This post is all about mixers, blenders, and food processors.
The tools I use on a daily basis:
First up, the Kitchenaid Stand mixer.
This is a powerful machine to have at your disposal. It has so many useful features and attachments that it really is an all in one purchase. The Kitchenaid comes out of the box with 3 standard attachments: the Whip, the Paddle, and the Hook (it's just that kind of gal), and with those you can tackle just about any baking or pastry endeavor that you can think of. Use the whip attachment for whipped cream, butter, egg whites; great for home made icing. Use the paddle attachment for any kind of thick batter that you don't feel like getting Carpel Tunnel Syndrome just to enjoy. Use the dough hook for... well, dough.
Next, the Cuisinart Food processor.
If you've ever worked in a real kitchen, you might be pulling out your hair and yelling at your computer screen right now, "You don't use a ROBOT-COUPE? SACRILAGE!!" and normally I'd agree with you. However, I have officially entered the realm of Not-for-Profititude. This means that, like most at home cooks, I have a tight budget and since Robot-Coupe food processors go for around $1k when they're on SALE... I can make do with the semi-reliable alternative. While R-C's are more powerful, easier to clean up, and built to handle rough treatment, Cuisinarts are cheaper and more than adequate to handle day to day kitchen duties. If you are not familiar with food processors: This machine basically takes a conventional mixing bowl and puts a spinning blade of death right in the center. Good for pureeing those extra chunky sauces and dips that you don't want completely obliterated into a paste (although it can do that too!).
Moving on to the BlendTec Blender.
I... love... this... Big Beautiful Bastard of a blender. I've wanted one since the company started selling them and now it's mine! Again, a lot of the professionals out there are probably going to bring up VitaPrep. To set the record straight; VitaPrep is an industry standard. You have probably never been in a restaurant that DIDN'T have a VitaPrep. That being said: they're loud, they cut out at the worst times, they spew hot liquid from the top if you forget to reset the "Turbo" switch while pureeing hot sauces (the sauce is always RED if the chef coat you happen to be wearing is white, and WHITE if you happen to be wearing black; ITS A LAW). The BlendTec has more horsepower, a welded steel base, all metal parts, a larger pitcher with square sides for more even blending, square blades for higher liquid torque, and a vented lid that prevents hot liquid from creating a vacuum and exploding directly in your face (nobody ever asked where that stain on the ceiling came from, we all just KNEW). But seriously, you could feed a rake handle into this thing and it would keep going. In fact, I've SEEN IT DONE. And for the price, you just can't get a better blender.
More reviews in the next post
Jumping right in
The tools I use on a daily basis:
First up, the Kitchenaid Stand mixer.
This is a powerful machine to have at your disposal. It has so many useful features and attachments that it really is an all in one purchase. The Kitchenaid comes out of the box with 3 standard attachments: the Whip, the Paddle, and the Hook (it's just that kind of gal), and with those you can tackle just about any baking or pastry endeavor that you can think of. Use the whip attachment for whipped cream, butter, egg whites; great for home made icing. Use the paddle attachment for any kind of thick batter that you don't feel like getting Carpel Tunnel Syndrome just to enjoy. Use the dough hook for... well, dough.
Next, the Cuisinart Food processor.
If you've ever worked in a real kitchen, you might be pulling out your hair and yelling at your computer screen right now, "You don't use a ROBOT-COUPE? SACRILAGE!!" and normally I'd agree with you. However, I have officially entered the realm of Not-for-Profititude. This means that, like most at home cooks, I have a tight budget and since Robot-Coupe food processors go for around $1k when they're on SALE... I can make do with the semi-reliable alternative. While R-C's are more powerful, easier to clean up, and built to handle rough treatment, Cuisinarts are cheaper and more than adequate to handle day to day kitchen duties. If you are not familiar with food processors: This machine basically takes a conventional mixing bowl and puts a spinning blade of death right in the center. Good for pureeing those extra chunky sauces and dips that you don't want completely obliterated into a paste (although it can do that too!).
Moving on to the BlendTec Blender.
I... love... this... Big Beautiful Bastard of a blender. I've wanted one since the company started selling them and now it's mine! Again, a lot of the professionals out there are probably going to bring up VitaPrep. To set the record straight; VitaPrep is an industry standard. You have probably never been in a restaurant that DIDN'T have a VitaPrep. That being said: they're loud, they cut out at the worst times, they spew hot liquid from the top if you forget to reset the "Turbo" switch while pureeing hot sauces (the sauce is always RED if the chef coat you happen to be wearing is white, and WHITE if you happen to be wearing black; ITS A LAW). The BlendTec has more horsepower, a welded steel base, all metal parts, a larger pitcher with square sides for more even blending, square blades for higher liquid torque, and a vented lid that prevents hot liquid from creating a vacuum and exploding directly in your face (nobody ever asked where that stain on the ceiling came from, we all just KNEW). But seriously, you could feed a rake handle into this thing and it would keep going. In fact, I've SEEN IT DONE. And for the price, you just can't get a better blender.
More reviews in the next post
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