Kenmore Elite Ovation Mixer

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fan-of-fans

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Interesting design. The semi-closed bowl with a hole in the top of the unit for adding ingredients is certainly new. It has a pretty wide bowl so it will be fun to see how it does keeping the entire bowl evenly mixed.

I checked to see if Amy from Amy Learns to Cook had mentioned it and she did, last week. She's a cooking gadget collector and does reviews and instructional vids on YT. She is just a regular gal, loves food and cooking and has some pretty funny escapades in the kitchen unboxing and trying out her new gadgets.



She sounds excited about the new Kenmore and is already working out the pricing and cost of this new machine to add to her collection. Check out some of her vids, especially the tour of her storage room -- it's astounding.
 
That is really a neat mixer. My KitchenAid Mixer that is almost 30 years old is still going strong...but if I had to replace it, I might consider this one. Its not in the stores yet and its on preorder. I just wonder how many will use that hole on top without that funnel...just another hole to clean after....
 
I've watched many of her videos and find them entertaining, and have at times learned something interesting or new.

But her videos on the Bosch and Ankarsrum (former Electrolux Assistent) leave a lot to be desired. I think she is so used to mixers like the KA that she is unable to use the other systems effectively. Or has not read the user guides or attempted to find YouTube videos.

I know that if you are used to a system it is potentially hard/difficult to get used to another, but not impossible. But when I see her struggling with the Bosch and the Assistent, I have less confidence in the rest of her videos -- I have both machines, and, while it took me a couple of times using them to learn the differences and how to use them effectively, it wasn't that difficult and now I find them *much* more useful than my KA. To the point that I have several attachments to both the Bosch and the Assistent, but have never bought any for my KA, despite the fact that I have the KA for many more years than the other mixers.

At some point during the videos, I felt like I should/could write to them and give them a few hints, but it seems to me like they already decided to hate both machines and that reading the user guides and/or finding other videos would not be useful, so I figured, their loss. Or maybe KA or some other brand paid them to poo-poo the only two other serious competitors they had, given that most other mixers are either just like the KA (but more expensive) or like the Sunbeam (but less sturdy).

Here's one video that seems to contradict what Amy said about the Bosch, for example, and, while I have not run all those tests, it seems to me that they are plausible and match my experience using the machine. (Please notice how they change from the cookie paddles to the dough hook at some point to complete the cookie challenge.)

Cheers,
   -- Paulo.



 
Hi Paulo.. I sort of agree.. although her husband Eric preferred the Bosch over the KA. She does give it a lot of credit and the preferred choice for big loads of dough admitting the KA can't keep up. She also neglects to say that the Bosch is much easier to handle, anyone can lift it up and put it away. Not so with conventional stand mixers. And it's also much easier to add ingredients to the Bosch and Ankos. You can see in some of the videos it's almost a struggle to add ingredients to many of those mixers.
 
Well, if I remember right, there were two other videos, one of the Assistent and one of the Universal Plus -- she compares them to a KA, and it's just weird.

My experience whipping egg whites or cream, or making cakes or cookies, for example, differ from her demonstrations. It was much easier and faster with the two Euro-style machines than with my KA.

Granted, I have a tilt-head KA Accolade, 400W, "9 cups flour power" (I think it's a 5 quart bowl, can't remember), really, *really* noisy KA when compared to other models. I never needed the dough extender for the Bosch for example, even for small quantities.

I can't really explain it, I just had a "what the hell are they doing?" feeling with the other videos (this last one is not too bad). And the comments, everyone seemed to be left with the impression that the machines were not as good as they are, and, in one video, Eric basically dismisses the commenters as "fan boys" when they say their experience with the mixers differ from the demonstrations. Which led me to avoid commenting at all, if we're just gonna be "fan boys" as opposed to people who have a good experience and could lend them a hand and some tips.

Anyway, I don't even try to use my KA for more than 2 loaves (about 6 cups of flour), I tend to use the Bosch for 4-6 loaves and the Assistent for 4-8, depending on the recipe and what flour I'm using etc. Most of the time, I use the food processor to knead dough, it's only when I'm making a lot of bread that I use the mixers, but that is usually a few times a year, when I'm either freezing bread for later, making lots of bread for a party and/or I'm giving away bread to the neighbors.

