My trusty Kitchen Aid – how would it compare?
I recently decided to try out the Kenwood Chef against my beloved Kitchen Aid to see how I thought the two machines would compare. I was really keen to give this a go.
The Kenwood Chef Titanium
Kitchen Aid stand mixers seem to be so popular and have been for many years. They are a lifestyle choice for so many people. What does it say about you and your kitchen to have a snazzy top of the range mixer permanently gracing your kitchen counter? Sounds silly, but I think lots of people see it this way – they can’t be taken seriously as a keen home cook without one, perhaps? I have to say though; they are a complete lifesaver for professional bakers and keen cooks just like me. The stand mixer has completely revolutionized the way I cook, which has been great for me and so many others. Hands free cake and bread making really does speed up the amount of time spent in the kitchen, and especially if, like me, you are in there all day most days, that can make such a difference to your day.
Prejudices well and truly cast aside, I set about choosing my recipe. I was really in the mood for some good granary bread, so here is the recipe I used:
Granary loaf
Makes 1 loaf
Ingredients:
- 500g Organic granary bread flour
- 1 tsp. salt
- 1 tsp. yeast
- 1 tsp. sugar
- 300ml warm water
- 2 tsp. sunflower oil
Method:
1) Preheat the oven to 200C
2) Place all the dry ingredients in the bowl of the stand mixer
3) Whisk the oil into the water
4) Pour the water into the bowl of the stand mixer and mix with the dough hook on the stand mixer to combine. I set both machines to run on speed 2 until all the flour was worked into the dough
The Kitchen Aid in Action
The Kenwood in action
5) Leave the dough to rise in a warm place for an hour, in the mixer bowl, covered with cling film
The Kitchen Aid dough ready to be left to rise
The Kenwood dough ready to rise
6) After an hour, place the bowls back onto the stand mixers and knead the dough on speed 2 for 5 minutes
7) Then cover the dough again and leave for 30 minutes to rise
8) Transfer the dough to a lightly oiled baking sheet and shape. I made mine into cottage loaves with one ball placed on top of the dough, and a hole pressed through the centre using a chunky wooden spoon handle.
The cottage loaves, ready to be baked
9) Bake for 40 minutes
The loaves, fresh from the oven
Here are my observations:
- The Kenwood’s motor does seem more robust. My Kitchen Aid does sound and feel a bit clunky. Although it is a very heavy machine, it does feel as though the motor is not as robust as you may imagine for such a solid machine. I felt as though I could turn the Kenwood up higher without worrying it might break, which I do with the Kitchen Aid
- The splash guard for the Kenwood does come with a flap, which you are able to open and close whilst adding additional ingredients to the mixer whilst the motor is running. The splash guard is an invaluable feature of the Kitchen Aid, particularly when working with lots of flour or icing sugar, as it does tend to coat everything else in the kitchen even with the splash guard on, so I like this idea.
- The attachments for the Kenwood feel really robust and are slightly easier to attach to the machine than with the Kitchen Aid
- I found the Kitchen Aid slightly easier to clean, as there are fewer nooks and crannies to get muck into when baking
- The Kenwood did appear to work slightly harder than the kitchen aid, and worked the dough more quickly, even though visually both mixers appeared to be working at the same speed
- I remain convinced that the Kitchen Aid is the most visually attractive mixer. Given the frequency of use in my home and the weight of the machine, I always keep it out on the work surface, and I have to say, the Kitchen Aid looks more attractive to me.
For me, there really was very little difference in how the machines performed. I hate to sit on the fence so to speak, but the differences were so minor, it really comes down to which machine you think would work better for you.
The finished loaf – Kitchen Aid
The Kenwood loaf
In terms of taste and texture, both breads came out pretty much the same. I clearly did not make my cottage loaves in the correct proportions given the topple factor, however, I would give the edge to Kenwood – the flavour and texture are ever so slightly nicer. I used the exact same ingredients for both loaves and baked them on the same shelf of the oven simultaneously.
The one big difference though, is cost. I should add that the Kenwood Chef does come with other attachments too, it is not just a stand mixer, so it does all sorts of jobs you could not do with the Kitchen Aid. Where I have two or three machines, you only need one with the Kenwood.
So, what do you think? Which machine do you use, if any, and which one do you prefer?
Here are the prices and links to the websites I have used to compare the price of the machines:
Kitchen Aid £429.95
Kenwood £349
I should add that since I tested the machines, I spent three months at Ballymaloe Cookery School on the Certificate Course. There, they use Kenwoods, and I used them regularly throughout my time their. My feeling is that the motor on the Kenwood is much stronger and powerful, but the Kitchen Aid is easier to use – I prefer the controls to set the speed and the latch to lift on the Kitchen Aid.
I have both machines and prefer Kitchen Aid for all baking. Only disappointment has been making bread – I have never been pleased with results. Your photos have made me want to try again!
It’s fascinating to hear who likes what! I struggled with foccaccia in the KA. I have found Dan Lepard’s breads very successful in the KA with several kneads at intervals. I would recommend you try one of his recipes to start with. Good luck!!
Charlotte, I have the 1500w KM020 Major Titanium, so mine is a bit larger than the one you tested. I weighed up pros & cons for a while before I bought mine. Reputation, price, longevity & versatility win the day over trendy looks & less power. Best money I ever spent!
Thanks for a great review.
Rosie
xxx
Thank you Rosie – great to hear you are happy with your machine!!
Hi! Im am about to bye it.. Is it too big For a simple cake??
I have the 1500w KM020 Major Titanium, so mine is a bit larger than the one you tested. I weighed up pros & cons for a while before I bought mine. Reputation, price, longevity & versatility win the day over trendy looks & less power. Best money I ever spent!
Thanks for a great review.
Rosie
xxx
I have a Kitchen Aid and a Kenwood Chef Major and would choose the Kenwood every time. I agree that the Kitchen Aid is way prettier but the Kenwood beats it in pretty much every other way.
Thanks Amy that’s really interesting to hear!
I feel the same way, Kenwood is king.
Which is the quieter? My wife’s Chef (about 10 years old and I assume the classic is so noisy it is a total conversation killer and you have to go and watch another tv! I hope Kenwood have introduced a much quieter motor now.
I’m not sure there is too much in it, I’m afraid, Charles!
Thanks, I think we will stick with our somewhat noise Kenwood then!
I would if I were you, Charles!
Hi Charlotte,
I feel like you on this in that I really don’t think there’s much in it between the KA & Kenwood.
I have a KA at home but have always used Kenwood’s at work in a professional kitchen.
Both have withstood serious amounts of work as well as being manhandled by many inexperienced kitchen helpers. They both come up trumps for me!
Also, think the KA aesthetics would sway me if I ever have to buy another one. But, I have had it for about 15 years and it is still good as new 🙂
Thanks Laura that’s interesting seems as though most people say Kenwood =pro quality & KA at home!
Thanks for this hugely informative post Charlotte! I’m currently debating whether to buy a Kenwood or a KitchenAid to inspire me to test out more recipes (especially baking), so it was great to get your verdict on the various benefits of the two different machines. I still think that I’m leaning towards the KitchenAid despite the extra cost, purely for reasons of vanity…!
Thank you, glad you’ve found it useful. What colour might you go for?!
Plumberry
I have had a Kenwood for 50yrs (2 models over that time, my mother had one too) and am looking for a replacement. It is a dilemma. Seriously considering a KA, my son is a chef and thinks it’s great. Now, reading this I’m in a dilemma again. The Kenwood has been a great machine, still is in fact except for a few minor things. I love the look of the KA but the Kenwood new models have some great colours now. I have a beautiful new kitchen in the most gorgeous strong glossy blue and the Plumberry KA would look fabulous.
Important considerations, Iris! Best, Charlotte
Remember “style over substance” !
Go for the machine that will last another 50 years rather than the pretty one that won’t match your next kitchen (if it’s still around).
As an aside, I saw mention that, as a stunt, someone used the 1,500W motor from a Kenwood as a car winch. Try that with the motor from a KA.
That’s quite a story Peter :-). I had a good look at the new Kenwoods yesterday and was surprised (disappointed) to see the K beater has what I thought initially was one plastic blade on one side, but I now think it was probably rubber, I hope. I have an aversion to plastic. I am guessing it’s to assist in not having to scrape the bowl as often? Has anyone experienced this?
I have a vintage Kenwood which I purchased from a charity shop and prefer it over the new kitchen aid I purchased so much that I gave the KA to my friend. I’m a complete kenwood convert!
That’s great to know, thank you!
Charlotte what a great post.
I have a 12 year old Kitchen Aid here in the UK and love it, it does everything well and as my kitchen is tiny, it does have that bonus you mentioned, of looking lovely on the work top.
