Mixers and Blenders

Blender and Food Processor

mixers — Sat, 05 Feb 2011 21:22:47 +0000

Blenders and food processors can often be used for the procedures in the kitchen. Why would you want a food processor if you all ready have a blender? The functions can be quite different.

Blenders most often puree food into a drink. Food processors have a wide variety of funtions. Different blades perform different functions which include cutting, chopping, pureeing, shredding, dicing, mashing and grinding.

All food processors come with different blades. You should also compare the power or wattage of the units. You should look at the compacity or bowl size. See how many speeds there are and if there is a pulse button.

If you know what you are going to do with your food processor then you will know what to look for. For example, if you are going to make bread dough, you will want a large capacity with heavy-duty power ( over 400 watts) to take care of your needs.

If your needs are small, you might consider one appliance that functions as two. This Cuisinart blender/food processor is just that, it can functions as either appliciance. However, the capacity is small. The blender is only 5 cups and the food processor is only 3 cups. It might fits your needs but if it is too small, then keep scrolling down the page for larger capacity food processors and go to the blenders page or the Hamilton Beach blenders page to see other blenders.

This Cuisinart Blender and Chopper can be used as a blender or food chopper/processor. It comes with a blender jar, a chopping cup and travel cups. Perfect for all your needs at a reasonable price.

Cuisinart 15-pc. SmartPower® Portable Blender and Chopper

Meet the Cuisinart® SmartPower® Compact Portable Blending/Chopping System – the slim and trim powerhouse that does it all! Use the streamlined blender jar to make smoothies in a flash! Mince herbs in the chopping cup and whip up custom drinks right in the travel cups – we’ve included four of them so everyone can have their favorite! Designed to fit anywhere, the Compact Portable Blending/ Chopping System delivers big-blender performance, with a 350-watt motor and the ease of singlehand operation with the user-friendly electronic touchpad! Stainless steel accents create an attractive, fashionable addition to any kitchen. New BPA free Tritan™ from Eastman co-polyestor is used for the all vessels – blender jar, chopping cup and your travel cups. They are all shatter resistant and dishwasher safe. A real timesaver, cleanup and maintenance become simple chores. Features: Sleek electronic touchpad with LED indicator lights Powerful 350-watt motor High, Low and Pulse controls Standby mode; safety interlock and auto stop features ABS housing with stainless steel front panel BPA-free Tritan™ 32-oz. blender jar, 8-oz. chopping cup, and set of four 16-oz. travel cups Patented ultra sharp stainless steel blades Limited 3-year warranty

Cuisinart 40-oz. Duet Blender/Food Processor, Chrome

Cuisinart skillfully combines a blender with a small food processor without sacrificing the performance or features of either one. This Duet appliance is great for smaller kitchens and apartments with limited counter space and cupboard storage. The 40-ounce glass blender jar whirs at the touch of one of 7 speeds, including a special ice crush setting and pulse.To slice or shred vegetables or fruit, simply remove the blender, replace it with the 3-cup work bowl, collar and cover, and you're off! Even tough jobs like grinding beef cubes or grating Parmesan cheese are a breeze. A chopping blade and reversible slicing/shredding disc are included. The food processor's unique design lets you position the handle and feed tube facing front, side or rear, handy whether you're right or lefthanded. Extra amenities include indicator lights so you know what functions in operation, a hidden cord storage, dripless pouring spout and a feed tube pusher with a built-in liquid dispenser. It's a 2-in-1 appliance worth it's weight in dozens of meals.

These Cuisinart food processors are different capacities: 12-cup, 9-cup and 7-cup bowls.

