Cuisinart 5.5 quart Stand mixer

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countryguy

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Does anyone have experience with this mixer? How does it compare to a KitchenAid? ease of use? It appears to be more powerful since it has an 800 watt motor. I currently have a Kitchenaid with the bowl lift rather than tilt head and frankly I do not like the bowl lift feature at all. It is more difficult to add ingredients and the mixer is taller so that it will not fit on my countertop underneath the upper cabinets. I do like the handle on the KA bowl which the Cuisinart does not have. The Cuisinart is currently on sale for $199 CAD. I've watched some videos on youtube and the reviews seem to be mixed. I was just wonderingif anyone had real world experience with it.

Thanks,
Gary

 
There is a big difference between a KitchenAid and a Cuisinart. Like the Kenwood Chef and Major the Cuisinart has the motor on the side (where the dial is). The KitchenAid has the motor in the head. So there are more gears in the Cuisinart than in the KitchenAid. And that is the reason that the Cuisinart has a bigger motor, it looses more torque and power from the motor to the attachments.
 
I've never used the Cuisinart, but I'll second Pete, Bosch Universal is wonderful and I also like the Electrolux Assistent (I think they changed the name again, not sure what it is). But both the Universal and the Assistent are very different machines when one compares them to KitchenAid or Cuisinart -- people in US are more used to the planetary action that KitchenAid and Cuisinart machines use.
 
Bosch Universal vs KA

I have a Bosch Universal and a KitchenAid heavy duty tilt head model (Artisan?). The Bosch is quite old now and the KitchenAid is a couple of years old. The Bosch Universal is a marvellous mixing device - much stronger and more powerful than the KitchenAid, but I find it a bit overkill for my requirements hence purchasing the KitchenAid. I have kneaded much larger quantities of bread dough or shortbread biscuit dough in the Bosch than I would ever even dare to knead in my KitchenAid but that's really about where the advantages end. The attachments are more fiddly with the Bosch and the thing is quite utilitarian in it's design and appearance, whereas the KitchenAid is easier to use (for me, at least) and much nicer to look at. The Bosch also has a habit of wandering around on the bench top which I don't get with my KA. From memory the Bosch Universals are quite expensive so if it's big, big batches of dough or batter you're making, I'd go for one, the Bosch is very well built for heavy duty. For most things the KitchenAid is just as good but not quite as tough.
 
Cuisinart Mixer

The Cuisinart mixer is a Kenwood mixer in disguise. Wattage is a misleading rating/interpretation of rating of the motor. Cooks Country tested stand mixers and rated KitchenAid as preferred the Pro 600 first and the Artisian second over a Hobart, Volrath and other Commercial models at Bosch and Electrolux Assistent were not tested. I have seen video of both and impressed by its capabilities. My preference in ease of use, price and attachments is KitchenAid. Finding a Cuisinart under $200 would sure tempt me to purchase one too! Like the timer and fold features of a Cuisinart.
 
I like the fold feature also. I just prefer a tilt head model over the bowl lift design of the Kitchen Aid - to remove the bowl you have to remove the beater as well. I don't make dough very often so how well it does that is not of real importance to me. I wish that the bowl had a handle like on the KA but will have to try it out to see how easy/difficult it is to use. Remember too that with the current exchange rate, $200 CAD is about $157 USD so I think it is a real bargain. I'm anxious to get it and try it out.
 
Bosch Universal was covered by America's Test Kitchen in the video link provided.
It's a fantastic machine for large quantities of white and whole wheat bread dough.
Unfortunately it's completely incapable of kneading anything that's either dense, like rye bread, or runny, like baguette dough.
Creaming is virtually inexistent unless you purchase an extra set of special paddles - and even then it requires you to process large amounts of batter; otherwise you'll find yourself scraping whatever collects above the paddle's clearance, a thick rim of batter around the bowl.
Don't get me wrong, I greatly appreciate it, but only when processing large quantities of certain types of products.
It also requires a learning curve considering how fast it runs - you need to stop and let the dough rest from time to time for example, running the machine constantly until the dough is ready will result in tearing gluten structure.

Their Compact model is a bit more flexible and actually pretty good at whipping and kneading - it would just be helpful if they updated the creaming attachment - there's too much space between the paddle and bowl which leads to constant stopping and scraping.

Main reason why I chose the Professional Bowl-Lift over Tilt-Head is the spiral dough hook which pushes the dough down constantly which leads to uniform kneading results regardless of type and density of dough being processed. It also comes with a denser whip which minimizes the possibility of cooking eggs while processing them with hot ingredients - virtually all of the product is being moved at the same time with no chance of developing hot spots.
It also offers a Bain Marie attachment, which combined with a small heater and maybe a thermometer, allows ridiculously easy and fool-proof way of making custards and egg-based creams.

All of my KitchenAid appliances were purchased from their very own online outlet, came with a 6 months warranty, and have worked absolutely perfectly for the past 5 years. Only exception, their refurbished blender started leaking - and KitchenAid sent me a *free* replacement pitcher, admitting there was a problem with the line of blenders in question - 2 years after purchase.
 
