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Miele Classic C1 vacuum cleaner review
9:00 am | July 13, 2024
Author: admin | Category: Computers Gadgets Home Small Appliances Vacuums | Tags: | Comments: Off

Miele Classic C1 Flex two-minute review

The Miele Classic C1 vacuum cleaner comes in three very similar and identically-priced options: a Junior version with a sectioned suction tube, a standard version with a telescopic tube and XXL handle, and a Flex version with a telescopic tube and  an extra long, flexible crevice nozzle for cleaning difficult-to-reach places. In this review I tested the Miele Classic C1 Flex vacuum cleaner.

Although the Miele Classic C1 Flex is very well engineered and comes with an enormous amount of suction power – 800 watts of it – one questions whether a corded cylinder vac of this nature still has a place in the 21st century, let alone among the best vacuum cleaners. Aside from having to keep plugging it into different power outlets around the home and the extra baggage of having a long suction hose that makes it tricky to carry, the most awkward facet of this vacuum cleaner is the static brush head that makes it very strenuous to push on anything other than smooth hard flooring.

Miele Classic C1 Flex and a cuddly toy

(Image credit: Future)

Budgetary concern may sound like a very valid reason for opting for a corded model like the Classic C1 Flex but when you bear in mind that today's marketplace is filled with many modern cordless alternatives from the likes of Shark, Samsung, Vax and Tineco that cost roughly the same while performing just as well on hard floor and even better on carpet, it starts to look like the Classic C1 Flex may have passed its sell-by date.

Miele Classic C1 Flex review: price & availability

  • Price: $349 / £199 /  AU pricing varies
  • Available in a few variants (C1, C1 Flex, C1 Junior) for the same price
  • Flex version only available in the UK

The pricing and options for the Classic C1 depend on where you live. In the UK, there are a few variants – the C1, C1 Flex, C1 Junior – all for the same price of £199. In the US, there's a Classic C1 for a list price of $349 or a C1 Turbo Team PowerLine for $469 (this one comes with an added 'Turbobrush' aimed at tackling pet hair specifically). In Australia the range isn't as clear-cut because it's not listed on the official Miele website, but there are various options available at third party retailers, at a range of prices.

In terms of value for money, it's acceptable but not amazing. There are plenty of competitors' options in a similar ballpark, which I think offer better performance. 

  • Value for money score: 3 out of 5

Miele Classic C1 Flex specs

Miele Classic C1 vacuum cleaner review: design

  • Excellent build quality
  • Easy to pull around
  • Disappointing multi-floor head

Ask any modern tech-savvy householder whether they would ever consider buying a corded vacuum cleaner and they will probably tell you that that ship has sailed. I would tend to agree given that I am now so fully invested in everything cordless, from my stick vacs and robot vac to every outdoor garden power tool I have in the shed, including the lawnmower. Let’s face it, a corded cylinder vac like the Miele Classic C1 Flex I have on review here could never match a cordless stick for outright convenience and the ability to quickly vacuum a room before guests arrive.

On the flip side, corded cylinder vacs are quite often cheaper to buy than their equivalently powered cordless brethren and they'll never run out of power, which means you could vacuum every floor of a country mansion and then do the gatehouse and the rest of the neighborhood while you’re at it. Try that with a cordless stick vac and see how far you get.

Miele Classic C1 Flex and accessories on a rug

(Image credit: Future)

When it comes to household items, Miele is unquestionably one of the most prestigious brands around, and this is due in no small part to the overall quality of everything the company’s design team turns its hands to. After all, German-made Miele products are known to last for years – decades even – and this is testament to both the quality of materials used and the way they’re put together.

Take the Classic C1 Flex. Miele doesn’t advertise the types of plastic used in its vacuum cleaner bodies, but take it from me, this model is tough enough to withstand a fall down the stairs. I know this because I accidentally pulled my test model down a short flight and the body survived unscathed, even after clouting the wall at the bottom.

However, I am also mindful that there are are couple of oddities with the Classic C1 Flex that I find disheartening given Miele’s generally impeccable design ethos. For instance, other Miele cylinder vacs I’ve reviewed or owned have always had a handy little hideaway area under the lid to store away the provided detail tools. By contrast, this one comes with a plastic tool holder that clips on to the base of the concertina hose.

The Miele Classic C1 Flex's cylinder

(Image credit: Future)

This not only looks incongruous but the tools have a tendency to fall off if snagged against furnishings when pulling the unit along. I have since resorted to removing the holder and storing the tools in a bag along with the other 1,001 detail tools I’ve gathered over the years. For the record, the Classic C1 Flex ships with a rectangular upholstery nozzle, a crevice nozzle, a dusting brush and, as the ‘Flex’ moniker suggests, a long flexible nozzle tool for cleaning in hard-to-reach places.

Another element I’m not at all keen on is the main brush head. This is a much more serious anomaly in my opinion because this sole item is key to how well the cleaner works and how easy it is to push and pull, especially when used on carpet. Where most modern vacs are equipped with an optimally-positioned motorized brush head that swallows most larger items while beating its bristles deep into carpet pile, the Miele Classic C1 Flex ships with an old-fashioned static head comprising a single layer of stiff bristles at the front and two flexible plastic strips just behind it.

Underside of the Miele Classic C1 Flex's floor head

(Image credit: Future)

I’ll tell you more about this floor head in the performance chapter but, in short, it is extremely grippy when used on carpet and very difficult to push without breaking into a sweat. Given that its stablemate, the Miele Complete C2 Cat & Dog, ships with an easier-to-push motorised head for just £40 more, it seems like a missed opportunity on Miele’s part to not to equip all of its corded vacs with a motorised floor head.

The Classic C1 Flex features six levels of suction power which are accessed via a dial on the rear. Each setting is illustrated with an icon – curtains, upholstery, rugs, energy-saving, carpet and hard floor – but you can ignore that and just go for the most suitable level of suction for the task in hand. You can also reduce suction power further by opening the vent on the handle, though this increases the vac’s volume from a standard 71dB in full-power mode to an unpleasant 84dB.

Since this is a mains-powered model, you get 5.5 meters of spring-loaded cable tucked away inside its rear housing and this amounts to an operating radius of around 9m. To release the cable you simply pull it out to your required length and it will lock itself automatically. When finished, give the cable a short tug to release the locking mechanism and it’ll scoot back into its housing with the speed of an angry snake. However, you’re advised to hold the main unit in position with your foot when pulling the cable on hard floors or the whole vac will roll towards you. This is because the spring mechanism itself is strong enough to counteract the vac’s three extremely smooth-rolling, multi-directional micro castors. It’s not ideal, I know, but virtually every self-retracting cylinder vac I’ve ever used has had this very same issue.

Mains cable housing on the Miele Classic C1 Flex

(Image credit: Future)

At 12lbs / 5.8kg, the Classic C1 Flex is light enough to carry from the under-stairs cupboard to its place of work and it can be stored either horizontally or vertically. Crucially, the floor head with ungainly hose attached can be clipped to the main unit in either orientation though it’s still a cumbersome package to transport from room to room.

One of the main highlights of all Miele cylinder vacs, including this one, is the way their stainless steel suction tubes can be lengthened or shortened by pulling on a sheath. It’s inarguably the most tactile element on this machine and a system I’d love to see on all vacs, including sticks.

Heading into the enclosed bin section, the Classic C1 Flex is fitted with a substantial 4.76qt / 4.5L microfibre HyClean GN dust bag and just behind it, Miele’s excellent AirClean filter which helps keep carpet dust smells to a minimum. As I explain in my Bagged vs Bagless article, I’m a big fan of bagged vacuum cleaners because they produce almost zero dust when emptying, are better at collecting fine dust particles like ash and they require very little filter maintenance. That’s true of the Classic C1 Flex. However, you only get one dust bag with this model and a set of four extra bags will set you back $22.99 / £13.99.

  • Design score: 2.5 out of 5

Miele Classic C1 vacuum cleaner review: performance

  • Excellent suction power
  • Too difficult to push on carpet
  • Dust-free emptying

I remember the days before cordless stick vacs took hold and you had to wrestle with a snake-like hose while pulling the main unit around behind you, which in turn was connected to a mains plug. It was a system of many foibles, including the cable getting snagged on furniture and the main unit turning turtle because you yanked it so hard out of frustration. You also had to keep unplugging it and plugging it back in every time you changed rooms.

Sorry to report, but this is one such model. However, the Miele Classic C1 Flex isn’t totally devoid of merit because it’s a sterling dust sucker on hard floors, even though it’s not great at collecting larger pieces of detritus like biscuit crumbs.

Power is something the Miele has in spades – all 800 watts of it. In fact, even in lower ‘carpet mode’, this vac’s limpet-like suction is strong enough to lift a rug off the floor. Which is why I say to ignore Miele’s power level guidance and just use the most suitable power level for the job in hand.

