Customer Reviews

Bamix 391203 deluxe hand mixer in silver.

5 star:		(9)
4 star:		(0)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

I've owned my BAMIX hand blender for the past 12-years. It has never let me down and it truly is the most versatile kitchen device in my arsenal of cooking appliances. The machine works well between mixing & blending items on a hot stove, to crushing ice in in a single glass for making margaritas, all within seconds apart. The open ended design allows it to get at all the material you are chopping & mixing, and clean up is truly fast and easy. I've recently bought another hand mixer this year, because I misplaced my BAMIX hand blender. Anyway, what a disapointment to find that this major-named-brand of mixer, only has one blade, and it can't fit into a normal drinking glass. This past month I found my tried-n-true BAMIX hand blender, and was so grateful that I threw out the practically new hand mixer. Now that's true dedication to a product.

I have not seen anything close to the design of this hand blender on the market to this day that can replace this amazing machine. My only complaint is that I wish the price would come down. After all, it is one of the most expensive hand blenders on the market, but it is certainly the best.

Bamix invented and developed the original hand blender in Switzerland nearly 60 years ago. It has never enjoyed the level of distribution that Braun and other more recent manufacturers enjoy, because of their much greater visibility and their construction of much cheaper alternatives. I bought the original popular Braun hand blender many years when it first came into popularity over here--15+ years ago now. Being vegetarian, I had always been a big blender fan. The little Braun truly transformed my soup making in particular. Now I could take the blender into the pot itself instead of spooning soup into a blender! I also enjoyed the ability to make foolproof fresh mayonnaise, and I do mean foolproof. And much faster. I had that little Braun for a number of years until it died a natural death. I replaced it with a 5-speed Braun that died after roughly a year. I purchased a Cuisinart with interchangeable blades; that stripped out shortly after the warranty ran out. I finally purchased a Bamix after I discovered the brand on the internet. It was obviously a step above other home-intended brands. I bought the deluxe with a few extra beakers and a chopper and stand.

My Bamix has been used countless times. The quick-change blade change system is simple and foolproof. There is a general foot, a whipping foot for whipping cream, a blending foot that can make fresh mayonnaise in a few seconds. There is a meat chopping foot--be careful, it's very sharp! There is a little chopping accessory made for chopping small amounts of hard material such as hard chocolate, coffee beans, nuts, etc.

I discovered with my 5-speed Braun that that many speeds aren't necessary; more a marketing gimmick than anything else. The Bamix has two very different speeds controlled on the handle with the fingers. With the multispeed Braun I had to use the other hand to turn the dial on top. With the Bamix there are two buttons falling naturally under the fingers. Press one for slow, the other for fast. Nothing to take your eyes off the other end where the work is going on.

I have read other reviews on this site where people complain about the price. It's your choice--buy several cheaper hand blenders over a long period of time, and of course they don't do as much. Or, spend a little more and buy a product that is Swiss-built to last.

As with small appliances of old, this one is built to last and serve as an investment. Or, again, just buy a Chinese-built one and plan to throw it away and replace it every so often. Your choice.

I've owned three Thundersticks "As Seen On TV" and burned them all up... Have been depressed because no one seems to make them anymore. So I started looking at alternatives and found the Swiss Company Bamix. The Bamix Deluxe Blender Stick ROCKS. It works 100% better than the Thunderstick.

Every kitchen needs this tool.

I use the Bamix Deluxe to make soups, dips, vegan mayonaise, salad dressings, etc. It cleans up FAST in water and can be used in boiling liquids. There are two other models, but this one works for the normal kitchen. The Bamix Gastro is for those who cook commerically with larger pots.

At[..........]

I had purchased a Cuisart earlier this year and have been looking for a better hand blender. I went with Bamix because of the reviews and the ability to change blades. To give you and idea how picky I am with my kitchen tools - I use only le creuset, all clad and shun knives. Quality matters.

- pros:
- good balance, powerful motor, makes great mash potatoes. It puts my potato ricer to shame.


- cons:
non detachable head (not important for me, but could be for some)
handle a bit bigger than my cusinart. My hands aren't too big. Might be a problem for some females.


Bottom line: It is worth it. Very well built.

I have owned and used my Bamix for well over 20 years. I purchased it in 1986 at a county fair after watching all the demonstrations. Even back then, I paid $120 for it, so the price has barely budged in over 2 decades. To me, this is a value, hands down. Mine is the M122 at "only" 85 watts and the booklet it came with says it is 12,000 RPMs. I see current models have more wattage - yet the power in mine is outstanding. I can't believe that this product can be made better than it already is.

