amyable Posted January 10, 2012 Share Posted January 10, 2012 (edited) Help me decide what to buy and or give away around here. We have a kitchen with too little cabinet/counter space for all I want/need in the kitchen. I want to purchase 1 or 2 items to take the place of several things we have. My (*sniff, sniff*) 40 year old Osterizer blender is dying and dh said I can buy something "major league" to replace it. I had been looking into getting a Bosch mixer with the blender attachment, because I wanted to home bake large amounts of bread, make cookies, etc, but now we are going gluten free and I don't know if I will need that level for the non-gluten breads I may or may not make. :tongue_smilie: They also have a food processor attachment that I think I would like - dh has a real phobia about knifes so I have *one* paring knife that I do everything with - I'd love to just shove a carrot in and *chop chop chop* be done, YWIM? I've been looking into the vitamix also. It doesn't have all those attachments but I know I could do without them. It would just be nice to have them. :) I'd love to be able to get rid of my juicer (which is used, but infrequently) and my grain mill (ditto) if one of these could do the job of those two things. We make smoothies much more than juicing - someone mentioned pureeing foods in the mixer and then straining and that is like juicing? Does that work for any of you? Does anyone know if you can grind grain (probably for rice, nut, or legume flours) in the bosch blender attachment? Do the non-gluten grains work OK in the vitamix? One final question - if you have a kitchen mixer (any kind) do you still need an electric hand mixer? (like one of these?) The more I can get rid of, while still doing what I need, the better. Thanks for any thoughts on this! I don't know anyone that has *any* of these things in person! Edited January 10, 2012 by amyable Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Amber in AUS Posted January 10, 2012 Share Posted January 10, 2012 Get a Thermomix!!! I have it on my counter, it grinds grains, makes juice, like Boost Juice, cooks soup, grates cheese, steams veggies, makes dough for bread, pizza etc. it is simply the best kitchen machine I have ever owned! I use it multiple times a day. Since getting it I've given away my bread maker, stand mixer, my food processor died and I wasn't that big on other appliances anyway. I use Thermy and my kettle, that's it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lara in Colo Posted January 10, 2012 Share Posted January 10, 2012 Get a Thermomix!!! I have it on my counter, it grinds grains, makes juice, like Boost Juice, cooks soup, grates cheese, steams veggies, makes dough for bread, pizza etc. it is simply the best kitchen machine I have ever owned! I use it multiple times a day. Since getting it I've given away my bread maker, stand mixer, my food processor died and I wasn't that big on other appliances anyway. I use Thermy and my kettle, that's it. OK now I want one-- (they are 1400.00--Yikes) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kewb Posted January 10, 2012 Share Posted January 10, 2012 Now I want a thermomix but they are currently not available in the US. Probably a good thing since I don't really have $1400 laying around waiting for something to do. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
amyable Posted January 11, 2012 Author Share Posted January 11, 2012 Now I want a thermomix but they are currently not available in the US. Probably a good thing since I don't really have $1400 laying around waiting for something to do. :iagree: Looks great though. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ellie Posted January 11, 2012 Share Posted January 11, 2012 I had been looking into getting a Bosch mixer with the blender attachment, because I wanted to home bake large amounts of bread, make cookies, etc, but now we are going gluten free and I don't know if I will need that level for the non-gluten breads I may or may not make. :tongue_smilie: They also have a food processor attachment that I think I would like - dh has a real phobia about knifes so I have *one* paring knife that I do everything with - I'd love to just shove a carrot in and *chop chop chop* be done, YWIM? I have the Bosch with a blender and a food processor. The only thing with the food processor is that you must take the whole contraption off the Bosch base to open it and put food in/take food out. That might bug some people, but I'm ok with it. I'd love to be able to get rid of my juicer (which is used, but infrequently) and my grain mill (ditto) if one of these could do the job of those two things. We make smoothies much more than juicing - someone mentioned pureeing foods in the mixer and then straining and that is like juicing? Does that work for any of you? That sure seems like it would be a pain in the patooty. There is a juicer attachment for the Bosch, though. Does anyone know if you can grind grain (probably for rice, nut, or legume flours) in the Bosch blender attachment? I think you really need a grain mill to make flour. The blender will *crack* grain, but I don't think that will be fine enough for flour. But guess what? There's a grain mill attachment for the Bosch. :) One final question - if you have a kitchen mixer (any kind) do you still need an electric hand mixer? (like one of these?) The more I can get rid of, while still doing what I need, the better. I still use mine occasionally for smaller amounts of whipped cream, smashing potatoes while they're still in the pan, stuff like that. Thanks for any thoughts on this! I don't know anyone that has *any* of these things in person! