The Fresh Loaf

A Community of Amateur Bakers and Artisan Bread Enthusiasts.

compare stand mixers: Cuisinart vs electrolux DLX vs Viking

RigoJancsi's picture
RigoJancsi

compare stand mixers: Cuisinart vs electrolux DLX vs Viking

Hi,

I am looking for a good quality stand mixer and I would appeciate if you could share your experience about the Cuisinart 7 quart mixer. Even though cuisinart is better known for its excellent food processors, this machine looks very impressive - a powerful 1000 watt motor with a 5 year warranty, 3 year product warranty and a timer. But surprisingly, there aren't many posts about it. Would someone please share experience regarding this mixer?

Viking and Electrolux DLX are the other two stand mixers on my shortlist. Although they have favorable ratings from many users ( I saw some negative ratings for Viking , though), I would like to know how these two compare with the cuisinart.

I need a sturdy mixer that can handle dough for 6 loaves easily; but I also want it to be able to mix frosting and cake batters that need gentler mixing and folding.

I need the mixer mainly for bread dough. I don't mind mixing the cake batter by hand or with a hand mixer since the quantity is smaller, but it would be nice to have a mixer that can do both the jobs very well.

I am a home- baker so I am not looking for a commercial size mixer.

nbicomputers's picture
nbicomputers

if you are looking for a pro mixer there two that come to mind

number one is hobart 120 a 12 quart machine but it will set you back 4 thousand.  call your lawer and make sure to leave it in your will . these makers mave been known to last 40 years plus. in bakery i worked at we had a hobart that was made in the 1930s and i was their in 2001 and it was still going.

the other is advil 10 quart mixer you can find them new for abour 11 hundred they have a 1/3 horse power moter with 5 speed direct gear transmision and will last 20 pluse years it would more  than not be the last mixer you would ever buy unless you out grow the 10 quart bowl and need somthing bigger

http://www.anvilworld.com/splash/splash.asp

http://64.234.194.92/DB_images/price_list.pdf  page 16

RigoJancsi's picture
RigoJancsi

Thanks for the information, Nbcmputers. But right now I am looking for a family size mixer that would also fit in my budget. If you have used the Cuisinart 7 quart mixer, or know someone who has would you please let me know? I nedd help deciding whether to get the Cuisinart, the Viking or the Electrolux DLX.

 

ehanner's picture
ehanner

There have been many threads here on this subject. You could learn from searching for bosch, DLX and such. I don't recall any comments on the Cuisinart 7 qt but I could be wrong.

I have a DLX and love it for all kinds of mixes. A huge bowl for 8 pounds of dough in a wide range of hydration levels.

Eric

dablues's picture
dablues

I don't kave the Cusinart but do have the Viking 7 Qt and the BOSCH and love both.  I used to use Kitchen Aid but no longer do so.

RigoJancsi's picture
RigoJancsi

Is it true that when you try to knead dough for 4 -6 loaves the dough rides uo the hook and you have to push it down frequently?

Also, some people report that the motor heats up a lot during longer kneading and automatically halts every few minutes. If you have used it for heavier doughs please let me know your experience.

Russ's picture
Russ

I haven't used the Cuisinart or the Viking, but I have a DLX and recommend it highly. It can handle your six loaf batches easily.

 

I seem to remember that the VIking (and maybe the Cuisinart too?) is a relabeled Kenwood Mixer. The Kenwoods had a strong following, but I seem to remember seeing some negative reviews for those two on Amazon or epinions. Check it for yourself as I may be remembering incorrectly, but I do think that those were two of the mixers I researched a bit myself before I narrowed it down to the Bosch or the DLX and finally settled on the DLX.

damnbaker's picture
damnbaker

I've had the Cuisinart 7 qt for just over a month now.  If you make heavy doughs like I do it will NOT do the trick.  I am on my second one already, I exchanged the first hoping the lack of power and burning smell was a one off issue.  It was not, the second one didn't get through a morning of pound cake, bread dough and pizza dough before grease started leaking from the gear drive.  I'm currently looking for another suitable replacement as I will be taking this one back to Sears.

toyman's picture
toyman

I have the DLX and a KA.  Haven't used the others, but did research and found a lot of what's been said above.  I've had over 10# of bread dough in my DLX and it didn't skip a beat.  It's very easy to add ingredients with the open bowl and it's insanely simple.  (Read:  Less things to break!)  It has 2 dials on the front. One is a rheostat for the speed the other is a mechanical timer and on/off switch.  No led's or electrical boards to kill.  And the best part is that it works well.  My breads & pizza dough have gone to the next level.  I bought mine from Pleasant Valley Grains, which I believe carrys most if not all the mixers you mention.  Give them a call, they are very knowledgeable and helpful.  Good Luck.

snihan's picture
snihan

just reading this post for the first time, I see that a few of you have the DLX (Magic Mill, right?) and love it.  Any comments on the DLX compared to the Bosch?  thanks!

breadman_nz's picture
breadman_nz

I recently bought the DLX (Magic Mill / Assistent - they're all basically the same machine).

It easily handles generous quantities of dough. At first I didn't like it's mixing action, and it is a bit more work to get the dough together than the Bosch by all accounts. Like many new DLX owners, I had initial doubts abouts its mixing action, but after a few months and (this is important) learning to add the wet ingredients to the bowl first, it's excellent.

The DLX does take longer to get the dough to where it 'kneads' to be, but that could partly be that I don't crank up the speed.

One downside is that a lot of bread formulas specify mixing times in terms of the more common planetary mixers (KitchenAid, Hobart, Cuisinart etc). This isn't a problem once you learn to 'read' the dough, however. 

K.C.'s picture
K.C.

Another consideration would be the Breville. 

http://www.brevilleusa.com/baking/stand-mixer.html

You'll be hard pressed to find a negative review of any of their products.

 

DonC's picture
DonC

I replaced our short-lived Kitchenaid with a Bosch in November and would highly recommend it.I considered the Cuisinart too,but after researching online at sites like this I saw how many people loved the Bosch,now I know why!!! Also the cuisinhart looks like the same design that didn't hold up with my KA.

My wife's used it multiple times for frosting,cakes and cookies and loved it.I love it for bread and pizza dough.The only negative I've found is that it doesn't mix small batches well with the dough hook.But I just make 2 loaf batches for bread and when I make pizza dough I make enough for several and keep the extra in the fridge.Pizza dough tastes better after "aging"a couple days anyway! When so many bread makers like this mixer,there's a reason why!!!

Optionparty's picture
Optionparty

The Magic Mill has a whisk, hook, and roller/scraper.
A "Roller/Scraper" kneads dough without adding much air.
The ElectroLux will handle 2kg, don't try that in a Kitchen Aid.

Dough mixing is a little different in an ElectroLux
Here is a link to help explane http://tinyurl.com/334jmk
I enjoy my ElectroLux enough that I bought a transformer
to run my 120v unit in Italy 240v. and took it there to use.

Carl

Kitchen Barbarian's picture
Kitchen Barbarian

I have a Kitchenaid with the lift bowl and it suits all my needs.  I've had it for something like 25 or 30 years.

I wouldn't have a Cuisinart of any stripe at this point, although I love my 30 year old Cuisinart that still works like a champ.  Cuisinarts of today are not the same - just yesterday I had their top of the line ice cream maker seize up on the very first batch of ice cream I tried to make, and it wasn't anywhere near done.