what product(s?) do I need? food processor, stand mixer, blender, soup maker......

[sacbina]

My old kenwood food processor has just died and need a replacement, but wondering what best option would be as I barely used many of the parts.

I make a lot of soup and used the blender a lot.
I never seemed to bother using it to chop veg as it was such a faff getting the whole kaboodle out of the cupboard.
I don't make many cakes but would like to now dc getting older.
My mum had a big old stand mixer which did everything she wanted for 20 odd years

I'm confused by the variety! Help please ☺

A hand blender can be good for soup, you can also get one with an attachment for beating eggs or whipping cream.

The best of the stand mixers is the Kitchen Aid, but they´re fearsomely expensive. We have one and I use it to make bread sometimes, but I prefer to make cakes and pastry by hand (I don´t make them often). We´ve also made pizza dough with the Kitchen Aid which is much nicer than pre-made pizza bases, and our children (aged 4 and 7) enjoy putting on the sauce and toppings.

I definitely recommend a stick blender for soup, saves extra washing up transferring it as you just blend it in the pan it was cooked in. No faffing around getting stuff out either. They are much or a muchness but I would say don't get one with gaps at the bottom, I have one with gaps and stuff gets stuck in them, my previous one was much better!

Mixer is good for cakes etc, but would probably be OK with a hand mixer, less messing around taking it out, takes up less room, but saves you mixing it by hand. A lot cheaper so, given what you have said, I would get one of those first and see if you use it (and if you do, if you are happy enough with that or want the next step)

A food processor is nice to have just incase you ever want to start creating different meals, but the alternatives are of course cheaper. I would have a look at some cheap food processors on review sites like this one and see if any of the cheaper ones catch your eye. If not, you will probably end up buying a few different items to get different jobs done so it just makes things easier.

I'd say look around different review sites at different products e.g blender reviews, mixer reviews etc. to get a solid idea of what to get.

Ironically MIL gave me a belated Xmas pressie today - a hand blender, with a whisk and small chopping blade ☺

maybe I'll treat myself to a soup maker, although can't help thinking they're just a gimmick, or are they?

Soup maker seems like a waste of money to me. What's wrong with a pot and a stick blender?

I've got one of those stick blenders and use it a lot with the attachments. Mainly for soup and chopping small amounts e.g. Making curry paste.

Have a small kenwood food processor that I've had for 25 years, works perfectly for chopping and grating when necessary.

Bought a stand mixer last year, it's great but to be honest the only difference between that and my ancient hand mixer is that I can walk away and leave it mixing.

If I'd to pick a single kitchen gadget I'd probably say stick blender with attachments. And good knives!

Another vote for stick blender. I use mine for soup, milkshake and homemade nut butters. I got a kenwood mixer for 50 quid off eBay for bread and cakes. I make bread daily so well worth it, is Brill for cakes as well, and a very sturdy machine!

These splatter guards are also a good idea to avoid mess when using a stick blender or the whisk attachment on a hand held blender.

I use my stick blender more than anything else, I use it for soup mostly, plus it came with a mini chopper attachment that I use to make things like pesto or hummous, or to chop nuts.
For making cakes I have a hand mixer. I think a stand mixer would do a better job but I don't have the worktop space. I also have a bread maker (which is the reason I am short on worktop space as its massive) which I use all the time but I have no clue about making bread by hand so this is the only way I can have homemade bread.
I also have a food processor (old cheap kenwood one) but it lives under the stairs and rarely gets used.

Soup makers are definitely a gimmick - completely unnecessary with a stick blender to hand.

Don't bank on the whisk attachment being much cop, mind. Te only positive of the one I got with my stick blender is that there's no danger of it over-whipping cream. The little chopper is useful, though it frustrates me that it's one with gears in the lid and can't be washed properly, so I can't really use it for anything yucky or smelly.

Soup maker issue is that it can stick to the bottom of the jug.

I bought a Kenwood Multi One in October. Love it, but also got a hand mixer at the same time. I had some birthday money to spend but I've just got back into cake baking after 16 years as a teacher.

The Kenwood is fine, but I've only used the K beater so far. Hand mixer is also a Kenwood. Again, only used beaters so far.

I have just bought a Kenwood, love it. I also have a stick blender/whisk, a Nutri Ninja (basically a high speed blender for making smoothies etc, but it's only got a small capacity, about 800ml). I also have a food processor but I rarely use it, & suspect I'll use it even less now that I have the Kenwood. The Ninja is only really for smoothie people, it's just a glorified, high speed blender.

If you're going to get more gadgets, make sure they have minimal crossover in terms of function with anything you already own, and don't replicate anything you could easily do by hand.

I had a bread maker for nearly a decade, got rid of it when I got the Kenwood. I really loved it but it's only good for making bread etc (obviously).

Kenwood MultiOne, although I only paid £179.00 for mine.

Kenwood hand mixer

My dad has a soup maker (it was a gift) he says it's a complete waste of money.

Wow you've all been busy on here! ! Thank you ☺

Thanks for the heads up on the soup maker's. Just as I suspected!

I reckon MIL was annoyed at the last visit as she wanted to whisk something and I only have a hand whisk. Bit too much like hard work. .

Really like the look of that kenwood hand mixer. Thanks

I have a stick blender that fits onto a bowl thingy that chops stuff. A bit like a mini food processor. It's tough enough to chop nuts. It came with a tall jug (a bit like a liquidizer pot) and a whisk attachment. It was a lidl special so not at all expensive. I also have the cheapest electric blender for cakes. It is light weight so that means the kids can use it easily, another cheapo from argos.

Sainsburys have some kenwood handheld mixers that can also be used with a stand for half price, btw - probably a good investment as far as basic mixers go. The stand is handy for things that take ages, like egg whites.
www.sainsburys.co.uk/shop/gb/groceries/kenwood-hand-mixer-with-bowl-hm400
It has quite a weedy motor, though, so wouldn't cope well with heavy or stiff mixes like royal icing I bburnt a hand mixer out, making that!) The chefette is a bit beefier, but costs a fair bit more
www.sainsburys.co.uk/shop/gb/groceries/kenwood-chefette-hand-mixer-with-bowl-hm680