Mixer/blender/processor/good ol' blood sweat & tears???

[crispsahoy]

So I make as many meals as I can from scratch, things like Bolognese, enchilada, cottage pie, curry, soups, etc (other stuff too but they're the basics) also been doing coleslaw so obviously there's a fair bit of chopping involved

I've been making pastry & biscuits during lockdown and enjoying it, my DD has been making cakes and I'm keen to try pasta and bread.

I'm happy to use a knife but starting to get pains in my hands for whatever reasons. I have a hand mixer and a hand stick blender.

I'm thinking of getting a mixer or maybe a food processor but can only get one due to space. What do I need or do I just carry on???

[opinionatedfreak]

I cook/bake quite a bit.

I don't have a food processor & don't feel that I miss out.

I do have a kenwood chef with blender attachment that I use a lot and when all my friends were buying lock down KitchenAids I was resolutely in the Kenwood Chef corner...

In addition, my stick blender has a tiny little food processor unit that I use for chopping up herbs and spices.

[Stayfreshcheesebags]

I was given a magimix food processor which I've found amazing and really helps to speed up a lot of prep time in the kitchen

[TheSpottedZebra]

Food processor is definitely better for cooking prep, and the mixer is better for baking. But you have a hand mixer, so that will do for baking, unless you're making pavlova or meringue weekly. So I'd say food processor, with a blade that chops/grates coleslaw to your liking.

And/Or -if it's cooking that is hurting your hand, and not more general activities, delegate it? Or buy a knife that is more comfortable.

[crispsahoy]

I want to get DD14 and DS12 to do more in the kitchen also so thinking things that might make things easier for them too.

[BadgertheBodger]

Is your knife sharp enough? I noticed with our old knives I was starting to get hand pains and it’s because they had gone so blunt I was having to grip and push much harder than I should have done

[crispsahoy]

@badger it's not just when chopping, even stirring. There's an issue but that's something I need to look in to. I'm just looking for things that will help. But my knives are quite new and we have a sharpener that DH likes to use.