Counter culture: Magimix, the food processor that just won't budge from worktops

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For most of us, kitchen counter space is valuable real estate. There is never enough of it and we have to choose ruthlessly what stays and what goes. Magimix – the multi-functioning food processor – staked its claim to our kitchen countertops well over 40 years ago.

And for fans like me it’s not going anywhere. My Magimix has been parked on my counter for close to 20 years and – touch wood – it’s never had a wobble.

To understand why Magmix is so popular, rewind to the early sixties. Pierre Verdun was a French catering company salesman, working in Burgundy.

Calling on professional kitchens he saw how much time was spent on routine prep – the endless chopping and slicing. His big idea was to create a bowl that could hold interchangeable blades and tackle a range of different chopping tasks.

Like the best ideas it was a simple one and his invention, the Robot-Coupe, became a staple in restaurant kitchens.

It wasn’t long before word of the Robot-Coupe was out and a domestic version, called Magimix, was launched for home cooks. The idea wasn’t that Magimix would do something you couldn’t do but rather that it would do it faster and in some cases better. It was a no-brainer to use with only three buttons: off, on, and pulse (the clever motor self-adjusts the power based on the food that is being processed).

And it’s the almighty motor that makes Magimix such a workhorse. It’s a commercial grade motor that boasts a 30-year guarantee. I can’t think of anything with a 30-year guarantee, including marriage. Combine that with metal blades that are made of Sabatier steel and you’ve got a winning combination. The blades even have a slight serration so they don’t need to be sharpened. Today, I’m told the plastic bowls and lid are made of a wonder plastic called Tritan. It’s shatter-resistant (great for a kitchen klutz like me) and doesn’t mind the dishwasher. It’s also free of nasties like BPA and BPS.

The first model came with one large bowl. A mini bowl was launched in the late Eighties and by the end of the Nineties the familiar set of three nesting bowls appeared on the scene. You choose the bowl based on the amount you’re processing and the task. Use the main bowl for larger quantities or for something heavy-duty like making dough. The medium (midi) bowl is designed to use with the grating disks while the small (mini) bowl is for chopping smaller quantities of ingredients like herbs or garlic.

There are three different models from which to choose: the 3200, 4200 and 5200. The real difference is capacity so choose the 3200 if you’re cooking for a few, the 4200 for a family and the 5200 if you’re cooking for crowds. Today there are plenty of different finishes and optional kit you can buy but the basics include the bowls, metal blades, dough blade, a few grating disks and an egg whisk (which looks something like a satellite station).

To be honest, I’ve never used the egg whisk or even the dough blade though I know people swear by them. I find that it’s the mini bowl that gets the biggest workout in my kitchen (perfect for making pesto and other sauces), the midi if I need to grate a lot of something like cheese or carrots, and the big bowl if I’m pureeing a soup or beans.

Competition? Kenwood introduced its food processor in Britain in 1979, just five years after Magimix, and commands a loyal following. So do KitchenAid, Cuisinart and newer brands like Sage by Heston Blumenthal.

Perhaps in response, Magimix has expanded beyond food processors to add other kitchen appliances to the family including blenders, ice cream makers, juicers and even a fryer. But it’s the food processor that for me, is synonymous with Magimix. The starting price for the 3200XL is £239.99 and goes up to £319.99 for the 5200XL. It’s a significant investment but it could be a once in a lifetime purchase. So far it has been for me.