Another food processor one!

[MaryIngalls]

Hello everyone...DH has promised to buy me a food processor from his recent bonus money. I've skim read lots of threads on MN, and esp the Wood Pussies one with great interest. But still can't make up my mind.

My needs are fairly simple. We knead dough 3-4 times a week for bread - so something sturdy enough to deal with that. Other baking occasional, interested in the other FP functionalities too ( ice crushing, blending, whisking, whipping, chopping, grating, slicing, shredding...). Definitely need blender/ liquidiser - a small capacity one to make small quantity dips etc would be great.

So is the 900W Kenwood Prospero up for the task? There seem to be a lot of models out there, any idea which one to spring for? Budget up to £200 please.

[Raeray]

I have a magimix mini which I love.
However they do make a bigger one with dough hooks etc
www.johnlewis.com/magimix-3200-blendermix-food-processor/p230878169?kpid=230878169&s_kenid=22e7fd30-c5b0-e689-fa49-00003da268a6&s_kwcid=ppc_pla&tmad=c&tmcampid=73

They look nice on your kitchen side too, always a bonus!

[Onykahonie]

I've got a Prospero and I'm really please with it, although I haven't tried it with bread dough as I have a bread maker. I use the blender for soups, the food processor for dips, chopping, slicing, grating etc and the mixer for whipping, whisking and mixing.

[Grockle]

I have a prospero. I can't remember which model but mine came with food processor, blender (which I've not used), dough hook, whisk etc. It's fine - I use it to at least once a week, often far more. I make cakes, bread, pastry, crumble as well as using the food processor for chopping, grating etc.

I'm generally really happy with it but have a couple of minor niggles...

Flour tends to spill out round the back even on low speed - not a huge issue just a bit messy

Not huge capacity

But, given the price, I am pleased with it. Go for it!

[MaryIngalls]

Thanks everyone, didn't mean to abscond, it was a manic Sunday. DD now at school, so finally have time for tea and MN! Will do a bit more research and pop back if I have more questions.

[MaryIngalls]

Grockle and Ony - have you tried making curry pastes in the Prospero? Wonder how it copes with small quantities?
Raeray - the very first review on the link you gave me says food get stuck under blades - so not good for small quantities then?

[Onykahonie]

Yes Mary...that's where it fails! I bought a little Kenwood mini chopper/mill for things like that.

[MaryIngalls]

Thanks Ony, at least I know what to expect!

[catwithflowers]

I have a Kenwood multi pro which I bought for about £120 recently on Amazon. It had mixed reviews but I absolutely love it. I have used it almost every day for the last 2 months (I cook for work as well as home) and use it for pastry, cakes, batters, grating, the blender for soups, slicing for dauphinoise etc. I have a Panasonic bread machine so don't use it for bread although it has bread attachments.

I would really recommend it.

[catwithflowers]

Oh and I have a separate mini chopper thing for very small amounts of herbs and a cheap coffee/spice grinder for curry pastes.

[Habbibu]

I'd be tempted to get one that's v whizz bang on the chopping and grating, and learn a minimal knead method for bread (see Dan Lepard's technique) because I'm not convinced one machine can do both really well. I have a magimix and a kenwood chef, and they feel like v different machines to me. That said, I've never tried the food processor attachments for the chef, so maybe that would work.

[MaryIngalls]

I currently do all kneading by hand, but really want to move over to food processor owing to slightly arthritic hands. That's why kneading will be my primary (and frequent) requirement. Plus the usual FP features of food preparation, whisking, cutting, grating etc. Oh and need blender too, to make it multi-functional and thus conserve counter space.