Miele Classic C1 Flex sucking flour and crushed biscuits off a wood floor

(Image credit: Future)

As per usual, my first hard floor test involved a good sprinkling of flour and crumbed biscuit with the main brush head set to ‘hard floor’ mode – i.e. with the front-mounted stiff bristle brush engaged. This brush is constructed like a castle battlement with nine small 5mm gaps positioned at regular intervals so larger items can slip through and up the suction tube.

Miele Classic C1 Flex sucking corn flakes off a wood floor

(Image credit: Future)

As anticipated, the floor head snowploughed most the flour and larger biscuit crumbs on the forward stroke so I simply lifted the rear of the head by a few centimeters and pulled it backwards. Everything vanished up the tube. I then tried it using a handful of Crunchy Nut corn flakes and, again as predicted, the head simply pushed everything ahead of it with no evidence of even a single flake making its way to the suction area. Again, I was able to collect every last flake when using the head in reverse and lifted at a short angle. No it’s not ideal, but that’s generally what happens when you don’t use a motorized head with a decent gap between the front of the head and the floor.

Miele Classic C1 Flex gripping a rug while trying to clean up flour

(Image credit: Future)

I then proceeded to perform the same test on a medium pile rug and had to reduce the suction to level three – two levels lower than the recommended setting – because the head was impossible to budge. Despite still being very stiff to push, the brush head made a surprisingly good fist of collecting most of the crumbs and all the flour, though I did have to perform a few back and forth sweeps to collect the cornflakes. I also tried the same test with the handle’s suction reduction vent open and this made it easier to push at the expense of a massive increase in volume – from 71dB to 84dB – that made it sound like a jet engine during take off.

As it stands, Miele’s universal floor head is perfectly useable on most hard floors bar, say, delicate polished concrete or premium wood. After all, it picked up all dust – right to the very edge – and most items smaller than an oat flake. However, I’m not convinced that this is the right type vac for carpets or rugs of any depth because it takes far too much effort to push. In fact, I can’t see anyone other than the very fittest managing to finish a single carpeted room without needing to have a little lie down. By comparison to most cordless stick vacs, this specific model’s brush head felt outdated and of another age.

On the plus side, the Miele has oodles of suction power for tasks like vacuuming down the side of sofa cushions, while its extra long and flexible suction tool is one of the very best for sucking up crumbs and crisps between car seats and the center console.

  • Performance score: 2.5 out of 5

Should you buy the Miele Classic C1 vacuum cleaner?

Buy it if...

You have a lot of hard flooring

The Classic C1 Flex is a decent performer on hard floors.

You have a lot of rooms to clean

This vac will vac till the cows come home.

You want reliability

Miele is renowned for the high quality of its products.

Don't buy it if…

Your home is mostly carpeted

The Classic C1 Flex’s static brush head is not suitable for carpet.

You don’t want to be tethered to a mains plug

You will need to keep plugging this vac in from room to room.

You don’t have much storage space

The hose and long suction tube make it ungainly to store.

How I tested the Miele Classic C1 vacuum cleaner

Having hauled all parts out of the box, I first tested this model on hard engineered wood flooring using a combination of fine flour and crumbed biscuits, a handful of raw porridge oats and some Crunchy Nut corn flakes. 

I then carried out the same test on a medium pile rug. I also gauged the amount of hassle it posed when using it, plugging it into various power outlets and carrying it upstairs and storing it away.

  • First reviewed: July 2024
Nutribullet 600 Series blender review
8:00 am | July 12, 2024
Author: admin | Category: Computers Gadgets Home Juicers & Blenders Small Appliances | Comments: Off

Nutribullet 600 Series: two-minute review

The Nutribullet 600 Series is a simple, affordable and effective model from the brand behind many of the best blenders on the market. It offers one blending speed and a twist-to-blend mechanism that works well, although some might prefer a good old-fashioned button instead. 

On test, I found it tackled frozen berries, fibrous fruit and nuts with ease, although wasn't powerful enough to crush ice. If that's a priority, you should opt for the 900 Series (which you can read about our Nutribullet 900 review), which is identical except for having a more powerful motor (900W vs 600W for the 600 Series), and being more expensive as a result.

It's not ideal for creating chunkier blends, because the single, fast speed means the lower ingredients immediately get pulverized into a paste, while the higher ones never reach the blades at all. I managed to use it to make a (rather wet) hummus, with a bit of shaking up in the middle on the process, but it was pretty useless when it came to pesto. (Really, blenders are designed to be used for creating liquids – if you want to be making salsas, pestos and the like, you're much better off reaching for one of the best food processors instead.)

The build quality is solid, as I'd expect from Nutribullet. And because it's a well-known brand that specializes in blenders, you have the benefit of a wide range of compatible accessories – cups of different sizes, and assorted lid options. Some are included with certain configurations of the 600, but if not they're available to buy if you need them. 

This budget model is pared-back in terms of functions and features, but it does the essentials (blending, even tough ingredients) really well. If you just want something reliable and effective for your morning smoothie, then it's a good shout. Read on for my full Nutribullet 600 Series review.

Nutribullet 600 Series review: price & availability

  • List price: $69.99 / £59.99 /AU$99.95
  • Available: US / UK / AU
  • Lower-middle of the Nutribullet range, and budget price bracket overall

Price-wise, the 600 sits towards the lower-middle of the Nutribullet range, and in the budget price bracket overall. For the price, I think it's excellent value. It's simple in design and function, but does the essentials well. 

In the US, there's only one option. It comes with a blending cup and separate takeaway cup with lid and handle, and has a list price of $69.99. 

In the UK, you can choose the 'starter kit' version with just the blending cup, which costs £59.99. Alternatively, the 600 Series comes with an extra takeaway cup and costs £69.99. I'd actually recommend this second version, because it's super useful to have a lid, and not to have to decant your smoothie into a separate cup. 

In Australia, the version with a cup is called the 'Essentials set' and costs AU$109.95, while the no-cup version is AU$99.95. The takeaway cup is a little different with that version compared to the UK and US versions. 

The main difference between the different Nutribullets is the wattage – which translates roughly to 'how powerful is it?'. The 600 Series has 600W of power. The Magic Bullet To Go is cheaper ($58.95 / £34.99 / AU$59.95) but has only 200W of power, which means it's for very basic blending jobs only.

The version up is the 900, with 900W of power, and a list price of $109.99 / £89.99 / AU$99.95 (read our Nutribullet 900 review for more on that one). Head to the comparison table in this review for a basic rundown of how the different models compare.

Small appliances often attract discounts around major shopping events like the Black Friday sales or Amazon Prime Day deals, so that can be a good time to shop if it suits when you need to buy.

  • Value for money score: 4 out of 5

Nutribullet 600 Series specs

Nutribullet 600 Series review: design

  • Twist-to-blend, no presets or pulse option
  • To-go cup / lid included with some packages, or can be purchased separately
  •  BPA-Free cup is dishwasher-safe, but blade isn't

The Nutribullet 600 Series has the classic Nutribullet design. The motor that powers everything is built into the base, while the extractor blade that does all the hard work comes in its own separate unit that screws onto the blending jug. The jug and blade then twist on to the base, which is weighty (so it won't go juddering across your countertop as you blend) but smartly designed. 

Rather than having buttons, this twisting mechanism is what starts and stops the blending. It's straightforward and works well, but some people might find a button easier to operate. If you're seeking presets or different blending speeds, you'll need to look elsewhere – this is an on/off situation only.

Nutribullet 600 Series in reviewer's kitchen

(Image credit: Future)

Nutribullet as a brand has a few different sized blending cup options, as well as handles, lids, sip rings (to cover the screw threads for more comfortable drinking) and drinking lids, that can be used with the Nutribullet blender range. Some 600 Series packages come with to-go accessories included, but if yours doesn't then they can be purchased separately to increase the versatility of your blender.

Cleaning

In terms of cleaning, the cups can be popped into the dishwasher on the top rack, but the blade isn't dishwasher-safe. Nutribullet recommends rinsing it under warm water to clean it, but I think this is one of the trickier blenders to clean. Mixture builds up around the edge of the blade section, and when the cup is removed, spills into the screw threads, which are very difficult to get properly clean. Food also gets stuck in crevices between the wide, flat blades. 

Hummus stuck in blades of Nutribullet 600 Series in reviewer's kitchen

(Image credit: Future)

Even if you rinse (or, as I find most effective, add water to the cup, screw on the blade, and vigorously shake) straight after blending, there'll often be a bit of residue left in the nooks and crannies. And if you leave food to dry on the blade... forget about it. 

