Topic: which food mixer

[grannyjanny]

Sorry for hijacking but my friend has a kitchen aid & the dough hook has got stuck & neither of us can get it out. Any tips please :). I wondered about WD40?

[nilly71]

It looks like a common problem that happens after the machine is a few years old. Food gradualy builds up.

Using a bit of veg oil and wrapping the attachment area in a warm towel a few times seem to work, it expands the alluminium just enough for the attachment to be removed.

http://forum.kitchenaid.com/forums/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=6356http://www.fixya.com/search/p105866-kitchenaid_325_watts_ksm150ps_artisan/paddle_attachment

I don't know if the steam from a hot kettle would do the same.

Neil

[brownowl23]

OK as a professinal cake baker i'll step up and oar in here.

Early on a couple of years ago I was given an old A901 by my MIL, it apparently hadnt been used much but last me only a few weeks before it went up in smoke. I am so glad I didnt pay for it.
I guess what I am saying is that Kenwoods are designed to be work horses, and although reliable the A901's are getting on a bit and although may be cheaper make not last very long.

Amazon had the new kenwood chefs on at £136 when I was looking for a new one. Although over your budget it could be worth trying to stretch the budget if you can and buy a new machine.

Kitchen aid's whilst good dont ahve the power that Kenwoods have and once again ive had an old one of these I bought off ebay that went up in smoke too.

It rather depends on what you want you machine for and how much you are going to use it

[nilly71]

Smoking A901's are common(found this out whie looking for mixers) they can easerly be fixed by replacing a few capicitors and other componants. ebay has the set for about £6 but maplins would be a lot less. A quick search on the internet would tell you what's needed and how to do it.

Thanks for all the replies and advice everyone.
I bought a Kenwood Prospero KM262 For £90 ;D from comet's but it needs a k-beater, so i'll have to search around for a cheap one.

Neil

[tomatoada]

My Kenwood started giving off a burning smell and some smoke 2 years ago.  I took it to a Kenwood agent who repaired it.   It has worked fine since.   It did blow its fuse until a stronger one was put in.

[qahtan]

 I think unless you are extremely lucky with a used machine, like my daughter was,,, I really think that you get what you pay for,.
 if you buy cheap then bet your boots it is cheap, or the maker would put a higher price on it. Unless ofcourse you only want a machine strong enough to whip cream, If you are going to make heavy fruit cakes etc and bread you need power..... qahtan

[brownowl23]

My Kenwood started giving off a burning smell and some smoke 2 years ago.  I took it to a Kenwood agent who repaired it.   It has worked fine since.   It did blow its fuse until a stronger one was put in.

I phoned the local kenwood agents here and all said they couldnt repair them as they couldnt get parts. Found somone about 100 miles away but it would have cost a small fortune in postage to get it there and back plus of course the parts and labour

[Digeroo]

It did blow its fuse until a stronger one was put in.

If it blows the correct strength fuse, it is trying to tell you something.  Putting in a stronger one can pass the problem down the wire and be a fire hazard elsewhere.

[Duke Ellington]

Nilly~

Please let me know how your kenwood prospero performs. :)


Duke

[tomatoada]

It did blow its fuse until a stronger one was put in.

If it blows the correct strength fuse, it is trying to tell you something.  Putting in a stronger one can pass the problem down the wire and be a fire hazard elsewhere.

Not according to the qualified electrician that put it in.

[nilly71]

Nilly~
Please let me know how your kenwood prospero performs. :)
Duke

I've just made meringue's and very impressed on how well and quick it whipped them up. I only had a 3rd of the icing sugar, hopefully they will taste ok. Just got to wait 20 minutes for them to finnish cooking.



Neil

[Duke Ellington]

Nilly so far so good then!
Looks like you got a bargain price at Comets too. ;)

Duke

[lewic]

I used to have an old Kenwood from the 1950s that came from a jumble sale, v retro and probably worth a few quid now. Worked perfectly, the only issue was that the plastic on the power cables had perished and morphed into a buttery substance. The thing was solid metal and would probably still be going strong if I hadnt gone all health & safety and taken it to the tip.

[qahtan]

meringues look a good dense colour but it really required no power to whip them up, try a couple loaves of bread next, >>>>>> qahtan

[valmarg]

Know what you mean, qatan.  You really only need a hand mixer for meringues.  Made a batch of 20 baps for the freezer today.  Kitchen Aid breezed through the mixing and kneading.

valmarg

[nilly71]

They were really nice :)

I can't do bread yet, but wil let you know when I do.

Neil

[Jayb]

They look gorgeous Neil, what fun your going to have getting to know your new machine  ;D

[Melbourne12]

They were really nice :)

I can't do bread yet, but wil let you know when I do.

Neil

Congratulations on a good choice.  If you don't want to mix heavy doughs, it should be perfect. Enjoy!

[qahtan]

OK so how do I get to see these pictures......  thanks..... ;-)))) qahtan

[valmarg]

They were really nice :)

I can't do bread yet, but wil let you know when I do.

Neil

Oh dear nilly, on reading my last post I didn't mean to be quite so dismissive, and think your merinques looked gorgeous.  Probably a bit of green-eye crept in, because if there's one thing I'm no good at it's meringues.  (There are other things, but meringues is a bete noir.) ???

I can recommend experimenting with bread/yeast doughs.  It is fun, and I've learned from my mistakes over many years.

Have a go, I'm sure you'll enjoy it.  ;D

valmarg