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10% discount on kitchen gadgets and small appliances!

Decision Time!

Motors

It is important to look at the type of motor the processor has, rather than the wattage:

Series motor: this is a belt driven motor, which has variable speeds. However, it is a noisier machine and tends to be installed in basic models.

Induction motor: used in commercial machines, these have only one speed. However, they automatically sense if the task requires a bit more ‘oomph’ and will compensate and tend to be quieter.

Drive motor: similar to the induction motor, its direct transmission takes the load off the motor so less wattage is needed.

Wattage: wattage is important if you need the machine to do many tasks. If you need to prepare anything from baby food to crushing ice then this is important.

Pulse button: standard on most machines, this gives a quick burst of speed when you need a top-up. It’s particularly good for mixing fruit cakes; for example, when you don’t want the blades to mash all the fruit and nuts to a pulp!

Capacity

If you prepare a lot of family meals or dinner parties you will need a bigger bowl – some exceed 4-litre capacity. Some processors have a series of bowls depending on the task and these are great if you have lots of processing to do. Smaller machines will be more limited to what they can do, however they will take up less room.

Hand mixers, juicers and blenders

Hand mixers

These are fine for whisking eggs, whipping cream or gentle mixing. Some come with attachments for preparing soups or puréeing baby food. To view hand mixers click here

Choppers/Grinders

A useful gadget around the kitchen, some are just for grinding coffee beans but others are good for finely chopping herbs or ground spices. To view choppers and grinders click here

Juicers

If you are serious about your juicing like we are, you will need a centrifugal juice extractor. Fruit and vegetables spin in a basket, with the juice falling through, leaving all the pulp behind. To view juicers click here

Blenders

Hand and stick blenders are a great addition to any kitchen and can do everything from whisking up milk shakes to puréeing soups and crushing ice. Price tends to be dictated by capacity, speed and power. More powerful blenders can crush ice easily but cheaper models will struggle – so again, have a think about what you will be using it for. They also have a choice of speeds for puréeing baby food or soups for example, but some even having a built-in sensor that will automatically adjust to the correct speed for the task required. To view blenders click here

Smoothie makers

Smoothie makers are very similar to blenders but are specifically designed to funnel all the ingredients into the blending blades. They usually have a useful tap for dispensing, so you don’t have to remove the jug. They can take all manner of fruits, ice and cream so you can have great fun with the kids thinking up new recipes. To view smoothie makers click here

Food processors and mixers

There is an amazing choice available and prices range from around £40 to over £400, depending on capacity and functions. Many have incorporated juicers, grinders and blenders so you may not need to buy anything else for your needs and this will also save space!

The bowl: smaller bowls for simple dishes, small cakes or baby food; larger ones can handle Christmas cakes with ease.

Mixing action: depending on the manufacturer, ingredients are mixed either with very sharp stainless-steel blades whizzing round or a ‘planetary action’, with the tool rotating in an opposite direction to the motor. Either way they require minimum effort on your part compared to mixing by hand.

Safety features: modern machines are very safe. They won’t work unless lids and attachments are firmly in place. Be careful, however, when removing or hand washing the blades.

Dishwashing: most removable parts can be put in the dishwasher but you should use a lower heat setting – less than 50°C is recommended.

Speeds: series motors have a selection of speeds, inductions just one. There’s also usually a Pulse button, for short, sharp bursts of speed.

Longevity: Manufacturers say that they are built to last so they often come with a long guarantee period.

Food processors

Food processors are more compact than mixers but are still very versatile machines. Basic models have a series motor but higher priced ones, favoured by TV chefs, are fitted with induction motors.
Models are supplied with a series of attachments for shredding and slicing (some even for chips or julienne), whisking, blending, citrus juicing, mixing dough or grinding. Usually price dictates what they are supplied with. You feed ingredients through a tube at the top. Often they’re calibrated for easy measuring. Many models are supplied with a handy storage unit for all the attachments, a spatula and a recipe book. To view food processors click here

Food mixers

Much larger than food processors, food mixers offer even more food preparation possibilities.
You can still mix away but with a selection of attachments you can make prepare fresh pasta, mince meat for sausages – even peel potatoes! Most machines are supplied with a whisk, dough hook and beater as standard, for mixing, mashing and whisking, but the other tools usually need to be purchased separately.

The attachments simply lock onto the mixer. You may need to adjust the speed, depending on what you’re doing: high speed for crushing ice, extracting juice; low for making sausages. To view food mixers click here

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KitchenAid KSM150 attachments

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KitchenAid KSM150 Artisan Food Mixer – used by Nigella Lawson