Food Processor, Or Mixer

[mushroom]

I have a crappy food processor which I never use because I find it too inconvenient. I have a big birthday coming up (one with a zero on the end ) and hubby is proposing to buy me a Kitchen Aid mixer because he knows how hard it is for me to stand at the counter beating and mixing because of a back injury a couple of years ago, and because I have to make most of my own baked goods (few mixes even) due to additional intolerances of soy, potato and corn. With the Kitchen Aid you have the option of purchasing a second mixing bowl so that you can whip egg whites and cream, etc., without having to first clean out the other bowl

Given the choice of a good processor, or a Kitchen Aid mixer, tell me gluten free bakers, which would you buy, and why?

[celiac-mommy]

I have a Kitchenaid mixer I've had for 12 years, still works as great as ever, and I use it a lot. However, I've recently chucked my food processor and blender in place of a Vitamix. I am in LURVE!!! That sucker does EVERYTHING. You can even make bread dough in it! If you're looking for 1 appliance to function as both, you can't go wrong with the Vitamix, but you can't really use the Kitchenaid mixer as a food processor...

Hope that's helpful! Let me know what you decide!

[mushroom]

Rachelle, what model Vitamix do you have? All that I see sold here are blenders (the 5200). There doesn't seem to be any food processing parts to it except the mixing blades.

[celiac-mommy]

  On 3/13/2010 at 12:07 AM, mushroom said:

Rachelle, what model Vitamix do you have? All that I see sold here are blenders (the 5200). There doesn't seem to be any food processing parts to it except the mixing blades.

Tis a 5200. Looks like a blender but can be used as a food processer. I have the dry container too so I can chop up chocolate, nuts, etc... But in the regular wet container-for instance, you can drop in some chopped carrots, pulse on/off a few times and you have shredded carrots, or onions, or whatever. I make ice cream with mine too with frozen bananas and a little coconut milk. I made cupcake batter the other day in it and last night I actually cooked the vegan cheese sauce in it while I was sauteing the potatoes and onions for an au gratin. By the time the veggies were done, the cheese sauce was nice and hot and it decreased the oven cooking time in 1/2!

Oh, and it also stiff-peak egg whites in a matter of seconds!

[Ahorsesoul]

I vote for the Kitchenaid mixer! I also have the Vitamix, love it too.

[mushroom]

I probably should add that I already have a small Braun appliance (about 1-2 cup capacity) which chops nuts, onions, chocolate, etc., and which also has a blending wand attachment for immersing in your soup pot, so that handles a lot of the tasks that a food processor/blender would for me. And I don't tend to do a lot of juicing, although the Kitchenaid does have a juicing attachment if I wanted. I am definitely leaning toward the Kitchenaid.

[celiac-mommy]

I think you'd be uber-happy with either

[David in Seattle]

Mushroom - I'd personally suggest a mixer. I used Kitchenaid mixers a fair bit when I used to work in restaurants. If you do go with a mixer, do yourself a favor and spend a few bucks more to get the kind with the handle that raises & lowers the bowl, as on professional machines, like This one on sale at Amazon, rather than the kind where the mixing head just tilts. I've used both & find the lever kind more user-friendly.

David

[luvs2eat]

LOVE, LOVE, LOVE my KA mixer. I use Pamela's bread mix and that sucker mixes that stuff up w/ no problem at all!! I use the mixer all the time!!

[mushroom]

  On 3/13/2010 at 1:15 AM, David in Seattle said:

Mushroom - I'd personally suggest a mixer. I used Kitchenaid mixers a fair bit when I used to work in restaurants. If you do go with a mixer, do yourself a favor and spend a few bucks more to get the kind with the handle that raises & lowers the bowl, as on professional machines, l, rather than the kind where the mixing head just tilts. I've used both & find the lever kind more user-friendly.

David

David, I saw both models demonstrated yesterday, and the gal seemed to have a hard time changing the bayonet-style attachments on the bowl-lifter type. Is that because you are supposed to change them without the bowl in position? Or because she was inept? It rather turned me off that model, also its height which would not matter much in a commercial kitchen, but I have a leveraged shelf which folds away into a cupboard that that one would be too tall for, so the bowl lifter model would have to sit on the counter (unless the weight of the other machine -- 11.3 kg -- would be too heavy for the mechanism of the shelf and then it would not make any difference .)

[jerseyangel]

Shroom--I have had my Kitchen Aid for about 20 years. It still looks and functions like new. I love it and wouldn't be without it. I have a nice Cuisinart Food Processor and don't use it nearly as much as the Kitchen Aid.

