disappointing kitchen toys

[rtms]

I'm disappointed with my KitchenAid food processor and the local service guy. The brand new and never used before blade separated from the disc. The slicing disc is broken and the main bowl is damaged. There were bits of plastic in the food. This is not covered under warantee. Therefore replacement is at my cost. Be very careful when using your kitchen toys - keep the reciept in a safe place and test all components.

Have you been disappointed by your kitchen toys?

[gothamette]

This subject would make a funny Youtube video.

[gothamette]

I have read so many reservations to both KitchenAid and Cuisinart stand mixers I was leery of spending the money. On Amazon I read about people who had problems with the Breville. So I got so confused I decided to spend less money on the Cuisinart Hand/Stand Mixer (about $70), which struck me as a compromise. Well, this little item has a design flaw so ridiculous that it is useless as a stand mixer: the mixer itself isn't in the middle of the bowl. It's off to the side. So it doesn't mix properly.

The stainless steel bowl is very nice, and the mixer itself is quite good. But it doesn't do its intended purposes and for that reason I am bummed.

If anyone can explain to me why Cuisinart decided to put the mixing apparatus skewed, please tell me. I'm no scientist. I may write to Cuisinart and ask them myself.

[mattstolz]

does the bowl spin? if so, it might be so you can turn the bowl and get all the way to the sides, instead of just beating the crap out of the middle of your mixture and throwing everything up the sides of the bowl

[gothamette]

yes - the bowl does spin. Good point. But the way it is - it beats the crap out of the stuff on the sides and leaves a huge blob in the middle. What I do to remedy this is to stand there w/the spatula, and I hold the spatula so that the stuff being mixed goes into the beater blades. (hard to visualize, I realize) this negates the purpose of the item which is to leave the mixer while I can do other things. I'm not returning the item because the mixer itself is good and I need one, but it's still something of a disappointment.

[Cheez62]

Agreed. If this is the mixer I think it is, the bowl sits on a turntable. That it the same way that my mother's ancient Sunbeam Mixmaster worked. Indeed, when mixing most things the mixing action alone caused the bowl to turn, even though it is not powered. If it doesn't turn on it's own, turn it.

[gothamette]

As I said, it does turn, but the mixer doesn't do a good job of mixing the entire mixture. Granted I haven't made a cake. So far, I've tried egg whites, and bread doughs. The dough hooks do a weird thing - sometimes the dough creeps up the hooks - but that's another issue. I think the kind of doughs this works well with are wet doughs.

[Cheez62]

Yeah, I can imagine bread doughs and the like not working out well in such a system. It should work for batters, as well as the egg whites and similar. I wouldn't think they meant or you to have to "feed" it with a spatula. I can understand your being less than pleased.

[gothamette]

It didn't work for egg whites, either. I might have had too few of them, but then, it's supposed to be for small jobs. (Egg whites whipped up just fine when I used it as a conventional hand mixer, which you can also do.)

[breadchick]

I bought one of those suction cup apple corer/peelers, and it was a total waste of my money. It was always spinning off center and somehow mangling the outside of the apple. I admit, it may have been "operator problems." I found that a small sharp paring knife and quick work was really the best way.

I can't even find it now.

[rasputina]

I really like mine, I have the back to basics one. sorry yours didn't work out for you.

[rtms]

I'm also dissappointed with my Calphalon Kitchen Essentials 'chicken fryer' glass lid. The lid leaks from the seam and spatters a lot! My other glass lids don't do that. I guess that's what you get for buying at an outlet store. I'm looking to replace this thing.

[mattstolz]

its kinda ironic that this thread is immediately below the thread about the cuisinart ice cream maker at the moment... because thats probably the one i'm most disappointed in. most ice creams i make in it end up really good a couple hours after churning, and then harder than preferred a day or two later. i have had better luck with some of the recipes from Jeni's Splendid, but even David Lebowitz recipes end up less creamy and more rock-like in it

[rasputina]

Oh I agree, I should have mentioned the Cuisinart ice cream maker. I've retired mine and went back to the White Mountain which freezes so much better IMO.

[mattstolz]

if only....

when i retire mine i normally have to resort to David Lebowitz's no-ice-cream-maker method of throwing the chilled base in the freezer and beating the tar out of it every once in a while until its too frozen to do so

ironically it actually normally gives better results than the cuisinart

[Rick]

Why didn't you just take it back to the store and return it?

