Kenwood Chef - Fun and Practical

[dronid]

I just got my Christmas present. It was a reduced Kenwood Chef Titanium KM010. Needless to say, even though it was reduced it will be my only indulgence this year!

I think of it as Oldstyle as it will help me prepare home made food and hopefully make sure I can cut back on rubbish in preprepared food. That's my justification and I'm sticking to it!

I also consider it moneysaving as I have had various blenders and food processors over the last few years which have just burnt out from overuse. On that basis alone if this machine lasts 5 years then I will have broken even.

And now to be honest to myself I want to have a play! Has anyone got any advice, links to recipes or anything unusual or non-standard that you can do with this beast. Are there any other attachments that people have that they would recommend? This already has the food processor and the liquidiser.

Does it have a tea making attachment that no-one talks about?

Already made crumble and the flatmate made a spirrulina shake - he loves the taste of pond.

[rachbc]

Love mine - though after 7 years I have upgraded to a seperate fp - as I found that on just a bit small.

I have numerous attachments - pasta maker, juicer, sasuage maker - all fun but totally unnneccesary! I'd use the dough hook to make bagels - because they are so much better than bought and because the dough is so hard to knead by hand

[sistercas]

i had mine last year for my birthday its fab

i no longer use my bread maker i just use the dough hook on my kenwood chef , i have a grinder attachment which i use for coffee beans and nuts and a blender which i use for soups , its brilliant i do all my cakes , batters, even butter in it . i have a pasta maker attachment which i have used a couple of times , but not rally bothered about it

[morganlefay]

I know this isn't quite what you want - not at all exciting, but I still get HUGE pleasure from putting the ingredients for a cake, or something like that in mine (e bay, a couple of years ago) and WALKING AWAY while it does the work

[dronid]

Originally Posted by morganlefay

I know this isn't quite what you want - not at all exciting, but I still get HUGE pleasure from putting the ingredients for a cake, or something like that in mine (e bay, a couple of years ago) and WALKING AWAY while it does the work

Oh I think that's exciting. I'm someone who thinks that Washing Machines, Dishwashers and Tumble Dryers are exciting. Looking back at some Old Style bits are horrible. I never enjoyed washing up and, as it turned out, always used more water than the machine does and as for washing clothes on with a board and mangle... well my life is busy enough as it is. I wouldn't mind hanging out clothes but I am in the middle of London and live in a flat - damp would be a real problem and given I'm surrounded by dancers who need to wash and change kit regularly it's mission enough!

I will say I am seriously looking at the mincer as a useful way to use up leftovers and the Mini Mill as a spice grinder for curries etc.

[morganlefay]

I agree with you - I've been married for 40 years and got my first clothes washer 40 years ago, but I STILL enjoy watching through the porthole as the dirt gets swished away in there

[morganlefay]

One kenwood gadget I really like is the colander and seive thingie. I use it for pippy fruit (usually in autumn) and make blackberry puree, or plums/damsons etc or any fruit that has nasty bits in. I stew them briefly and then put them in the seive/colander thingie and get lovely pip-free fruity purees - lovely with yoghurt, on icecream, and i'm going to try swirling some through a cake soon (very Nigel Slater - I hope) it freezes well and tastes very good and fresh and natural.

[ScarlettOHara]

the lemon juicer attachment is ridiculously expensive compared to the cost of a manual one but I love it. The ice cream maker too.

Kenwood cakes are amazing and the bread (using the dough hook) is so easy. You are very lucky to have one! I've had mine a year and love it to bits.

[dronid]

If it hadn't been discontinued and heavily reduced I wouldn't have got it.
So far today
Mashed Swede and Potato for Potch for lunch
Julienned the carrots
Flatmate made Bitter Orange Marmalalade Sticky Toffee Pudding. Oh for the ice cream maker - I'd've made some to go with it.

All leftover veg will be mashed with it into Bubble and Squeak and then baked with cheese on top for freezing for sandwiches.

I do need the multi mill for spices and coffee as we can get hold of free coffee beans.