[David in Seattle]

  On 3/13/2010 at 2:02 AM, mushroom said:

David, I saw both models demonstrated yesterday, and the gal seemed to have a hard time changing the bayonet-style attachments on the bowl-lifter type. Is that because you are supposed to change them without the bowl in position? Or because she was inept? It rather turned me off that model, also its height which would not matter much in a commercial kitchen, but I have a leveraged shelf which folds away into a cupboard that that one would be too tall for, so the bowl lifter model would have to sit on the counter (unless the weight of the other machine -- 11.3 kg -- would be too heavy for the mechanism of the shelf and then it would not make any difference .)

I don't recall ever having any difficulty with the bayonet mounted attachments. I can see that the shorter machine might be preferable in some settings. I keep mine on a lower shelf under the counter & haul it out as needed. I just find the lever one is more robust, plus you can lower the bowl & run the beater above the ingredients briefly to clean it, which if you try with the tilting model will give you a face full of cake batter I've had a lot of interests over time, everything from cooking to automobile repair to building furniture (my latest passion). As a result, I've bought a LOT of tools (a mixer is just a machine tool). Probably doesn't make a huge difference in this case, but I've always found you're better off using what the pros use.

[mushroom]

Thanks all for your opinions and help. I think I shall probably get the KitchenAid KSM150. Quite a bit more expensive here for the 220 volt, but at least I can pick up some attachments this summer (extra bowl, etc. unless the airline limits our luggage back from 2 bags to one).

[tarnalberry]

I would also suggest the lifting model of the KitchenAid mixer, since you're talking about baking.

I grew up with one, and have one now. Don't use it a lot, but it's fabulous for what it's designed for.

[Japsnoet]

I have KitchenAid Mixer and blender use them both heaps. I use my Magimix Open Original Shared Link anything that needs to be chopped or grated it like an extra pair of hands in the kitchen. I also use a Sumeet for all spice grinding Open Original Shared Link as I cook heaps of Indian & Sri Lankan recipes etc. I also use it to grind small amounts of gluten free grains or sugar etc. I would start with the Mixer and then save for the rest.

[Roda]

I have a kitchen aid mixer too. I have had it for around 13 years and it still works great. I also bought a cuisenart (?sp) food processer around Christmas. I don't use it as much as the mixer, but wanted a good heavy motor so I could do bread crumbs, nut flours and some other stuff. I thought it would be good for liquid stuff, but find if it even gets close to the max fill line it leaks. I recently resurected my blender I got for a wedding gift 11 years ago and have been using it for smoothies and making my black bean brownie/cake.

[sandsurfgirl]

I say for baking get the Kitchenaid. A food processor is going to overwork your flours. I think of the food processor more for grinding and chopping or making stuff into a paste. I just love my Kitchenaid. In the future I want to get the pasta attachment and try my hand at making my own gluten free pasta. In the far future, but it's a dream.

I do love my Vitamix and in the future if you replace your food processor I'd say look into that machine. It could take rocks and make a gravel smoothie, as my chef brother in law says. I use it to make smoothies, grind flour, even grind meat. I make my own nut butters sometimes too. When my kids were babies I made all their babyfood. But I think it would overwork your flours too. It's super expensive but I think I've saved quite a bit over the years with it and the thing is a tank so it will last.

The Kitchenaid is very heavy so you'll have to find counter space for it or have your DH pick it up for you. Mine is white, and I always wish I had gotten a fun one like red or something.

[mushroom]

Well, I love my Kitchen Aid so much I could not bear to be deprived of it stateside, especially since I need to make all my own breads here, so got a reconditioned one from Kitchen Aid for $150

[Tina B]

  On 3/12/2010 at 11:13 PM, mushroom said:

I have a crappy food processor which I never use because I find it too inconvenient. I have a big birthday coming up (one with a zero on the end ) and hubby is proposing to buy me a Kitchen Aid mixer because he knows how hard it is for me to stand at the counter beating and mixing because of a back injury a couple of years ago, and because I have to make most of my own baked goods (few mixes even) due to additional intolerances of soy, potato and corn. With the Kitchen Aid you have the option of purchasing a second mixing bowl so that you can whip egg whites and cream, etc., without having to first clean out the other bowl

Given the choice of a good processor, or a Kitchen Aid mixer, tell me gluten free bakers, which would you buy, and why?

No brainer..... Kitchen Aid mixer. I've had mine 15 years. Love the steel bowl and the whisk attachment is great for whipping things. Steel is non porous so it cleans well in the dishwasher if you also have to use it for gluten baking. Food processors have a plastic container and aren't as easy to get super clean.