Stylish Lifetime Appliance that looks good and produces great results (Kenwood MX270)

Member Name: CeltP

Product:	Kenwood MX270
Date:	22/09/09 (40 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Easy of use, sturdy attachments, looks good and mixes brillantly

Disadvantages: None really, could be lighter but might not be as sturdy then

I bought this mixer about 18 months ago. It is an absolute delight to use. I was lusting after a Kitchen Aid mixer but just couldn't justify the prices. After a bit of research online I came across the Kenwood MX270.

First the important bit - the mixer comes in two colours Cream or Red. I have the cream one and which matches perfectly with several other kitchen items.

The mixer unit itself is quite heavy (7.9 kg) and sturdy. But not suitable for storage up high. It comes with a great steel mixing bowl and three attachments. There is a whisk, a dough hook and a beater. Also included is a recipe book which has some good recipes. I've used several of the pastry recipes from this book.

The manual says not to wash the attachments in the dishwasher. Well I have and they're still working away, none the worse. The bowl can be washed by hand or in the dishwasher. The unit itself is cleaned easily with a wipe of a damp cloth.

You can purchase replacement attachments and mixing bowls online. I'm sure this is if you lose your originals. Can't see them breaking as they are really solid.

The mixing unit itself is tall (cm - 43.1L x 27.1W x 43.0H) and may not fit under a standard kitchen wall press. I have mine in a cupboard and have to lift it to the island to use. You could easily leave this mixer out on display. The top of the mixer lifts up to allow you to attach the whisk etc and remove the bowl.

There are 12 speed settings that you can use. You need to move gradually between the settings. There is a whirring sound when mixing and you can hear the mixer gearing up to the next speed. But it's not lound enough to make a racket. The mixer does move about quite a lot when mixing dough or large quantities of cake mix. So make sure you position it well away from the counter or table edge.

Do not exceed the recommended maximum amount of flour or mix. I tried to be clever and make a double batch of pastry which exceeded the 500 g limit. Lucky I was close by as the mixer started to smoke. No damage done.

Overall the mixer is very easy to use. My oldest daughter uses it a couple of times a month. While I use it every week at least once. I am delighted that I didn't pay out for a Kitchen Aid as I can't see what it could do better than this mixer. This is one of the few appliances that I can see me passing on to my children. But only when I'm grey and decrepit!

Summary: A stylish functional additon to any kitchen that will last the test of time