[Rossy2692]

Oh my! Got my early chrissy prezzy yesterday! Kenwood chef!!! Am over the moon! LOVE LOVE LOVE IT!!!!

[midnightraven3]

i dont know if they still do the potato peeler thingy?
i remember years ago my dad got one for his Kenwood
we loaded the potatoes in
switched it on and waited
lots of rumbling around
we opened it and all the lovely big potatoes were the size of marbles

ok we left them in too long
but it was one of those, we used once and never again

it was a huge metal bowl with a lid, and it was lined with what appeared to be metal looking sandpaper

what a thing to clean as well

[Nicki]

I have had my chef for about 3 years now and love it. Use it every single week for cakes and bread, but haven't really done much else in it. I burnt out the liquidizer long ago, but have a separate magimix so don't mind that too much. Earlier this week, I had a rush of blood to the head and ordered both the icecream maker attachment and the pasta maker attachment and am looking forward to trying both out (have no kitchen and no cooker for the next 3-4 weeks so am having to be patient about that!). Shall keep checking this thread eagerly for any other recommendations for must have accessories

[winniepooh]

I'm confused about what these do? There very expensive 549 in argos, are they really that good?

[Rossy2692]

Got mine from Currys £179 I honestly dont know how i managed without one!! It is fabulous!!! Never has my bread been so good!!! Love it!

[ukclare]

Originally Posted by dronid

I also consider it moneysaving as I have had various blenders and food processors over the last few years which have just burnt out from overuse. On that basis alone if this machine lasts 5 years then I will have broken even.

I "acquired" my mums aged Kenwood a year or so ago - it is a little faded but works wonderfully. She tells me it is older than me and I am 47!
I will leave you to work out the cost/week/year/ or per cake!

Enjoy your bargain for many years to come!

[Little Vics]

I've inherited one that was made sometime in the late 1960s and am just about to send it off to be rennovated. SO EXCITED!

[PipneyJane]

Originally Posted by winniepooh

I'm confused about what these do? There very expensive 549 in argos, are they really that good?

Which model are you looking at? I paid £150 for mine a year ago from Amazon. There are more expensive models out there but the majority of the differences are purely cosmetic. (Want chrome? Pay more.) There are only 2 sizes: mine is a Kenwood Chef; the larger size is a Kenwood Major. The only difference between the two is that the Major takes a 7L bowl while the Chef's is 5L. The majority of attachments fit both sizes.

[Justamum]

Originally Posted by dronid

If it hadn't been discontinued and heavily reduced I wouldn't have got it.

Was it cheaper than this http://www.amazon.co.uk/Kenwood-Tita.../dp/B000UE8UMG

I'd love one but

[craigywv]

i got my kenwood chef last year girl i worked with came in after christmas disgusted her mum had bought her it as a present , i asked could i buy it off her she near passed out with shock she thought no one baked.........!!!!!!!!!!!!!! so i got it for the princely sum of 70 quid i near popped when she told me how much. brand new with liquidiser and 3 attachments and plastic knife and books not even out of the box DELIGHTED !!! i make butter in mine out of the reduced double cream in supermarkets also bake buns/cakes/bread just about everything enjoy it !!!!!!!!!!1

[Justamum]

Originally Posted by craigywv

i got my kenwood chef last year girl i worked with came in after christmas disgusted her mum had bought her it as a present , i asked could i buy it off her she near passed out with shock she thought no one baked.........!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Maybe she thinks everyone sits in front of Strictly Big X Ice Talent Get Me Out of Here with a box of Mr Kipling's finest

Originally Posted by craigywv

so i got it for the princely sum of 70 quid i near popped when she told me how much. brand new with liquidiser and 3 attachments and plastic knife and books not even out of the box DELIGHTED !!! i make butter in mine out of the reduced double cream in supermarkets also bake buns/cakes/bread just about everything enjoy it !!!!!!!!!!1

£70 is an excellent price for even the cheapest brand new one - but which model is it?