Mine came with the 3 blades - the Aerator, Beater and Chopper, the stand and a grinder attachment. The plastic on my grinder eventually wore down due to so many years of use, but there are replacements, or just use an alternative container. There's a meat grinder blade available, also.

I can't say enough about what a great tool this has been. From mashing potatoes, to pureeing soups, to making milkshakes or icy beverages right in the drinking vessel. We make the most incredible homemade mayonnaise literally in seconds (yes, even better than Best Foods/Hellmann's), so we never have to buy expensive mayo... I could go on and on, just like my Bamix does!

If/when my Bamix dies, I will RUN -not walk- to my computer to order another one!

In the meantime, I lost a blade during our recent move, so I'm off to order some replacement blades.

I promise you, you cannot go wrong with this product. I love my Bamix!

This review is the Bamix Swissline Super Box package but the components are across the line-up of Bamix products.

Mixing Wand:

This feels like a professional tool in my hand. The top has heft but not so much weight that my arthritic hands struggle with it. It is ergonomically shaped which makes holding it easy with little or no fatigue. It is quieter than the Braun it replaced and does such a superior job it does not feel like they should be in the same category. The Braun was a lighter weight, all plastic tool, which came with a detachable hollow plastic wand and processing container, both of which I used at least once a day, and it also came with a whisk attachment that I found too awkward to use. With the Bamix wand attachments I can do so much more: I puree, whip, froth, mix and blend like a pro. And fast! What it does to simple ingredients is amazing (Whipped skim milk froth blended with strawberries is heavenly!) The materials are first rate: solid stainless steel and sturdy plastics, that feel like they are of the highest quality, with workmanship that has a reputation for lasting decades -- this is not like many products today which are made to last 3 or 5 years and then be disposed of. Even the electrical cord has a solid quality feel to it.

There are different models available and three different lengths. I got the Swissline which is equal in length to common consumer immersion blenders. The stainless steel motor is encased so well it is designed so that you can immerse the unit well past the wand to the end of the tapered handle. It is easy to see why the Bamix is well regarded by professional chefs and serious cooks.


Wet/Dry Grinder:

This works as well as a burr grinder with dry spices. My Braun had an processor attachment that would just smash the ingredients so I was left with a combination of big chunks and fine powder and everything in between. The Bamix gives me even results. Just don't expect it to work with raw garlic, that will not give you good results (I tried, the processor attachment is more suitable for that, better yet is the Kuhn Rikon Solid Stainless Steel garlic press which is nothing short amazing in terms of build and results). The Wet/Dry Grinder is really a dry grinder.

Slicey:

The wand works superbly, but it is the Slicey that makes me really happy. I have arthritic hands and am always trying to find a good tool to slice my veggies. Everything I have ever used, from top of the line food processors, large and small, and mandolins, to a shooter-style apparatus, always left me with odd sized chunks and slices with weird shapes, along with almost whole pieces that appear to simply have slid through sideways. Consistently, the outcome was unappealing -- fine for the family but not acceptable for serving guests. The main reason I bought the Bamix was for the Slicey, my plastic blade holder in the Braun processor had cracked which introduces bacteria, etc). Every Bamix Slicey picture or video that showed sliced onions, etc., showed textbook perfect slices. All my previous slicing efforts left me skeptical but I really was willing to try everything until I found something that worked well. So, I have to admit to feeling a bit of outright glee at seeing my first batch of sliced onions -- they were all evenly beautiful! The Bamix Slicey rocks, plain and simple. This tool is precisely engineered and so accurately fabricated that each slice was perfect. I thought I would have to put the onion quarters in a certain way for good results but that nothing but dropping them in the tube and pushing the plunger was necessary. It was fast and the results were brilliant. The chute is a bit narrow but I can work with that. UPDATED to add: One very important and disappointing thing to note is that it cannot be submerged and I am always nervous washing it.

Attachments & Accessories:

The Super Box includes the Swissline Wand with 4 attachments and a Slicey with 5 attachments (note that while only 2 are shown in the listing photo and 3 are mentioned in the listing write-up there are actually 5 included: a large S blade, both thick and thin slicers, and both coarse and fine shredders.) It also comes with the Wet/Dry grinder and 400ml small and 900ml large smokey-coloured BPA-free jugs. The wand attachments are all blunt edged and hand safe. The Slicey attachments are all sharp and need to be handled with care. The jugs have a rounded base with curved flange for a handle, a pouring spout and lid.

