Food processor
A food processor is a handy device to have in your home. With it you can shred your onion , grate vegetables or slice potatoes at lightning speed. spreads such as tapenade, pesto and hummus A food processor differs in this from a food processor, which is intended more for making dough and batter and beating egg whites, for example. A food processor often offers possibilities for this as well, but such as kneading bread dough is often a bit less controlled in a food processor than in a food processor.
So a food processor, like the Magimix CS 4200XL ️, helps you cut and grate your ingredients, among other things. You can also make delicious spreads with a food processor. You can easily leave the machine on for long periods of time, making the creamiest hummus. By the way, this also makes it very good for making your own peanut butter or other nut spreads.
If you go to search to look for a food processor, you already quick end up in something of a rabbit hole. The possibilities are endless. There are many different brands and many different types. And every year the mainstream brands come out with a new model that can do more and is better than the previous one. As a result, the part that broke on my previous food processor was no longer for sale, and I had to go to search to find a new one. Eventually I ended up with the Magimix CS 4200XL, from which all parts are still for sale separately. You can read more about this food processor in this article. It also briefly compares the Magimix CS 4200XL with its smaller brother, the Magimix CS 3200XL ️.
Magimix CS 4200XL
The Magimix CS 4200XL ️ is a food processor recommended by Magimix for households between 1 and 6 people. I myself purchased the machine at the time for a single-person household, mainly because at the time I had the idea of making more dough than I actually do. Still, I don't experience the machine as too big, but of course you have to have the space for it.
I won't deny it: the Magimix CS 4200XL is pricey. With a suggested retail price of €449, you don't buy this device without thinking about it first.
Specifications
| machine dimensions (without bowls) | 425 x 210 x 260 mm |
| weight | 7,7 kg |
| total content | 3 l |
| throughput | 1,3 l |
| power | 950W |
| recommended price | 449 |
The Magimix CS 4200XL comes with 3 mixing bowls, of 3 l, 2.6 l and 1.2 l. These bowls are dishwasher safe. The large bowl is most often used for dough and for when you want to finely chop larger quantities of vegetables. The middle one is particularly useful if you want to use the slicing and grating discs. The small bowl you use for chopping smaller quantities of vegetables, shredding onion, but also for making hummus and peanut butter, for example.
Several cutting and grating discs are included with the Magimix CS 4200XL. In addition, optional discs can be ordered, for example a disc to cut vegetables julienne or a wavy disc for creative slicing.
Why choose Magimix?
As already indicated, the Magimix is not cheap to purchase. The most popular food processors on Bol.com cost about €100 ️, a fraction of the Magimix's recommended retail price. What makes a Magimix so much better?
I mentioned it in the introduction: a small part of my previous device broke and could not be replaced. I find it a terrible waste to have to throw away an entire appliance because of one part. Magimix does this differently. Magimix gives a 3-year warranty on the bowls and accessories. In addition, according to the specifications, the parts are available for 30 years. Combined with a 30-year warranty on the motor, this means you are buying a machine that will last you 30 years. This is much more durable, compared to the 2-year manufacturer's warranty that some other manufacturers provide.
In addition, Magimix sells so-called conversion kits. These are sets that allow you to "convert" an old machine (such as the 4000 or the 4100) to a CS 4200XL. This allows you to still use new accessories that are not actually suitable for your old machine.
What's great about the CS 4200XL
So with the Magimix CS 4200XL you get a machine you will want to use for 30 years. Then, of course, it is important that it works pleasantly. After 6 years of regularly using the Magimix CS 4200XL, I am still very happy with the purchase. The main advantages at a glance:
- The Magimix CS 4200XL is incredibly simple to use. You have 3 buttons: STOP, AUTO and PULSE. On the AUTO setting, the speed is automatically adjusted based on the resistance the machine senses. So you don't have to choose a mode yourself. The machine keeps running until you press STOP. On the PULSE setting, the machine turns on at maximum power and stops as soon as you release the button.
