~~~Kenwood Food Processor FP190~~~

The Kenwood brand is synonymous with cutting edge, quality and long lasting appliances since being established in 1947. I wasn't looking out for a food processor when I bought this, but as my previous machine was on its last legs, and this one being somewhat of a bargain, I couldn't resist. It was a total impulse purchase but one I've not regretted and my review discusses the appliances features and my thoughts about it.

~~~ The Unit~~~

This Processor is available widely from most high street vendors. Sainsbury's seem to be selling a white version at the moment (January 2013), although mine is a rather classy chrome and black. I like this because if I should want to, it could be left out on the counter top to be within easy reach and use - It's not an ugly looking machine that you feel the need to hide away at all. The smart and shiny effect could be seen as a downfall though, as the chrome is rather a dirt magnet and no matter how much you try, it will not remain fingerprint free. It's easily wiped over with a damp soapy cloth though.

The whole machine except the blades (and internal motor I expect) is manufactured from plastic and although hardwearing, it doesn't have the robustness of a metal construction. The black detailing adds a smart touch, and blends well with my gloss black fitted kitchen, although I'm sure it will be just as at home in many styles of home.

The 600 watt motor isn't the most powerful on the market, but is adequate for home use. I find it copes adequately with whatever job I throw at it, and after roughly around 8 months use, it hasn't failed me once.

The metre long electric cord means that it can be positioned more or less anywhere within reason, in your kitchen. A point to note is that there is cord storage to the rear of the machine, should it need to be stored away. I find it odd though, that the plug isn't a moulded one as one would expect from a kitchen appliance.

Four rubberised suction feet at each 'corner' keep this sturdy and absolutely rigid when in use. My last machine used to vibrate and manoeuvre around the work surface while I used it - this Kenwood FP feels totally safe and secure.

~~~Attachments~~~

~Blender~

This has a rather handy feature of being not only a food processor, but having a blender attachment too. With a black plastic base, it is quite strongly fastened into its home on the top of the main body of the processor. It locks into place and feels really secure. Other security features on the appliance means that it will not actually work until the main (chopping) bowl is securely locked into its position too. If I'm using the blender, I lock the FP bowl into place without the blade attachments in situ.

The main body of the blender jug is transparent, and made from some polycarbonate material. This provides three main benefits: 1, you can see through it, 2, it makes for easier cleaning, and 3, if you blend something that might stain such as tomatoes, beetroot or curry ingredients, the blender doesn't get tainted by either colour or odour. The addition of a pouring spout is a rather handy feature to have too; there's nothing worse than jug that dribbles.

There are increments up the sides of the blender for ease of measuring - one being in cups (presumably for the American market) and the other being in ml. This has a 1 litre capacity with room at the top to spare for the blitzing action.

The lid has two rather wide finger indentations, with room for three fingers in one, and your thumb in the other. This gives it quite a good grip for people with dexterity problems. The final feature of the lid is that it has a whole in which sits a little plug, this allows you to drizzle in liquids such as oils for making mayonnaise etc, while the machine is in use and the lid is still on, to prevent splashes and splatters.

~FP Bowl~

The Food Processor bowl has many of the same features noted above but with a maximum 800ml (3 cup) capacity, it is noticeably smaller. I find that even so, it's not small enough to make a huge difference when utilising it. You may need to empty it a couple of times during use, depending on what you are doing.

Like most other machines of this type, there is a handy feeding tube through which you can either pour liquids, or push through foods while chopping or grating, safely keeping your fingers from harms way.

Although I'm not 100% sure if they are dishwasher safe (I've lost the instructions), I've but both the blades and both vessels in the dishwasher with no ill effects at all.

~Blades-

All the chopping/grating/slicing blades are made from quality stainless steel and have not tarnished or become less sharp over time. The blending blades that are non-removable from the jug are easily able to crush ice, and have suffered no ill consequences from doing so. I feel that the Kenwood quality shines through in this respect.

~~~Speeds/Settings~~~

This is really just a basic food processor and only had two speeds plus a pulse. Speed one is slower (obviously) and two is faster. I haven't noticed any difference in results when chopping or grating at different speeds. The main benefit is when making dough or when you want to have keep foods chunky, having a slower setting means it's more controllable and you can obtain the texture you require.

The pulse feature is great when making soups or smoothies, and lumps and chunks are trapped either at the sides of the bowl or around the blades. This gives a quick blast of the motor and is often just enough to dislodge the food and enable a more consistent blend.

~~~Downsides~~~

Now, as you would expect with something that cuts, slices and chops, it does make a bit of a racket. This machine is no exception to the rule; in fact, I would say it is considerably noisier than my previous food processor. It wouldn't put me off buying it though, as you are unlikely to be using this for more than a couple of minutes at a time.

The absolute main downfall with this appliance though, and it could just be mine that is faulty - When I utilise the fast setting for anything over a couple of seconds, or hold it down in the pulse position, there is the most awful smell of burning rubber. In the eight months I've owned this; it has diminished a little, but not faded completely. This appliance is used quite regularly so it can't be due to newness. It doesn't stop me using it, or hindered its performance in any way. Having read many other reviews of this FP, I've not seen any other comments about this matter, so hopefully like I said before; this may just be a one off.

~~~Price~~~

Now here's the thing - At £90 I feel this is overpriced, even for the Kenwood branding. Half price is a much more reasonable price to pay, so I would say that if you're in the market for a Food Processor, if you can find one around the £40 - £45 mark, I would still go for it despite the (possible) burning smell when in use. However, I purchased mine from Tesco's for an unbelievable £9 - no, that wasn't a typing error, it was £9!!! If you see one for that price, grab one, hand over your money and get out of the shop as fast as you can; it's a bargain.

~~~My Thoughts~~~

Despite its flaws, I would still buy this again. Granted, if I had more money to spend I might go for a higher spec model, but I think this one is more than adequate for my needs at the moment. It does everything I need it to, so why waste money by spending more than you need? The Kenwood name continues to live up to the high standard expected of it, in my opinion, and therefore I would give this a five star rating despite its minor flaws.