I guess, if I had to take a stab at it, is that I'm peeved by the attitude "if you are just making a home size batch, buy a KA, and if you make a lot of multiple batches, buy the Euro-machines"... first off, if I make only one loaf of bread in my home (2 people), there will be *no* bread for tomorrow, because one loaf basically disappears, I need at least 2. Imagine if we were a couple with teenage kids, for example. The other thing is, most families in Europe are not much different or bigger than American families, and those 2 mixers might not be the most common mixers, but they are not unheard of either -- my feeling is that only recently, as frozen foods and microwavable foods became more common in Europe that people started buying "smaller" mixers that resemble the KA. But I may be wrong about that too, I dunno.

And I mean, making only one or two loaves of bread is weird, it's about the same amount of time and work to make more and freeze them, instead of having to bake every 2 days.

At the same time, in my home, we're not likely to make multi-batches of cakes or cookies, for example. We only make lots and lots of cookies some years for holidays, but not every year, and otherwise, it's a regular one batch of cookies or cake (if it's just "let's have something for dessert this weekend") or a double batch for parties. We are trying to limit the amount of sweets around the home because of diabetes. So far, so good, and we didn't have any difficulties making a "small"/single batch of anything with the Bosch or Assistent, quite the contrary, we prefer them to the KA.
 
The new Kenmore mixer looks interesting---BUT?? should you buy it at this time?$499 is a lot of money to spend on something whose infranstructure may not be around next year.How will you get parts and attachments and service?These are questions I need answers to,In the meantime my Viking Kenwood is fine for me.Her tests with that Bosch mixer are kinda making me wince.I am not familiar with the Bosch mixer-but when I hear a motor lugging like that----BACK OFF!!!!You may burn up the motor.And the container is REALLY too full.The 14Lb batch of dough should have been processed in TWO batches.Would be easier for you and the machine.
 
I did watch the Bosch mixer video and. I must say that does look interesting to say the least. I have always wondered how those worked. I did not realize how versatile they are and all the attachments that can be had and used on this machine.
I too wonder about Sears now since they have been closing stores here in Mass. it’s a matter of time before they are all gone.
 
I've made some seriously big batches of dough in my Bosch,,, handles it beautifully. I'd never worry that it would be over taxed. Another point with the Bosch is that it kneads so thoroughly in comparison that you can skip the 2nd rise. And it will whisk one egg white into stiff peaks ... I don't think any other regular mixer can do that.
 
I did look up the Bosch mixer-there is a thermal breaker in the motor that would shut the machine down if the motor gets too hot.The design of the mixer is kinda clever-the motor has a drive on the top so it can be used with a blender.The low speed drive in the center of the base is for the mixer.Also looked up the similar Electrolux machine.Its more expensive.Those open top bowel base mounted "beaters" would take getting used to.From the videos of them working-would be competent machines.Like any other mixer-just don't overload them.Besides the motor-you have the motor control board-the board can be overheated,too from abnormal loads.and don't forget the mixer transmission-we don't want to wear or strip the gears!The "Lux machine has a belt.Don't know if that one has a blender.Does a have a hardware store of other attachments from pasta makers to meat grinders.You lay the "Lux" base on its side to use those.
 
WOW that's bad.

Maybe Whirlpool didn't do much good to KitchenAid, and it's all smoke and mirrors for most of their countertop appliances; their mixers are still state-of-the-art though.

Serious cook here, bake my own bread and danishes kinda flow. Would never go any other brand than KitchenAid speaking of mixers. Don't get me wrong, buying their processor was a huge mistake and I regret not getting a Cuisinart or, even better, Breville. But that bowl-lift machine is used and abused on an everyday basis and never fails, period.
I somewhat wonder why do people actually try other brands; I never liked the results. According to America's Test Kitchen, neither did they.
 
In watching this test--don't think I will race out to Sears and get this machine.Stay with KA or Kenwood based machines instead.The Ovation failure is fitting with Sears future fate!Bet you will see a LOT of these machines in thrift places or garage sale tables.If you want one-just wait for that.The side mounted attachment drive looks VERY awkward.Think I will PASS on this machine.
 

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