Kenmore

I have the Kenmore version of the KitchenAid mixer. It works with all the accessories too. I've purchased quite a few and have had no troubles getting them to work. I'm very happy with mine. I have the blue one. I got mine around Xmas time for like $160 but it's on sale now too for $199. It comes with a 5 year warranty too. I imagine it's made by a Whirlpool manufacturer overseas...but it's not made in the KitchenAid factory in Ohio.

 
BOSCH Power.

 

<span style="font-family: verdana,geneva;">I have an older KA Bowl Lift in what they called the Pro-Line.  I bought it in the late  80s and it's still going strong.  Over the years I have acquired the attachments I knew I'd use and some I wouldn't use but couldn't resist the price.  That mixer powers through just about anything I throw at it as long as I stay in the 6 cup or so flour range.  Bigger batches I use my BOSCH which is about 5 years old.  I don't remember if mine is considered the universal or not but what I liked about mine was the fact that I could store it in a drawer so it's out of the way.  I personally wouldn't purchase the Cuisinart machine because of the investments I have in attachments but it looks like it would be a fun machine to use.</span>

 

<span style="font-family: verdana,geneva;">I have a funny story that actually demonstrates the power of the BOSCH mixer.  </span><span style="font-family: verdana,geneva;">When I bought it, I bought what they called the Cookie batter beaters.  They look a little like a whisk but are much stronger.  I was making a huge batch of chocolate chip cookies that calls for a ton of flour and a ton of oatmeal flour.  The dough is really dense and it's a big recipe so I got out the BOSCH.  To my surprise, or horror I guess, when I was finished the machine had twisted the beaters all the way around and that machine never even flinched.  I didn't realize what it was doing to the beaters until I pulled them out.  You can see in the picture how twisted they are.  I wish I had a before picture but I didn't know I'd need one.  In the picture the beaters look like they are flimsy but they are not.  I cannot twist them back by hand I would have to use a tool.  We took pictures because I was going to send them into BOSCH and never did.</span>

 

<span style="font-family: verdana,geneva;">I agree with the assessment above about smaller batches and creaming etc. on small batches, but when you're doing a big batch this thing cannot be beat.  It makes beautiful bread/pizza dough if you're cooking for a crowd.  But beware it is powerful.  If it's just the two of us I generally use the Kitchen Aid.</span>

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I just checked the tracking information and delivery was attempted so that means it will be waiting at the post office on my way home. I'm excited to get the mixer. That's pretty quick delivery considering I ordered it at midnight on Wed. night and it was shipped from Toronto.
 
The cookie paddles I have are a hard plastic type beater, not whisk, that can pummel thru cement.  They're specifically recommended for heavy cookie dough and actually they weren't that expensive, less than $20 iirc.  You're model is the Bosch Concept which they don't make anymore I think.. The latest model is the called the Universal Plus. 

 

For the small stuff I just keep a vintage handmixer at the ready in my baking stuff drawer. I don't use the Bosch as much as I used to because hubby doesn't eat that much bread anymore and I've cut down severely on how much cake etc I eat. He doesn't eat cake at all.. LOL

 

So I'm considering giving it to my future niece in law who seems to like baking and making fancy desserts etc. But not until they're married and been together awhile.. That is if she wants it.. I've put a lot of money into that machine and accessories for her to up and get rid of it and get a KA because it looks prettier.  Some people just want a KA for the look of it on their counter.  I'd be pissed. 
 
Thank you PeteK

<span style="font-family: verdana,geneva; font-size: 12pt;">I am going to have to look into those I hope they are available for my machine.  It really is a beast and I love what I can do with it but we are a bit like you in that we don't eat as much bakery as we used to.  I used to make four cookie sheet sized pizzas at a time and that's a lot of flour,  I do about half that now so I just use the Kitchen Aid or if it's a smaller batch than that I just use my Cuisinart to do a quick knead.</span>

 

<span style="font-family: verdana,geneva; font-size: 12pt;">I use the KA because it's there and available and I have all the attachments.  The only one I have for the BOSCH is the blender and that's a POS in my opinion.</span>

 

 

 
 
I have the blender but I have never used it. Why the hell I bought that was just to have it I guess . 

I actually do use the slicer/shredder attachment and I see they now have mini dough hook for that attachment . There's also a new bigger food processor attachment They already have a food processor attachment but apparently a lot of people don't buy it as it's too small and costly for what people want a food processor for.  It can turn into never ending spending with these things  LOL 

 

I also have a rare and no longer available centrifugal juicer attachment. I didn't even know there ever was such a thing but I was poking thru a thrift store one day and saw a box with Bosch on the label, hiding behind a pile of junk,  and whoa,, got it for next to  nothing.  

 

The cookie paddles should fit,, those things are pretty standard. 

 

check this website out.. It's in Canada and I've  bought a few things from her http://healthykitchens.com/bosch_universal_plus_attachments_.html
 
Congrats on your new purchase! Post pics :-)

I had always wanted a stand mixer and of course I thought I'd end up with a KitchenAid. I was surprised to find the Kenmore and how it was basically the same thing. I'm sure you will find it to be very useful. I use mine regularly...though the attachments I don't. I need to...considering how much money I have spent on them lol.
 

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