  • Design score: 3.5 out of 5

Nutribullet 600 Series review: performance

  • Effectively blends frozen berries to a smooth consistency
  • Drier mixes often leave paste at the bottom and unblended mix at the top
  • Not powerful enough for making crushed ice

I tested the Nutribullet 600 by making a smoothie and some hummus. Let's start with the smoothie. I added a puck of frozen spinach, frozen blueberries and frozen banana, alongside almond milk. It blitzed the fruit fine, but struggled with the frozen spinach. I'm not surprised, as it was a fairly large and solid chunk. After leaving it to melt slightly, it managed to break the spinach up fine. I'd surmise from this that it would be powerful enough to create crushed ice. 

For the hummus, it worked effectively, but required just the right amount of liquid. Too little liquid and it blended the ingredients next to the blade too effectively, leaving a paste at the bottom and never reaching the ingredients at the top. I had the same issue with pesto. I tend to reach for a food processor (or even just a mini-chopper) when I need to create a chunky blend, and to be fair that is the tool that's designed for the job. 

I'd say the fact that this model is powerful enough to blend frozen berries to a smooth consistency means it'll be plenty powerful enough for most people's needs. If you're regularly needing to tackle larger chunks of hard ingredients, you might consider one of the models with higher wattage. Smaller, handheld models often don't have the power to tackle anything hard (so while I haven't tested the To-Go blender from Nutribullet yet, I suspect it wouldn't have enough blending power for frozen berries).

There's only one blend speed here, but it'll work for most blending jobs. It's also easy to 'pulse' by just twisting the cup quickly, although some people may prefer buttons and presets. 

Like all blenders I've tested, it's noisy, although it doesn't feel overly so, and it's not at a particularly ear-splitting pitch. If you're very sensitive to noise, the pricier Ultra is designed to be quieter and operate at a more ear-pleasing pitch, relatively speaking (read TechRadar's Nutribullet Ultra review for more on that model). 

  • Performance score: 4 out of 5

Nutribullet 600 review: comparison table

Keen on the Nutribullet brand, but not sure which model is right for your needs? Here's a quick run-down of the differences between them...

Should you buy the Nutribullet 600 Series?

Buy it if...

Don't buy it if...

How I tested the Nutribullet 600 Series

  • Made a smoothie, hummus and pesto, and tried crushing ice
  • Assessed how easy it was to clean
  • Compared performance to other blenders and choppers

To test the Nutribullet 600 Series, I used it to make hummus, a smoothie and pesto, as well as seeing if it could crush ice. I made a note of the consistency of results and whether it needed a mid-blend shake-up. I also assessed the build quality, how easy the blender was to use and if it was overly or unpleasantly noisy. I hand-washed the cups and blade after each test to see how easy it was to get clean. I compared my results to other blenders and choppers I've used.  

Read more about how we test

First reviewed June 2024

Dyson Supersonic Nural review: tech-packed and time-saving
9:00 am | July 11, 2024
Author: admin | Category: Computers Gadgets Hair Care Home Small Appliances | Comments: Off

Dyson Supersonic Nural: two-minute review

The Dyson Supersonic Nural hair dryer is the most hi-tech hair dryer I've ever used. The headline feature here is the 'Scalp Protect mode', which senses how far away your head is, then heats up or cools down to maintain what feels like a constant temperature on your scalp. All that means less heat damage; even if you put it right up to your head, it won't burn.

The Nural can also sense when you put it down, and drop into low-power mode in response, and when not using Scalp Protect mode, it also remembers your airspeed and temperature preference for each specific attachment. On test, I found these techy features all worked as they were meant to. While I guess they're not strictly essential to the hair drying experience, they're not just a gimmick either – each helps streamline and speed up the styling process. 

Alongside these new innovations, the Nural also has all the things that made the original Supersonic – widely considered the best hair dryer on the market (read about it in our Dyson Supersonic review) – so popular. Namely, very fast and efficient airflow, a design that's comfortable and easy to wield, and a range of well-designed, magnetic attachments that clip easily on and off. These attachments cater to a range of different hair types (short, long, straight, coily and curly) and include a unique Flyaway tool, which tames stray hairs with alarming effectiveness. 

While the attachments are broadly the same as with the original Supersonic, I would like to give a special shout-out to the redesigned diffuser, which can now be used without the prongs in so-called Dome mode, designed to define your curls. I have natural slight curls, and it's the only diffuser I've ever been able to use that hasn't transformed my hair into a frizz-ball of epic proportions. 

Of course, it's far from cheap. In fact, so far that 'cheap' isn't even a dot in the distance. The Nural's list price of $499.99 / £399.99 / AU$750 puts it firmly beyond the reach of many, and will perhaps make you question the necessity of owning a hair dryer that glows like a UFO and knows how close it is to your head at any time. But if you want the best of the best and have the budget for it, I have basically no complaints about how well the Nural works. 

That's the short version; read on for my full Dyson Supersonic Nural review. Alternatively, for more on this brand's haircare range, head to our Dyson AirWrap review,  Dyson Airstrait review or Dyson Coralle review.

Dyson Supersonic Nural hair dryer

(Image credit: Future)

Dyson Supersonic Nural review: price & availability

  • List price: $499.99 / £399.99 / AU$750 
  • Available: globally
  • Launch date: spring 2024

The Supersonic Nural was announced in March 2024, and became available across the US, UK and Australia shortly after. 

Regardless of territory, it's expensive. At TechRadar, we consider any hair dryer over $200/£200 to be a premium product, and at list price, the Nural is twice that. In the US it's $499.99, in the UK it's £399.99, and in Australia it's AU$750.

It's the priciest hair dryer I've tested, but then it's also the most high-tech – by some margin. You're not paying just for the Dyson name, you're paying for the innovation and the engineering. (Okay, and a little bit for the Dyson name.) While I'm not especially mad at how expensive the Nural is, I do think it would be useful to be able to pick a cheaper option with fewer attachments. With their individual sensors and magnetic design, these are presumably driving up the price, and most people will only need two or three. 

For comparison, at time of writing the original Dyson Supersonic is $429.99 / £279.99 / AU$649. So the price jump between the two models is biggest if you're in the UK.

The most expensive GHD model is the GHD Helios, which is significantly cheaper, with a list price of $279.00 / £159 / AU$280. But it's nowhere near as intelligent as the Nural; you're definitely not getting like-for-like.

  • Value for money score: 4 out of 5

Dyson Supersonic Nural specs

Dyson Supersonic Nural review: design

  • Scalp Protect mode adjusts temperature based on distance from head
  • Wide range of magnetic attachments for different hair types
  • Light and easy to wield, although handle could be a bit longer

At time of launch, there are two different colorway options: Vinca Blue/Topaz (which I would call purple and orange) and Ceramic Patina/Topaz (turquoise and orange – the version I tested for this review). Otherwise it looks very similar to the original Supersonic – a streamlined version of a hair dryer, with a relatively small and lightweight barrel at the top, with most of the weight in the handle.

While Dyson seems to be getting into the habit of adding tiny, largely unnecessary screens to its new releases (looking at you, Airstrait), the Nural has escaped the curse. Instead, it's operated via buttons – a sliding on-off switch and cool shot button on the handle, and temperature, airspeed and Scalp Protect mode buttons on the barrel. All are small and unobtrusive.

Close up of temperature and air speed controls on Dyson Supersonic Nural hair dryer

Air speed button and indicator lights run around the left side of the barrel, and temperature switch and lights on the right  (Image credit: Future)

At the bottom of the handle is a filter cage. To clean, Dyson recommends snapping the cage off (it's magnetic), soaking it for 30 minutes in soapy water, rinsing and drying. The filter can be wiped with a dry cloth to get rid of anything that may have built up there.

Dyson Supersonic Nural hair dryer

(Image credit: Future)

At time of writing, the Vinca Blue colorway comes with a cushioned 'presentation case', but there isn't one with the turquoise – sorry, Ceramic Patina – option that I tested. I felt both slightly short-changed, and a bit sad, that I couldn't put my Nural to bed like a little prince, but it's not a major issue.

Settings

You have three temperature settings (high, medium, low), plus a cool shot. There are also three airflow speeds – high (for when you're in a rush, or if you're a generally impatient person), medium (for regular use, if you're not an impatient person) and low (for diffusing).

Air speed and temperature are adjusted by pressing little buttons on the main barrel of the hair dryer, with three tiny LEDs to indicate which setting you're using. The Nural also has sensors that recognize which attachment is connected. When you snap on each one, it'll automatically swap to your last-used temperature and speed settings, to save you having to manually adjust as you go through your routine.

Close up of scalp protect button Dyson Supersonic Nural hair dryer

Scalp protect mode adjusts temperature depending on how close the dryer is to your head (Image credit: Future)

As well as the manual settings, there's the all-new Scalp Protect mode, activated via a button on the barrel with a hair follicle on it. When activated, the Nural uses a Time of Flight sensor to measure how close to your head the hair dryer is, and adjust so it maintains a consistent temperature. So when you have the Nural right up to your scalp, it'll lower the temperature, and if it's further away, it'll increase it. The idea is to minimize heat damage to the hair, was well as helping you avoid burning your scalp if you want to have the dryer right next to your head for precision styling.

