[Concours] Kichen Aid vs Kmix: the match (winner take all!)

Around this time last year, I published an articleentitled “Which robot to choose for your CAP pastry diploma”. I know that some of you were a little disappointed, as I wasn’t recommending any particular brand. But as I hadn’t tested the Kenwood robots, I didn’t feel justified in making any recommendations. But since then, Kenwood has lent me a few models to test, and I’m now in a position to give you an informed review! So it’s off to the Kitchen Aid/Kmix match-up!

As you may know if you’ve been following this blog for a while, when I passed my CAP I bought a Kitchen Aid artisan. I was so in love with it that, when I moved house, no one wanted to carry it for fear of dropping it (having a bad shoulder myself, I couldn’t do it). At the time, I chose it mainly for its design and the brand’s reputation, but I didn’t really compare it. Today is my chance to make up for it.

Table des matières

The power

For the CAP, you’ll need a food processor that’s capable of holding its own, especially when it comes to kneading brioche dough. That said, it will also depend on your use. If you often plan to make professional preparations such as banquets or wedding cakes, it may be worth pushing the power button.

The Kitchen Aid has a 300-watt motor. The Kmix has 1000 Watts for its new model, and the Titanium has 1500 Watts. But to be clear with you, I’ve never really made any big preparations that would have put a strain on the motor with any of the three food processors (you’re limited by the size of the bowl anyway). In my experience, all 3 do the job very well for brioche dough.

In the power ring, Kenwood wins by KO!

Accessories

Accessories are the Kmix’s weak point (developments in terms of accessories are rather reserved for its big brother, the Titanium). The Kitchen Aid comes with a whisk, flat beater and hook. The Kmix comes with a whisk, a leaf and a kneading attachment: Kiff-kiff for the initial accessories. For a moment of slackerism, the Kmix whisk is dishwasher-safe, while the Kitchen Aid whisk is not (yes, it’s a detail, but I like it). And regardless of whether it’s dishwasher-safe or not, the Kmix’s is much sturdier (over time, the Kitchen Aid’s whisk tends to warp).

When it comes to the accessories that can be added, the Kitchen Aid has a clear advantage, as the Kmix has no ice cream maker. While the Kmix can be fitted with a sheeter, a pastry machine and a chopper (which is not bad after all), the Kitchen Aid comes with much more: ice cream maker, juice extractor, food processor… Note, however, that if you opt for the Titanium (the range above the Kmix), you’ll be able to fit all these accessories, plus a blender. But that’s not what CAP is about.

Finally, the price of accessories is much the same. Each brand is in turn cheaper on a product.

The design

So there’s no real suspense here, since as I said in the introduction, I think the Kitchen Aid design is really classy. That’s what appealed to me in the first place. But I still find the Kmix very cute and I love the Union Jack version. All in all, I think I’m a bit stupid to have given so much weight to the design when I bought my food processor.

But let’s give Kitchen Aid credit for its aesthetic appeal and the variety of colors available (although you’ll have to explain to me the sometimes substantial price difference between 2 different colors).

Capacity

In terms of capacity, while Kitchen Aid offers a choice of bowl sizes 3.3 L, 4.3 L, 4.8 L and 6.9 L, Kmix only offers a 5 L bowl. Honestly, between 4 and 5 L is the ideal size to reconcile CAP preparation and family use. On the other hand, if you’re planning to use your food processor for professional purposes later on, perhaps a larger size would be a good investment (and opt for Kenwood’s Titanium).

Details

Here, I’m going to tell you about the little details, which aren’t capital but which make use more enjoyable. I’ve already mentioned that the whisk is dishwasher-safe.

In the same vein, I find the Kmix’s anti-splash lid much more practical (it hooks onto the head). With the Kitchen Aid, the lid sits on top of the bowl, and not only does it often fly off, but it’s of little use (even when properly in place!).

A final point that I find much nicer on the Kmix is the gearshift knob, which is much lighter and more pleasant than the Kitchen Aid’s notch, which is rather abrupt (especially as the plastic buttons on mine have popped off, which means I get a piece of metal stuck in my finger when I go a bit hard).

Finally, when it comes to raising the robot’s head, both systems are pretty much kiff. The Kmix is a little more practical, as the button is on the back, so it’s accessible from the side of the knob. On the Kitchen Aid, on the other hand, the button is on the opposite side, which is a little awkward. To the best of my recollection, the two heads weigh about the same (admittedly rather heavy). However, the Kmix head has the luxury of stopping automatically when the head is raised. Between you and me, I’ve never raised the head of the Kitchen Aid while running, but maybe that would be useful to some people.

The price

With both brands offering many different options for each model, comparison is not always easy. I therefore referred to the base price on the Boulanger website, for a red food processor without accessories. I chose the Kitchen Aid model with a 4.8 L bowl to be the closest to the Kmix, which has a 5 L bowl.

The Kitchen Aid is priced at 359.99 euros (let’s be precise!), while the Kmix is 268.98 euros.

There’s clearly no debate here: the Kmix really does offer better value for money (for a motor that’s 3 times more powerful, let me remind you). As for warranties, both brands offer a 2-year guarantee.

My verdict: Kmix by KO

As you’ll have gathered from this article, my preference is clearly for the Kmix for its excellent value for money. I think it’s an excellent choice for a CAP patisserie preparation course. The only thing that could make me hesitate and opt for the model above is the lack of an ice cream maker.

However, I wouldn’t spit on Kitchen Aid. I’ve used it with pleasure for years, and while preparing for my CAP. It’s now at Môman’s and it’s still doing the job. What’s more, the ice-cream maker that failed me shortly after I bought it was replaced free of charge by the after-sales service more than 3 years after the end of the warranty (that’s worth mentioning). But the brand is overplaying its reputation and assets to inflate its prices. Today, it’s clearly not the best choice in my opinion.

So I recommend Kmix without hesitation!

In fact, I recommend it so much that Kenwood gave me one to give away! It’s on my instagram!

And whether you pass the CAP or not, don’t hesitate to try your luck. ALL participants will receive a 10% discount code on the purchase of their Kenwood robot!