In France I have a Kenwood, which I use mainly for bread and mayonnaise. It’s also good. I chose it on price as it was that much cheaper and I only use it for about 10-12 weeks of the year.
So I like others have said I love both machines.
Thanks Jude, very interesting to hear you have both. It’s fascinating hearing people’s opinions! What colour KA do you have?!
I like this post Charlotte, makes for interesting reading. I love my Kitchen Aid and it is used daily for making bread. I am not so convinced about cake batter though as I have to keep scraping the sides with a spatula so I always use my hand held mixer for cakes, which seems a shame. Do you have the same problem or do I have my whisk level set wrong. I notice that the Barefoot Contessa does a lot of scraping with her KA too.
Hi Kath, thanks so much for stopping by! I found I needed to do a lot more scraping down with the Kenwood than with the Kitchen Aid. Perhaps this was due to the type of beater I was using (the flexible paddle on the Kenwood). It may be worth investigating the whisk level?
This is really interesting. I am thinking of buying the KA but am swayed given that the Kenwood is cheaper. The only other factor would be the after sales service and warranty that would make the difference.
Hi Kay, lovely to hear fro you! The Kenwood does do a lot more than the Kitchen Aid if you are after a multi-purpose machine. I do have to say though, in my experience, Kenwood are FAR better in terms of customer service.
It is a really intersting post Charlotte.
We did a mixer off with Vanessa last year. http://fussfreeflavours.com/2011/03/the-great-live-radio-mixer-off-challenge/
And in our vaguely unscientific test hand-held did better for egg whites and the KA for the fairy cakes.
I would think that generally the mixer you are used to probably will perform better for you.
I also admit I am biased as my K-mix was a review present from the PR company.
Any stand mixer is better than none – I love Fifi La Firecracker – whilst she mixes, I can tidy up.
At the moment the K-Mix does not have a beater blade so you do need to scrape the bowl down.
I love the line of the K-Mix – sleek and simple with the funky stripes.
The Kenwoods cut out when you lift the arm – the KA’s keep going – splatting the entire kitchen with batter!
Kenwood is a British company
I believe (from somewhere) the Kenwood gearing is different so more power is delivered directly to the shaft.
The first time I used either I found it far easier to change the tool on the Kenwood.
I covert the pyrex bowl on the KA.
Any stand mixer is not worth using if you are only making a 1 egg batter.
The fold function on the K-Mix is fantastic.
Thank you so much for sharing your thoughts, Helen. It’s great to see your review too. You have raised some very interesting points which had not occurred to me.
Fifi La Firecracker is a very attractive machine, too. I love the stripes. Although, like you, I do rather fancy the pyrex bowl for the KA. They started to offer them free the WEEK AFTER I bought mine. Typical!
There are so many kitchen aids that we can choose from. i always prefer to use stainless steel kitchen aids. ,
Very latest article straight from our very own online site
http://www.prettygoddess.com
I have a stainless steel bowl, but would rather like one of the glass ones, too for the Kitchen Aid!
Thanks for everyone’s GREAT comments and for your review, Charlotte. I have a Kenwood Chef A901 which I have owned since mid-70’s and love it. It has been used LOTS but is sounding a bit tired these days. I have been coveting a KitchenAid (Red) to match my red Hobart (20 litre) commercial mixer but after reading several posts about comparisons and manufacturers/retailers of these units, I think I might just stick with my Kenwood and have it serviced if it does break down.
Thank you Linda! I was really interested to put the two to the test!
We have had Kenwoods since the 70’s selling them in far away places when we have returned home from a contract – a Kenwood is pure cash in far away places!! now had a Major PM 900 for the past 14 years or so mainly for bread making but also for everything else a Kenwood is so good at – spare parts are a doddle – changing the belt drive is easy and you have the confidence of a British company – my son and his wife have a KA – sexy but Kenwood all the way!!!
Hi, I have had my Kenwood for 30 years. Been serviced once and still going strong. Recently, I wanted to purchase the Kitchen Aid purely for aesthetic reasons and it seems so strong and solid but after reviewing this thread, I think the strength of motor is far more important. I don’t think any KA will last as long as some of these Kenwoods xx
Thank you, Wendy. I know what you mean. That seems to be the general feedback. Happy baking! Charlotte
I think you’ve made the right decision. I am in the USA and we’ve had KitchenAid forever over here. My grandfather’s KA bought back in the early 1980’s is still going strong, it’s a workhorse and fantastic… and the KA I got in the mid-90’s is plodding along as well (although I only use it for light duty due to it’s lack of power). A large KA I got in the early 00’s is a mess, it jiggles all over the place and feels very unstable and leaks oil/grease, in addition to bits of it falling off (namely the protective metal ring around when the beaters go in). I bought a Kenwood Cooking Chef at the behest of my British husband and haven’t looked back, it can handle anything I throw at it and the motor is much more powerful than any of my KAs. KitchenAid is for sale all over the place in the States now and the mass production shows in the quality, you can even get them at WalMart (UK Asda) for cheap. If you just want to make cookies every once in a while and have it sit on your counter and look pretty then a KA is fine, but if you want to use it for bread or heavy doughs then KA is, as my hubby would say, “pants”!
I wish to purchase a mixer/processor, and having read around the subject had no idea whether to go for a Kenwood or a KitchenAid. Having read your practical and useful article at least now I have the confidence to know that either would do a good job. Guess its down to aesthetics, cost and feel. I am going to the BBC Good Food Show in the UK tomorrow, and I know Kenwood have a stand. Time for some hands on experience….
Thank you for your comment, Andrew, that’s great to hear. Good luck at the Good Food Show and please do let me know what you get in the end!
I am a single dad looking at buying a good mixer, I have thought that i would like a Kitchen Aid. Now, I am not sure. Kenwood may be the way to go! Although my children like the idea of an ice cream attachment.
Thanks Darren. Yes, perhaps a Kenwood might be best. You can always get an ice cream machine too!
Kenwood do a good ice cream attachment for the chef and major machines. They also do a potato pealer, a mincer, a juicer, a grinder, a high speed shreader, a pasta maker………… and you can get a nice glass bowl.
To be candid IMHO anything KA can do Kenwood can do better. They are better built, have better customer service and come at a better price. The only thing KA have is they are prettier but then mine sits under a nice pretty cover when not in use to keep it clean so looks don`t matter to much to me.
Barry, I completely agree with you except the potato peeler (AT445) now appears to be out of production.
http://www.kenwoodworld.com/uk/products/food-mixers/chef-major-attachments/potato-peeler—at445—awat445001
First used a Kenwood in the 60’s which belonged to my gran. I have had 3 now of varying ages from a 50’s model to my current one, when we moved to Canada I had to give my Kenwood to my sister-in-law. I bought a Kitchen Aid when we moved to Canada but for me it simply didn’t compare to my Kenwood. So happy when I could get one here. If I could only have one machine in the kitchen that would be it.
Hi Liz, many thanks for your comment -really interesting to hear your thoughts!
I found this discussion really interesting. When my Kenwood Major died after 30 years. I thought I would get a nice looking Kitchen Aid Artisan. What a big mistake, it is not quite three years old, have not used it as often as I used the Major, (the kids have grown up and left home, so not needed so much) I have made sausages twice, and a few cakes, not even bread dough, as I still make this by hand, or in the bread maker. the gears broke on the Kitchen Aid when I had the makings for a small steam sponge pudding in it. I am getting it repaired, and going to sell it, to buy. another Kenwood Major. The Kitchen Aid is very pretty, but not man enough for the job.
Thanks for your comment Jeanne. It seems you are not the only one to experience difficulties with the Kitchen Aid. Mine is still going OK, but I am wondering for how much longer!
Interesting article. I have a 40 year old Kenwood Chef Major which I’ve rebuilt a couple of times, but which I think is coming to the end of its useful life. So I’m looking to replace it and try to do a deal by purchasing a second one for my daughter’s wedding in a few months. I regularly use the Chef for bread making, starting with 1.5kg of flour. and it seems to cope. My research is between the Kenwood KM020 (or KM023 megapack) Chef Major Titanium and the 6.9L KA. These are the big bothers of the machines you tested.
As a long time owner, I’m highly biased towards Kenwood, but trying to take a rational view. The KA’s main advantage is the range of colours and possibly it’s styling. After that the Kenwood seems to win on most counts from price (in the UK) to reliability. If Amazon star ratings are anything to go by the Kenwood gets nothing but 5 and a single 4 star whilst on the USA site the KA does get 1200+ 5* but worryingly 200+ 1* reviews.
I subscribe to the Fresh Loaf baking site http://www.thefreshloaf.com/ and there are quite a few reports of various KAs failing quite quickly when used regularly for bread dough.
