Over the last few weeks, I’ve been road-testing and reviewing a food processor called the Sage by Heston Blumenthal Kitchen Wizz Pro. Space, as I have mentioned lots of times within my posts, is in short supply in my kitchen. Gadgets either have to be used daily; e.g. the toaster, the kettle etc. or be multi-functional in order to stay on show and take up room on my counter. The only food processing device (aside from blenders) I’ve previously used is a very small mini chopper, which comes apart and can be stored in a drawer, although the most I can generally do with that is to chop one onion at a time, make a small quantity of pesto or biscuit crumbs in batches for a cheesecake base. So, the Kitchen Wizz Pro was quite a big step up for me and there were lots of elements for me to try out. What I really wanted to know was whether the Kitchen Wizz Pro would be a useful, time-saving device – sufficient to justify both the £399 (RRP) price tag and the space it would take up on my counter.
So, where do we start with food processors? Most consumers will have heard of, or know someone, who has a Magimix, Cuisinart or a Kenwood food processor and these sorts of brands have passed through enough kitchens for you to be able to make an informed choice and/or read enough reviews and recommendations when it comes to choosing which one to buy. The Sage by Heston Blumenthal range is comparatively new when it comes to choosing or identifying a kitchen or home appliance (though Sage are part of the BRG Appliances – Breville group) and there are also increasing numbers of celebrity chefs endorsing kitchen products. On the one hand, it makes sense – chefs spend the majority of their time in the kitchen and so should be well-placed to recommend products that they believe home cooks may benefit from investing in. On the other hand, does a celebrity endorsement guarantee a quality product?
In the case of the Kitchen Wizz Pro, there are lots of features that have been incredibly well thought-out. It is described as offering “super fine, variable slicing,” but, as I’ve discovered for myself, its functionality goes way beyond that to include dough kneading, whisking, emulsifying, milkshake/smoothie making and pureeing.
What do you get for your £400?
The Kitchen Wizz Pro comes with both a large capacity bowl (2.5 litres – 15 cups dry ingredients, 10 cups for liquid ingredients) and a smaller capacity bowl (the mini processing bowl neatly stored within the larger bowl), a timer mode, illuminated push button control (on/off/pulse), overload protection (a warning should the motor become overheated) and a 2000 watt heavy duty “direct drive” induction motor. A very specific unique feature is the wide feed chute (14cm) at the top of the food processor – again – with both a large and small feed chute, to allow you to process a wide range of ingredients. The machine also has rubber feet to stop it from wriggling around when in use.
The Kitchen Wizz Pro also comes with an “Accessory Storage Box” which I’ve re-named my “blade box” to neatly and safely house five multi-function discs –
- An adjustable slicing disc – a variable slicing disc which cleverly moves up and down so that you can manually adjust the thickness setting from 0.5mm to 8.0mm slices
- A julienne disc – long thin strips
- A chip cutting disc – for homemade, long, chunky chips
- A reversible shredding disc – fine and coarse shredding
- A whisking disc – for egg whites, cream and light batters
There are also three separate processing blades –
- A four blade processor – my favourite – four blades for maximum speed and power
- A mini blade – for the mini processing bowl
- A dough blade – for kneading/combining ingredients into a smooth dough or batter
Extras include a cleaning brush and a plastic spatula.
You can put all of the accessories in the dishwasher. Sage recommend not doing so too often with the main bowls. So far, I’ve found all the elements easy to clean.
Safety
I really like the fact that the accessories can be stored neatly away in the accessory box, perhaps in a cupboard or a drawer, and that the four blade processor (above) has an additional protective case within the box.
Another big tick in the box is the fact that the machine won’t operate until the bowl and lid are correctly in place (you’ll hear a click) – this is called the Feed Chute Safety System.
You’ll also get a warning should the motor start to overheat – called the Overload Protection System.
The blades are incredibly sharp – I’d recommend watching the full video guide (shown at the bottom of the post) before using the machine and reading the accompanying guide thoroughly. Also, watch your fingers when you change the discs/blades, take them out of the processing bowl, or wash them.
Guarantee
The Kitchen Wizz Pro comes with a 2 year repair or replacement warranty, plus a very generous 25 year motor warranty – with product registration.
What have I made in my Kitchen Wizz Pro?
I used the adjustable slicing disc to shred my white cabbage, followed by the reversible shredding disc to shred carrots (coarsely and thinly) for a quick coleslaw, as well as wizzing up some onions for my mince.
