Hand blender
Bamix is a Swiss brand that has focused entirely on hand blenders. The forerunner of the current Bamix was invented in 1950 by Swiss Roger Perrinjaquet, who coined the name based on an amalgamation of the French words battre et mixer "beat and mix." The Bamix has been on the market since 1954, and it is still known as one of the better brands of hand blenders. Bamix hand blenders are touted by Jamie Oliver and Gordon Ramsay for good reason.
Why Bamix
On the Internet, when searching for hand blenders, you will come across that the most important thing is to choose a hand blender with enough power. More is better, and below 600W you can't really buy a good hand blender. Yet the Bamix uses only 200W. So is that enough?
According to Bamix ️ their hand blender, despite its low wattage, is still 3x as strong as other blenders. This is because the rod is attached to the handle, making the product stronger and still able to be very powerful with lower wattage. Another difference Bamix mentions is that the Bamix gets its power not from the wattage, but from the number of revolutions per minute. As a result, the hand blender can handle at least as much as hand blenders with much more power. By the way, because of its low power, the Bamix is also a lot quieter than I am used to from other hand blenders.
Also, the machine is incredibly solidly built. Bamix goes for durability. A strong product that lasts a long time. This is also reflected in the warranty that Bamix offers. Unlike many other manufacturers who offer no more than the standard 2-year manufacturer's warranty, Bamix provides a lifetime warranty on the motor. By the way, this does not apply to the cordless variants.
What's great about the Bamix
The Bamix is very pleasant to use, and the two speeds are enough for me. Previously I had a hand blender with 12 speeds and a boost function, and I didn't really know what to do with it. The two settings of the Bamix are very simple: Setting I is for small amounts, and dishes you want to whip lightly. Setting II is the standard setting, but definitely suitable for the heavier brand. Despite its low power, it's a powerful machine that can take quite a beating. I have never experienced any problems with the Bamix not being able to handle anything. Since I often don't feel like washing my blender , these days I also use the Bamix to make cashew-based sauces. For this I then have to soak them for a few hours first to get quick enough of a smooth sauce. I can just turn on the blender and do something else while it's running, which is more complicated with a hand blender. Another advantage of the Bamix is that the bottom of the machine has much more space than other hand blenders. This makes it work better for smaller quantities. Other hand blenders you have to hold too far off the bottom anyway to get the ingredients to the blade, so they tend to splatter faster. My version of the Bamix came with the chopper and powder disc. For me, this is the main advantage of the Bamix. The chopper works as expected, but the powder disc is a real game changer. To finely grind linseed or chia seeds or herbs, a chopper is already quick too big, which only moves the seeds through the grinder but does not chopped . With previous chopper I barely got flaxseed small enough for vegan pancakes because of this . Too coarse pieces stick to the sides, so you have to keep pushing that down until you reach the desired grind size. The powder disc makes the seeds or spices stick to the bottom of the chopper. Combined with the ridges in the powder disc, this just works really well.
Cons
So the Bamix can be so powerful with little power because the rod is not removable. This is actually also the immediate cause of 2 disadvantages:
- The machine cannot be put in the dishwasher
- Washing up is very easy, but because the handle is fixed in the machine, it - and the cord - do get very close to the sink when cleaning. This is not a big problem, but takes some getting used to.
The Bamix comes with 3 or 4 different blades, each with its own purpose. These blades are very small, and getting them on and off is a little fiddly.
As fine as the chopper with powder disc is, it does have a bit of an odd design. The blade is attached to an inner bowl, which you snap into a plastic exterior. The blade is not removable. To clean The chopper, you have to click the inner bowl out of the exterior, even though that doesn't really add that much.
Different Bamix options
Knives
There are 4 blades available for a Bamix hand blender.
- Multi-purpose knife. This is the knife you use the most. For example, you use it to grind soup and sauce, but you can also use it to chop vegetables, for example. According to the manual, you can also use it to grind frozen fruits into fruit ice cream and it is even suitable for ice cubes.
- Whisk. You use this one for anything "that needs to be frothy and fluffy."
