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Subject: Stand Mixers

I'm sooooooo excited.  Been wanting a stand mixer for I don't know how long, and I just bit the bullet and ordered the Cuisinart 800 watt mixer, along with the food processor and blender attachments.  It's time to toss out all those ancient appliances that have been cluttering up my pantry. 

The mixer has recently taken top honors away from the KitchenAid on some testing sites, so I'm thrilled to be getting it.  I wonder if my cake decorating/teaching "I love my KitchenAids mixers" (she has at least two that I know of)  daughter is going to be jealous.  LOL

Looks like I'm going to have to actually start cooking, to make my more recent purchases worthwhile, although I do believe my Zojirushi Mini Bread Maker has probably already earned it's cost back, as I use it almost daily.




AnnieBananie : 1y 43w 3d ago

Today I added the pasta attachment for the mixer.  Looks like I may never need another small appliance, although I'm sure I can manage to find something I can't live without.  LOL

AnnieBananie : 1y 43w 1d ago

congrats on your new mixer.  I have the standby KitchenAid ... my mother-in-law bought it for me 26 years ago, I think it was the first year they came in colors ... mine is cobalt blue and it makes me smile every time I go into the kitchen.
 
I read several of your other posts and consider myself a gadget junkie also, however now that I'm older and wiser I am much much more critical.  I am in year 2 of a 2nd marriage, my first being 26 years long with a year plus stint in between.  In the first, I lived in big fancy houses with a nice fat budget to have all kinds of gadgets.  When I left that environment and got free on my own I took only those things that were truly important to me.  Hence I am virtually starting over with my cookbooks, etc. 
 
Being a computer geek, I am going the electronic route this time and am looking forward to a long and satisfying relationship with Big Oven software :)
 
What I'm saying in a round-about way is that I'd love to hear how you really like all your attachments after you have a bit to try them all.
 
For my mixer I have two identical bowls, and I store one on the mixer with the regular batter blade in it, and one easily accesible on a side-mounted grid rack in a close cupboard.  Also hanging on that grid are the whip mixer attachment, my extra espresso steam mugs (which double nicely as gravy serving pitchers),  and the bread dough hook.  I also have the plastic attachment that clips on the top of the bowls and keeps ingredients from flying out the top when you're making a really big batch of something.
 
What I did not bother to take with me are the plastic lids for those stainless bowls (I never put stuff in metal in the fridge anyway), and all of the pasta/food grinder/sausage maker attachment stuff.  I did use those things a few times, but not regularly, so, they were abandoned.
 
My latest fav purchase was a 11 cup Cuisinart food processor.  It has two bowls, two slicers (flat and grater), and the usual chop knife.  It sits on my counter also and is ready instantly.  I use it for all the things I used to use my blender for (it makes great shakes, etc.) and also for making quick biscuits and salads.
 
the key to those attachments is whether or not they can be truly handy when you're ready to use them.  At the moment I'm trying to design a rack of some kind to store the six glass pan lids vertically in my cupboard next to the oven.  I like to store the pans and then mix and match the lids.  I love glass lids and my largest one fits four of my pans ... it has a vent.  The second largest one is the same, and I use these two lids in virtually every meal preparation.
 
OK, enough of my thoughts :)

annmartinson

annmartinson : 1y 42w 3d ago

Ann, I'll definitely let you know how well the attachments work out.  As for the age thing, I think I've probably got you beat (will be 66 in March) by a mile.  LOL  I think I'm probably going through my "first" childhood, as I was a very serious and shy kid, and it's only now I can indulge myself to a point.  Money was always tight, so I now find myself really thinking about what I do spend mine on.  I also hunt the online shopping networks (hsn, qvc) for easy pay plans.  I guess it's just the toys I could never have before that intrigue me.  Besides, my gorgeous new (but very small) kitchen deserves new toys, don't you think?

What's bugging me now is that almost everything is made in China, and I'm trying to do my own, personal boycott of products made there where I can.  It's difficult though. 

I know I'll use the pasta attachment, as I love fresh pasta, and have owned pasta machines in the past.  The food processor will get use too, although not as frequently.  The blender?  Not so much, although I would love to start making smoothies, and if I have everything handy (as opposed to my pantry, which is in the foyer, not the kitchen), I might actually use that too.  I skipped the juicer, as I know I'll never use that, and I skipped the meat grinder, because I don't think that would get much use either.

Anyhow, it should all be arriving tomorrow, and I'm excited.

Anne




AnnieBananie : 1y 42w 3d ago

It's here!!  And it's gorgeous!!  It's so nice these days to see that appliances are not only useful and functional, they're beautiful too.  I will be very proud to have this thing sitting on my counter.  I've also posted it as our new logo, although y'all may feel free to change that if you want.  I just think it's purtier than that drawing of measuring spoons. 

Unfortunately, I made plans to go out to dinner this evening, so no test drive until tomorrow.

Anne



[edited February-1-2008]

AnnieBananie : 1y 42w 2d ago

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