I’m also confused as to the actual power of the big KA. On their site its headline power is quotes as 1.3HP (roughly 1,000 watts) but in the fine print it says 0.44HP motor (about 330 watts) in one place and 575 watts in another. The Kenwood is always given as 1,500 watts.
Thank you Peter – very interesting to read.
Try as I might, I could not persuade my daughter to the Kenwood option. It was IMHO a triumph of fashion over substance. But we went ahead anyway. I did a deal on a Kenwood KMM020 for me with a £500 price match at John Lewis and bought the KA for her at a discount of about £50 + a set of knives and the current free bowl offer from Go Electrical. The Kenwood arrived 2 days ago and I’ve already made 12 loaves, the KA arrived a few minutes ago. Everybody’s happy.
Thanks for your comment Peter – great to hear this!
I’ve started a new discussion about the Titanium, its good and bad points, over on
http://www.thefreshloaf.com/node/32930/got-my-new-kenwood-chef-titanium
You might be interested. I would appreciate your comments on dough climb. Did you experience it with either of the two mixers you tested?
Great, thank you for sharing!
I do bake quite a lot of bread, but haven’t really experienced any problems with dough climb I’m afraid.
Dear Charlotte,
Thank you very much for your beautiful post,it worked very much for me.
To buy a KITCHEN AID was my dream when i get married,now i am about to engaged,started searching for KA and suddenly i saw your post.Kenwood may be good
as well but KA is a way charming as you said.Probably i will buy KA, but i am trying to
find the purple colored one,i am not sure is there any in here Istanbul , Turkiye.
In every shop there is only red one.Which colors do you have in USA?
Thank you very much again,i will keep following your nice blog.
Thank you for your comment Dilara. I am in the UK and we have a huge range of colours, although I went for cream. I know you can get purple here – is there any way you could order one online? Good luck with your KA search, and your wedding.
Best, Charlotte
Thank you very much,
Very nice to hearing from you:)
Thank YOU – I always love to hear from my readers : )
Sorry i mean England.
Hi Charlotte,
Thank for the review! I have choose Kenwood KM020 because I have reading many articles about best mixer in the market. Especially kitchenables review (http://www.kitchenables.co.uk/) effect my decision. They have published the best mixer list and in that list Kitchen aid not avaible. But I know Kitchen aid is a leader for many peoples but when I’m thinking over all performance Kenwood is one step ahead.
Thanks for this – good to hear!
Great review. I have a kenwood the model below the one you tested.
I decided to buy a KW as it was cheaper than the KA but I would of loved a KA because like many of you I think its much prettier to leave out on the side, I put my kenwood away everytime as I think its very vintage looking :/
I am however now considerig buying a KA as I spend more time scrapping down the sides when i use butter in it than anything and it drives me insane, also nearly a year on it does sound like its begining to wear as the motor sound a lttle clunky, so I am concerned I have worked it too hard :/ lets hope thats not the case.
Thanks for your comment Dawn – very interesting to hear. Fingers crossed you haven’t worked your machine too hard!
I was glad to see you felt you the Kitchen Aid was a bit weak and clunky. I have had a Kenwood for years nd my partner convinced me to get the “red” kitchen aid for the look!
When I first used it I thought it was weak and clunky also and was a bit scared to crank it up. I am a heavy user of my cake mixer so was cautious. Believe it or not my Kitchen Aid Delux (has the bigger motor) died. It sheared its bearings within six months of use. It was fixed under warranty, no problems, but I definately know from experience the Kenwood is stronger, however the kitchen looks better. If only Kewood came out with a retro of their original shape in all the colors of the rainbow…..
Great Blog. Thanks
Thanks for your comment Andrew. I was interested to read this and am a bit concerned I am on borrowed time with my Kitchen Aid….
Is the K-Mix as good? It’s got the retro look and lovely colours…
I’m trying to figure out which machine to buy and the merits of both. I have seen here in France a Kenwood 4.5litre with 3 beaters/dough hook& food processor attachment 900watts for €160 euros on special. Wondering if that motor is powerful enough.
Any thoughts on that appreciated.
Merci.
Which model have you seen on offer? I believe all the standard machines come with a 4.5/4.6 litre bowl. The cheapest new machine in a Google search in the UK is the 4.6 litre KM336 at £199. This model and all similar standard machines are specified with an 800W motor, so maybe 900 is a misprint. It sounds as if you have a bargain there at 160 euros.
The power of the motor you need is always dependent on what you are going to mix, but, provided you keep within the maximum quantities in the handbook, the Kenwood motors should be fine. I know they are now made in China, but the old UK made ones can last up to 40 years or more.
There is even a company that will completely refurbish your ancient Kenwood and bring it back to “as new” condition with a new enamel (paint) job in the colour of your choice.
Thanks for your advise Peter. Checked and it was the Kenwood PROSPERO (KM283) and on closer inspection of the machine it said on the label 700W. why then put 800W on the box.? Will 100w difference make that much difference. Its just that I like the price but want a reasonable powerful machine.
Karen,
No, 100W is not going to make any perceptible difference. It’s just shy of 1HP whilst 800W is just over. More than enough power to mix a bowl of cake mix! If you read my post here on the 19th March the KA is (possibly) considerably less powerful yet reckoned by most devotees to be up for anything.
Thanks for that Peter. Have made my decision.
A great and informative article/blog Charlotte. Brilliant.
Thank you Karen – hope you have found it of some use!
I’ve been given money for my birthday by family and now have enough to buy a mixer … so research has been going on for 6 months and I’m still undecided! I think you’re right though, I really do want the ‘status symbol’ of the Kitchenaid. The Kenwood seems so much better though … but where would I store all the extra stuff???
I think I’d always wish I’d bought the Kitchenaid even if it’s not really as good as the Kenwood … I blame The great British bakeoff!
No comparison for me. In the department store, the Kenwoods were ugly and rickety looking upon close inspection. I opted for an Almond Cream Kitchenaid Mixer and I haven’t regretted it for a minute. Heavy, sturdy but absolutely stunning to look at in the kitchen- you won’t want to hide it away in a cupboard to keep lifting out anyway. Everybody who comes into my home comments on it. But even more importantly, it has passed every challenge I have thrown at it. Best pavlova I have ever made, perfect Victoria Sponge, corn muffins, chantilly cream, biscuits and creamed potatoes. Bread to try next. I’d recommend the Kitchenaid completely for practically AND looks. Very easy to clean too. I wouldn’t swap it for ten Kenwoods.
Interesting that the Kenwood used in the trial is not the larger motor version which is a more comparable mixer to the Kitchenaid.
Indeed the larger model Kenwood Major has a more powerful motor capable of producing bread, pastry and biscotti doughs with ease.
I have used both the Kitchenaid and the Kenwood Major in a commercial situation and have found the Kenwood far more reliable with greater mixing capacity.
The Kitchenaid does look more commercial mimicking a mini Hobart but for production purposes, the largest model Kenwood Major designed to be used in a commercial kitchen is by far the best choice.
Better still go the extra mile and purchase a 5kg Hobart. Even a second hand machine will outplay all the domestic machines on the market!
I’m afraid I had no choice over the model used – it was a loan from Kenwood.
Hi,
I am om my second Kenwood chef. Had the first for over 40 years and apart from changing the brushes now and again it has been faultless, my latest chef was a birthday present from my youngest daughter.
I bake at least 8 x 1lb loaves per week as well as all kinds of fancy breads, doughnuts bagels, pizzas and even harvest bread for the local church. When my two girls were in primary school I used it to supply 100 plus loaves for the school to sell to raise funds at the school fairs. I don’t use many of the attachments although I do use the blender for blending homemade soups.
As far as I know the kitchen aid only became widely available in the UK when TV celebrity chefs started using them and I believe thats why they have become popular.
The Kenwood chef is not as retro and it might not look as pretty on your worktop however it has been in every serious cooks kitchen the UK since the 1940’s and I would only swap mine for a Kenwood Major and only then if I needed the extra bowl capacity.
They are fantastic machines and British to boot, why buy anything else?
Great to read this, Dave. Glad you’ve had years of service from your machine!
I would prefer KitchenAid since I have read so many good things about it and with your great post it helped me a lot to become more convince to get it. Thanks!
That’s great to hear Jude, many thanks for your comment!
I have found all this very interesting. I have had the same Kenwood Chef for 31 years and it still powers through – I think comments about the looks of the machines are very subjective – if you like the Retro look of the Kitchen Aid and certainly most other beaters are now copying this look and the varied colours to compete with the Kitchen Aid, then that is a personal choice, but from the comments above, from a functional point of view, it appears to me that Kenwood is the winner and if and when I replace mine. I believe the Kenwood will win – one of the bigger ones however or I might just as well stay with my old soldier.
Thank you for your comment, Kathy – very interesting!