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Denisemomof4 Posted January 11, 2012 Share Posted January 11, 2012 you can buy an attachment for the Bosch to roll oats, but I don't know that it would be a good machine to actually grind grains. How about storing your wheat grinder in the garage and bring it into the kitchen when you need to use it? I know there are a lot of people here who love the Vitamix, but honestly, I had one for over 15 years and don't plan to replace it. I only used it for making smoothies. I've never made green smoothies before but have started recently, and I just use the blender on my Bosch. It's working fine so far, and I'm wondering if I'd be wasting money to buy another blender to keep out. The Thermomix looks awesome, but I only looked at the picture and did no reading. On purpose. :D Then I saw someone said it cost $1400??!!! I'm thankful for my memory issues on this. I hope I won't remember that name by the time I wake up tomorrow.:001_huh:;) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Amber in AUS Posted January 11, 2012 Share Posted January 11, 2012 I thought they had just come out there. I'm sure i saw it on their website. Hmm, will take a look. I paid closer to $2,000 for mine, $1400 is pretty good and it is your one stop shop as far as kitchen appliances go! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Amber in AUS Posted January 11, 2012 Share Posted January 11, 2012 This site says they have service people so one would assume you can buy from one of them too?? I am sure i read somewhere that they had recently been released in the US, but maybe i'm wrong. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ellie Posted January 11, 2012 Share Posted January 11, 2012 you can buy an attachment for the Bosch to roll oats, but I don't know that it would be a good machine to actually grind grains. How about storing your wheat grinder in the garage and bring it into the kitchen when you need to use it? Note that I posted that Bosch has a grain mill attachment. :-) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mynyel Posted January 11, 2012 Share Posted January 11, 2012 (edited) I have a Vitamix. I laid down the dough even though I seriously had my doubts about it. I watched videos and looked at comparisons and everything. Youtube is your friend. Anyway, a vita will make flour. It will make pastry fine flour. I haven't used it for flour yet as I still have 25 pounds of flour left. You can make bread dough in it. Again I haven't tried it but I won't. It seems a bit of a pita and I like making bread. It is cathartic for me :D. What I have done is make smoothies, mayo, peanut butter, grated cheese, soup, ground up nuts for baklava, minced garlic, chopped (onions, carrots and celery), ice cream, and pesto. I also took whole allspice kernels and ground them into ground allspice with it, also ground cinnamon out of cinnamon sticks. The only thing it doesn't do that I wish I could make it :D is slice. I would like sliced potato for au gratin, sliced carrots for dinner and sliced cheese for sandwiches! ETA: Even though the Vitamix website has a grain carafe you don't technically need it to make flour. They recommend it because it will cloud the carafe. Meh, big deal to me. As soon as I am out of flour I will be buying grain and trying it out. I can't wait to see how bread tastes with fresh ground flour! Edited January 11, 2012 by Mynyel Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Heidi Posted January 11, 2012 Share Posted January 11, 2012 I don't like the vitamix for grinding flour, and I do have the dry blade blender. I would get the bosch for what you are looking for, with its various attachments. I do like the bosch mill. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jennsmile Posted January 11, 2012 Share Posted January 11, 2012 I use my vitamix dry container for flour. I love it. I have even sold the bread I bake. My friend uses it for gluten free grains and legumes to make her flours. Off to look at the thermomix... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jennsmile Posted January 11, 2012 Share Posted January 11, 2012 Okay anybody have this? http://www.kenwoodworld.com/en-au/kenwoodCookingChef/Home1/ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
amyable Posted January 11, 2012 Author Share Posted January 11, 2012 (edited) Okay anybody have this? http://www.kenwoodworld.com/en-au/kenwoodCookingChef/Home1/ That looks like another good one. It even has "planetary mixing action" :D Is Kenwood a good name in anything? Maybe some compassionate soul will see that I have a blog and offer me one of each to review. You know, for my 12 readers. :lol: Thanks for your thoughts everyone ... keep 'em coming! (ETA: explaining my storage problems - it isn't just that we don't have room in the kitchen, we have no garage and are about to put a 4th bedroom in the downstairs of our split foyer, eliminating the last of my storage) Edited January 11, 2012 by amyable Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Amber in AUS Posted January 11, 2012 Share Posted January 11, 2012 I've read good reviews on the Kenwood from people who have used Thermomix too. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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