Cuisinart 12-c. Elite Collection Food Processor, Black

Combining the Cuisinart® tradition of culinary excellence with groundbreaking innovation, the Cuisinart Elite Collection™ 12-Cup Food Processor sets the bar for the next generation of kitchen appliances. With a 4-cup work bowl nested inside the big bowl, plus the adjustable 6-position slicing disc and reversible shredding disc, it provides home chefs with multiple food processors in one! The exclusive SealTight™ Advantage System is designed to deliver maximum bowl capacity and clean processing and pouring. It is truly the finest food prep appliance available for today’s modern kitchen. Features: 2 Intergrated Bowls: Enjoy the ultimate in versatility with the option to use the 4-cup work bowl for smaller tasks or the 12-cup for jobs that require more capacity. The bowls also have pouring spouts and measurement markings for your convenience. SealTight Advantage: The exclusive SealTight cover maximizes the capacity of each bowl and ensures that processing and cleanups are quick and easy. Optimum Safety: The exclusive patent-pending BladeLock System secures the blade in place for easy pouring. 8 Slicing and Shredding Options: Slice fruits, vegetables and more with the adjustable slicing disc (1-6mm), and choose from fine or medium shredding with the reversible shredding disc. Easy On/Off: Lock the lid system in place with ease and just push the release buttons to remove the lid. Ready in No Time: Supreme Wide Mouth feed tube is large enough to handle whole fruits and vegetables, significantly reducing pre-cutting time. e-Touch: Easy to use and easy to clean electronic On, Off and Pulse buttons with blue LED light. Power Induction Motor: Chop, slice, shred, mix and knead with the 1000-watt peak power motor. Twice as Nice: Accomodate ingredients of all sizes with the large pusher plus a smaller pusher that snap-fits inside of it. Multiple Blades: Every task is effortless with the large and small chopping/mixing blades and dough blade. Solid Construction: Built to last, this tough machine provides a stable base for all our food preparation. Stem Adapter: Securely holds discs and the small chopping blade in place for easy assembly and use. Cord Storage: Conveniently wrap the cord under the unit when not in use. Includes a spatula, how-to DVD and recipe/instruction book. Cuisinart FP-12DC Elite Collection Food Processor Videos

Cuisinart Prep 9 Food Processor, Brushed Stainless

Perfecting the art of food preparation. With a brushed stainless finish that adds a touch of elegance to any modern kitchen, the Cuisinart 9-cup Food Processor is the ideal prep tool for any task. Its compact build allows it to fit comfortably on any countertop and the large work bowl makes it easy to create an entire meal from scratch. After all, it's a Cuisinart! Features Include: 9-cup Lexan Work Bowl Extra-large feed tube slices whole fruits and vegetables One-piece Cuisinart Supreme feed tube Stainless Steel medium slicing disc (4mm) Stainless Steel shredding disc Chopping/mixing blade Dough blade Detachable disc stem Spatula Recipe/Instruction book How-to-DVD All removable parts are dishwasher-safe Limited 10-year motor warranty Limited 3-year warranty

Look at this Kitchen Aid food processor. It has a large capacity bowl and comes with a medium and small capacity bowl also. It handles everything from mincing herbs or whippig egg whites all the way up to kneading bread dough.

KitchenAid 12-c. Ultra Wide Mouth Food Processor, Onyx Black

Equipped with an ultra wide mouth feed tube (the industry's largest), this food processor from KitchenAid accommodates tomatoes, cucumbers and potatoes with a minimum of sectioning or slicing, saving you time in the initial stages of preparation. A separate section lets you feed smaller items into the work bowl such as single carrots, celery, herbs and nuts. A feed tube pusher is also included. With the Pulse button, you can control the length of cutting or the slicing process so sliced tomatoes don't become a sauce. The food processor comes with three work bowls: a 12-cup bowl for large jobs, a 10-cup chef's bowl that fits inside the 12-cup work bowl (slice or shred items while keeping the larger work bowl clean for another job) and a 4-cup mini bowl with its own mini blade for smaller jobs like chopping herbs, mincing garlic or making bread crumbs. The food processor comes with a multi-purpose blade, slicing and shredding discs (2- and 4-mm slicing discs and 4-mm shredding disc), a blade for mixing and kneading bread and pizza dough, an egg whip for whipping cream and egg whites for meringues, mousses and souffles, a citrus press for juicing small limes and large grapefruits and an accessory case for storing all of the accessories along with a spatula and cleaning tool (also included). The ultra-durable, polycarbonate work bowls are built to last, are stain-resistant and dishwasher-safe. The blades, discs and accessories are also dishwasher-safe.

I am including a few cookbooks to use with your new food processor.

Stand Mixer Reviews

mixers — Mon, 31 Jan 2011 23:40:11 +0000

Stand mixers are reviewed here. Find brands like Kitchenaid, Sunbeam and Cuisinart critiqued. Choose stand mixer that suits your purpose and purchase at the links provided here.

All serious chefs and bakers should invest in a stand mixer. All have varying degrees of speed. They truly make mixing "hands-free" so the chef can do a little clean up or reach for the next ingredient while the mixer is doing the work.

Kitchen Aid is very well known and very popular. 7 out of every 10 stand mixers in a Kitchen Aid. They are durable enough to be handed down generation to generation. All come with the pouring shield and the wire whisk, paddle and dough hook attachments. They all have 10 speeds and a one year warranty.

