Kenwood Chef - do I/don't I?

Butterfly_Brain

I got my kenwood chef on Amazon for £149 brand spanking new and adore it

lapis_lazuli

Thanks Penelope.

I've done some sums and, economically, I think it'll all come down to whether I can regularly use the larger bowl. It would be nice to be able to tackle massive cakes in one go though. Alternatively I could buy a lower size/wattage model, buy the attachments I need and save some money, but the ones bundled (the 'mega pack') are ones I'd probably buy anyway.

Thanks for all your help!

lapis_lazuli

If anyone is hesitating to buy a Kenwood Chef, has 90 quid to spare, and is tempted by an A701, there is a pretty good offer on ebay at the moment. Put in: "Kenwood 701 food mixer with lots of wissey bits" (MSE won't let me post links yet )

Yes it's expensive, but it covers all the bases in terms of necessary attachments - including the sausage maker! :D

catkins

My lovely OH has said he will get me a Kenwood Chef for Christmas (well he thinks it is a boring present but as it is want I want he is happy to buy it for me!) and I need some advice as to which one to get. I know they are expensive but I don't want him to spend more than he needs to.

There is only the two of us but we both love cooking and cook almost everything from scratch. The two main things I want the Chef to do is make dough and whisk (especially egg white).

We have looked at a few in some shops but are just confused - can anyone give some advice - thanks

seraphina

OOooh, lucky you! I (well, technically we:rotfl:) was lucky enough to get one as a wedding present. I've got the Titanium Chef KM001 which is my right arm in the kitchen. It does cost a fair whack though so depending on your budget you might want to look at other models. I use mine a lot for dough and egg whites and it's never missed a beat.

One of the key things to look for is the power of the motor. The Chef I have is 1000W and therefore has a bigger dough capacity than something with a smaller motor; there's very little it can't cope with. The kMix and Patissier I don't think are part of the official Chef line up but as Kenwoods they will be very competent mixers in their own right.

If you're interested in attachments, stick with a Chef. I have the blender, mill and pasta making attachments which all get regular use.

There's lots of threads on Chefs - I'm sure a mod will be along in a bit to add this to one with far more information.

hex2

Hi Catkins, there are a couple of threads on Kenwoods - I only know because I did a lot of research before buying mine a couple of weeks ago.

From what you have said the entry level Kenwood Chef would do what you want - £158 on Amazon was the best price I found (now £149!). It takes the attachments for you to do other stuff if and when you want to, and the motor will cope with the portion sizes you need. I went for the chef titanium KM010 1400w as I haven't room for a food processor as well, and also use it to make mince and sausages so wanted the higher motor power. I am loving mine .

babyboysmommy

I have the entry level one, bought from Amazon when it was on offer earlier in the year for £115. I love it! DH thought it would just be a gadget that will gather dust but it gets used often. I have poor manual dexterity/limited use of my hands so it's made a world of difference to me. Easy to use, easy to clean Mine came with a blender & 3 blades/mixer things. I've bought no other attachments but there will be one or two on my Christmas wish list

seafarers_wife

http://www.kenwoodworld.com/uk/Products/Kitchen-Machines/Chef-and-Major/Premier-Silver-Chef-Kitchen-Machine/

i have this one and i love it. its a new purchase but gets used 3/4 times a week. my breadmaker is looking for a new home as bread is nicer in this and then done in the oven, mixing things takes seconds and cause i hate getting my hands sticky its so easy to throw things in this and get it done.

i do wish i had bought a 2nd bowl for it though and am wanting the ice cream maker as well, but its the best kitchen gadget ive ever got and wont be getting replaced.

Ladyhawk

I bought myself the titanium one from Amazon for my birthday in September. It was a bargain at £280 and included a processor and liquidiser. Normally they are at least £400.

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Kenwood-Titanium-KM010-Kitchen-Machine/dp/B000UE8UMG/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1287911338&sr=8-1

I'm really chuffed with it... though my thighs aren't!!

angeltreats

Does it have to be a new one? Obviously new ones are a bit prettier but the older models are built to last and are pretty much indestructable, and if my (modern) Chef died I'd replace it with a second hand A901 from ebay or similar rather than buy another new one. My mum's A701 from 1970 is still going strong.

I can't remember which model mine is (it's about six years old) but it's only got a 700 watt motor, and it struggles a bit if I want to make two loaves of bread at once or a large, heavy fruit cake - my mum's is a lot sturdier and heavier and can cope with a bigger load.

If you did buy a used one, you could take the money you'd save and buy a few attachments, or ingredients for making some very posh breads/cakes