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Kenwood kMix KMX5 review


WHAT IS THE KENWOOD KMIX KMX5?
If you fancy yourself as a Star Baker on the Wonderful British Bake Off, then there's no
Better place to start than with its stand mixer of choice for 2015, the Kenwood kMix.
A more modern take on the classic model, but with all the beating, whipping,
Creaming and kneading art of the first, the kMix is a stylish workhorse. The
Mixer's 5-litre bowl can handle up to 12 egg whites, 2.7kg of cake batter, 1.3kg bread

It comes with a multitude of smart features, from a soft start for nominal spills, to an
Electronic sensor that's been designed to maintain speed under different load conditions
-- for when eggs are added, as an example.
KENWOOD KMIX KMX5 -- DESIGN
Although its style may be charmingly retro, the kMix's features are bang up to date. For
starters, its die-cast aluminium body makes it lighter at 8.1kg than some equivalent

footprint while maintaining a generously sized mixing bowl.
Four tools -- a flexible creaming beater, dough hook, K-beater and whisk -- provide
Fantastic versatility, plus a cover flips off at the front to reveal a socket for additional
Attachments, such as a meat grinder. A small switch releases the head of the mixer for


There are eight speeds -- Min, Max and 1-6 plus a slow Fold option for blending light
Ingredients into heavier mixes, such as mousses and soufflés. A "Total Mixing" action
Ensures the tools reach all areas inside the bowl, making the kMix it reassuringly
efficient.
Perhaps most importantly for an appliance that's likely to be on show, the kMix KMX5 is
Available in a range of colours -- from Summer Yellow and Raspberry Red (shown), to
Majestic Blue and the Barcelona, which features multicoloured stripes.

USE?

straightforward push and twist motion. There's a spanner for altering the height of the
beaters, and slotting the bowl into position is fuss-free too.
We started by making doughnuts, which was one of the included recipes. Using the
dough hook, we set the kMix on the Min speed to combine flour, sugar, butter and
yeast. After a minute, we used the opening on the splashguard to add milk, water and
egg.
This initially required a scrape down to help the mixture to come together. Once
combined, we turned it up to speed 2 to knead, which it did so quickly, using an efficient

planetary motion. The resulting dough was soft, elastic and the perfect consistency for
doughnuts. Once proved, filled and fried, they were fluffy inside with a light, crisp outer.
Moving onto making an exotic fruit pavlova, we attached the whisk tool and used it to
transform four eggs whites into a stiff consistency on Max speed, before whisking in
sugar to create a smooth, glossy mixture.
The mixer remained stable, even on the top rate -- although it was somewhat noisy.
Adding cornflour, vinegar and vanilla, we used the Fold option to incorporate the three
ingredients before baking -- a far less labour-intensive alternative to folding by hand.
The cooked meringue base was crisp on the outside with a soft, sticky interior. Using
the whisk attachment again, but this time on speed 2, the double cream for topping the
pavlova was whipped until it was peaking. The whisking was incredibly effective, taking
Less than the predicted three to four minutes, for the cream to be thoroughly whipped.
We finished by making cheesecake. We attached the creaming beater to mix together
cream cheese, crème fraîche, ricotta and sugar on Min speed. Gentler than the K
Beater, so ideal for this sort of mixing, this tool has a removable wiper blade that
sweeps around the bowl, gradually combining the ingredients. The resulting mixture
was smooth and silky.
Adding lemon juice, vanilla, eggs and cornflour, we continued to cream on Min speed
before moving to speed 1 to create a creamy cheesecake mixture that was liquid
Enough to pour on a biscuit base. The baked cheesecake had a smooth, fluffy texture
with a springy crust.
Clean-up was simple for the bowl and splashguard, since both are dishwasher-safe.
However, most of the tools had to be washed by hand, so frequent bakers may find the
Extra washing-up a chore.
SHOULD I BUY THE KENWOOD KMIX KMX5?
Locating a stand mixer that's quite as efficient and compact as the Kenwood kMix KMX5
will be hard. For the price it provides numerous tools, features and capabilities, making
it an appealing proposition for keen bakers.
Functions aside, the kMix is also attractively designed, so it will look great on display in
the kitchen. It would have been nice to see some dedicated storage for its toolkit -- but
Beyond that, it's a fairly perfect package.
VERDICT
Soggy bottoms be gone. A great baking buy whether you're starting out or have years of
experience behind you.