Im in abit of a pickle, I know kenwood is a good name, my mother had hers years, think it had Noahs signature on it haha. I bought the 280series 11mths ago,mas I’ve started a little cake business, nothing major, to my horror whilst mixing butter, (very soft in this heat), the motor starting making an awful noise and in started smelling, luckily its still under warranty, but now Im not sure if I should upgrade to the 010, is this the best of the heavy duty, or should I try another brand?
Charlotte have you looked into a Thermomix? I am wondering whether it is suitable for large scale baking and worth the huge extra sum vs kenwood or KA? Would be very interested to hear any thoughts you have. Thanks
I haven’t looked at a Thermomix but would be very interested in doing so!
I would just like to say that I bought my Kenwood mixer in 1976 with my first pay packet and have used the machine regularly. Last year the brushes inside the matching gave up but I managed to find a shop to replace them. So all is well again. A wonderful, versatile machine, and I have just now decided to buy the icecream attachment which seems to have good views both on the John Lewis and Amazon sites.
Amazing! Money well spent Meg!
Hi,
thanks for this review. I am myself saving up to buy a machine. Could you tell me whether both machine can deal with small quantities? Eg beat 1-2 egg whites, or 100ml of cream? Cream 30g of butter and 70g of sugar?
Also when you mention that you have to scrape, does that mean that you stop the machine?
thanks for your help.
Hi Coralie, thanks for your comment. I use the Kitchen Aid for small amounts regularly and it works fine. You can also adjust the positioning of the beaters accordingly.
Also, you to have to stop the machine to scrape, you can’t do it with the machine running!
Yes, the Kenwood can handle small quantities as well.
I got my kenwood chef for a wedding present 26 years ago and still love it. It gets used at least 1-2 times per week from making cakes to pizza doughs. I am just looking at buying my youngest daughter one as she loves to bake like me. Just can’t go past the kenwood chef, excellent mixer.
Great to hear you have had such good use from your Kenwood Catherine!
Hi, thanks for the review. I received Kenwood chef titanium last March for my birthday present from my husband. Love it. I made cakes and icing with that. 3 weeks ago, I tried the machine for the first time for kneading dough. My kids love sweet little bread filled in with sausage or banana, or other filling. I used to make it with hands (manual). So, I do not know what to expect with Kenwood machine. With the cakes and icing, everything went smooth. But when kneading dough, the upper part of the machine was shaking. Making movement. I do not know what is acceptable and what is not. I made a video with our smartphone, but it is not really obvious in the video also due to the loud sounds of the kneading. I just sent email to Kenwood cust service, to ask if they can advice and they say, shaking when kneading dough is normal without asking to see the video. I was worry because I read a review from a lady who said that her was also shaking when kneading dough and it turned out to be a faulty and after replacement, it went very smooth when kneading dough. May I know how about your test? It is really smooth just like beating eggs and flour for cake and icing? Or was it also shaking (the upper part against the base where the connection is. The base is staying still on my kitchen top.
Thanks a lot! I will really appreciate it.
Hi, thank you for your comment. I had some movement whilst making the dough. Many thanks, Charlotte
A small amount of movement between the upper part and the base is usual when kneading heavy dough like bread. If you take hold of the top front of the machine (the bit with the slow speed outlet) you can move it slightly from side to side and see about 1mm movement between the top and the base where they join. My old Chef Major lost the locating pin between two parts (much more substantial on our new Titanium) and it really rocked! But it still worked OK for many years. I wouldn’t worry.
Thank you for sharing this Peter
Thank you Peter and Charllote for sharing. I was so worry because I have never kneaded dough using machine and have never seen a live demonstration of Kenwood Titanium (to knead dough). Especially after a comment from a friend who is a professional cake baker who also uses Kenwood Titanium that she does not dare to use the machine to knead dough because she worries that it will break.
With your comments that yours are also shaking/moving but it is still normal, give me some peace in heart. So, I can start to bake again.
Great news Josephine!
Hi Charlotte (and readers)
Having stumbled upon your review, i was wondering if i could get your opinion on the K-mix or the KA Classic stand mixer. I have been researching and i REALLY do not know what to get! I like them both and want to go with the best one, it is for casual baking and wont be used more than about 5 times a week i guess. Unfortuantely the KA Artisan is way off budget!
Hi Sarah, thank you for this. I am not sure there really is too much difference between the two, especially for the amount you’ll be using them. Kenwood do have a fantastic reputation for quality, where as I think the Kitchen Aids do look fab. I would have thought the Kenwood would last you longer, but the KA would look rather pretty in your kitchen (especially if like me, you will keep it out on the work surface!) I hope that’s some help! Please let me know what you choose! Charlotte
I am in Dallas TX USA and recently bought a Kenwood Cooking Chef – as far as I know Kenwood has just entered the US market (late 2012). This Kenwood is my fourth mixer (I am lucky to have a lot of storage space, and my British husband was very happy to plunk down the cash for the Kenwood since he grew up with them and he felt he was getting a quality product), I own the Kitchenaid Artisan (20 years) and the Kitchenaid Pro (10 years) , and bought the Breville Mixer about four months ago. My thoughts: I love my Kitchenaid Artisan, but it isn’t up to the task of heavy breadmaking; cakes other soft doughs are fine, but the capacity is small. The Kitchenaid Pro has been a disaster, it leaks oil constantly and the head wobbles, which are known problems but I’ve had it fixed twice and it keeps having the same issues, which I put down to poor manufacturing practices. The only attachments I have for that are paddle hook and the dough hook, which frankly aren’t that fabulous. The Breville has been a slight disappointment, the electronics on it are not as responsive as I would like and the machine smokes when I make heavy doughs, not a good sign – it becomes quite hot to the touch, I’m afraid it will burst into flames! The Kenwood I’ve not had long enough to have anything bad to say about, but it has handled a few heavy doughs much better than any of the others have and that is important to me… I also LOVE that I can use the heating element to assist in proofing, my house is very cool from air conditioning and it’s too hot to do proofing outside, so this machine is a great help.
If I had to rank the machines I would say 1) Kenwood 2)KA Artisan 2) Breville 4) KA Pro. It’s early days yes but that’s how I feel about it! If you’re just going to do cakes and cookie doughs then the Kitchenaid is beautiful and just fine, but for heavy-duty usage I think I’ll be using my Kenwood.
Which one will I keep on my kitchen counter? It will be my Kenwood, since it looks very different to the Kitchenaid, which is very prolific here and not that special any more. The KA Pro will also be out since I don’t have anywhere else to store it, but I may give it away since it’s my least favorite.
Thanks for reading, that’s just my two cents from across the pond!
Thanks to you both Charlotte and Elsa, your comments (and all the others too !) are so helpful. I want to buy mixer for my house in France and founded it impossible to choose between Kitchenaid pro and Kenwood Chef. After reading all this posts and as I have already been using a Kitchenaid artisan for more than 4 years now, I think I will go for the Kenwood Chef which matches better with my needs : daily loaf and heavy duty baking for a large family. KA Artisan is good looking and really a good assistant in the kitchen but KW looks stronger.
Thank you, it is so nice to find such reviews on the net.
Thank you Isabelle – glad it’s been of use. Good luck with your new mixer! Best, Charlotte
Hi Charlotte
Thanks for a great review. Have been mulling over a Kenwood vs KA. I grew up with a Kenwood in my mum’s kitchen. Happy memories of baking cakes. She had the same Kenwood till my daughter was 2 yrs old( her youngest of 9 grandkids then). I replaced her Kenwood. But for myself am swayed by KA’s aesthetics but balked at the cost. However your article has convinced me Kenwood is still the way to go.
Hi Rizalina, thanks for sharing this. I hope you enjoy your new mixer. I love how they become part of your family heritage! Best, Charlotte
We needed a mixer for use in our application laboratory, so very heavy use, every day. We looked around and did some research – Kenwood wins. Robust, strong motor (we have the 1400 watt titanium) plus every attachment you could ever need. I am so impressed I am getting one for my home kitchen as well.
I had my Kenwood for over 25yrs. Used this when the children were young. My model was the soft top where you press and eject the tools. This has now dropped and the tools touch the bottom of the bowl. I am sad. But I won’t have it repaired. I am buying myself another Kenwood from Ideal World. I tried both the Kenwood and the Kitchen Aid, I prefer the Kenwood. I guess it is a matter of CHOICE. Because I live in the UK it will have to be what is easier to access and get spare parts for if I need this in the future. But the Choice is so very hard to make when it comes to style. The KA looks nicer. BUT. Kenwood are now doing the same style as KA You can get a Kenwood striped version in the style of KA. Looks Good but I had to pass because I wanted a higher Watts. at least 1000 watts. It boils down to Specification for me every time. Kenwood now do a model which is FABULOUS. It cost just under £1000 and you can cook in it. Watch the Demo’s on You Tube. Now wouldn’t you like to own this one? It is out of stock in John Lewis. So I guess it is a winner!!
