Cuisinart SM-55 5-1/2-Quart Stand Mixers Review

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(More customer reviews)I've been a long-time fan of the KitchenAid mixer. My grandmother has been using the same KitchenAid mixer since the late 50s, and it's still going strong. I was thrilled to get a KitchenAid "Ultra-Power" mixer as a gift about seven years ago, and it worked great for occasional use. Over the past couple of years I've been doing more and more baking, and about a year ago I began making my own bread. After about six months of using my KitchenAid to knead two loaves of whole-wheat bread every week or so, it made a terrible grinding noise, and stopped working. I decided I'd better buy a new KitchenAid with a more powerful motor, and went online to see which was recommended. Much to my surprise, the reviews for the KitchenAid were no longer as positive as they had been. People were complaining about a decrease in quality and customer service. The biggest complaint was that some metal parts had been replaced by plastic, and while it sounded as if the company had recently started making the parts out of metal again, people were giving tips on how to determine if the model you were purchasing had the metal or plastic gearboxes. On top of that, Cooks Illustrated ranked the Cuisinart mixer above KitchenAid in a March 2008 review.
I did more research and found that the warranty was much better on the Cuisinart than on the KitchenAid. So, nervously, I decided to switch from what I had always considered to be the top brand, and I bought the Cuisinart.
My first impressions were mixed. I immediately liked the way the mixer looked, but I was nervous about it, because the body and the mixing paddles are much lighter in weight than on the KitchenAid. It lacks the solid, all-metal feel of the KitchenAid. Since the KitchenAid jittered all over the counter when I was using it to knead bread or even whip butter and sugar together for cookies, I figured the Cuisinart would probably fly off the counter. I decided to use it pretty hard for six months, and then write my review.
I've used it every seven to ten days to make two loaves of heavy, whole-grain bread, have made many batches of cookies and several cakes and I'm very happy to write that this is a GREAT mixer.
Much to my surprise, it doesn't jitter at all, not even when I'm using it to knead bread. Ingredients are more thoroughly mixed, and I don't need to scrape down the sides of the bowl with a spatula nearly as often as I needed to with my KitchenAid. Counter space in my kitchen is limited, so I keep the mixer in a cupboard, and the lighter weight means that it's much easier to move around. In my experience, the lighter weight has NOT affected, in any way, the performance.
Once, when I was kneading some heavy dough on speed #4 for about twice as long as the usual seven or eight minutes (I'd forgotten to add salt to the bread and was trying to knead it in) the mixer overheated and shut itself down. It hasn't done that since, and frankly, I'd rather that happen than have the gears freeze up and completely destroy the gearbox, as happened with my KitchenAid. Another greatly appreciated feature is that some clever person designed the bowl so that it's easy to remove, even after I've used the mixer to knead dough. The bowl on the KitchenAid would lock so tightly after kneading bread that I'd have to wrench it free, usually skinning my knuckles in the process. Some reviewers complain that the bread dough "climbs" the kneading hook, making a mess. I find that the dough actually climbs a lot less than it did when I used my KitchenAid. One reviewer mentioned that she finds the splash guard mostly useless, but I love it -- I find it truly useful, unlike the awkward, two-piece splash guard that came with my KitchenAid.
The timer function is nice, especially now that I don't need to stand over the mixer while it's kneading, worrying that it'll jitter its way onto the floor. I don't leave the room, but now I set the timer and let the mixer do its thing while I prep other ingredients or grease the baking pans. I really like the slow-start feature -- no more cloud of flour when I turn on the mixer.
Basically, this mixer does everything my KitchenAid did, and does it better. The performance has been highly satisfactory, and if it breaks down any time in the next five years, it will still be under warranty ... unlike my KitchenAid, which was only covered for a year.
I don't hate KitchenAid -- I think the mixers are probably still a good product, overall. I know that I was using mine for more than it was designed to handle. However, I am happier with the Cuisinart and have recommended it highly to several friends.
This is still a relatively early review. I expect stand mixers to last for at least a decade, and ideally for much longer. Six months after my purchase, I'm very happy with this machine. If anything happens to change that, I'll update this review.
January 29, 2009
I dropped my mixer! I was doing a lot of Christmas baking, the countertop was crowded, I put it too close to the edge of the counter and WHAM, it fell to the floor, landing hard, upside down. While I have no idea how the trauma will affect the overall life of the mixer, it still works fine. The top is a little askew now, and the hinged door at the front that covers the slow-speed power outlet will no longer stay closed. But: the mixer works as well as it ever did. I really wish I hadn't dropped it, but this is a strong peice of equipment. That was a hard fall from countertop height to a hardwood floor, and there appears to have been nothing more than cosmetic damage. I've been baking as much as ever, and it still works beautifully.
September 4, 2010
Wow -- I don't often look back at my reviews, and when I came back today to make an update, I was surprised that so many people found this helpful. Thanks! I hope if you bought a mixer based on my recommendation that you've loved it. Mine is still going strong, and this evening over dinner, I recommended it to a friend who was thinking of buying a new stand mixer.
Thank you to those who have commented, it adds some additional insight and balance. It was interesting reading the comments -- one person commented that this mixer didn't really handle large batches of heavy rye dough, so you might want to keep that in mind if you make a LOT of bread. I'm still making a loaf or two every week and am quite pleased. One commenter mentioned that his KitchenAid mixer never moved around the countertop. Since I would have to literally hold my KitchenAid down while kneading bread, it makes me wonder how much variance you might find between individual mixers. One of the things I still really, really like about the Cuisinart is that it stays still for me, even when I'm kneading a couple of loaves-worth of bread dough. In fact, I've recently stepped up my bread baking, because I've been experimenting with sourdough recipes. I've also been churning out a LOT of batches of cookies recently as I experiment with a new recipe. (I noticed today that my jeans are feeling a bit tight around the waist. Maybe I need to experiment with something a bit lower-calorie. But, I digress.)
Anyway, I logged on this evening to say I'm still quite pleased with my mixer. Despite the tragic dropping incident over a year and a half ago, the Cuisinart is still working beautifully.