- Mixer. While you use the whisk for frothy and fluffy products, the mixer - or hole disk - is for things that just need to thicken up, such as mayonnaise, purees and shakes.
- Meat Knife. Unlike the other knives, this one does not come standard with every Bamix. The meat knife is particularly suitable for grinding meat into chopped
Chopper
The chopper has a capacity of 100ml and is suitable for both dry and wet ingredients. Because of its low capacity, you can only chop small quantities with the chopper. The 200ml chopper with powder disc is a better choice for most people.
Chopper 200ml with powder disc
This product Bamix actually calls a "processor mill," but by that, as far as I'm concerned, it's not very clear what they mean. This mincer, with a capacity of 200ml, is 2x as large as the other mincer, so you can grind a bit more at a time in this one. A more important advantage over the smaller mincer is that this mincer does accommodate the powder disc. This powder disc makes it much easier to grind herbs and seeds into powder.
SliceSy
The Bamix SliceSy turns your hand blender into a food processor. In addition to a chopper, there are 5 attachments available for the SliceSy, 3 graters and two disc cutters. With these you can grate ingredients from fine to coarse, or cut it into fine or coarse slices. I personally have no experience with the SliceSy, as I have a Magimix food processor for those tasks.
Bamix Cordless
The Bamix also has two cordless variants: The Bamix Cordless ️ and the Bamix Cordless Plus ️. The difference between the two is that the Cordless Plus has a boost function. The recommended retail price of the Bamix Cordless is €329 and that of the Cordless Plus €359.
Overview
| Type | Features | Recommended price | Bol. | Fonq |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| DELUXE M200 | 200W hand blender 3 blades - meat knife missing chopper 100ml |
€199 | Check at Bol. | Check at Fonq |
| BBQ-box Grill&Chill |
200W hand blender 4 blades - including meat knife chopper 200ml with powder disc |
€229 | Check at Bol. | |
| SwissLine | 200W hand blender 3 blades - meat knife missing other holder chopper 200ml measuring cup |
€249 | Check at Bol. | Check at Fonq |
| Baking Box | 200W hand blender 4 blades SliceSy chopper 200ml with powder disk cup set measuring cup |
€339 | Check at Bol. | |
| Superbox | 250W hand blender 4 blades SliceSy chopper 200ml with powder disk cup set measuring cup |
€359 | Check at Bol. | |
| Cordless | Wireless 3 blades |
€329 | Check at Bol. | Check at Fonq |
| Cordless Plus | Wireless Boost function 3 blades |
€359 | Check at Bol. | Check at Fonq |
The main difference between the different sets is in the accessories. The DeLuxe M200 is the simplest variant. Since the introduction of the M200, you also get a 200W machine with this variant, whereas previously it was a less powerful machine. With the DeLuxe M200 you get 3 blades, and a simple 100ml chopper. This one is small and not suitable for the powder disc. The Bamix DeLuxe M200 is also available in a BBQ-box Grill&Chill set. This includes an extra knife and a larger chopper with powder disc. The Bamix DeLuxe M200 has an equally powerful motor as the Swissline. With the Bamix Swissline comes a different container, chopper and measuring cup. Starting with the Swissline, you also get a different holder. The Baking Box and Superbox are similar in terms of accessories. Both packages include 4 blades, the SliceSy and the chopper including powder disc. Instead of the standard 200W hand blender, the superbox includes a 250W hand blender. For normal use, the 200W machine is sufficient.
Conclusion
The Bamix is the newest appliance in my kitchen, but by now I have also been using the hand blender for 1.5 years. I am still incredibly satisfied with my purchase. It does everything it is supposed to do. From pureeing soup to making cashew sauce. But still the most I use the chopper with powder disc. I can't repeat often enough how handy that powder disc is. Especially in a plant-based kitchen, where you regularly want to mince linseed and chia seeds, it's a godsend as far as I'm concerned. But I also often use the powder disc for grinding herbs. In no time at all I have a delicious freshly ground spice mixture, which is always just that little bit tastier than pre-ground spices.