To hammer home how space-age this feature is, the whole inside of the main barrel will illuminate to indicate the temperature – bright red for the hottest setting, down to blue for the cool shot. Is it strictly necessary? No. Is it cool? Yes. Is it hard to photograph effectively? Absolutely.

Dyson Supersonic Nural hair dryer

If you put down the Nural while it's still switched on, it detects this and lowers temperature and air speed (Image credit: Future)

Finally, there's a Pause Detect function, which uses a motion sensor to identify when you've put the dryer down, and automatically cut the heat and minimize the airflow in response. There's intentionally a slight delay so the Nural doesn't cut out every time you pause slightly mid-style. This function is automatically on, unless you have a diffuser attachment connected.

Attachments

All versions of the Dyson Supersonic Nural come with the full selection of styling attachments. These are magnetic, and snap on and off the barrel of the dryer. They're broadly the same (save for some slight design tweaks) as those included with the original Supersonic, with the exception of the Diffuser, which has been redesigned more thoroughly.

Wave+Curl diffuser

This is the large diffuser, for waves and curls. It has been redesigned for the Nural, and can now be used in two ways. The central part, with the prongs, can be removed (it's magnetic) to leave a bowl-shaped attachment that Dyson calls 'Dome mode'. 

'Diffuse mode' (with prongs), is designed to add volume at the root, whereas Dome mode is designed to help define your curls. Dyson recommends you use the diffuser attachments with medium heat and medium airflow. It's the only attachment not to be compatible with Pause Detect. 

Gentle air attachment

This has crimped edges, and is designed to very slightly diffuse the airflow, for gentler drying compared to using it without. This one is a little confusing – a Dyson community page states it's 'engineered to be kinder to fine hair and sensitive scalps' but creating a 'gentle, cooler airflow', but then suggests it's used with high heat and high air flow. It is compatible with scalp protect mode.

All the styling attachments that come with the Dyson Supersonic Nural hair dryer

Clockwise from left: flyaway attachment, Styling concentrator, Wave+Curl diffuser (Dome mode), diffuser insert, Wide-tooth comb, gentle air attachment (Image credit: Future)

Styling concentrator

Like your standard concentrator, this channels the air into a wide, thin blade, for smooth styles. It's designed for use with high heat and medium airflow, but can also be used with Scalp Protect mode.

Wide-tooth comb

A broader concentrator, with a comb extension, this attachment detangles your hair as it dries it. Dyson says it's for shaping and lengthening curly or coily hair, and it's designed to be used with high heat and high airflow. 

Flyaway attachment

This is for use on dry, straight hair. It uses 'Coanda airflow' – the same hair-bending phenomenon that powers the Airwrap – to flatten down flyaways. It's designed to be used with low heat and high airflow.

  • Design score: 4.5 out of 5

Dyson Supersonic Nural review: performance

  • Fast and effective drying; well-designed attachments
  • Scalp Protect mode works well and doesn't impact drying time too much
  • Auto-pause is useful

If Dyson really knows how to do one thing well, it's move air about. That's a more impressive specialism than it sounds – it's what earned Dyson reputation as the brand behind the best vacuum cleaners and the best fans around. And I wasn't surprised to find that the hair drying part of the Supersonic Nural is extremely effective. For rough drying, it gets the job done, and fast.

Because of the more compact shape and the fact that most of the weight is in the handle, it's more comfortable to hold, and easier to wield, than a traditional dryer. My only real complaint with the design is that the handle is a touch short for me – I'm either in danger of accidentally activating the cool shot button or getting my own 'cool shot' to the hand courtesy of the fan grille at the base of the handle.

Concentrator nozzle being snapped on to Dyson Supersonic Nural hair dryer

The Nural detects which attachment is added and adjusts its settings to those last used with that attachment (Image credit: Future)

As someone who has a habit of defaulting to the maximum settings on any haircare gadgets, I wasn't sure if Scalp Protect mode would be one of those features I'd end up neglecting, having prioritized extra sleep time over my long-term hair health. However, that hasn't been the case so far. 

I found that there was no appreciable difference in how long it took to rough-dry my hair in this mode compared to my usual blast-it-with-heat approach. This might be partly to do with the fact that the airspeed is so effective that it means you're not relying so much on cranking up the heat to get your hair dry. Scalp Protect mode has become my go-to for whenever I just want to quickly dry my hair. 

Dyson Supersonic Nural hair dryer

(Image credit: Future)

When comes to styling, the magnetic attachments snap on and off with just the right amount of effort – not so much it's a struggle, or requires the gripping of anywhere other than the dedicated stay-cool sections of the attachment, and not so little that there's a danger the tool will fall off mid-style.

The Attachment Learning tech worked as intended – in use, the Nural reliably remembered my last-used temperature and airspeed preferences. This feature will be useful for anyone who regularly uses a few different attachments for styling. Like many of Dyson's tech innovations here, it's not essential, but it does remove one of the annoying, fiddly parts of hair styling and streamline the process that little bit more. It's not just a gimmick. Exactly the same goes for the Pause Detect when the dryer is put down.

I also appreciate Dyson branching out past your standard diffuser-and-concentrator package to offer attachments for different hair types, although it has taken a bit of experimenting to figure out exactly how some of them work and what they're for (this Dyson community page has come in handy). The Flyaway attachment is a standout, using the same hair-bending Coanda airflow effect that the Airwrap is based on to flatten out flyaways and leave a smooth finish with absolutely minimal effort.

As someone with naturally slightly curly hair, I was also impressed with the redesigned Diffuser. Regular diffusers leave my hair super-frizzy, but the 'Dome mode', created by removing the central prongs, gave me smoother, more defined curls. (You can see how it works in the video above.)

Overall, minor niggle about the length of the handle aside, I really have no complaints about the Supersonic Nural's performance. It's by far the best hair dryer I've used. 

  • Performance score: 5 out of 5

Should you buy the Dyson Supersonic Nural?

Buy it if...

Don't buy it if...

How I tested the Dyson Nural Supersonic

  • I used it as my primary hair dryer for a month
  • I tested all the attachments and features

For this Dyson Supersonic Nural review, I used it as my primary hair dryer for a full month. I tried out all the various attachments and settings, using it to create a range of different styles and finishes. I compared it to other dryers I've used, including the original Supersonic, in terms of how long it takes to dry and style, and how easy it is to use. 

Read more about how we test

First reviewed July 2024

Breville the Paradice 16: the food processor that means business
8:19 am | July 8, 2024
Author: admin | Category: Computers Gadgets Home Juicers & Blenders Small Appliances | Comments: Off

Breville Paradice 16: Two-minute review

When it comes to premium kitchen appliances, Australian brand Breville (known as Sage in the UK) has become synonymous with quality and innovation (just ask my mother – she’s still using her Breville mixer from circa 1987). And I’m convinced the Paradice 16 food processor is no exception – it’s so solidly built, and with a powerful 900W motor that comes with a 30-year warranty, there’s a good chance one of my kids will inherit it and continue using it.

The Paradice 16 is essentially a brawnier version of the Breville Kitchen Wizz 15 Pro, meaning it can handle a lot more than the older 5 star-rated food processor. It launched alongside the Breville Kitchen Wizz 16 (called the Sage Kitchen Wizz 16 in the UK and Breville Sous Chef 16 in the US), which is practically identical but doesn’t come with what the Aussie brand is calling the Paradice Kit.

And it’s this ‘kit’ that sets the Paradice 16 apart from any other food processor I’ve tried – it uses two attachments to perform precision dicing in two different sizes. It includes an 8mm and a 16mm dicing disc which are paired with their own slicing attachments to perform a 2-in-1 function simultaneously for the perfect dice. The kit also includes a potato peeler, but I found this attachment to be rather superfluous – it might be able to peel 6-7 potatoes at a time, but the peeling isn’t even and the potatoes need to be round and of a specific size.

Other than its peeling and dicing prowess, the Paradice 16 can help with all the other usual food-prep chores – slicing, shredding, pureéing, kneading dough and whipping. It even has a French fry attachment to cut evenly-cut chips.

While its 16-cup / 3.6L capacity bowl is great for large quantities, it inherits the Kitchen Wizz 15 Pro’s smaller 2.5-cup / 1L inner bowl for the smaller jobs. There’s also a smaller chute included that can shrink the 140mm main chute to just 45mm for when you don’t need to shove a large potato into the bowl below.

The Paradice 16 is remarkably easy to use and its 900W motor makes it quite powerful. It's also what makes it rather noisy and heavy too. Breville doesn’t specify how much the base alone weighs, but I suspect it comes close to the 9kg / 19.8 lbs that the Kitchen Wizz 15 Pro weighs with the bowls fitted. And that’s not taking into account the two large boxes filled to rafters with the various attachments and blades. Yes, there are two. So, unlike the Kitchen Wizz 15 Pro, which comes with one box of attachments, you’re going to need a lot of storage space for the Paradice 16.