You can also make breadcrumbs or cheesecake biscuit crumbs, or whizz up onions, raw vegetables, fruit and cooked meats (e.g. leftover roasts). The smaller bowl is ideal for basil pesto, chillies, and for finely chopping nuts.
Another positive for me, with a third baby coming along soon, is the ability to be able to make purees and creamed vegetable soups by adding stock, cream or liquid in through the chute. The plastic components are made of BPA free material and are free of Bisphenol A, but I’d always leave any hot liquids to cool slightly before adding them in.
Cake-making gets a hand too, as you can use the Kitchen Wizz Pro to make all-in-one cake batters. You can also use the whisking disk (also called the emulsifying disc) to make milkshakes, smoothies and whisk egg whites. I’ve also used the emulsifying disc to make a quick homemade mayonnaise – you could use it for lots of sauces.
If you are a keen bread-maker or dough-maker, you can use the dough blade to knead dough – doughnuts here we come!
I also used the adjustable slicer to make thinly slices potatoes (as well as mincing my own meat and onions) in this Potato and Lamb Moussaka recipe.
As mentioned my favourite accessory is the 4 blade processor. I’ve been able to buy better quality cuts of meat to make my own mince for burgers, sauces and meals, such as lasagne and moussaka. I know exactly what I’m feeding my family and there is less gristle. I’d rather buy and eat less meat, but of a better quality and the speed at which the four blades cut through chunks of meat is very impressive.
Additional notes
The body measures 45x29x23 and it weighs in at almost 9kg so if possible, I’d recommend that you need enough space to keep the main body of the food processor out on your counter top, rather than storing it away between uses to get maximum use out of it.
The Kitchen Wizz Pro was also awarded the ‘Best Buy’ mark in the Food Processor category in 2013. Which? says:
“This food processor is a strong all-rounder, superbly chopping and blending at a rapid pace and earning itself Best Buy status.”
It scored 77%, putting it on a par with the Bosch MCM4100GB food processor with liquidiser. The only food processors to score more highly were the Kenwood’s CH250 mini chopper and the Magimix Le Micro mini choppers (12245, 18104, and 18103). The Kitchen Wizz Pro beat the Kenwood CH180A mini chopper, the Magimix Cuisine Systeme 4200 food processor, the Morphy Richards Accents 48911 and the Kenwood’s Multipro FP734. Granted, there are discrepancies in price amongst all of the products tested – but clearly, the Kitchen Pro Wizz has earned it place in the Best Buy charts through Which? testing.
My Overall thoughts
Once you get into the habit of using a food processor regularly, it quickly becomes second nature and there are plenty of multiple uses for the Kitchen Wizz Pro to justify the cost of the machine and the space it takes on the counter. The Kitchen Wizz Pro looks smart and professional and I like the fact that there are two bowls within the one unit – the larger bowl as well as the mini processing bowl. I really like the ‘Accessories Storage Box’ as it’s neat and can easily be stored in a cupboard or drawer, along with the instruction manual, so you don’t have to keep looking for bits or finding a place to store them all. It clips together securely so you can store it upright or horizontally. Some food processors have an additional jug blender, but I don’t really see the need to have an extra item to store, when the large bowl can quickly and efficiently process soups, milkshakes and smoothies. I have quickly got used to the different blades within the box and their uses and the machine as a whole, cleans up easily and well. The buttons, which light up, are easy to use and it really does take seconds to chop and slice once the correct blade is in place and you’ve locked the bowl and lid into place.
Look out for good deals – at the time of writing – Lakeland have an offer on – when you buy the Kitchen Wizz Pro you also get the Sage Multi Cooker for free – worth £89.99 – as well as free delivery.
You can also buy the Kitchen Wizz Pro on Amazon.co.uk for £360.00
For another perspective, read Gary’s review over on Big Spud here.
Here’s a You Tube video showing you how the Kitchen Wizz Pro works –
You can also follow @SageAppliances on Twitter and Like their page on Facebook/SageAppliances
Disclosure: I was sent the Sage by Heston Blumenthal Kitchen Wizz Pro for the purposes of a review. I was not required to write a positive review, nor paid any money to do so and all opinions are my own. Amazon affiliate links included. Other links editorially given.
Have you tried any of the appliances in the Sage by Heston Blumenthal range? Do you use a food processor in your domestic kitchen? Leave a comment to let me know!