You can adjust the height of the tools on Kenwoods (Nut on the spindle of the tool) so should be able to adjust for wear in that way.
very interesting post thank you, I am debating which machine to go for – which model of Kenwood did you test?
Thank you Kate. It was a Kenwood Chef Titanium.
I have a Kenwood Mixer at present and it’s more ten 20 years now. Has been repaired once before. As my Mixer is quite noisy and is not stable when I on high speed. Till today I’m till wondering which Mixer have the best performance and model. My friend has the Kitchen Aid Professional. I have seen her used it and is very powerful.
Can you let me know which is the best including the model, because sometimes I recommend Mixer to friends how are interested in buying. This information is also for myself and in future I might get one if the Kenwood fails me.
Thks.
Gina, I can’t speak for KA, but my new Kenwood is far quieter than my previous 40+ year old one. Moreover it does not go walk about on the counter top at high speed. I have the Titanium Major which approximates to the larger KA in size and capacity, but appears to be more powerful.
As I’ve said before, I’m highly Kenwood biased, believing KA is a triumph of style over substance, if you like retro style! 😉
Just discovered yr site n comparison v KA and Kenwood Charlotte, really enjoyed reading it; I’ve been agonising over which to go for and found your own and other peoples comments so helpful and sincere that I’m still agonising!! I have read that kenwood though a British company, is no longer made in UK and I also wonder if its guarantee is as long as the KA. Oh Lord, it may come down to the toss of a coin!!!!
Thank you – hope it has been helpful!
Hi Charlotte
Love your blog on these going head to head…
I’ve now been looking to invest in 1 of these mixers, I love the retro look and colour of the KA, but Kenwood sounds the better mixer and Brand… Me an a friend had a discussion on what’s best, KA has a small watt motor compared to the larger Kenwood motor, I’m still confused on what the difference would be on mixing/performance?!
There seems to be such a difference in motors!?
Shame Kenwood didn’t do more colours, and not so nice to look at, oh the decisions! Thanks for the debates, looks like I need to read some more!
Thank you for your comment Gayle. Good luck with your search!
Oh, and I think most people would agree that the Kenwood is better for performance!
I’ve decided on the Kenwood Kmix mixer, the main difference between the watts is what sort of dough you want to make, so I’ve read, stiff sticky doughs are worked better in a high watt machine, so I’m lead to believe. I don’t make to much bread as I have a bread machine, noticed on YouTube as well KA is more noisy than the KW, there is colours in this range I like and the customer services I’ve read are better. KA are very nice to look at, kenwood just need to add some more funky colours for us people who like colours and style.
Thanks for the blog, it got me reading!
I had cause to use my daughter’s KA over Christmas to make a small batch (only 3 cups of flour) of soft sweet yeast dough for some buns. The recipe didn’t even use strong flour, but I noticed that the motor laboured every revolution as the dough hook cut into the ball of dough. This is something my Kenwood doesn’t do when mixing 1.5kg of strong bread flour. There is a vast difference in the power of the two machines. OK mine is a Kenwood Major, more akin to the big KA, but you get the point.
Thank you so much for sharing this Peter – it is very interesting to hear your experiences. Happy Baking in 2014!
That sounds great Gayle. I hope you love your new machine – please do share how you are getting on with it in due course! Happy New Year to you.
Hi Charlotte
Happy New Year! Great post…i have been agonizing over which mixer to get : KA or Kenwood. I have been obsessed about getting a KA for ages but could never justify buying something so expensive for a hobby!! Thanks to various research and your review, I have finally decided on Kenwood. However now I am still undecided on which model of Kenwood to get. The titanium ones seems really expensive still for me. I have been told that the K-Mix is good but is it powerful enough compared to the Kenwood Chef’s?
Happy New Year to you. Thank you for your comment. I would have thought the KMix would do the job well for you. Do keep me posted on what you choose and how it goes for you.
Hi Charlotte
glad to see the discussion is still going on. I finally bought the Kenwood kMix in February. I got a red one and I love the colour as well as the sleek look, albeit still retro! I have used it extensively and since then I have made the lightest cakes and genoise sponges and the creamiest buttercream. Mixing dough for shortcrust pastry was very quick. In one day, I had to make about 6 layers of genoise sheets with whipped cream in between and it has been a doddle, using the kMix! I absolutely love it and I am so glad that I picked this one and would definitely recommend it 🙂
I bought a Kenwood chef A901D when I was 17, I was supposed to be a pastry chef.I changed careers and I am now 44 years old and still have the mixer(I had it repainted as it was 25yrs. old) black and silver. I use it everyday, I make bread, meatloaf, minced meat, 2 smoothies a day ( yes Kenwood has a powerful blender) kitchenaid has no blender, food processor, doesn t have a potatoe peeler, and 20 other quality attachments. It is also low profile. Unbelieveable quality I love it. My best friend bought the new Chef Titanium he loves it too. I would highly recommend the Kenwood Major its a little bigger but durable!
Thanks so much for sharing this Rick
I’ve just received my new Kenwood Kmix mixer in blue!! I’m so pleased I’ve chosen this instead of the KA, it’s a lovely retro blue, less expensive than the KA and you can buy attachments for it to, can’t wait to use it!
Customer service is meant to be better, that helped me sway towards it.
I’ve turned it on just to see how noisey it is, and it’s as I heard on YouTube, A good robust weight to it as well, it even has a fold mode as well for soufflé etc!
Thanks for this blog, if it wasnt for me reading this, I would still be undecided!
Oh dear looks like I’m going to have to bake now! lol
I’ll let you know how I get on 😀
Thank you for this Gayle. Good luck and do let me know how you get on!
I’ve be going through this same debate for a while now & finally decided on the Kitchenaid, as both apparently perform well for standard tasks & so the aesthetic edge won out. However, I am regretting decision. Synopsis, as follows. Bought it from an approved supplier. Excited, then disappointed. The machine ran ‘hot’, so hot that 30 mins after a 5 minute mixing job, it was still very warm. Also, the wrap-round metal strip with logo stuck out 3mm at one end; being quite sharp edged, bit of safety issue. So my husband made the 2+ hr round trip to exchange it. Shockingly, of the 6 black machines in stock, every one had the same strip fault &, in 1 case, also had a bad scratch on body. These were NEW, TAPED, BOXED MACHINES, so not the retailer’s fault. Over a third of machines on display also had faults. Hubbie bought back the best of the bunch & I decided to run with it. And then we come on to next set of issues. Low speeds seem to be an issue. No real differentiation between settings 1 & 2, so why have both? And, when mixing dough (normal, not very heavy dough), is it supposed to a) keep rev’ing at fast speed (more like higher settings than low), then drop off to low, grinding speed & b) is mixer supposed to wander over the counter top?? I’m beginning to think I’ve bought a real dud, here. Asked Kitchenaid customer services about finish quality issue over a week ago via email & they haven’t bothered to come back to me yet. So much for a ‘considered’ purchase
Oh dear Jan, that’s not good. Do let me know how you get on resolving this.
Jan, I’m on pins and needles – what happened in the end? Did you get another one, or return it? I have been extremely unimpressed with KitchenAid these past few years, which is a shame – my grandfather had one from the sixties that was fantastic!!
It is interesting how the build quality seems to have changed over the years, isn’t it?!
I have both, the Kenwood and the Kitchen Aid. In my opinion, the Kenwood wins hands down! The Kenwood seems to have a much more powerful motor. It whips much nicer and quicker, and all the ingredients are blended together totally, where ar the Kitchen Aid always leaves stuff stuck to the bottom of the bowl, and even scraping the bowl, some seems to remain stuck to the bottom. Especially when whipping butter and sugar together, the Kenwood mixes it perfectly, where the kitchen aid always leaves butter on the bottom of the bowl. When adding dry ingredients to wet…I have a lot of flour everywhere in my kitchen, where as with the Kenwood, it never spews the dry ingredients out of the bowl! Like I said….hands down winner Kenwood!
Thanks for sharing this, Becky, good to hear your thoughts!
I like you review about the Kenwood machine
I am really siting on the fence about purchasing the Kenwood machine.
How many watts should the motor of machine have to make pizza dough, pie dough, and bread, 800watts or 1400 or 1500 watts
Witch motor force did the one you tested have.