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This stand mixer features a powerful 800-watt motor that can handle the heaviest mixing tasks. Its large, 5-1/2-quart, stainless-steel bowl accommodates big batches--even double recipes. The unit also provides 12 mixing speeds, along with a 15-minute countdown timer and automatic shutoff, for maximum precision. Choose the slow-start function to eliminate splatter or the ultra-gentle fold function to carefully blend in delicate ingredients. The mixer's tilt-back head allows for easy access to the mixing bowl and makes attaching accessories simple. Accessories include a chef's whisk, a flat mixing paddle, and a dough hook, as well as a splashguard. The whisk aerates ingredients to increase volume or can also be used on slow speed to gently combine dry ingredients. Contoured to reach the bottom and sides of the bowl, the flat mixing paddle ensures thorough mixing. The dough hook makes hand kneading obsolete, while the splashguard offers an extra-wide pouring spout for easily adding ingredients. The stand mixer also contains three power outlets, including a high-speed outlet for its optional dedicated attachments (meat grinder, citrus juicer, blender, food processor, or pasta maker--all sold separately). The stand mixer measures 15-1/2 by 10 by 12-1/2 inches and carries a three-year product warranty and a five-year motor warranty. From the Manufacturer An Array of Helpful Features Features:
Large 5-quart-capacity polished stainless-steel bowl
Powerful 800-watt motor
15-minute countdown timer
Auto shutoff and 12 speeds
Includes 3 accessories: chef's whisk, flat mixing paddle, dough hook
Splashguard with pour spout to prevent spattering
Recipe book
Power unit: clean with a damp cloth and dry
Bowls and tools dishwasher-safe (tools top-rack dishwasher-safe)
Warranty: Limited 3-year product warranty and a full 5-year motor warranty

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Omega O2 1/3-Horsepower Continuous Pulp-Ejection Juicer Review