This 6-quart Pro 600 has the bowl-lift design, it is all steel gears with a direct-drive tansmission, a soft start feature that avoids splashing out of ingredients and a powerful 575 watt motor. It can handle more product with ease. It comes in 6 colors.

This 5-quart Artisan Kitchen Aid stand mixer comes in 17 colors and has a 325 watt motor.

Two Cuisinart stand mixers are displayed below. Both have three attachments: the paddle, wire whisk and dough hook. They tilt back for easy cleaning and replacing the attachments. Both have a splashguard with a pour spout. Both have 12 speeds for any type of mixing. I am showing the white mixers buy once you click on the link you could choose another color.

The 7 quart bowl is best for the serious chef. It can handle more dough and has the more powerful 1000 watt engine. It has a 3 year unlimited warranty and a 5 year warranty on the motor.

Cuisinart 7-qt. Stand Mixer, White

Clear the counter for the Cuisinart of Stand Mixers and get more power, precision, capacity and control. More power with 1000 watts of unrivaled strength. More precision with an auto-shutoff digital countdown timer. More capacity with an extra-large 7-qt. stainless steel mixing bowl. More control with 12 mixing speeds. We are the only stand mixer with an ultra-convenient gentle fold feature – plus, three power outlets to connect five attachments. Get your hands on the Cuisinart Stand Mixer and change the way you mix! This is the mixer that does it all! Your new extra-large Cuisinart 7-qt. Stand Mixer has the power, capacity and precision to handle any job your recipes require. With three accessories, you can mix, whip or even knead dough. With 12 speeds, you'll always achieve perfect results. And with the auto shutoff Countdown Timer you'll always achieve it in just the right amount of time! Cuisinart offers optional attachments that can be purchased separately. Each connects to one of three power outlets on the mixer to let you blend, process food, squeeze juice from your favorite citrus fruits, make perfect homemade pasta, or grind your own meats. Product Features: Tilt-back Head Top Cover 3 Power Ports 7-qt. Stainless Steel Bowl with Handles Head-lift Release Lever securely locks stand mixer head into raised tilt-back position On/Off, Fold and Speed Control Dial 12 speeds for precision mixing. 15-Minute Countdown Timer with Auto Shutoff Chef's Whisk Flat Mixing Paddle Dough Hook Splashguard with Pour Spout For decades, Cuisinart has created kitchen accessories that meet the standards of the most discerning culinary professionals. The bonus? They are so easy to use, anyone can now express their creativity in the kitchen.

The 5.5 is 800 watts of power with a 5.5 quart bowl. It has a 3 year limited warranty.

Cuisinart 5.5-qt. Stand Mixer, White

Cuisinart just raised the bar on mixing! This Cuisinart 5.5-qt. Stand Mixer has the capacity, power, and precision engineering to handle any job a recipe calls for. With three accessories, you can mix, whip and knead dough. With 12 speeds, you’ll always achieve perfect results. And with the auto shutoff Countdown Timer you’ll always achieve it in just the right amount of time! Cuisinart offers optional attachments that can be purchased separately. Each connects to one of three power outlets on the stand mixer to let you blend, process food, squeeze juice from your favorite citrus fruits, make perfect homemade pasta, or grind your own meats. Product Features: Tilt-back Head Top Cover 3 Power Ports 5.5 Quart Stainless Steel Bowl with Handles Head-lift Release Lever securely locks stand mixer head into raised tilt-back position On/Off, Fold and Speed Control Dial 12 speeds for precision mixing. 15-Minute Countdown Timer with Auto Shutoff Chef’s Whisk Flat Mixing Paddle Dough Hook Splashguard with Pour Spout For decades, Cuisinart has created kitchen accessories that meet the standards of the most discerning culinary professionals. The bonus? They are so easy to use, anyone can now express their creativity in the kitchen. Here is what one customer had to say: "Today's stand mixers seem to all come with a wattage rating ranging anywhere from 250 watts all the way up to 1000 watts. This wattage rating means nothing as far as performance is concerned. It is just an indication of how much power is going into the unit, not how much horsepower is being produced. So a stand mixer purchase should be based on performance not wattage." Click here to read more.

The original mixer was the Sunbeam Mixmaster. It is still an excellent choice for the everyday cook. The are durable, long-lasting brand.

Hamilton Beach Blenders

mixers — Mon, 31 Jan 2011 23:32:06 +0000

Hamilton Beach blenders are top of the line for a great drink mixer. All varieties have power to do the job. They range from 175 watts in the smallest blenders up to 1/2 horse power in the bigger models. The come with stainless steel blades that can cut through food and ice. They are durable and come with a parts and labor warranty. Take a look at the models below and choose one or more that suits your needs. Happy mixing for years to come.