You’re also going to need a decent amount of spare cash to get your hands on this kitchen pro, but then pros don’t come cheap, do they?

Breville Paradice 16 food processor on a kitchen counter

(Image credit: TechRadar / Gabriella Margerison)

Breville Paradice 16 review: Price and availability

  • Announced late 2023
  • List price of $699.95 / £579.95 / AU$899

There’s no denying the Paradice 16 is an expensive food processor at its $699.95 / £579.95 / AU$899 price point. However, it can be a worthwhile investment if you really put all its functions and abilities to good use. Its performance and durability also justify the expense. It's a case of ‘you get what you pay for’ and, in this instance, you're getting a lot.

If you don’t need all the bells and whistles that the Paradice 16 offers, you can opt for the Kitchen Wizz 16 (Sous Chef 16), which is identical but misses out on the Paradice Kit for dicing. It will set you back $499.95 / £469.95 / AU$729.

If that’s also too high a price, the Kitchen Wizz 15 Pro will set you back £419.95/ $399.95 / AU$699. There are cheaper alternatives available from other brands like KitchenAid and Ninja Kitchen, but none of them do as much as the Breville Paradice 16.

• Value score: 4 / 5

A plate of homemade sausage rolls in front of the Breville Paradice 16 food processor

(Image credit: TechRadar / Gabriella Margerison)

Breville Paradice 16 specs

Breville Paradice 16 review: Design

  • Similar design to older Breville Kitchen Wizz series food processors
  • Heavy base
  • Two large storage boxes for the attachments

Breville is doing well sticking to its design aesthetic – rounded corners on the brushed stainless steel base housing the motor and controls give it a slight vintage look, but that base is heavy as! Not only does it weigh quite a bit, it’s also a bulky appliance, measuring 45 x 28.7 x 23.4 cm (17.7 x 11.3 x 9.2 inches) for the main unit. You also need to factor in two storage boxes for the various blades and attachments – each measuring 21.1 x 32 x 27.7 cm (21.1 x 32 x 27.7 cm).

One of these boxes houses the Paradice Kit, which contains two dicing blades – one 8mm and the other 16mm – each of which has a paired slicing blade that works in tandem. The paired blades are color coded, which is handy. Also in the Kit is the potato peeler. The other box is home to the other attachments – adjustable slicer, reversible shredding disc, French fry disc, Quad blade, dough blade, mini blade and the smaller-capacity 2.5-cup / 1L inner bowl.

So this is an appliance that is best left on the kitchen counter, plus you’ll need the additional storage space for the attachments. While it might be space-saving if you stow the attachments out of their boxes, I wouldn’t recommend it – the blades are ridiculously sharp and accidents can happen.

The Breville Paradice 16 attachments in two boxes

(Image credit: TechRadar / Gabriella Margerison)

No matter what you need the Paradice 16 for, all the parts quickly click together and setting it up is very intuitive. Labels are provided on the bowl and lid to mark which direction they need to be turned to lock into place. The main bowl has a pronounced lip for pouring and a chute that can be configured to fit different-sized foods – going from a wide 140mm to a narrow 45mm.

The magic happens in that heavy base, which has three large buttons – power, start/stop and pulse. There are also up and down buttons to set a timer, which is displayed on a small screen in the middle of the base.

Given the large number of attachments that ship with the Paradice 16, I would suggest you take a look at the user manual. While there are no recipes on there, it is helpful in figuring out what blade you can use for what purpose and, handily, how to get the best results with the peeler.

• Design score: 4.5 / 5

Breville Paradice 16 review: Performance

  • Simple to assemble
  • Powerful and noisy
  • Very versatile

I’m a busy mum, so as soon as I got the Breville Paradice 16, I began experimenting with all the attachments to see which would best streamline my cooking process, so I got familiar with them rather quickly.

While I didn’t find myself reaching for the dicing kits too often, I found the others quite useful, particularly the S-blade (what Breville calls the Quad blade). It’s the go-to for a lot of chopping, mixing and pureéing. The Paradice 16 fitted with the Quad blade effortlessly blitzed right through cooked chunky vegetables to create a smooth, creamy consistency I wanted for a soup.

The slicing discs, which come in different thicknesses, I found to be incredibly useful for prepping salads – the uniform slices made for some beautiful presentations and also made sure I had even cooking in my gratins. I also used the shredding disc frequently for quick coleslaws and to hide vegetables in my Bolognese sauce – such a breeze to add extra nutrition into my kids’ meals without them noticing.

A hand removing the grater attachment from the bowl of the Breville Paradice 16

(Image credit: TechRadar / Gabriella Margerison)

I found the julienne blade to be a bit of a novelty, but it worked wonders for making carrot-stick snacks and garnishes. The plastic dough blade surprised me with how well it kneaded dough for homemade bread and pizza for the kids, saving me time and effort.

My absolute favorite attachment, however, has to be the French fry cutter – fresh chips are always a hit in my home and the Paradice 16 makes it quick and easy to make fries for impromptu snacks or family meals.

The biggest disappointment was the peeler attachment. While handy, it’s a bit hit and miss. Breville says it’s best for potatoes, but I hoped it would work for other fruit and vegetables too. Unfortunately, the produce you need to peel has to be of consistent size, which isn’t ideal for anyone who shops for the ‘odd bunch’ at farmers’ markets.

Grated mixed vegetables inside the bowl of the Breville Paradice 16

(Image credit: TechRadar / Gabriella Margerison)

Let’s talk about power. The Breville Paradice 16 boasts a 900-watt motor, which is quite powerful. During my tests, this strength translated into incredible speed and efficiency no matter the task at hand. It’s also what makes the appliance quite noisy, clocking up an average of 85dB in most of my sound tests measured using the Decibel X iOS app – that's about how loud heavy traffic would sound, or a noisy bar.

I used the Breville Paradice 16 to make a variety of dishes and each task was completed quickly and with professional-level precision, cutting my prep time in half.

That said, I found that food would occasionally spill out of the small bowl and into the main canister, which annoyingly increased my cleaning-up time when this happened.

• Performance score: 5 / 5

Should I buy the Breville Paradice 16 food processor?

Buy it if...

You want a pro in the kitchen

It’s really fast and efficient, and if you need to prep food for a large family – or you own your own cafe or restaurant – the Breville Paradice 16 can save you a lot of time and effort.

You want a versatile kitchen helper

While most food processors are good at chopping, shredding and pureéing, the Paradice 16 will do a heck of a lot more, including dicing in two different sizes, julienning and cutting fries.

You like storage solutions with your appliances

Like other Breville food processors, the Paradice 16 has all its blades and spindles stowed away in two large boxes. Not only does this reduce the risk of accidents happening on blades left lying on a shelf, but everything is neat and tidy.

Don't buy it if...

You don’t have a lot of storage space

Not only is the unit bulky and heavy, which means it needs to live on your countertop, you’re also going to need more cabinet or cupboard space to tuck the two storage boxes away.

You don’t need so many bells and whistles

If you aren’t going to regularly make use of the dicing kit, you could save a little cash opting for a cheaper Breville food processor if you’re a fan of the brand. If not, and you don’t need to cut fries or julienne, you could save even more by opting for a smaller and cheaper model from other brands like KitchenAid or Ninja Kitchen.

You want dishwasher-safe parts

While Breville claims the bowls can be placed in the dishwasher, the manual suggests this shouldn’t be done too often as the plastic could spoil due repeated exposure to hot water and harsh detergents.

Also consider

If you’re not sure if the Breville Paradice 16 is for you, I’ve listed a couple of other options below for you to consider.

Breville the Kitchen Wizz 15 Pro

If you love what Breville has to offer but want something a little cheaper, then the Kitchen Wizz 15 Pro is on the top of our best food processor list. It’s powerful, just as quick and efficient, but also just as noisy. It shares a lot of similarities with the newer model but doesn’t have as many blades as the Paradice 16 – there’s only one box of attachments that you need to store away.
Read our in-depth Breville/Sage Kitchen Wizz 15 Pro review

Ninja Professional Plus Kitchen System with Auto-iQ (BN801)

This is a food processor and blender in one, providing help with food prep via an 8-cup bowl, plus whipping up your daily smoothie in to-go cups that ship in the box. A 1400W motor blitzes through ice, seeds and nuts easily. While we haven’t tested this specific model, we love the Ninja 3-in-1 Food Processor with Auto-IQ and think the Professional Plus will do just as well, if not better. The BN801 model is not available in Australia, but the Ninja Blender System With Auto-IQ (BL682) is the closest option Down Under.

How I tested the Breville Paradice 16

a bowl of vegetable soup in front of the Breville Paradice 16

(Image credit: TechRadar / Gabriella Margerison)
  • Used over a period of two months for various food-prep tasks
  • Tested the different blades to see how well they perform
  • Different types of raw and cooked produced were used, plus flour was kneaded

As soon as I received the Breville Paradice 16, I first spent some time getting familiar with the different blades and spindles supplied in the box. I read the user manual to get an idea of what the appliance was capable of.