Thank you
Suzanne Levesque Montreal Canada
Thank you for your message Suzanne. I believe the machine I tested was a 1400 Watt machine. Do let me know what you go for!
hi no compareson on quality kenwood is the mercedes benz of mixers kitchen aid don’t wast your money ps can’t believe the price of kitchen aid just shows the power of advertising thanks maggi
Just about to dump my KA, waste of money. I am a lover of baking and KA let down so many times. Like others on the blog, it cannot manage a bread dough for too long a time, it begins to screech. The metal bar that connects top and bottom parts loosened itself so many times while mixing. I have it to repaired while under guarantee 3 times. Small pieces of plastic that cover the handle have fallen off too. Note, this machine never leaves the spot it is at, I bake there and how can this just happen. Finally, the enamel on the dough mixing fork all fell of…….can’t wait to buy a Bosch or a Kenwood. KA are just an ornament, an expensive one.
If you are in the UK does the Law not cover you to have the machine replaced? If an item costs a lot of money it does not have to just be the guarantee time that the machine is covered by. If I were you I would go to the Trading Standards site and see what it says there and you can ask for help from them.
That’s interesting to hear Margaret – I hope KA are reading!
Hi there,
It is very helpfull review, however after reading it … I think I still need to do more reaserch before investing, however I do like the idea about KA (probably because I have thought about it for quiet some time).
Please, could you advise me, which mixer is quieter!??
P.S. I had small Kenwood mixer, but it always smelt of burn, so I ditched it. I bought it at Argos.
Regards,
zaiga
Thank you Zaiga. I don’t think there is too much between the two machines.
I have a KitchenAid that is 375W. It was the professional model, and the highest wattage they sold when I bought it in 1996. I have made very heavy loaves of bread in it (heavy as in the dough was very thick). I stripped the motor once because I dropped a bottle of vanilla extract in it while it was going. The repair, including shipping cost me Euro 74. I often looked with envy at the Kenwood because it was much more powerful (Wattage). I looked with envy at the new KitchenAids which are all now 650W. I wanted to upgrade, but then I thought…there is absolutely nothing I have not been able to accomplish with a 375W motor. So I question all of these people who feel they need a 1500W motor for a stand mixer for home use… Because… What on earth are you making in it??? If you have to judge a machine by power alone, then the Kenwood will win every time. But for 99% of what home cooks use the machine for, 1500W is overkill, as is 800W….as is 650W…. If the decision comes down to price, well, I understand that, and think that is a reasonable deciding factor, if the performance record of both machines are the same. My aunt had her KitchenAid for 30+ years. That’s why I bought mine… I do not know about the performance record/longevity of the Kenwoods.
Thanks for sharing your thoughts Kristina – interesting reading!
I was told by a pastry chef recently that the kitchen aid has a different gearing to the kenwood which is why it does the same thing with a lower wattage. I think he was saying the machine of the kitchen aid therefore doesn’t need to work so hard.
I have had my Kenwood for 1 month short of 22 years. It is the standard size machine. I make bread most weeks, usually 3 lb of flour at a time and usually 2 batches in quick succession (literally the length of time it takes to weigh the next lot of ingredients. My Kenwood had a 2.5 year holiday while I was in the States. Whilst there I bought a Kitchen Aid for my bread making. Bowl lift pro model. First one lasted 13 months and after a major hassel they agreed to replace it free with a refurbed model (which I sold) As we couldn’t bear American bread in the mean time I had bought another KA of approximately the same variety. That one lasted 11 months at which time it started to go the same way (gearing meaning the blade slipped whilst kneading) so I rapidly took it back and got my money back under garauntee. I would never give house room to another KA. Not strong enough for a serious cook. TBH when I see a KA in a kitchen I assume the person is more about look than substance as far as cooking is concerned as I know the KA wouldn’t last long if they did serious heavy duty cooking!
Really interesting to read this Katie. Thank you for sharing your experiences.
Thank you sooo much for the review i was planning to buy a mixer for my kitchen and i had difficulty in what to choose between KW or KA. Your review saved me the trouble and headache. thanks a lot!
You are very welcome! I am delighted if it’s been helpful in any way. Please let me know what you end up purchasing!
Great treads n useful information.
In US, KA Artisan is priced around US$350 whereas a Kenwood Chef Titanium KMC010 cost twice as much at US$600+tax!
Such dilemma… if both are priced about the same, I would definitely go for Kenwood.
Any thought?
Hi Pat, thanks for your comment. Where are you in the US? I would say that I think the US KA’s are built a bit better than ours, from what I’ve been told. I think the Kenwood could last you longer, but then if it is almost twice the price, that’s a difference. I would go KA if I were you…
Please keep me posted!!
Best, Charlotte
I agree, another consideration is Kenwood is fairly new reentry into the US market, carried only in limited specialty store and a few online sites.
As far as the price difference between the two machines over here, btw I am in California. It would be more hassle free should I encounter any problems with a KA and needed parts replacement in the future. I am leaning towards getting a KA, hopefully a better built product here!
That’s a very good point Pat. I would definitely go for the KA I think. I’m going to share the link to this post with them – lots of interesting feedback all round.
I hope to visit California soon – I’m dying to visit! Thanks for your comment and for stopping by. Do please let me know what you go for!
Wow, I have sat and read most of these reviews. Was trying to justify the Kitchen Aid.
cos it looks sooooo lovely, in tangerine (lime green kitchen)! But still don’t know. Not a big user, probably won ‘t use it for bread more than rarely. Am a cake baker. Could find room to store Kenwood. Help……
Update, Kenwood found to be on offer at high street/online shop so ordered at nearly half price. Waiting for beautiful silver machine (with orange top). Sorry I know I am style no substance but I promise to use it well and am teaching two boys that cooking is science!
Lovely! Enjoy your new machine!
I finally ordered a KA mixer since it’s half a cost of a Kenwood base on I am in US, got it for US$300 and on top if that a US$30 manufacturer rebate, so bottom line $270, I am happy, will receive the Aqua Sky color mixer tomorrow!
Hope you like your new machine. The aqua sky colour is so pretty!
I enjoyed reading all the comments above. I have owned a Kenwood Chef for about 42 years and it is still going strong, although it is a little noisy. I want to get a new mixer, but didn’t know whether to buy a Kenwood or Kitchen Aid. The costs are similar for the heavy duty ones. After reading all of the above I am now leaning to the Kenwood as I have been so happy with my previous one or maybe I should just keep going with my old one until it breaks down.
Glad you enjoyed reading the comments, Gill. I think I’d be leaning towards a Kenwood, too.
I’ve had my Kenwood for soo many years, and I wouldn’t trade it for anything. I’ve used the Kitchen Aid but in my book it is not in the same league as the Kenwood. As well I have a thermomix and as great as it is, it will never replace the role of my Kenwood in the kitchen.
Hi I have had a kitchen aid for 14 years and love it as im a cook and use it every day but one Sunday morning I was looking on the shopping chanel and ordered a new kenwood £360 and have used it every day since I took me kitchen aid to work but less then 2 year’s down the line the motor on the kenwood seams to be had it! Barking down on me so I think that kenwood are a load of rubbish and will never have another
Hi I have had a kitchen aid for 14 years and love it 2 year’s ago I bought a kenwood and now it’s gone wrong so I will never buy another kenwood as long as I live think they are rubbish andrea
Good to hear – thanks for adding to the discussion!
Hi, I have just received the Kenwood KMM023 Major Titanium Kitchen Machine Mega Pack as a gift. I am a keen baker and for so long I have a used a £12 hand mixer from Sainsburys, which is absolutely brilliant. I did bundles of research on Kenwood v. Kitchen Aid before it was purchased and due to the extensive Kenwood capabilities it was a no brainer! It took 3 people to carry it into the house and the box was bigger than my 3 year old son. It comes with a grinder, a mill, food processor, scales, and a blender. I have to say that since using the Kenwood it is a little overwhelming, going from a hand mixer to this beast but slowly and surely I am getting there. I have made cupcakes, chelsea buns, biscuits and the best buttercream icing I have ever made. I have just bought sausage casings and look forward to making home made sausages. Alone the splash guard is invaluable, no more plumes of icing sugar dust again! In my view, if you are a serious baker/cook you cannot opt for aesthetics over productivity.
Thank you so much for your comments – great to hear your thoughts!
Hi Charlotte, just thought I’d share this with your UK readers if that’s ok? We just bought the KitchenAid Artisan mixer (pistachio) and got a great deal from a place called Lakeland (they threw in the pasta attachment). We found it via this comparison website: http://kitchenaidmixers.co.uk. They show the cheapest KitchenAid mixer prices (the prices of each colour seem to vary a lot). Thanks
Hi,
I am a little biased as my mum used to work for Mr Ken Wood (nice man!) my aunt was his PA. if memory serves ken’s first product was a toaster!
Ken’s factory manufacturing was done in Havant in Hampshire. Both Kenwood and KA source parts from the Far East. KA puts great effort in trying to wrap their product in the US flag, with statements like “assembled in the USA”
I personally have a Kenwood Kmix in Duck egg blue, which I use for bread, cake, biscuits, merengue etc – it is fantastic and gives the retro look of the KA with more more modern design. It cost me £230 from Amazon.
