check out the comments from the Previous Sale
would love to hear from fellow wooters how this compares to the kitchenaid–been thinking about getting a stand mixer for a while now.
Very good reviews (4.3 out of 5.0) over at amazon
As mentioned in previous sales, this is the Cook’s Illustrated choice for “High End” mixers, though at this price it qualifies for the under $240 “inexpensive” category. The benefits of the Kitchenaid is the plentiful, overpriced but generally well constructed accessories. The Cuisinart has a few accessories, nothing great. We bought the 7 qt version on Moofi a few years ago and have loved everything about it.
Glad to hear you have had experience w/ this machine.
Do please tell :
- Can you really mix up bread dough w/o it burning out ?
- Does the fact that it takes so much more energy --1000 watts I think. Ever cause overheating issues ?
- Is there a pasta attachment
- If you could do it over again, would you opt for the Kitchenaid instead ?
Thank you
I haven’t made bread yet, I’ve only used it to make some peanut butter candies so far but it handled 3 batches without issue. It does have a pasta attachment, and a juicer, and a meat grinder. http://www.cuisinart.com/parts/stand_mixers/sm-55.html
My only complaint is the cover for the plugs on the top, for those accessories, don’t lock in place. Most of the time when i am raising the top up and out of the bowl I flip one of them open. The door that swings open on the front for the pasta/meat tool pretty much just sides out completely without any effort.
I’ve had this machine for about 3 years and it’s awesome!!! I love that i can just throwing everything in the bowl and it does the work. Mixes dough’s with no problem and makes whipping up a batch of cookies a breeze. It’s one of my favorite machines in the kitchen. I can’t imagine that the motor could burn out, and i have never had an issue with it hopping around when you do a thick / heavy dough. It’s also great for whipping eggs, pancake batter etc…it’s really endless!!! I have a refurb too, no issues at all.
Good luck.
I currently use a heavy duty Bosch mixer for bread dough. My complaint with the Bosch is that it doesn’t have a low enough speed so when I first add ingredients (hot water, milk and then flour, etc) if I don’t pulse the switch on/off, the mix would be all over the kitchen. A long-winded way to ask if this one has a nice low speed.
[QUOTE=drycappucino, post:9, topic:386095]
I currently use a heavy duty Bosch mixer for bread dough. My complaint with the Bosch is that it doesn’t have a low enough speed so when I first add ingredients (hot water, milk and then flour, etc) if I don’t pulse the switch on/off, the mix would be all over the kitchen. A long-winded way to ask if this one has a nice low speed.
[/quote]
I purchased this woot last time it was offered (refurb). It does have a low start and then ‘ramps up’. It also has a splatter protection lid that covers the bowl with a slot for pouring in liquids or flour.
I have really enjoyed having this mixer!
[QUOTE=spdmsw, post:8, topic:386095]
I’ve had this machine for about 3 years and it’s awesome!!!
[/quote]
and @Absolutcrobi @deblee too :
Thanks for all your previous answers ! Very helpful. I have another question : )
Did you purchase this 5.5 Qt size or the larger 7Qt one they have had.
Just curious. How much difference the size really makes if making a couple loaves of bread at a time or a double batch of cookies.
Is there a warranty with this refurbished mixer?
Wow, I actually own this mixer. I bought it for my wife last Christmas after reading mixed reviews on Kitchenaides ability to handle dough. The Cuisinart has really been a champ and will easily mix and knead enough dough for two loaves of bread. We really couldn’t be happier with this mixer. I don’t know why you would need the 7 qt. size; the 5.5 has plenty of room for everything we have ever needed.
Considering you can get a refurb or used kitchenaid for about the same price this is a tough sale for me. The kitchenaid is actually worth something used so even if you don’t like it you can eBay it. The accessories are nearly endless on the kitchenaid and I haven’t heard of anyone having issues with one.
I have the most basic kitchenaid model and make 3 big batches of pizza dough / french bread / etc. every couple of weeks and it does it without issue.
Your questions are somewhat contradictory. “1000W” is not exactly how much energy it uses but how much power the motor can put out* in a worst-case situation (like, say, the wad of bread dough you mention). When the motor is not working hard (say, mixing up batter) it will use just a fraction of that amount of power. So in a motorized appliance like this you generally want the highest power rating you can find; the higher the motor power the less likely you are to have overheating issues.
Anyway, we’ve had this for several years and have been extremely happy with it – probably the best thing I’ve ever bought on Woot. The attachments it comes with are super high-quality (this is the weak link of a lot of mixers of this type). It does not come with a pasta attachment but it does have the “power port” (really an exposed gear) and one is available for around $40. We bought it but have not yet used it, so can’t comment there.
