[OT] Food processors

Knowing the vast knowledge and experience here ...
Wifey has announced that a food processor is all that is required to make life complete, which means yours truly fires up the usual sites (John Lewis, Amazon etc) for a gander. Seems these processors run from fifty pounds to the sky is the limit.
Any practical advice or experience, apart from banning Wifey from watching bake off? I'm not convinced she wants one for any particular job apart from pastry but, as she does a lot of home cooking for three people and we have a reasonably large kitchen, I see it sitting on the worktop ready for action.
Are the cheaper models a waste of time, or the expensive models full of gadgets no-one ever uses?

News wrote:
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Pastry is quite a power hungry task to good mechanics in a must. Kitchen aid or Kenwoods reckoned to be good. Our Braun flying propeller type will just about make a pound of pastry (ie 1lb flour plus extra ingredients) but it does not sound happy in the process. All the other stuff, shredders and slicers never get used. I'd suggest a type with a basic power unit and buy just the add ons you need a la Kenwood Chef principle - do they still make that? Kenwood in Havant closed down years ago - poss made in chinky land now I prefer a hand held mixer for cakes and other light duty tasks.

On 07/09/15 07:51, Bob Minchin wrote:
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Can you repeat that in English?

The Natural Philosopher wrote:
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Typo that perhaps you might have been able to work out? Pastry is quite a power hungry task so good mechanics in a must.

On 07/09/2015 15:56, Bob Minchin wrote:
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Quick, before he comes back... it's still not right.
'...so good mechanics *is* a must'.

On 07/09/15 15:56, Bob Minchin wrote:
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Keep trying...

The Natural Philosopher scribbled
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P - K - B

On Mon, 07 Sep 2015 07:30:09 +0100, News wrote:
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With a healthy slice of brand marketing and aspiration...
Not got experience of their food processors, but we've got a few Andrew James bits - and they tend to be a very good balance of value and quality.

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And she likely will find other things to do with it once she has one, I know I did.
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Really depends on what you want to do with it. Works fine for me, but I really only do marmalade and relish much and those aren't very demanding of a food processor, just chop the fruit with the marmalade and the onions and tomatoes with the relish.
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I certainly don't use most of the extra blades that came with my more fancy one, but then I don't prepare the stuff those blades are useful for. You can likely say better than anyone else what variety of stuff she might do once she has one.
My best one is a Breville Super Whiz Duo, but it looks like that isn't sold there.

On Monday, 7 September 2015 08:14:48 UTC+1, Rod Speed wrote:
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We're not interested in your sex life !

News wrote:
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I have had a Kenwood processor for some time, and it gives good service. Pastry making is almost magical - in literally seconds you have a lump of pastry ready for resting.
The other blades get occasional use - if I am doing a bulk cook and need to slice veg in quantity. For smaller amounts it isn't worth the washing up.
I have a Kenwood Chef for really heavyweight mixing, but have abandoned its liquidiser - a stick blender does a large pan of soup faster and with no mess.
Chris

On 07/09/2015 07:30, News wrote:
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Buy the ready made stuff, you really can't tell the difference once baked. Its a hell of a time saver.
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Mine has been sitting in a cupboard for 6 years since it was last used. The mixer gets used more frequently.
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On 07/09/15 08:48, dennis@home wrote:
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Where can I get sweet shortcruist flavoured with butter egg and vanilla ready made?

"The Natural Philosopher" wrote in message wrote:
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Can you repeat that in English? </q> ;)

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We have a 18 yo wedding present Magimix, that has worked reliably all that time, and it gets lots of use. I've replaced the plastic lid and bowl over the years - dropping, or washing in the dishwasher (they do say that it might reduce the life of them).
So been very happy with it. Have a couple of slicing and grating blades which we use fairly often, but no other extra.
Not cheap (no idea of the price nowadays), but from our experience, recommended.
Friends of ours bought a Kenwood one a little while ago (food processor, not the mixer) which was cheaper, they seem happy with it.

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A food processor isn't a very good food mixer and a poor pastry making device. Ideally you want a Kenwood Chef for bread/pastry/cakes etc and a Magimix 5100/5200 food processor for chopping/grating/slicing/soup making/mayonnaise manufacture.
Both machines should last 10-20 years, cheap ones won't.

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We have a Magimix, it seems perfectly good food mixer for making cakes etc. (though no good for anything with fruit in as it would chop it up.), and it makes perfectly good pastry.
Yes, yes, both would be nice, but that another thing to buy and have around the place.
I don't tend to use it for soup making any more though, as a hand bender seem to do just as good a job with less washing up, transferring soup etc.

News wrote:
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What she wants is a THERMOBLEND :) :) :) You will see why the smileys when you see the price.

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Nope, she NEEDS one.
+> You will see why the smileys when you see the price.

On Monday, 7 September 2015 11:59:14 UTC+1, F Murtz wrote:
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How do you get the price ...... I can;t see any way of putting one in a basket