I used it to prep for various other dishes. Over a period of a couple of months, I used the food processor to knead dough for homemade bread and pizza, plus create fillings for quiches and sausage rolls. As I mentioned earlier in the review, I also used it to make Bolognese sauce with hidden vegetables and veggie soup, and also used it to slice fresh salad produce. I also tried the peeler and the grater attachments.

I took note of how easy it was to clean the different parts of the food processor, including the attachments. While Breville claims the bowls are dishwasher safe, the manual recommends not doing so regularly, so I resorted to using the dishwasher once only to clean the smaller bowl, but hand-washed everything else.

Read more about how we test

[First reviewed July 2024]

KitchenAid 3.5 cup / 830ml Mini Food Chopper review: a low-effort chopper for basic tasks
10:00 am | July 6, 2024
Author: admin | Category: Computers Gadgets Home Juicers & Blenders Small Appliances | Tags: , , | Comments: Off

KitchenAid Mini Food Chopper: two-minute review

The KitchenAid 3.5 cup Mini Food Chopper (it's called the Mini Food Chopper 830ml in the UK) is the smallest appliance in the KitchenAid food processing range. It’s a sensible purchase if you want to chop, mix, or puree small quantities, and don’t want a full-sized food processor taking up precious countertop or cupboard space. 

The KitchenAid 3.5 cup / 830ml Mini Food Chopper currently has a list price of $54.99 / £89 / AU$129. This is a little on the expensive side considering it only has one accessory and limited functions, especially as KitchenAid also sells a larger-capacity version, the Food Chopper KFC0516,which comes with an added accessory for only $64.99/ £109 / AU$139.

The 3.5 cup / 830ml Mini Food Chopper arrived ready-assembled, and after washing the work bowl, lid, and multipurpose blade, it was simple to put back together, as there are only four parts. As the name suggests, the bowl has a capacity of 3.5 cups / 830ml. The dimensions of the Mini Food Chopper are 6.9 x 5.6 x 8.7 inches / 178 x 143 x 222mm, and it weighs 2.6lbs /1.2 kg.

There are two speeds to choose from which are engaged by moving the lever on the base unit of the processor to the left to chop, or to the right to puree. One element of the design that may not be a concern for some, but which I wasn’t very fond of, is that there's only one button on the processor that operates the chop, puree, and pulse functions. You press and release the button multiple times to pulse, and press and hold it to chop or puree, using the lever to determine which function is performed.

There's a little drizzle basin in the clear plastic inner section of the lid, which works well when you want to drizzle in liquid slowly while the Mini Chopper is in operation. Another convenient design feature is the spout on the work bowl, which enables you to pour out the finished product or drain off excess liquid.

A close up of the KitchenAid Mini Food Chopper lid, showing the drizzle basin.

(Image credit: Future)

The Mini Chopper’s design stays true to the classic KitchenAid aesthetic. The majority of the processor’s body is colored, with a black plastic base section, and a silver KitchenAid band wrapped around. Onyx Black, Empire Red, and Contour Silver models are available in the US, UK, and Australia. There are more colors available – White, Almond Cream, Pistachio, Ice, Blue Velvet, Aqua Sky, and Matte Black – but the availability of these depends on your location. The power cable is on the short side, but due to the chopper's small size and lightweight it isn’t much hassle to move it closer to a plug socket.

The noise level when the Mini Chopper is chopping or pureeing is quite loud. Worse still is the pulse mode. When I chopped some almonds during testing the sound was almost deafening, so this may be one to avoid if you have particularly sensitive ears, or if you plan to chop hard ingredients such as nuts on a regular basis.

Thanks to the minimal number of parts, cleaning up is quick and easy. The work bowl, lid, and blade are easy to hand wash, and they’re top-rack dishwasher safe.

While its functions may be limited compared with larger models like the KitchenAid 7 cup / 1.7L Food Processor, the Mini Chopper does its job well. It was able to turn two slices of wholemeal bread into breadcrumbs in 10 seconds, and made quick work of chopping an onion too, with no oversized pieces remaining. The multipurpose blade had no problems with cutting up carrots and cucumbers either.

A close up of breadcrumbs in the work bowl of the KitchenAid Mini Food Chopper.

(Image credit: Future / Cesci Angell)

Chopping almonds was an unpleasant experience, however. The amount of noise the pulse function makes is already loud, but after adding a bunch of almonds and firing them around a small plastic container, I thoroughly regretted not wearing ear protection. After processing, the sizes of the almond pieces were inconsistent, and there was lots of dust in the bottom of the work bowl, plus a thin layer up the sides of the work bowl and inside the lid. Some dust had found its way inside the fitment ring of the blade as well. 

As per our testing protocols, I attempted to combine a pastry mixture. At one stage when mixing the flour, margarine, and water, the mixture stopped combining; after a while it began to mix again, but there was a layer of unmixed ingredients at the bottom. To be fair to KitchenAid, they don’t claim that the Mini Chopper can mix something as dense as pastry dough, so I couldn’t blame it for struggling a little.

The cost of the KitchenAid 3.5 cup / 830ml Mini Food Chopper in the UK and Australia is a little on the steep side. There are cheaper alternatives from other reputable brands; however, they tend to have a capacity of around 1.5-2.5 cups / 350ml-550ml, so you wouldn’t be able to process as much in one go. This chopper lives up to the standard I would expect from KitchenAid – the materials are high-quality, and it feels solid and dependable in use, but with the larger KitchenAid Food Chopper KFC0516 costing just a little more, perhaps you could be getting better value for money.

KitchenAid Mini Food Chopper: price & availability

  • List price: $54.99 / £89 / AU$129
  • Currently available in the US, UK, and Australia

The KitchenAid 3.5 cup / 830ml Mini Food Chopper retails at $54.99 / £89 / AU$129. Curiously, the price of the US model is just over half the cost of the equivalent UK and Australian models – this might simply be due to the fact that KitchenAid is a US brand.

Although it's a good-quality appliance and chops ingredients well, the price tag is a little steep considering its limited capabilities. This is especially apparent when you compare it to its sibling, the KitchenAid Food Chopper KFC0516, which only costs $64.99/ £109 / AU$139, and has a larger capacity and additional features.

The Mini Food Chopper is available to purchase in the US, UK, and Australia now. Five color options are available in the UK and Australia, while in the US you can choose from nine colors. I’ll go into the colors available in more detail in the design and features section.

  • Value for money score: 3 out of 5

KitchenAid Mini Food Chopper specs

KitchenAid Mini Food Chopper: design & features

  • Compact and lightweight
  • Single button and lever controls
  • Useful spout and drizzle basin

I found that it could be a bit fiddly to mount the work bowl on to the base and put the lid on at times, due to the twist-to-lock mechanism, and on occasion the lid would go past where it’s supposed to stop. To be honest, I prefer the one-click system of some of their larger models, such as the KitchenAid 7 cup / 1.7L Food Processor. At this size and price point, however, you can’t expect everything.

At 6.9 x 5.6 x 8.7 inches / 178 x 143 x 222mm, the Mini Food Chopper is compact enough to leave on the countertop without it being obstructive, and small enough to stash away in a cupboard. It weighs just 2.6lbs /1.2kg, so it's easy to lift and move around. The design is simple, but efficient enough. The base unit has a lever that moves from left to right to go into chop or puree mode, and the single button protrudes out from the lid and sits at the top of the work bowl handle.

A close up of the work bowl and lid of the KitchenAid Mini Food Chopper, showing the spout and drizzle basin.

(Image credit: Future)

One small downside for me is that to chop or puree you need to hold the button down continuously. With this small capacity, I doubt there’s much I’d end up processing that would take long, but I prefer a one-press system over a press-and-hold. The Mini Food Chopper is capable of pulsing too, to use pulse it’s a case of repeatedly pressing and releasing the button until you have the desired result. The two different speed settings and the pulse function mean that it’s possible to chop, mix, or puree ingredients with one small appliance.

The outer edge of the lid is black plastic, with a clear circular middle section that has a built-in drizzle basin. The purpose of the drizzle basin is to allow you to fill it with a liquid, such as oil, so it can slowly incorporate with the ingredients in the work bowl as you continue to process them. Another simple but useful feature is the spout on the work bowl. This allows you to easily pour out what you’ve processed, or remove liquid from the contents of the work bowl.

A close up of the base of the KitchenAid Mini Food Chopper in gloss Onyx Black, showing the control lever.

(Image credit: Future)

There’s no doubt that this Mini Food Chopper is a KitchenAid. There are some attractive color options available, although most of the jazziest colors are only available in the US. Three colors are available whether you’re in the US, UK, or Australia: Onyx Black, Empire Red, and Contour Silver. The other color options are White, Almond Cream, Pistachio, Ice, Blue Velvet, Aqua Sky, and Matte Black, but availability will depend on your region.

