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The Last Countertop Appliance You’ll Ever Buy: The Kenwood Cooking Chef

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The Last Countertop Appliance You’ll Ever Buy: The Kenwood Cooking Chef

April 20, 2018
the kenwood cooking chef has a relatively small footprint. photography by  17
Above: The Kenwood Cooking Chef has a relatively small footprint. Photography by Daniel Dent for Remodelista.

A couple of months ago, Michelle and I dropped in on our friend Amy Lindburg to scope out her recently renovated flat in the Panhandle neighborhood of SF (see Kitchen of the Week: A Glamorous Remodel in San Francisco, Ikea Hacks Included).

Both Michelle and I were immediately intrigued by her Kenwood Cooking Chef, a countertop appliance that can seemingly do anything (the company describes it as “a four-in-one kitchen appliance that combines a blender, mixer, food processor and induction burner”). First developed in the 1950s in the UK, it’s only been available in the US for a couple of years (and it’s not cheap). I asked Amy to tell us about the Kenwood, and here’s what she has to say:

“I purchased the Kenwood when I moved to WWII-era officer’s quarters in the Presidio: the galley kitchen had hardly any counter space. Also, I was tired of hauling out a clunky specialty appliance every time I needed to do something in the kitchen. Having an all-in-one base where I could simply attach the appliances seemed like a good idea. The Kenwood also has an induction heating element (along with automated stirring), so you can make a perfect risotto and perform all manner of cooking witchery.

“The first level of joy: it was so much less of a hassle to cook. I simply attached lightweight appliances to the base (when I’m done, I just throw the components into the dishwasher). Plus, all the attachments and appliances fit into a single drawer.

“The second level of joy was the quality: each appliance works perfectly with no compromise vs. the standalone version.

“The third level of joy was the user experience: a common programmable dashboard on the base means that each appliance works the same way (modes, timers, etc). This is a real blessing: you don’t have to straddle five different user interfaces. When you’ve mastered one appliance, you’ve mastered them all.

“The fourth level of joy is that I have barely scratched the surface of what the Kenwood is capable of. It’s like that fancy camera where you’re taking amazing pictures while using only a fraction of the features. When I get some time, I’m going to plow through the manuals and master the Kenwood. It’s on my bucket list.”

kenwood cooking chef mixer
Above: The Kenwood Cooking Chef Induction Kitchen Machine is $999.95 from Sur la Table. The unit comes with stainless steel bowl tools (K-beater, dough hook, power whisk, stirring tool, flexi beater); a Tritan food processor attachment with chopping blade and six stainless steel slicing and shredding discs; a ThermoResist glass blender; a steamer basket; a heat shield; a splash guard; a heat-resistant mat; and a spatula.Additional attachments such as an ice cream maker, a pasta roller, and citrus presser are also available.
For more on appliances:

10 Favorites: Design-Forward Countertop Appliances from Around the World

Small Kitchen Appliances Resource Guide

10 Easy Pieces: Kitchen Countertop Appliances, Small-Space Living Edition

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