Best Blender for Smoothies

mixers — Mon, 31 Jan 2011 23:26:10 +0000

The best smoothies are of course smooth, creamy and full of fruit or vegetables or both. To achieve this ultimate pleasure you must have the best blender for smoothies, which you can find here. Look here for Hamilton Beach Blenders. Other brands are shown below.

When looking for the best blender for smoothies make sure you consider the size or capacity, the horse power or wattage, the warranty, the durability, the material used and the ease of cleaning.

I would recommend a commercial grade blender if you are going to use your blender often or need a large capacity. If you are making a smoothie for one person, an immersion blender could be used.

I would recommend the base and container be made of metal. Glass breaks, plastic cracks and picks up odors and metal is durable and does not break or crack. Metal containers are not always availble so a heavy glass can be durable and cleans well. Blades should be stainless steel and heavy. They will be breaking up ice and hard fruits and vegetables.

Look for a machine that comes apart for cleaning. Nothing is worse than having food and dairy stick to the blades and getting discovered later when you are ready to use your blender again.

Most machines come with a one-year or two-year warranty.

Electric Hand Mixer

mixers — Mon, 31 Jan 2011 23:20:12 +0000

When baking and mixing in the kitchen it is vital that the cook have the best electric hand mixer for the job. Stand mixers are best for most jobs in the kitchen. However, the electric hand mixer is convenient, light-weight, portable, uses less space and is cheaper than the stand mixer. You might want to use an electric hand mixer for mixing a cake, whipping egg whites or cream or for thoroughly blending two or more ingredients. If the job is going to take a long time or if the mixture is thick or heavy, a stand mixture would be a better option.

This Viking is built tough for professional chefs with 250 watts of power and two sets of beaters for light and heavy jobs.

Viking Professional Series Digital Hand Mixer, Metallic Silver

The Viking Professional Hand Mixer marries ergonomic design with heavy-duty performance. The 250-watt motor delivers enough muscle to handle anything from the fluffiest meringue to the thickest oatmeal cookie dough. The digital model features touch control of 5 speeds. Features: Heavy Duty 250-watt Motor: A versatile range of speeds and a 250-watt motor go from delicate to vigorous at the touch of a thumb. Easy-winding Cord Storage: Extra long 5-foot power cord allows freedom to move around the countertop and the easy-wind cord storage provides storage for the power cord while the unit is not in use. Ergonomic Handle Design: Ergonomic handle design provides maximum comfort while mixing. Stainless Steel Beaters: Set of two, dishwasher-safe, heavy-gauge, stainless steel beaters conquer any batter and clean easily for the next round of baking.

Kitchen Aid is a wonderful name brand electric hand mixer. This is one comes in several colors.

KitchenAid Ultra Power Plus Hand Mixer, Black

Burt Wolf, award-winning and highly-respected journalist, has tested and approves this product. Following are his comments: KitchenAid is the expert when it comes to mixing, and this hand mixer upholds the family reputation. Strong, but lightweight, it is also quiet during operation. The smooth touch controls are on the handle and the digital display is large and easy to read. An electronic sensor automatically adjusts power for a steady, consistent speed in any mixture, it had no problem mixing stiff chocolate chip cookie dough, and the “Soft Start” feature eliminated spattering. The ergonomically designed handle is comfortable and the heel rest is wide and stable. The beaters release with a touch of the oversized ejection button.

Here are two Cuisinart brand electric hand mixers in two different speeds. The more speeds, the powerful the mixer is.

Cuisinart 7-Speed Advantage Power Hand Mixer, White

The Cuisinart Power Advantage 7-Speed Hand Mixer flawlessly and easily mixes even the heaviest ingredients. From dense cookie dough to whipped cream, the powerful motor with automatic feedback can perform any mixing task. And the precision touchpad with digital display shifts speeds with just one touch! Features Include: • 220 watts of power with automatic feedback • Chrome-plated Cuisinart logo band • SmoothStart® feature with 3 low mixing speeds eliminating splattering • One-step power switch with 7-speed LED display • Easy-to-use speed control and beater eject lever • Swivel cord for right-handed or left-handed use • Extra-long self cleaning beaters with no center posts • Professional chef’s whisk and spatula • Instruction and recipe book included • Limited 3-year warranty

For an affordable, durable electric hand mixer, purchase the Black and Decker one shown here. I have had great success with Black and Decker.