My other main electrical prep item is a Bamix blending wand with small little chopper/processer. Which is also brilliant.
The advice I received when I bought my mixer from a chef was not to be tempted by loads of extras and attachments. which, he rightly said will just take up loads of cupboard space and not get used! Focus on your main need!
Personally I am stunned by the price of the KA and coil not justify it. Also to be fair some Kenwood variants which can vary by £100 just for a colour difference! Daft, I am a man though! Remember it’s a mixer!
I was also stunned when a family friend spent £400 on a KA as a kitchen fashion statement – she does not cook at all!
So I guess logic is not involved in this decision process – it’s just a case of whatever makes you happy! All the pro/semi pro people I know use pucker commercial mixers or Kenwood Chefs/Majors.
If you are making bread though I would stick with the Kenwood as KA seem to have problems with the hinge area and the mixer ‘walking’ under load.
PS prior to his death Ken sold his company – Kenwood is now I believe owned by DeLonghi
PS I use just over 50% fat to flour, (apart from Orange pastry for mince pies where I use up too 75% fat) usually 50/50 butter/lard. A tip I was given which works really well is to weigh the fats out and then pop them in the freezer for 20 minutes – you then grate the solid fats into the mixer. Works well
Thanks for your comments, Ian, great to hear!
Dear Charlotte
My Mum gave us a Kenwood Major as a wedding present 44 years ago. We have virtually every attachment ever made for it, some bought from charity shops. The design has evolved a bit but much remains the same except that Kenwood reversed the direction of the motor some years ago meaning that the newer attachments don’t work with the older machines. It works wonderfully and has never let us down. My only criticism is that it has always been noisy when working fast.
Most of the attachments are excellent. The liquidiser is a bit fiddly to clean and the coffee grinder tends to get clogged but everything else works like a dream. We even bought a cream maker from a charity shop which works surprisingly well but nobody needs to make their own cream nowadays.
I thought it was time to get up to date so I tested a friend’s Kitchenaid. It does look beautiful. It works well enough and is quieter and easier to clean but I was surprised to find that it did not seem to be as powerful or as well made as the Kenwood, particularly the fit of the whisk within the bowl leading to much poorer results with beating egg whites.
I got my husband to service and really clean the Kenwood and it is now as good as new. I see that Kenwood are now selling a ‘retro-look’ Chef so my historic machine even looks sort of up to date. £450 saved and old memories revisited every time I use it (including my husband’s attempt to make Borscht – a Major yuk but no fault of the machine).
Best wishes
Sally
Thanks so much for sharing this Sally – great to hear your experiences. Best wishes, Charlotte
I have just bought a Kenwood stand mixer and was making a cake for the first time in it recently. Creaming the butter and sugar together – they just spread on the base of the bowl and the whisk mixer attachment seemed to miss the mixture. It looks like this may be a problem in all stand mixers as there is always some clearance between the whisk and the bowl – does anyone else find this a problem and is there a way to overcome it?
Viv, I believe you can adjust this in the settings (I’ve not sone it before) but I believe you can adjust the height of so that the attachments sit at the bottom of the bowl – perhaps worth checking in the manual. Good luck!
Your Kenwood should have come with a flat spanner. You use this to slacken off the locking nut where the drive spindle goes into the beater. You can then screw the spindle in or out to adjust the height (until it just clears the bowl) then re-lock the nut. As Charlotte says, full instructions should be in the manual.
Thank you for this Peter – very helpful!
Thank you so much for your reply. Stupidly I hadn’t checked the instructions but have made the adjustment and can’t wait to get baking again! Had been so keen just to get on and do. Thanks for your help!
Good luck Viv! Thanks for stopping by.
Hi – so, I am wanting an all rounder but will be baking more bread – 1 to 2 loafs at a time (around 1.2 kg of flour + about 900 mls water). Any suggestions as to the kenwood or kitchen aid (and which model of the chosen brand)
I have spent the last week researching, and still no further on a decision.
Any comments appreciated. Thanks
Kenwood for me Brad.
Had my last one for 40 years and it was still in good working order when it was replaced. My second, a present from my daughter was bought in 2013. It has a more powerful motor and is quieter than it’s predecessor but apart from that it is basically the same machine.
Like you I bake bread and the Chef will mix a 1.5kg bag of flour with ease.
I only have a few attachments, I have the mill for grinding coffee beans, herbs and spices and for whizzing up fresh salad dressings and mayo. The glass blender for soups and smoothies. I make my own burgers and sausages so have the mincer and sausage making attachment.
Any Kenwood chef will do all of the above so it’s really down to how much money you want to spend.
Hi Guys,
Just wondering if anyone had any suggestions for the right mixer for me. I will be baking 2 loafs (50% white, 50% wholemeal) per day, and want to use the machine for other general lighter baking. Do you recommend the Kitchen Aid, Kenwood or other. Can you also please name the model you recommend based on your experiences – Thanks in anticipation – Brad
Hi Brad,
If you read my previous contributions to this blog you will see that I am an ardent Kenwood fan. I too bake my own bread at a slightly lower hydration to you (1.5kg flour + 900 ml water) white, wholemeal, rye, sourdough and other flours. After 40 years I retired my old Kenwood Chef Major and replaced it with its current counterpart, the Titanium Major. Surprisingly it’s even better than the old one, since, in the intervening period, Kenwood were bought out by DeLonghi and production transferred from the UK to China (?). It’s quiet and powerful, it does not even slow down when mixing the above batch of dough.
Try that with a Kitchenaid.
Downside – any colour you want as long as its stainless steel.
Thanks Peter,
I actually mix 1.2kg flour with 850g water and 16g oil – but this is by hand. I will be trying a few different recipes when I get my mixer.
After reading the above blog and posts, I started to research the Kenwood. Whilst I knew they were great machines in the past, when I looked at them in the shops they looked like cheap white plastic machines – flimsy. I have since found out that they have die-cast versions (the titanium, and the new sense) – and it has sparked my interest. The shops I looked in did not have these models, but I have since found a supplier with a large range.
I have now looked at loads of reviews, and it seems the only options I have are the large Kitchen Aid bowl lift (KSM7581 or up), or several versions of the Kenwood (such as the Sense (KVL6020T or KVL6020T), Major Premier (KMM770 – 1200w) or the titanium. I am not sold on the bowl lift – as I want an all-rounder, and the top lift style seems to suit that.
I think I am leaning towards the Sense (not sure which size). I will go and have a look at them today to touch and feel, and let you know how I go.
Thank you for this Peter!
Used Kenwood Major pro for 15 years or so make 3 x 1 kg loaves at a time doesn’t miss a beat!
Thanks for the very informative experience you had testing both machines , I facet I never used KA before but I always had the Kenwood and , I used to have the KMix but recently updated to the Major TItanium KMM023 which I found bigger and powerful 1500W motor , it also come with huge range of attachments that made me get ride of loads of machine in my kitchen like the juicer, blender, mincer,food processor which I used it to slice and preparing vegetables..etc even the scale ,
Each time I use my machine I feel happy for chosen it it does all the kitchen work ,
Am not going to to mention the price of KA against the Kenwood again money is the not the only value here but the real value is what you get , But when it come to the number of functions and jobs that you can do using only one machine stands on your counter that makes a different and to me it’s more important the the look infact I see the Kenwood have a lovely modern look then the KA
How does the regular mixer compare to the larger KitchenAid 6L Artisan stand mixer: http://kitchenaidmixers.co.uk/mixers/kitchenaid-artisan-stand-mixer-6l
Do Kenwood make something similar?
Thank you for the great comparison. I had only recently became interested in cooking, and I was thinking about which brand I should go for, now I know what will I get for Christmas!! Cheers!!
Thanks, Claudia. Hope you enjoy whichever machine you get – keep me posted! Best wishes, Charlotte
I have been trying to decide on a good mixer to replace my KA, which I regret buying. I will gift it to one of my DIL’s. Ironically, the biggest complaint I have about the KA is that it is definitely a machine for a right-handed user. I am left handed and so, I need to turn the machine around which puts the speed controls on the back. A right pain! The KW has the controls on the front so would work for me. I am not a chef, nor do I bake copious amounts of yeast breads. Just want a good quality mixer to do the type of baking I like to do. I live in Canada so, probably my biggest concern would be parts and service.
Thanks a lot Charlotte.
Few days ago I bought a KitchenAid Artisan Stand Mixer inspired by you post. Mostly Interested to make delicious snacks for my wife. She is all time busy that’s why he don’t make any delicious snacks for me but I’m not Bad husband 😛 all time try to make something. Your CharlottesKitchenDiary.com Is awesome.
Thanks!!
Jonathan.
