On this site we often stick to all in one bread machines which knead and cook the bread. But this article is a little different, as we are going to have a look at the Bosch Universal Plus Kitchen Machine. This particular machine is quite an odd one, which is designed to replace a variety of different kitchen appliances. One of the main advertised features of this model is that it can make dough, so we feel it is worth a look. Is the machine worth buying for the dough making ability alone? Let’s take a look at that below.
Product Features:
To start things off we begin by looking at the design of this model. On first impressions it is a bit of a strange design. The base of the unit is a sort of squashed oval shape, and the mixing bowl sits on top of this. On the right hand side of the machine is the little tower upon which you can mount the additional blender attachment (sold separately). The tower has a cover on top of it to prevent this second motor from running when the blender is not attached. This same cover can also be moved onto the mixer stand if necessary to stop it from moving whilst the blender is in use. The main controls are on the front of the machine, and these include 4 variable speeds, and the pulse setting.
At the back is the power cord, which conveniently pulls back into the bottom of the unit when it is not needed. The old versions of this model had no suction feet, but the newer ones come with them to help keep the machine in place. The mixing bowl holds a large 6.5 quarts, and is certainly designed for making large quantities of dough. There are two clear covers on top of the bowl, a partial one which covers the outer edge of the machine to stop splashing when you pour in your ingredients. The secondary cover seals the unit off completely, and this will ensure that any sloshing ingredients are contained withing the mixing bowl.
This Bosch machine comes standard with wire whips and of course the large dough hook & kneader. This attachment comes with two dough hooks and the large kneading paddle.The kneading paddle will essentially cut and fold the dough every four rotations, so this certainly seems like a great way to get the dough thoroughly mixed. Even though the dough hook & kneader is quite large, it is more suited to larger quantities of dough. If you only ever intend to make small quantities of bread at a time, then you should look into getting the “Dough Hook Extender for Bosch Universal Mixers”. This little addon part essentially allows you to easily make smaller quantities of dough by reaching all the way to the bottom of the bowl, and helps to push it up into the main hooks and kneader area. For around $10 this is a wise investment, and many people have said that it even improves the dough even when used with a large quantity of dough.
This model is powered by a strong heavy duty 800watt motor. This particular motor is renowned for being very powerful, and it has to be to cope with the large 6.5 quart quantity of the mixing bowl. As such, it is quite loud when it is in use. Still this is to be expected, and it allows the model to do a really excellent job of mixing dough according to hundreds of different reports. From everything we have read this model beats out some of the top mixers in this price range, and it even has the flexibility to add additional attachments to make the machine even more versatile. Bosch are very confident about the reliability of this motor as it comes with a 3 year warranty specifically on the motor, while the rest of the parts come with a 1 year warranty.
This model can handle up to 15lbs of dough at a time, so if you are into making large batches of bread then this will make swift work of the dough. Once you have finished making the dough then the machine is quite easy to clean and disassemble. The shaft simply slides out, so you can easily clean out the mixing bowl. There are a number of different attachments you can buy for this machine to enhance the functionality. Of course the blender is the main one most people opt choose to buy, but there is also the food processor attachment which retails around $100 or so. If you like making sausages or hamburgers, then the meat grinder attachment will be a welcome addition for around $140. If you don’t like the look of the plastic mixing bowl, then you can always replace it with a stainless steel one which will set you back a little over $100.
Should you want to make cookies, then the Cookie paddles will make this a bit easier at the cost of around $20 or so. There are quite a few other attachments available, but as you can see this model can replace quite a few different appliances. So that is a quick look at the Bosch Universal Plus Machine. It is very strong, and can make large quantities of bread dough with ease. If you only want to make smaller quantities of dough then this model may be a bit much for your needs.
With a retail price of $500 it is quite an expensive investment for the casual bread maker. However if you have a large family to feed or if you like making big batches of bread, then this machine could save you quite a bit of work.
User Manual: You can find the user manual for this model over here.
Pros:
- Works well
- Can make large quantities
- 3 Year warranty on the motor
- Lots of attachments for additional functionality
- Easy to clean
Cons:
- Pricey
Summary:
The Bosch Universal Plus machine is a good choice if you like to make large quantities of bread. It does a great job of mixing the dough, but it is quite costly. However if you like to make bread in bulk, this model is certainly worth taking a look. You can get more info on this model and read some of the many user reviews on the Amazon.com product page.
| Our Rating: |
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| 4 |