The different models come with different stands and the Super Box package includes what looks like a simple countertop stand but which is actually an elegantly designed storage unit. The arched front holds the Bamix wand in an easy to grab and replace position while the back has a spot that holds the cord, an area for the wet/dry grinder and even a little flip open storage bin for the attachments. The only extra I added to what the packaged offered was a 600ml medium-sized jug. When priced separately there was only a $5 savings going with the Super Box. I got it because I wanted a silver wand and the only other choice was a white Swissline.

Maintenance:

The top of the Slicey can not be immersed in water. The base has a silicone ring which helps it sit solidly while being used, and it is dishwasher safe as are all the other pieces. The Wet/Dry Grinder is best held in the hand and shaken during use. To wash the grinder just add a drop of soap and warm water then run for few seconds -- the base comes apart for cleaning if necessary. I add a squirt of vinegar to remove any smells that may linger and rub a bit of vegetable oil on the plastics if I do carrots or something else that may stain. The wand simply requires a rinse under running water or, if necessary, a spin in soapy water. The product booklet talks about how to care for the product so you will have years of use; what to do when the attachments get loose (gentle squeeze with pliers) and how to keep the Bamix motor mechanism running smooth (a couple drops of veggie oil up the shaft which they say to do regularly but I get lazy and will likely only do it sporadically.)

Purchasing a Bamix:

This part was perplexing and disappointing for a product such as this.

The Bamix is ONLY sold through one exclusive company in the US and one in Canada -- any other sellers with Bamix stuff are just clearing out old stock. If you want a Bamix you are forced to deal with only that one seller. I am in Canada and the Canadian seller's website was surprisingly light on information (especially for the exclusive seller) and it locked me out of viewing any pages after I'd completed the online purchase. I had never heard of the company and was genuinely concerned I'd been scammed. A call to customer service first thing Monday reassured me that it was legit. The girl I spoke to told me that the website was archaic and did not work, that the Super Box was available even though the Website showed it was not and then she got my package out right away so I had it within days.

Country of origin: Bamix are made in Switzerland.

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Bottomline:

The Bamix is a first rate product with a bizarre and limited selling system. I am reassured by the build quality and reputation for longevity and feel it is unlikely I will ever have to do anything through the seller.

When I pay for a top end appliance, I expect it to do the job and to last without problems for a long time. While other reviewers seem to have had good luck, I was annoyed to start having problems after only three years. It hasn't been heavily used and has been well taken care of so I was surprised when the fast speed started refusing to function unless the slow speed was used first. Sometimes it worked, sometimes it didn't. Sometimes neither speed would work at first, but then start up. Finally, neither speed would work at all. The motor functions but the blade won't turn.

I'd had a simple Braun before and didn't find the Bamix was all that much better, which I expected considering the price. At least I expected that it would be functional for many years--certainly longer than the low-priced Braun.

I will say that it met my needs adequately for the four years it worked, but certainly not spectacularly. I decided not to bother attempting to get it fixed and spending more money on it since I wasn't in love with it anyway. Instead, I replaced it with a low-priced Cuisinart Cuisinart CSB-76BC SmartStick 200-Watt Immersion Hand Blender, Brushed Chrome, which I was shocked to discover actually seems to be more effective.

The Bamix allows change of blades, but you do have to keep track of them. The stand provides storage but if it is not mounted on the wall and tips over, the blades can dislodge easily and get misplaced since they are small. I found changing them a bit of a pain. The Cuisinart has a fixed blade, but so far, it has performed all the tasks I've asked of it (from pureeing fruit and crushing ice in a smoothie to whipping cream) properly and faster than anticipated. I have some good kitchen appliances (Magimix food processor and VitaMix blender among other things) and don't need a stick blender to perform a million tasks, but do expect it to perform reliably when needed, especially when it is a high end product. I'd have given this product 3 or 4 stars if it continued to work, but not 5. I have pretty high expectations for kitchen gadgets and considering the price, this didn't meet them.

This just keeps going and going! Sure it has a bit less power than some of the other products out there and yes it does cost a bit more,. . .but it doesn't break! I use it for blending all kinds of stuff and use it in the lab a lot too for making suspensions and emulsions. It's great. If it ever breaks, I will buy a new one without a doubt.

Well made, easy to handle. Excellent instruction and recipe books. Performs precisely as advertised. "Swiss-made" is still a standard of excellence.

throw ingrediants into a pot with vegie or chicken stock and blend into a nutrient rich soup. great for blending, too.