Ankarsrum Assistent - Original Food Processor - 6230 Model (1500 Watt) (Black) [Energy Class A+++]

I am absolutely thrilled with my new Ankarsrum. I've made bread, cakes and biscuits so far, with excellent results.The Ankarsrum is not well-known in the UK, so before reviewing the machine itself, I would like to describe the selection process and my reasons for choosing it. I certainly learned a lot about mixers and also about dough and bread-making.The ability to mix and handle large batches of bread dough was my main focus for selecting a new machine. I wanted to be able to mix larger quantities than normal (using 2 kg of flour), be able to cope well with high hydration dough (at least a ratio of 70% water weight to flour weight), but also be able to handle small quantities of dough. I spent a considerable amount of time researching kitchen machines using the Amazon web site, a number of excellent bread and pizza-making web sites and forums, many excellent YouTube videos, and product user-manuals. It did not take long for me to realise that the usual range of stand-mixers (Kenwood; Kitchenaid; Cuisinart; VonShef; Savisto; Cookmii; Breville; Bosch etc) were just not going to cope well enough with a large batch of dough. Some of higher-powered, top-end machines would possibly do it, but, not the full quantity - if I were to abide by the manufacturer's restrictions on the maximum quantities and the manufacturer's recommended maximum mixing times. At the time of writing (things change fast in the mixer world), I could not find any domestic stand mixer available in the UK that would take more than 1.3 kg of flour according to the user manual.Commercial spiral mixers were initially a bit tempting, however the expense, size, and weight were off-putting. The cheapest machines are around £700.00, at least 40 kg in weight, and would be too tall to fit under my kitchen cupboards. I had no doubts that the performance would be excellent, but I could not justify the expense and inconvenience of an unmovable monster-machine in my fairly large kitchenSo it was down to a choice between the Bosch Universal Plus mixer (Bosch MUM6N11 food processor - food processors (White, Aluminium, Stainless steel, Plastic)), and the Ankarsrum. At first the Bosch looked very good until I learned that it may struggle with small quantities, and it performed well mainly on low hydration doughs. Although I wanted large dough quantities, I still need to be able to mix normal quantities (for trying out a new recipe for example). In addition, after looking at so many web sites and YouTube videos I knew that nearly all the bread that I want to make is actually high hydration. It seemed that the Bosch universal would possibly do this, but only if I purchased additional items. The main one was a stainless steel bowl - and definitely the one with the dough hook attached to the bottom This could only be obtained from Amazon.com. and it would cost more than half as much again as the Bosch machine itself by the time shipping fees were paid. My attention turned to the Ankarsrum machine, and after further research on its capabilities, the decision was made.After owning the Ankarsrum for a week, I can say that it's an absolutely fantastic machine. It looks really good on the kitchen counter (if you care about that sort of thing), and the performance is just amazing. My previous attempts at French sticks were made in my extremely old Kenwood mixer. It was able to mix 1 kg of flour fairly easily, and I kneaded for about 8 minutes with the dough hook. After removing the dough from the bowl, some effort with stretching and folding, rising and shaping, I achieved some passable French sticks - or so I thought. The Ankarsrum produced superb results, using the same recipe. I used a method that I found on YouTube for an 80% moisture dough. I mixed for 20 minutes using the dough roller and scraper, and the resulting dough was completely different compared to the Kenwood dough from the moment that I took it out of the bowl. I had a workable dough with properly developed gluten. Additional stretching and folding was hardly necessary, and after rising, shaping was much, much easier. The end result was some real French sticks! I doubt if any machine other than a commercial Italian spiral mixer or fork mixer could compete with this. I am hoping for the same success with 2 kg of flour and other bread types such as flat-breads and pizza. I have not tried the dough hook yet.I have also made cakes and biscuits using the plastic bowl and whips that come with the machine. Creaming butter and sugar was no problem, and the results were just as good as in my old Kenwood. Mixing a fairly small amount of stiff biscuit dough was effortless using the Cake Beater. The stainless steel bowl with the dough roller might be a better option for larger batches of stiff dough, however. I haven't tried meringue yet, but YouTube videos have convinced me that it will be just fine. A small criticism is that the plastic bowl and the whips look are a little bit, well, plasticky for my liking. However, they function very well, and since I bake cakes and biscuits only occasionally I do not expect it to be a problem.I do not have any of the optional attachments, but I'm definitely interested. I like the idea of of one machine that will do everything. I know that this is the promise of many stand-mixers and food-processors, but I suspect that the Ankarsrum might actually deliver.I would thoroughly recommend this mixer. If you are into batch bread-making, there is virtually nothing else comparable for a domestic kitchen. Even if you bake only "normal" bread quantities it's worth considering due to the fantastic quality of the dough. The only slight quibble that I have is the Recipe Book. This is really not very suitable for UK users. The quantities can be converted to UK metric values quite easily, but the types of flour used in the recipes are an issue. However, it's a very, very small criticism, as overall I am completely won-over by this machine.

Having seen this being used in a Swedish kitchen, and experiencing how good it was, I had to get one for myself. It features great Swedish design and build quality that has stood the test of time, having been around since the 1940s. It also has a 7 year warranty - so peace of mind when you consider the cost of your investment. If you make bread at home regularly, I would say this is a must have purchase. It kneads dough effortlessly (anything from 500g to 5kg) It's very efficient, simple to use and easy to clean. I don't think there is anything else like it on the market in the UK. The big department stores and kitchen shops are missing out.

Fantastic buy. We bought it for my husband and he is delighted. We use it so often. It mixes the dough perfectly and allow you to bake a lot more often as it greatly cuts the amount of work you have to do. So happy with it. The breads and other (pizza etc) are gorgeous because the dough is worked to the perfection. Why did we not buy it before!

I’m a chef of 45-46 years, keen “home bread maker too” truth is many domestic machines are not man enough for dough mixing. I’ve had Kitchen aid and other devices for years, but not really man enough. I bought the “Ank” for its, power, extra capacity and excellent mixing qualities. I’ve been totally delighted.

We have been baking a lot of magic in the kitchen lately! Ankarsrum never cease to amaze us in both form and function. I got mine when I was in the UK through a friend who purchased it online for me (Amazon UK) and brought it home with me to the Philippines! I'm a happy bunny!

I love the HUGE capacity 😀. If you're looking for a great quality mixer, look no further. My only regret is that I didn't buy this sooner. Instead, I fell for the 'all singing all dancing' KitchenAid...which has broken 3 times in 3 years...never again. The Ankarsrum makes beautiful, soft bread 😍. The bowl spins rather than the attachments, it's mesmerising to watch it mix dough so well. It's a well made, sturdy machine. Yes, it's a bit of a learning curve, but something I have time and patience to master. Placed my order - it was delivered the very next day.Jake is a credit to Pure Cookshop...he answers questions professionally and it's nice to have a point of contact. Very happy with the price that I paid for my Ankarsrum. Thank you Jake and Roy from Pure Cookshop. Regards, Su

By far the best dough making and food processor on the market! Very, very pleased with my kitchen assistant. It's helped me when making pizza dough, cinnamon buns, saffron buns, various breads. A must if you are into baking! It is very sturdy and does the job! Worth every single penny!