The only downside is that the 5.5 quart bowl is rather tall and narrow and it can be tricky to add ingredients while the mixer is running. It’s also kind of a hulk on the kitchen counter but I think that’s true of any stand mixer.
*Of course how these ratings are derived can be a mystery, but it’s still fair to assume that bigger is better here.
[QUOTE=ceagee, post:6, topic:386095]
Glad to hear you have had experience w/ this machine.
Do please tell :
- Can you really mix up bread dough w/o it burning out ?
- Does the fact that it takes so much more energy --1000 watts I think. Ever cause overheating issues ?
- Is there a pasta attachment
- If you could do it over again, would you opt for the Kitchenaid instead ?
Thank you
[/quote]
I bought this last time it was on Home.woot, I really love it. I see no one fully answered your questions.
1. No problem at all with bread dough, thats what I’ve primarily used it for. The dough hooks with these mixers are designed so that the dough is pulled up, not squashed against the bowl, so there isn’t energy wasted squeezing the dough. I would compare it to tossing a pizza dough, rather than kneeding it against the counter. The dough comes out wonderfully.
2. It’s a DC motor, so it only takes more amps under more load. It CAN get to 1000w, but it usually isn’t. For example, when starting the hook in a thick dough it could concievably draw 1000w for a few seconds before the motor gets moving.
Also, keep in mind this isn’t a machine you keep running for an hour. Normal tasks take less than 10 minutes.
Could you blow out a breaker running this and the microwave at the same time? Possibly, but not likely for most tasks.
3. Yes there is a pasta attachment availible to purchase separately. And meat grinder, juicer, blender, etc.
That said, the attachments are all neutral to poorly rated, with noise being a major concern. This machine is for mixing.
4. At this price? With more than double the available power, a larger bowl, a timer, and 2 more “speeds” (this one goes up to 12!)? I would not get a Kitchenaid instead. It’s not worth it just to have a mint-green or candy-apple-red color. (Heck, you could get an auto guy to paint it for you for $50, and still come out ahead.)
Personally, with the high price of the attachments (around $50-60 regardless on manufacturer) I believe you would be better off just buying a separate appliance. But, if you need to use attachments, you should consider a Kitchenaid, or accept the fact that these will be noisy.
*Other thoughts My mixer arrived in wonderful condition, it only had very tiny scratches on the base. It was obvious that someone set it on their counter, tried to used it once, and returned it.
Someone else said they got one that was pretty banged up. Woot accepted the return on it.
I picked one of these up during the last woot, and I’ve been very happy with it. I learned to bake using my Mom’s Hobart-Made-and-they-don’t-make-em-like-they-used-to KitchenAid. I’ve tried the latest generation KitchenAid mixers and they do not handle yeast dough like the old Hobart ones. They have a poorly-shaped bread hook, the bowl overtightens into the slot during mixing, there’s lots of lash in the head, the motor strains and whines, and the cheaply-made gearbox is notorious for poor reliability.
The Cusinart has some play in the head, and shakes the counter pretty well, but I chalk that up to being a refurb. The motor keeps up with the demand. The bread hook has a solid shape, prevents sticking, and is dishwasher safe. The bowl is easy to remove even after a spirited kneading, and has a nice wide base so it doesn’t fall over when I throw it in the fridge. For the hobby bread baker, this is the best mixer to get for under a thousand dollars.
Warranty: 90 Day Cuisinart
If you need a mixer, and just a mixer, get this one. The wattage is outstanding and from other reviews it seems that this is a solid machine. If you want a kitchenaid, get a kitchenaid, but keep in mind that the kitchenaid mixers come in a wide variety of models. From my experience, if you want a kitchenaid that can use all the attachments well, you need one with a motor above 450 W. Anything below that I’ve seen struggle with most of the attachements.
TL;DR
If you need a mixer, get this one. If you need a mixer and a grinder, and a pasta maker and a…, get a 450W + kitchenaid
[QUOTE=Sardinicus, post:15, topic:386095]
… “1000W” is not exactly how much energy it uses but how much power the motor can put out* in a worst-case situation (like, say, the wad of bread dough you mention). When the motor is not working hard (say, mixing up batter) it will use just a fraction of that amount of power. So in a motorized appliance like this you generally want the highest power rating you can find; the higher the motor power the less likely you are to have overheating issues…
[/quote]
@Sardinicus, close, but not quite. A 1000 Watt power rating (actually 600-800 in this case) does indicate “how much energy it uses” - or least is capable of using at maximum speed.
The efficiency of the appliance in turning that power consumption into “work” (moving things around) is what really matters and what we rarely get to see rated.
So a 500 watt rated appliance could actually be more “powerful” in use than a 600 watt appliance that burned off 100+ watts more of its energy consumption in heat.
But all things equal (efficiency, gearing, etc…) higher wattage ratings are generally a good thing.