graters and shredders, but no ice cream maker

[Martin Fisher]

3. A stick blender?

Cuisinart stick blenders have a serious weakness...a cheap plastic splined chuck...they won't last.

The Waring light-commercial stick blender works good.

[rotuts]

that's a very good price for a 14 cut cusinart. its about 2 models old. the current one is junk, i have the previous to the current in 11-cup which suits me and the one above is as good or better.

Test Kitchen uses this model now on its TV shows as it did not like the current version of the KitchenAid which is one of their major sponsors.

they just turn this machine around so you cant see the brand name.

for that price id get it if you think you would use it.

[alanz]

Annabelle, do you have a link to the KA special you mentioned? Thanks.

[annabelle]

No, I'm sorry. It must have been a one day only deal. I included the link to the site proper in my post, though.

[alanz]

Thanks, I looked through the site... As you said, it might have been brief sale.

[Norm Matthews]

King Arthur currently is offering the 7qt. KA mixer with free shipping and a $50. mail-in rebate.

[Franci]

Hi Norm, I saw that! I also get the King Arthur's catalog, I still have time to the end of the year, right? I'm really thinking about it.

I'm struggling on the magimix, because I really wanted that but I think I'll end up buying the cuisinart I linked.

[Franci]

that's a very good price for a 14 cut cusinart. its about 2 models old. the current one is junk, i have the previous to the current in 11-cup which suits me and the one above is as good or better.

Test Kitchen uses this model now on its TV shows as it did not like the current version of the KitchenAid which is one of their major sponsors.

they just turn this machine around so you cant see the brand name.

for that price id get it if you think you would use it.

Rotuts, is the Elite collection the current version? Because it's still cheaper than the Magimix

[Norm Matthews]

Yes, it lasts until Dec.31. I also was not charged any tax. If I had bought it locally, I would have had to pay over $45 in sales tax and not got the rebate. Shipping on that mixer would have been over $65.00

[pbear]

I'd rank a stick blender pretty high on the list, but agree with DDF that the Cuisinart isn't a good choice. (Tried one and gave it away.) I'm pretty happy with my Breville, but can't comment on the Oster or Waring as I've not tried them. Three features of the Breville I like are that it goes down to a pretty slow speed (as well as high), that it's easy to clear the blending head when making salad dressings and other relatively thick mixtures, and that the shaft can be detached (particularly handy when clearing the blending head and makes it easier to clean).

BTW, I also have the Bamix stick blender recommended by the Modernist Cuisine team. It's brilliant for emulsions (especially custards and the famous sodium citrate mac 'n. cheese), but the shaft can't be detached (which I find cumbersome) and the puree blade tends to clog. If I had to pick only one, I'd go with the Breville.

[Darienne]

Oster 2609 250-Watt Variable Speed Hand Blender, White with Sterling Silver

This is my stick blender. Has only two speeds. Is the cheapest in their line. It has the detachable shaft which is wonderful...just toss it over into the sink. It has done yeoman service for years now. But the reviews on Amazon.com are very mixed.

There seems to be that luck factor with small appliances. We'd had a mixture of very good...and very bad over the last 53 years.

[dcarch]

Will you be moving again to a location with 240 VAC electric power?

dcarch

[rotuts]

yes the elite is the current cuisinart. i looked at it for a gift and found it very very large, cumbersome, and therefore probably difficult to use.

they tried to put too many things in one machine, my view. and at the time I found no stellar reviews.

I got another 11 cup of the series I have as the gift. it was well received. If Id have done it again at the time i went w the 11 Id have gotten the 14, but the 11 was at a significant sale and did one Rx from the book "Best Bread Ever"

this is the machine. I love it.

as with all processors its important to keep the blade sharp, which is very easy to do once you get the hang of it. just dont drop the blade on your toe. I friend did this. I met him in the ER to fix him up.

as Ive said, I have mixed view on the Test Kitchen re their lust for $$, but they did mark down the newest KA machine, but buried their report. after all they are a major sponsor.

then they started using the cuisinart your interested in carefully not showing the name.

everybody knows its a C. must be part of their contract with KA

best of luck on your B.F. purchases.

Edited November 30, 2013 by rotuts (log)

[Franci]

Will you be moving again to a location with 240 VAC electric power?

dcarch

not in the near future...but with us you never know. This shouldn't prevent me buying appliances. I hold off very long on the other side of the ocean because we didn't know when we would be moving.

Ok.

1 Magimix 12 cups (free shipping today on WS) + Waring stick blender. 299.95 dollars + 75.95 (including shipping price)

or

Cuisinart 14 cups 152.15 dollars + breville immersion blender (which come with the mini mixer) 99.66 dollars

Around 125 dollars difference. HhHHHmmm, I still have today to think.

Edited November 30, 2013 by Franci (log)

[rotuts]

although the price difference is considerable, get the set that to you seems better made. that would be option 1 perhaps. This will make you happier. Save elsewhere.

the 125 gets pro-rated over the life of the stuff. that's two dinners at a modest NYC rest. ( modest no wine ) .

so cook at home an extra two times with something fantastic you found in the market. ingredients + wine may not exceed $ 62.50.

you work 'free' with your new toys. no hussle , no bussle.

BTW the smaller processors are much easier to move around and take up a lot less space so get used more.

make sure the magimix has a good dough blade, and the accessories you may eventually get are easy to come by.

Edited November 30, 2013 by rotuts (log)

[rotuts]

Found this:

http://www.thekitchn.com/magimix-by-robot-coupe-food-processor-compact-3200-xlproduct-review-172321

could not find anything on the $ 75 Waring. from WS?

remember: being fugal is not the same as being cheap. I have a number of Friends still confused on this point.

frugal will always be way ahead of cheap.

Edited November 30, 2013 by rotuts (log)

[Franci]

Yeah, I read the review on the kitchn.

The waring is what DiggingDogFarm linked: here on Amazon.

I'm more and more convinced I'll get the magimix from WS

[gfweb]

Will you be moving again to a location with 240 VAC electric power?

dcarch

not in the near future...but with us you never know. This shouldn't prevent me buying appliances. I hold off very long on the other side of the ocean because we didn't know when we would be moving.

Ok.

1 Magimix 12 cups (free shipping today on WS) + Waring stick blender. 299.95 dollars + 75.95 (including shipping price)

or

Cuisinart 14 cups 152.15 dollars + breville immersion blender (which come with the mini mixer) 99.66 dollars

Around 125 dollars difference. HhHHHmmm, I still have today to think.

$125 is a lot, but not when its spread over the (longer) lifetime of the better product. Yes, its up-front money, but still...

[annabelle]

Anyway you look at it, it's a sunk cost. Good quality appliance will pay for themselves over time, that's for sure.