[rasputina]

My Kitchen Aid mixer. After 15 years, I finally replaced it with the Cuisinart stand mixer, but I really should have bought the Electrolux Assistent ( IE the new Verona).

[Chemicalkinetics]

Really? May I ask what was the troubles with the Kitchen Aid mixer?

[rasputina]

I can't stand overhead gearing and the way that it blocks access to the bowl. The fact that there is a narrow access point for adding ingredients while it's running. The meat grinder is plastic and mine ended up cracking. At least the Cuisinart stand mixer has a metal meat grinder housing.

[Chemicalkinetics]

Ok, the meat grinder problem is well known. Thanks for the information.

[roxlet]

I have the Electrolux Assistent, which I adore. When I got it, I put the old KA down to the basement, but I quickly realized that I needed both mixers. The EA doesn't have a paddle attachment, so it is not as good for making cake and cookie batters and dough as the KA. It is, however, brilliant for bread, and the grinding attachment makes the one on the KA look like a toy. IMHO, the EA is not an all-purpose mixer.

[rasputina]

Are you referring to the meat grinder or the wheat/grain grinder for flour?

[sueatmo]

I bought a KA food processor about 8 years ago, and it performs well, except for a crack in the smallest workbowl. However, we got rid of a KA toaster a couple of years ago because it made terrible toast and it had a large footprint for a 2-slot toaster. And the KA coffee maker we bought about 2 or 3 years ago was totally lousy. While I do have a decade old KA mixer and the food processor, I won't buy KA again.

[flourgirl]

I also bought my KA food processor about 8 yrs ago, my KA stand mixer probably around 9 yrs ago. I've been very very happy with them - but I think KA quality has really gone down hill in the years since plus their customer service can be horrendous. I don't know that I would buy KA again either.

[sueatmo]

It is just too bad, isn't it? The decline of a respected American brand.

[flourgirl]

It's very sad. My mom purchased a top of the line KA DW a few years ago. Right after the warranty expired, she had an issue with it - the door came crashing down because the shoelace-sized string and the flimsy plastic parts holding it up had broken. The repair was almost $300. And apparently this repair is so common that the repair people always carry the parts on their trucks. It's ridiculous that such an expensive appliance would be held together with such flimsy parts. It's like caveman technology. And KA customer service treated us horribly when we complained about it and would not stand behind their product. Just based on that experience I refuse to buy anymore KA products.

[sueatmo]

The KA brand is now owned by Whirlpool. Apparently the mixers are still made in the U.S. but I can't verify that, and I don't know for sure.

I had understood that the small electrics were still made by KA, but that is not the case.

If I were to buy a brand new mixer today, I'd seriously check out the new Cuisinart and another brand, which I've seen but cannot remember.

[nofunlatte]

Steve Raichlen Marinade Injector. Doesn't move easily and it's messy to boot. Forget about herbs/garlic/etc, as the needle clogs. Thankfully it was inexpensive--I guess you do get what you pay for.

[GH1618]

Pyrex can opener, which works by breaking the seal from the side rather than cutting through the top. Some cans it won't open because the dimensions are slightly different. I keep my 1969 Swing-a-Way, which still works well, as a backup.

Even when opening a can from the side works, it can be a problem. If you like to use the lid to squeeze the liquid out of a can of tuna, you need to cut the lid from the top.

[SanityRemoved]

I have a Krups electric like that. What a pain that was when you then had to toss the tuna in a colander to drain. Back to the old Swing-A-Way (RIP the American made ones).

[Chemicalkinetics]

Sure. Many actually.
1) stainless steel soap (not sure if it actually works)
2) Calphalon Infused One wok (as opposed to carbon steel wok)
3) stainless steel steamers (as opposed to bamboo steamer baskets)
I am sure I can think of a few more.

[fourunder]

If you purchased with a credit card, check your buyer's protection policy.....most cards afford 30 days, but some up to 60 days.

[wincountrygirl]

Cuisinart 4 in one Griddler. It was supposed to make a terrific burger indoors. The burger was steamed. Here's another one. Williams Sonoma little garlic chopper. It's kind of like a guillotine. Found out you have to slice the garlic first then put it in and it will small dice. If I have to slice it first, I might as well dice it myself!