Cuisinart SM-55 5-1/2-Quart Stand Mixers
by Cuisinart
Product Summary
Manufacturer: CuisinartBrand: Cuisinart
Kitchen and Housewares Reviews of Cuisinart SM-55 5-1/2-Quart Stand Mixers
Customer Review: I'm a satisfied Cuisinart convert!
Summary: 5 Stars
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 The biggest complaint was that some metal parts had been replaced by plastic, and while it sounded as if the company had recently started making the parts out of metal again, people were giving tips on how to determine if the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 keading 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.
Description of Cuisinart SM-55 5-1/2-Quart Stand Mixers
The baker's pride, this sleek professional stand mixer has the power and assortment of helpful attachments to handle any baking task. A die-cast metal body is built for durability while the polished stainless steel bowl has the capacity for even the biggest baking jobs. Three-year limited product warranty. Five-year motor warranty.Stand Mixers
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