One kitchen machine can become your best ally in cooking and baking, since it comes with accessories and functions that will take your sweet and savory creations to another level. Here you will find all the essential information, to choose the kitchen machine that suits your needs and your kitchen counter!

An essential addition to your kitchen

Starting with the basics, a kitchen mixer is a versatile tool that can be used for simple as well as more complex recipes. You can make anything from creams and batters for desserts, to doughs for bread, pies, pizzas, tsoureki, and anything else you can imagine. Additionally, by adding different attachments, it allows you to grind meat or use it as a blender, food processor, ice cream maker, or for making fresh pasta.

Basic selection criteria

Power

The motor power certainly plays an important role in the performance of the food processor, but always in combination with the quality of its construction materials. A food processor with high power is ideal for large quantities of mixture and easy mixing, without the motor being "strained". For the average user, 600-900 Watt power, delivers satisfactory performance for a perfect result in every preparation. A very powerful motor does not necessarily mean top performance, if it is not combined with other features, such as a durable construction or the ability to choose the appropriate attachments for different uses.

Bowl capacity

It is important, since it determines the amount of mixture you can make. For a large family, a large-capacity bowl, e.g. 5lt and above, is certainly suitable, while for smaller households, a smaller one, up to 4.9lt, is sufficient. Many manufacturers also state in the specifications the amounts of dough or mixture the bowl can hold, in order to ensure effective mixing of the ingredients, e.g. up to 2.7kg for cake mixture or 1.9kg for yeast dough. 

Speeds & Pulse Function

The food processors have a switch with multiple speeds, for gradual mixing of ingredients, which prevents splattering and adjustment according to the type of ingredients and recipe instructions. The lower speeds are used for dough and mixing of ingredients such as butter, and the higher speeds for creams, meringue, and whipped cream.

The Pulse function is used for short bursts of power at maximum speed. It is controlled by the user and can be used, for example, to mix pieces of chocolate or fruits into a cake batter, avoiding excessive processing that can ruin the final result.

Mixing Attachments

Most stand mixers include three or four basic attachments for different mixture preparations: dough hook, paddle, whisk, and egg beater. Each of them is used to achieve the perfect result in the recipe you have chosen.

• Dough hook: It is ideal for making all kinds of dough, for bread, pizzas, pies, tsoureki, and other baked goods. Thanks to its curved design, it ensures that the ingredients are mixed evenly, exactly as needed to make the dough perfect.
• Paddle: This attachment is for lighter batters, for cakes, cookies, and even for mixing minced meat for meatballs or other similar uses.
• Whisk: It is the attachment you will choose for fluffier mixtures, such as whipped cream, batter for crepes and pancakes, as well as for pastry creams or your favorite mousses.
• Egg beater: If you want the perfect meringue, this attachment will give you the result you want!

Accessories for other uses

In addition to the basic items above, many food processors include or allow you to purchase separately, accessories that will turn your food processor into other appliances. This way you can by adding the appropriate accessory, transform it into a blender, chopper, meat grinder or sausage maker or fresh pasta maker and many more. It is a multi-tool that will broaden your cooking and baking horizons!

Other important features

Planetary mixer movement

In the features of many kitchen machines you will see planetary mixer movement. It is this feature that will provide uniform mixing of ingredients, moving the mixing component towards all sides and directions inside the bowl.

Opening for adding ingredients

Some bowls have a lid for protection against splashing, with an opening from which you can add ingredients during recipe execution. It is particularly practical and saves you time as you don't need to interrupt the operation (which can also affect the result).

Built-in scale

There are kitchen machines with a built-in scale and tare function, so you can weigh the ingredients directly in the bowl. This is a particularly useful function for pastry making, where it is important to carefully measure quantities.

Non-slip base & more

It is important for your kitchen machine to have rubber feet on the bottom or a base that essentially suctions onto the countertop, to remain stable even at high speeds. Additionally, the button that easily lifts the arm to remove the attachments is particularly helpful, while extra points are given for overload safety and the timer with automatic shut-off.

Cleaning & storage

To keep your kitchen machine in good condition, clean it after each use with a damp cloth (after unplugging it) and carefully remove the attachments to wash them. They usually go in the dishwasher, but read the manufacturer's instructions for proper cleaning. As for storage, if you don't want to keep it on the countertop, place it in a cabinet, with all its attachments, so it's ready for the next use!