I hand-washed the work bowl, lid, and blade multiple times between ingredients while testing, and all of the parts were easy to clean, and they can be placed in the top rack of a dishwasher.

  • Design & features score: 4 out of 5

KitchenAid Mini Food Chopper: performance

  • Processes quickly
  • Made breadcrumbs in seconds
  • Chopping nuts is unpleasant

The KitchenAid Mini Food Chopper’s capabilities may be limited, but what it can do it does well, and fast. It swiftly processed two slices of wholemeal bread, taking only 10 seconds to create fine breadcrumbs. It happily chopped through carrot, cucumber, and onion, producing fairly consistently sized pieces. 

A close up view of chopped onion pieces inside the KitchenAid Mini Food Chopper work bowl.

(Image credit: Future / Cesci Angell)

The Mini Food Chopper could also chop up almonds, but I must admit this was a rather unpleasant experience. I found that the chop and puree settings sounded loud compared to other KitchenAid food processors I’ve tested, but the pulse mode was louder still, and I was very much unprepared for the near-deafening sound of pulsing the almonds. I’d suggest avoiding chopping up hard ingredients like this, or if you have to, wear some ear protection. This may sound like overkill, but as someone who has tinnitus, my ears were still ringing over a week later. You have been warned. 

To make matters worse, the resulting consistency of the chopped almonds was disappointing. The pieces of almond were inconsistent, ranging in size from large pieces down to dust. This dust also crept up inside the fitment ring of the multipurpose blade, which meant that almond dust got everywhere when I removed the blade as it caught me off guard.

A close up view of chopped almonds inside the work bowl of the KitchenAid Mini Food Chopper.

(Image credit: Future / Cesci Angell)

When testing food processors, we use them to perform a variety of tasks, one of which is combining a pastry mixture. This isn’t something that KitchenAid claims the Mini Food Chopper can do, but I thought I’d give it a go. This is not an appliance for pastry-making, but given that fact it didn’t do terribly. At one point, it stopped combining the flour, margarine, and water, as everything stuck to the sides of the work bowl; it began to mix again after a while, but there was a layer of ingredients left at the bottom. It did okay though, all things considered – the motor showed no signs of struggleing, and there were no signs of it overheating, so despite the less-than-perfect results.

If you like the sound of the KitchenAid 3.5 cup / 830ml Mini Food Chopper but would like a slightly bigger capacity, or a bit more versatility, then the 5-cup / 1.19-litre KitchenAid Mini Food Chopper KFC0516 may be more up your street.

  • Performance score: 4 out of 5

Should I buy the KitchenAid Mini Food Chopper?

Buy it if...

Don't buy it if...

KitchenAid Mini Food Chopper: also consider

How I tested the KitchenAid Mini Food Chopper

  • I assessed the setup and performance
  • I processed a variety of ingredients
  • I checked how easy it was to clean

To put the KitchenAid 3.5 cup / 830ml Mini Food Chopper through its paces, I used the chopping blade and different speed settings to chop carrot, cucumber, onion, and almonds. I also used it to process bread to make breadcrumbs and combine flour, margarine, and water to make pastry. These are the same tests we run for all food processors, making it easy to see how different models compare. 

I tested how easy it was to clean the processor parts by hand-washing, and using the dishwasher to establish how well you can clean the parts with either method. 

Read more about how we test

First reviewed June 2024

Nutribullet Magic Bullet Portable Blender​ review
10:00 am | July 3, 2024
Author: admin | Category: Computers Gadgets Home Small Appliances | Tags: , , , | Comments: Off

Nutribullet Magic Bullet Portable Blender: two-minute review

Product info

This model has slightly different names and product codes in different territories:

US: Magic Bullet Portable Blender MBPB50100
UK: Nutribullet Portable Blender​ NBPBCONFIG
AU: NutriBullet Portable Blender

For this review, I tested the UK version. There may be minor differences between different countries' models.

The Nutribullet Magic Bullet Portable Blender (known as just the Nutribullet Portable Blender in the UK and Australia) is a compact and convenient blender if you want or need to make drinks on the go. It weighs just 1.5lbs / 710g and measures 10.7 x 3.2 x 3.7" / 27.2 x 8 x 9.5cm, which means it fits easily inside a backpack or gym bag. It has a 0.5qt / 475ml cup, which comes with a leak-proof flip and sip lid and carry handle. 

The blender is compatible with any USB-C charger, and ships with a USB-C cable as standard. Nutribullet claims you can get around 15 cycles per charge of the Portable Blender but I averaged between 18-20 and a single charge lasted me almost two weeks. 

Despite its smaller size and lower, 100-watt power compared with other Nutribullet models, as well as the majority of best blenders on the market, the Portable Blender makes smoothies and drinks with speed and ease. It only offers a 60-second blending cycle which, in my experience, is more than adequate for most drink preparations but feels a little restrictive if you're looking to blend tougher ingredients or make more complex recipes. 

Speaking of complex recipes, while the blender’s performance with smoothies was impressive, it struggled with making hummus. It also failed to crush ice evenly. What's more, trying to clean the blender after attempting to make the hummus was tricky. The blade is fixed into the base and you can't wash it under a tap or similar because the base also houses all the electronics. The only way to clean it is to run a cleaning cycle, but then you're using up the already limited battery life. Thankfully, you can remove the cup and lid and put them both on the top-drawer of the dishwasher so at least that's something.

Banana, blueberries and kale in the Nutribullet Magic Bullet portable blender

(Image credit: Future)

Aesthetically, the Portable Blender comes in a great range of vibrant colors: black, light blue, magenta, navy blue, purple and white. I love this variety, but the plastic build of the blender does look a little cheap. 

In summary, the Nutribullet Magic Bullet Portable Blender is ideal for people needing a quick, portable, and efficient way to make smoothies on the go, or for people with limited kitchen space. I wouldn't recommend it if you're looking for more heavy-duty blending or complex recipes, but it excels in its intended use case. Read on for my full Nutribullet Portable Blender review.

Nutribullet Magic Bullet Portable Blender review: price & availability

  • Available in the US, UK and Australia
  • List price: $39.99 / £39.99 / A$79.95

If you hadn't guessed from its relatively low-power, 100-watt motor and its equally low $39.99 / £39.99 / A$79.95 price, the Nutribullet Magic Bullet Portable Blender – known as just the Nutribullet Portable Blender in the UK – is cheap and cheerful. It's the latest entry-level model in a range that also includes:

Nutribullet still sells its portable GO blender but it appears to have been discontinued because stocks are low and the blender is no longer available across a majority of retailers. 

Aside from the extra power you get the further up the range you go, little separates the blenders themselves. They all look and work in a similar way. The 600 Series has a 0.75qt / 700ml tall cup, and a 0.56qt / 550ml short cup; the Pro 900 comes with a tall, and 1qt / 909ml oversized cup. The 1200 Pro+ and Ultra both ship with two cups – 0.75qt / 700ml, and 0.94qt / 900ml. By comparison, the Magic Bullet Portable Blender's cup holds 0.5qt / 475ml. 

While it lacks the power of its siblings, the Nutribullet Magic Bullet Portable Blender does come in the widest range of colors of any Nutribullet blender, past and present. This includes: black, light blue, magenta, navy blue, purple and white. What's more, the whole blender is portable, not just the cup, and it comes with a carry handle and charging. This vastly adds to its appeal and versatility. 

The closest like-for-like portable blender to the Nutribullet is the Ninja Blast. It launched in 2023, costs $59.99 / £49.99 / AU$99.99 and comes with the same sippy cup lid, carry handle and battery-powered, portable design. It’s available in Denim Blue, Black, Cranberry, Forest Green, Passion Fruit and White colors. The biggest differences between the two are that the Ninja model is a lot less powerful – 14.4-watts vs the Nutribullet's 100-watts – and it comes with a 30-second cycle, versus Nutribullet's 60-second one. The cup is larger on the Ninja, at 0.56qt / 550ml however you can only fill to the maximum 0.5qt / 475ml line, which gives the two blenders the same capacity. 

Nutribullet suggests you replace the extractor blades on all of its blenders every six months. These cost around $15 / £10 / AU$20 but even with this additional price factored in, the Magic Bullet Personal Blender is still great value for money.      

  • Value for money score: 5 out of 5

Nutribullet Portable Blender review: design

  • Simple press-to-blend design  
  • Wide range of brightly colored finishes
  • Carry handle and USB-C charging point
  • Dishwasher safe BPA-free cup 

Until the launch of its Magic Bullet Portable Blender, the majority of personal blenders in the Nutribullet range looked largely the same. They all have a slightly industrial aesthetic, usually consisting of a silver and black finish. Their bases have curved edges, and you attach the cups upside down. In almost stark comparison, the Portable Blender looks more like a Bluetooth speaker or water bottle, than a blender. Its tall and thin, measuring 10.7 x 3.2 x 3.7" / 27.2 x 8 x 9.5cm, and is made of plastic. It weighs 1.5lb / 710g. 

