WHat kitchen machine to get?

amother

Wed, Aug 10 2011, 10:43 am

I'm in the market for a new kitchen machine. The price limit is $250. I need it for grating, chopping, cakes. I have not made challa yet, but if I get one with a metal bowl and a kneading hook, I might start making my own.
The problem is, many machines in my price range are either for food processing only, with plastic bowls, or for dough only, without chopping pieces.
Are there any that can do both? WHat brands would you recommend?

chocolate moose

Wed, Aug 10 2011, 12:00 pm

Kneading dough is really hard on a mixer and you don't have the budget for one that won't burn out quickly.

I say you get yourself a Cuisinart food processor in the size you want and call it a day.

amother

Wed, Aug 10 2011, 2:20 pm

I have a kitchen aid for challah and cakes. I love it!!!.. I have a 6 qt, that is the smallest size to get as the 5 qt does not really mix a norm challah recipe, they are usually more expensive but once in a while they will be on sale for about 250... you have to check the deals web site frequently like dansdeals (he will usully post when these go on sale). or just check amazon often...
but it does not grade or chop....

yo'ma

Wed, Aug 10 2011, 2:23 pm

amother wrote:

With an attachment it does, but that cost more money Wink

chocolate moose

Thu, Aug 11 2011, 8:19 am

If you want to make challah, you need a machine that can handle 15 minutes of hard work without blowing up. You need a Magic Mill or similar. That's going to cost double your budget, OP.

Bella:D

Thu, Aug 11 2011, 8:45 am

I make challah all the time in my cuisinart food processor, you can really use it for all those things that you want. If you live in the US you should check the sales frequently and you should find a large one for that price, I suggest the 14 cup one.

be good

Thu, Aug 11 2011, 10:28 am

Bella:D wrote:

so do I! mine is 11 cups and makes 2-4 challahs in one batch, depending on the recipe and challah size.

nylon

Fri, Aug 12 2011, 11:36 am

chocolate moose wrote:

If you want to make challah, you need a machine that can handle 15 minutes of hard work without blowing up. You need a Magic Mill or similar. That's going to cost double your budget, OP.

This is true for large batch challah--if you want to use 5lbs flour so you can take challah with a bracha. So this is the key question: How much challah do you want to make, without needing to separate the dough and knead separately? If you want to take with a bracha, you need a Bosch or Magic Mill (I do not know if any of the planetary-action home mixers are large enough to take this quantity of dough).

For small batch challah, you can use a KitchenAid (I also recommend the 6qt not the 5) or a Cuisinart. Not sure what the challah capacity of a food processor is; I use a mixer for bread doughs. My regular challah recipe in the KA takes 1.2 kg of flour. The stated capacity of the Pro 600 is 14 cups of flour or about 2 kg, but I wouldn't trust it with that much. If you're willing to do small batch challah (or knead in batches) then a food processor would probably be the best solution for you.

chocolate moose

Fri, Aug 12 2011, 11:44 am

I still am not sure that $250 is enough for such a machine. And anyway, OP wants it to do the work of a food proc. too.

You know what I have, OP ? I have a nice (cheap) Sunbean mixer for egg whites and cookies. I have a Cuisinart food processor (have been through a few, though). And for a long time, I used a bread machine for challah. After it broke the 2nd time, I went back to kneading by hand.

GetReal

Fri, Aug 12 2011, 12:30 pm

OP, I have a 6 quart kitchen aid and I almost killed it making challah Sad

The motor overheated. Thank G-d after a rest it worked but I wouldn't make challah in it again. It had a hard time with rugelach dough this week! I have a magic mill for challah and I love it but it won't chop like you want.

Chanie

Fri, Aug 12 2011, 1:15 pm

My kitchenaid Pro - 6 qt (strongest motor they make) broke. I called Kitchenaid and they asked what I use it for. I told them cakes, cookies and bread. They said its not made for regular kneading (once in a while it's fine) I now use an electrolux (aka magicmill) for challah dough and it effortlessly does a double batch without so much as a kvetch. I've been using it a few years already without any issues.
It mixes cookies and cakes too, however, if you don't plan on using your machine for challah, the kitchenaid is actually better for cookie and cake dough.
I would recommend getting both to get the benefit from each, plus get a food processor for the rest, but that obviously is way more then your budget.

ra_mom

Fri, Aug 12 2011, 2:32 pm

amother wrote:

Sometimes you can find great deals on the larger sized kitchen aid. Someone I know found it for that price online after waiting a while and looking out for it.

I like the Bosch very much but it costs almost double your price limit.

nylon

Sat, Aug 13 2011, 7:18 pm

I use my 6qt KA regularly for bread (all our bread in fact), and I would've written a nasty letter if someone had told me that it wasn't meant for what it's marketed for! I check mine every time, and it doesn't even run hot. The issue is that the stated flour capacity is unrealistic. No way can it take 14 cups. Not happening. I stick to 1.2 kg which is about 8 cups and I wouldn't push it higher. They're not kidding that you can't run it over speed 2 when kneading, though; I have heard of multiple burnouts doing this.

I have also been told, though, that KA tried substituting a plastic piece in the gearing for several years, and it was a disaster that resulted in a lot of burnouts. They went back to all-metal in 2009, which is when I got my current one. They also changed the dough hook to a spiral, which helped (my mother has the C hook on her older KA, and it's not as good). I bake a lot of cakes and cookies so I am happy with it generally, but if my goal were large batch breadmaking, I wouldn't recommend it.

I did see a 7qt KA in Williams-Sonoma last week... at a pretty price, too. Think I'll pass!