Great news and many thanks Jonathan. I do hope you enjoy your mixer! Very best wishes, Charlotte
I have owned a few Kenwood Chef and a Kenwood major (see my collection in Flickr) but I have to confess – I have never used them although we do use the Chefette as a hand-held mixer.
When the Kitchenaid came along and became so popular I felt it was more for the looks than the quality – a bit of a ‘big girl’s blouse’!!
Yes, I owned one – given to me, used it to ‘dress our kitchen when we were selling the house – and then I sold it
So, I was interested in your research and comments.
Am I wrong or is the KA for left-handed people? The speed control is on the blind side of the machine if you are right-handed! The control also seems a bit flimsy.
We are now considering buying a new mixer and will go for the Kenwood 330 or 336
Thank you for your comment, Michael. You raise some interesting points. I am very right handed (i.e. really not ambidextrous at all!) but I manage fine using the controls on the left hand side. On my two machines, the function of turning from one speed to another is quite clear and straightforward, so it’s manageable to control the speed accurately. But that may not be everyone’s experience. I would rather the controls were the other way around though! Best wishes, Charlotte
No, Michael the KA is the RIGHT-HANDED machine. I am left-handed and purchased the KA and it was a horror to use. I use the bowl on the left so the speed controls were on the back. That is why I bought the Kenwood. The control is on the front while the bowl is on the left. Hope this helps.
Dianne
Very interesting comments here! When it comes to anything mechanical, I’m an unabashed gadget hound. The more attachments a tool or appliance has available, the better! I *could* start listing my collection of vacuum cleaners and THEIR nifty attachments (especially the jigsaw attachment)… but I’ll save that for another site.
I used to work for Hobart Corporation, when they manufactured Kitchen Aid machines. The same quality craftsmanship and durability that went into their restaurant machines went into their residential machines. They were real workhorses — metal gears, carefully machined parts, etc…. they were rarely brought in for repair.
When Whirlpool bought the brand, they introduced plastic internal components to keep prices (reasonably) low. Not surprisingly, a pre-1980’s Kitchen Aid will probably outlast any of the more recently built ones.
Another plus for the KitchenAid brand is the array of attachments for vintage machines was overwhelming. In addition to the commonplace meat grinder, citrus juicer, and vegetable slicer, attachments for opening cans, sharpening knives, polishing silver, and a host of other things made it a true, multi-purpose food preparation machine. The best thing Kitchen Aid did was standardize the attachment hub. Attachments for a Kitchen Aid built in the 40’s will fit a Kitchen Aid purchased today. Similarly, if you are lucky enough to have one of the 40’s era machines, you can buy an attachment today and it will fit. (Of course, some of the newer attachments require a lot of torque to run properly, so they may not work as well on an older machine — but they’ll fit!)
Kenwood has an equally impressive history of building durable, powerful machines. There’s also a certain cachet to having a vintage Kenwood machine on the counter and using it to muscle through heavy dough as handily as it whips egg whites. The sheer number of them still in use is a testament to their strength and reliability. Their main drawback, in my opinion, is the company’s decision not to standardize the front attachment hub. I discovered this recently when I stumbled across a Kenwood Major A-907-D in a thrift shop for $11.00. Mechanically and cosmetically, it was in great shape for a machine over 40 years old, but it only had the bowl, no beaters — BUT, it had THREE attachment hubs, making it a must-have purchase. I brought it home, cleaned it up, added some fresh lubricant to the gear case and it ran like a champ. A quick search on ebay resulted in some great bargains on some attachments which I ordered and anxiously awaited their arrival. Much to my disappointment, they didn’t fit because of a design change in the front attachment hub. Another disadvantage Kenwood has for those of us living in the states is the high shipping cost from England. Several parts/pieces I looked for carried shipping costs which were 2-3x the price of the parts themselves! All in all, Kenwood makes one heck of a machine though; one which will share counter space with my KitchenAid K5-A.
Can you help me please. Trying to choose between kenwood kmc010 and kmm770. The kmm770 has a bigger bowl but the motor is 200 watts smaller. Would this make a big difference.
Oh, Paula, I’m afraid I don’t know. I hope someone else may be able to advise?
Kenwood has a 1000w motor compared to largest motor KA uses on their tilt head model is 325w. Not surprising Kenwood would be more powerful. A better comparison I think would be KA bowl lift models, Pro 600 or their ProLine 7 series. I have no doubt the spiral dough attachment KA uses be superior to Kenwood for breads. But as you have noted, your Kenwood out of the box is more than a mixer and the other power outputs for food processor make more sense. If baking bread and tough dough is primary use, then I don’t think any Kenwood model would compare to KA’s bowl lift models.
Great review, wanted to say thanks… went for the Kenwood Titanium Kitchen Chef in the end. Cannot wait to get baking!
Thank you so much. Do let me know how you get on with it, Andy! Best wishes, Charlotte
I must have gotten the lemon. I have a kitchen aide pro 600 and it worked perfect for cookies. However when I made bread in it the mother started to smoke. Kitchen Aide did make a deal with me but I am still did hearted . I want to be able to make 2 percent 3 loaves at once.
That was exactly my experience, and why I raved about the Kenwood Cooking Chef over the Kitchenaid. KA has gone waaaay down in quality in recent years, I wouldn’t recommend them or buy one for a serious baker. Sorry you’ve had that experience, can you take it back for a refund?
I was raised with a Kenwood Mixer in the kitchen and 40 years later the same mixer is still mixing my Mums cakes and slices. Although the mixer is still going strong my Dad has watched cooking shows with Kitchen Aid Mixers with the presenters talking right next to them. Which leads to this question:
What is the noise difference between the two mixers?
Our mixer has always been loud (I usually wear ear plugs) newer ones might be quieter, (specially since no one else seems to have asked about noise) what is your opinion on their noise output?
great great post, I’m looking for something heavy duty for bread making, and was going to get kichenaid, glad i found your post…
I am in the US and grew up with Kitchen Aid. I got rid of my several years ago when it did not do bread dough well at all. I also did not like adding ingredients while it was running…..very messy. I had purchased an older Kenwood and now a new one. As far as style, I LOVE the Kenwood. I have a retro kitchen with stainless steel appliances and the Kenwood not only does bread dough very well, it looks stunning.
My retro mixers on display are a Hamilton beach 1933 and a Sunbeam Mixmaster 1935. Both work. I use them once in awhile for grins and giggles making cakes, but the Kenwood is my pride and joy. Thinned down my kitchen appliances with the Kenwood. Lovin’ it.
Hello, my esperience with kenwood machine is very beautiful! I wrote also a review http://www.vestocasa.it/macchina-del-pane/kenwood-bm450/
Thanks
Just replaced the gearbox on my Kenwood, should be good for another 15 or 20 years. Its my third one since 1970 (which belonged to my mum/grandma). Replaced in 1980 as I wanted a new model which I gave to my sister in law when we moved to Canada in 1998. Bought the current one in 2005 – the export model didn’t have the titanium gearbox which is why it has just been replaced. I would be totally lost without this machine. I have the 7 quart size, with the liquidiser, mincer, pasta making attachments and a spare bowl, so it pretty much covers everything I need. Lives on the counter. Don’t have a problem with the noise (it doesn’t upset my hearing aids!). Would recommend this. Kenwood Chef Restore in the UK is a wonderful site for parts and knowledge on these machines.
I love this post 🙂 We are trying to choose between Kitchen aid heavy duty 7 and Kenwood Chef XL and now I thing we’re gonna go with Kenwood 🙂
Hi! Is the Major kenwood suitable For small portion like one Family cake or should i take the small one?
Yes, it is suitable. However, if you only make small cakes, you might want the smaller one?
Kitchenaid Mixer for me. Powerful enough for my needs, works perfectly, cleans easily and you can get it in just about any shade of colour you can think of. Expensive? Very but so far to me, it has been worth every penny I saved to get it.
It all depends on what you want.
Kitchenaid is more expensive than a Kenwood but both are expensive compared to most kitchen mixers. – we are at the top end here with both.
The Kenwood range has more powerful motors. But once again even the weaker Kitchenaid motors are more powerful than the average kitchen mixer – they are both powerful machines.
They have different design styling, Kitchenaid is somewhat rounded and retro, Kenwood more square. Pick which you prefer.
Kenwood has a continuously variable motor – Kitchenaid is stepped but ten steps is probably enough for most people.
Some people say the Kitchenaid is slightly easier to clean.
I am sure both are great machines and people will have different reasons to pick one over another.
Kenwood Kmix is a retro look and really easy to clean and a few colours to choose from, not as many as KA though, but I didn’t go for the other kenwood styles, because they are more square and and you can have blenders with them, I didn’t need that type, but good if you have limited space, then they are a good all rounder.
Still happy with my choice. It is a very personal choice.