- The machine itself is quite hefty, weighing 7.7 kg. Because of this, you can easily leave the machine on for long periods of time without it going haywire. For example, I like to leave hummus running for 10 minutes so that it becomes incredibly smooth, creamy and unctuous. Also, if you like to make your own peanut butter or nut spreads, it's really nice that the machine stays solid.
- The bowls are made of sturdy tritan plastic and are free of BPA. The bowls still look very good and show only small signs of use, which is to be expected after years of use.
- The blades are made from Sabatier steel and are still incredibly sharp after 6 years. They chop vegetables as evenly as they did on the first day.
- The included beating accessory also works very well for beating aquafaba into mousse.
- A sturdy storage box is included to neatly store all parts.
Cons
As you have been able to read, after 6 years I am still very satisfied with the Magimix CS 4200 XL. Still, there are some lesser points. None of them are dealbreakers for me, but something to keep in mind.
- It is a heavy machine. This is obviously also an advantage, but it makes it a bit more awkward if you want to store the machine in a kitchen cabinet. Combined with the rubber feet, it does take some effort to keep the machine in and out of your kitchen cabinet. If you leave the machine standard on your kitchen counter, of course, the weight is only a plus.
- In some cases, you might want a little more control over the speed, especially if when making dough. With the included dough recipes, the dough came out of the machine just fine. Some recipes from the Internet were a bit trickier. The machine is quite hard on the dough, throwing it in all directions, but eventually it forms into a ball.
- Cleaning. Although it's very convenient that you have 3 different bowls, it often means you have to clean them all 3 after using just one. The same goes for the XL filling opening, where you can choose between 2 different openings to push your vegetables towards the blade. According to Magimix, the plastic parts are dishwasher safe. I have never put them in the dishwasher because I'm afraid the plastic might come out dull, so how the dishwasher affects the plastic I can't tell, unfortunately.
Magimix CS 3200XL vs CS 4200XL
The Magimix CS 3200XL ️ is the small little brother of the CS 4200XL. Besides a smaller size, the suggested retail price of €329 is also a lot friendlier. When I bought my machine, the 3200XL did not support all the accessories, which was ultimately the deciding factor for me to buy the CS 4200XL. They now have a new version of the 3200XL, the CS 3200XL, which accessories like the Magimix Spiral Expert ️ also fit on.
So with the CS 3200XL, you can use the same accessories as with the CS 4200XL. So what are the differences? The biggest difference is the size, and related to that, the capacity and weight.
| CS 3200XL | CS 4200XL | |
|---|---|---|
| size | 360 x 190 x 225 mm | 425 x 210 x 260 mm |
| weight | 6,7 kg | 7,7 kg |
| total content | 2,6 l | 3 l |
| throughput | 1 l | 1,3 l |
| dough | 600 g | 1 kg |
| power | 650W | 950W |
| recommended price | €329 | €449 |
So the CS 3200XL is smaller, less powerful but also a lot cheaper than the CS 4200XL. Especially if you want to use the machine to make dough, the CS 4200XL is clearly at an advantage. Also, if you often want to cut or grate larger quantities of vegetables, the CS 4200XL is the better choice. Something else to consider is that if you want to whip something, such as aquafaba, this quick increases in volume. That's when the larger bowl comes in handy.
The CS 3200XL ️ is very suitable for a smaller household and when 600 grams of dough is enough. The machine itself is much more compact and a kg lighter than the CS 4200XL, making it either easier to fit on your countertop or easier to store in a kitchen cabinet. Are you at search looking for a real small machine? Then there's also the Magimix Mini Plus ️. With a processing capacity of 600 ml , it really is a lot smaller though, and especially suitable for small quantities. With a suggested retail price of €219, it is by far the cheapest Magimix food processor.
Conclusion
In this article, I have outlined the pros and cons of the Magimix CS 4200XL ️. This is based on 6 years of user experience. In summary, I am still very happy with the machine. The purchase price took some swallowing, but for an appliance that is meant to last at least 30 years, it is actually just well worth it. The Magimix CS 4200XL is also very easy and pleasant to use, but a bit big to store in your kitchen cabinet. For smaller households, its small little brother, the Magimix CS 3200XL ️ is also well worth checking out.