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(More customer reviews)I have searched thru hundreds of reviews on a dozen different juicers, and after purchasing the Omega 02 I felt it deserved a little boost to its overall grade.
I have now owned 5 different juicers under the $135 price tag: a department store model; a highly rated 700 watt stainless model available almost everywhere under many names; a OK/nice LeQuip model: the Jack LaLanne model, and now this Omega 02. What a difference it is too.
To begin with, it is by far the best packaged item of all five of them (LeQuip was good). It looks clean and has nice body lines, and works smooth. In comparison, the cheapy is what it is...not much. The all stainless model was not all that well made for the price and jumped all over the place...It did have a similar basket similar to the Omega, but it had a plastic mounting ring and a lightweight blade. The LeQuip is similar to this Omega, but more money and a couple little issues that make it number two on my list. And finally, the Jack LaLanne...it worked OK at first, but with a cheap plastic basket/blade assembly and only a 60 day full warranty it is not worth it at any price. The Jack L is so over-hyped that I would recommend most anything over that device!
So, what is good about the Omega 02? It is compact and does not use a lot of counter space. But it does everything the 3" mouth model can do (in the form of juicing the way a good one should), except you have to cut apples and beets down into slices. And besides, if you juice a lot of apples it is wise not to eat all of those seeds over time(there is much mention of accumulating poison from some seeds)...and lets face it, if you have a big mouth juicer you are going to get lazy and just drop them in seeds and all. Also, other larger fruits that might have a large seed are going to wind up getting chopped and not juiced whole anyway...so cutting is not a really big deal.
What else? It cleans up a LOT easier than the Jack L...largely due to the way the pulp is thrown out of the back and most of it goes straight into the catcher, the way it is supposed to do. **A note for any juicer, put a plastic bag in the catcher and tie it up over the top to make clean up easier and you can save the pulp for compost or meatloaf, etc.** Anyway, some of the tops on other machines get jammed with pulp or have corners that make them hard to clean out. If you can visually see the design of a cover you can more easily determine if it is a smooth arc or a sharply angled model...the smoother the better.
How about power? This version of an Omega has a 1/3 hp, 6300 rpm motor. The Jack L and other cheapies have smaller 1/4 or less motors and some still crank the rpm's to compensate (not good). There is much discussion about rpm's and that lower is better (for reducing oxidation)...but, you cannot find a centrifugal pulp ejector model that is slow enough to compete with the masticator/auger types with reducing the oxidation. So, you need to choose one that can at least separate the juice from the pulp but not be too weak to break. This is why I chose the Omega 02...it is not the full 11,000 rpm 1/3 or 1/2 hp model but it is powerful enough to do the job and strong enough to last as well. Also, don't get caught up in wattage comparisons...watts do not translate directly into horsepower. To grind up tough fruit and veggies, you need horsepower.
If I had to choose another model to replace this one (in the same price range) I would definitely choose this Omega 02 again.
With that said, there are a couple small items to address. First of all, get the black version instead of the white. Or plan to buy the black plastic bowl ring later. This piece of plastic will get stained in short order from carrots and other similar veggies. But it is just a little stain ring around the inside where the basket rides, not bad like other brands. The black plastic will not show this and stay newer looking, longer. But, I will say that even stainless appliances will show wear over time, so use it and enjoy it anyway. Secondly, there is occasional juice that seeps out around the bottom lip of the bowl ring (mentioned above) and the stainless bowl, BUT I have come up with a quick fix: put a small amount of vaseline around the rim of the stainless bowl and then place the white (or black) plastic ring on top before setting the basket and blade into place. Juice will not seep out, and it will not come in contact with your juice either. It does not affect cleanup! When it is time to break the unit down, it merely washes off in hot water. FYI, the LeQuips have the plastic ring formed onto the stainless bowl...stops the seepage, but is a real pain to clean since it does not come off of the bowl.
OK, hopefully that is enough to make it worth your time reading this whole thing and help in decision making.
I would recommend the Omega 02 to anyone...I got it for $90 shipped and I would only consider a couple of other models over this one (maybe) but they will cost 2 to 21/2 times this price (Omega Big Mouth or 4000). And the only reason for considering them is a longer warranty (10 or 15 instead of 3) and larger machines for a little more processing power (but I didn't need more).

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Enjoy healthy great-tasting juice quickly and easily with this electric fruit-and-vegetable juicer. The small appliance features an efficient 1/3-horsepower motor for 6200 RPMs, a stainless-steel blade and basket, and a large feed chute that can accommodate a variety of different-size produce (cut up over-sized items into smaller pieces as necessary). Freshly squeezed juice dispenses from the spout directly into a glass or storage container. Best of all, a receptacle bin in the back of the unit catches fruit and vegetable refuse for convenient disposal and simple cleanup. The juice dispenser comes in a compact size that takes up very little space, making it a nice choice for at home or when traveling. The continuous pulp-ejection-style juicer measures 15 by 9 by 12-1/2 inches and carries a five-year warranty.

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