The blender is designed to be used and stored as a single appliance. It has a compact motor base with a power button and USB-C charging port on the front. The blade assembly sits on top of this detachable base. The power button is fitted with an LED status light that indicates when the blender is running, when it's fully charged and when it's running low on battery. Nutribullet promises around 15 blending cycles per battery charge and the Portable Blender only offers a single, 60-second cycle. It automatically stops blending after the 60 seconds are up. 

The base of the Nutribullet Magic Bullet portable blender showing its power button and USB-C port

(Image credit: Future)

The cylindrical, 0.5qt / 475ml cup screws into the base, and has a leakproof flip and sip lid with a carry handle at the top. This lip is secured into place using a locking latch, and removed via a release button. 

I reviewed the navy blue model and the color is vibrant and eye-catching, if slightly childish. This blender certainly doesn't have the premium aesthetic of Nutribullet's champagne-colored or metallic models. It looks as you'd expect, given its cheap price. The plastic is easy to clean, though, and it's incredibly easy to store in a cupboard or carry in a bag.  

While the blender ships with a USB-C cable, it's only 1.6ft / 0.5m long and doesn't have a plug. This makes the cable easy to pack or store, but means you will need a spare plug to use it. Fortunately, because USB-C is increasingly the standard for appliances and gadgets, you can charge the Portable Blender with any of your existing chargers.

On the wider Nutribullet range, the blade is fitted inside a lid that attaches to the cup before screwing into the base. This makes it easy to remove and clean. Due to the fact the blade is built into the Magic Bullet Portable Blender's base, and this base contains all of the electrics, it's a pain to wash. You can, of course, run a blending cycle using soapy water but as every cycle drains the battery slightly, this isn't an ideal design. At least the cup and lip are detachable and dishwasher-safe, although you do need to make sure they're on the top shelf of your dishwasher to avoid damage. 

  • Design score: 4 out of 5

Nutribullet Magic Bullet Portable Blender review: performance

  • Great for smoothies, poor for everything else
  • Only offers a 60-second blending cycle
  • Fantastic portability 

I always use the same methodology and recipes when testing blenders. That way I can make like-for-like comparisons between the various models I review. These tests include making a kale and blueberry smoothie, making hummus and crushing ice cubes. It became immediately clear, however, that the Magic Bullet Portable Blender is simply not built for this range of tests. 

The hummus barely blended. The ingredients were flung to the edges of the cup and I had to repeatedly stop the cycle to push them back down towards the blades. Even then, it never fully blended the chickpeas or garlic and I had to abandon the whole thing.

Image 1 of 2

Chick peas and garlic in the Nutribullet Magic Bullet portable blender for making hummus

Chickpeas and garlic in the Nutribullet Magic Bullet portable blender for making hummus (Image credit: Future)
Image 2 of 2

Poorly-made hummus in the Nutribullet Magic Bullet portable blender

Poorly-made hummus in the Nutribullet Magic Bullet portable blender (Image credit: Future)

If I'd persevered with multiple cycles, the results may have improved but Nutribullet doesn't advise using the blender for more than 60 seconds. (It also warns about not using hot ingredients in the blender, too). What's more, the thick hummus clung to the inside of the blender and because you can't put the blades in the wash, it took a while to get it properly clean.  

The blender's performance during the ice test was better, but not brilliant. There were still a few lumps of ice left in the bottom of the blender, and the ice that was crushed wasn't uniform in size of texture. 

Image 1 of 2

Ice cubes in the Nutribullet Magic Bullet portable blender

Ice cubes in the Nutribullet Magic Bullet portable blender (Image credit: Future)
Image 2 of 2

Result of using the Nutribullet Magic Bullet portable blender to crush ice cubes

Result of using the Nutribullet Magic Bullet portable blender to crush ice cubes (Image credit: Future)

Finally, the smoothie was the best performing test. During the blender's 60-second cycle, it created a smooth and thick drink that tasted great. There were flecks of kale and blueberry skin left in the liquid, but they were so small you couldn't taste them and they didn't interfere with the texture. 

It feels a little unfair to judge such a low-power, affordable blender on tasks that are designed for more complex machines. It's clear – given its marketing and design –that the Portable Blender is for drinks and drinks only. And this was where the blender came into its own. Making drinks and smoothies is likely how the majority of people shopping for a portable blender will use it. 

The limited, 60-second blending time is a little restrictive but is more than adequate for making smoothies and drinks. It makes the blender incredibly easy to use, too. I like the fact you get a warning, in the form of an LED indicator, when the battery is running low and in my experience, you still get two to three additional blending cycles even when this light comes on. 

Banana, blueberries and kale in the Nutribullet Magic Bullet portable blender

(Image credit: Future)

Speaking of blending cycles, the promises made by Nutribullet regarding ~15 cycles per charge sell the blender a little short. I got an average of 18 cycles per charge during my review period, although a frustrating number of those were cleaning cycles. It also only takes around an hour and a half to get the blender back to full charge again. 

The Nutribullet Portable Blender is almost whisper-quiet, running at an average of just 65dB when making a smoothie. It did soar to 106dB when I first added the ice during the ice crush test but it almost immediately dropped back to a level in which I could have a conversation with my partner easily.

Given its price, the Portable Blender performed as I'd expected. It didn't blow me away, and it's not ideal for anything other than smoothies and drinks but it does do what you need it to do. And it does that very well. I've used it to make my protein shakes at the gym, and to make smoothies for a quick breakfast and I'm willing to lose some power and versatility for its increased portability and lower price. 

  • Performance score: 3.5 out of 5

Nutribullet Magic Bullet Portable Blender review: comparison table

Keen on the Nutribullet brand, but not sure which model is right for your needs? Here's a quick run-down of the differences between them...

Should I buy the Nutribullet Magic Bullet Portable Blender?

There's a lot going for the Magic Bullet Portable Blender. If you're looking for a blender you can take to the gym for protein shakes, or for making smoothies on the go, I can barely fault it. It's an excellent choice in terms of convenience, and for space-saving. Its also quick and simple to use and comes with a budget-friendly price, adding to its appeal. 

However, it does have some limitations. Its lower power means it may struggle with tougher ingredients, and its smaller cup size may not meet the needs of people who want to blend larger quantities. The short blending cycle can be restrictive, and the plastic construction, while lightweight, lacks the premium feel of other blenders. 

Additionally, the blender is primarily designed for making drinks and smoothies, so it may not be versatile enough for more complex recipes or food preparation tasks. If you need a portable and affordable blender for simple tasks, the Magic Bullet Portable Blender will be a great choice. If you require a more powerful and versatile appliance, you might want to consider investing in a higher-end model.

Buy it if...

Don't buy it if...

Should I buy the Nutribullet Magic Bullet Portable Blender?

For the duration of the review period, the NutriBullet Portable blender replaced my favorite Braun TriForce blender. I used the portable blender to make a range of smoothies, hummus, and crushed ice as well as making protein shakes for going to the gym. It was a great substitute for the shop-bought shakes and drinks I buy throughout the week and I was able to use it to make protein shakes on the go, and quick smoothies for breakfast. For these smoothies I experimented with green, fibrous veg as well as soft fruit to see how well the blender’s single setting handled each. 

KitchenAid 7 cup / 1.7L Food Processor review: convenient but costly
11:00 am | June 30, 2024
Author: admin | Category: Computers Gadgets Home Juicers & Blenders Small Appliances | Tags: , , , | Comments: Off

KitchenAid 7-cup Food Processor: two-minute review

Product info

This model has slightly different names and product codes in different territories:

US: KitchenAid 7 Cup Food Processor KFP0718
UK: KitchenAid Food Processor 1.7L 5KFP0719
AU: KitchenAid 7 Cup Food Processor KFP0719

The products with 719 in their codes have extra accessories, specifically a thick-slice disc, and a plastic dough blade. For this review, I tested the UK model. There may be minor differences between different countries' models.

The KitchenAid 7 cup Food Processor (known as the KitchenAid Food Processor 1.7L in the UK) is compact, thoughtfully designed and has proven to be a great time saver when meal prepping.

Something to mention straight off the bat is that the UK and Australian models have a couple more accessories than the US model, which is reflected in the price. At the time of writing, the 7 cup / 1.7L Food Processor is on sale for $84.99 / £143.65 / AU$219, while the list price is $99.99 / £169 / AU$299. The US model KFP0718 is essentially the same as the UK and Australian KFP0719 models, with all models coming with a multipurpose stainless steel blade and a reversible slicing and shredding disc, but only the UK and Australian models coming with a thick-slice disc and a plastic dough blade. For this review, I tested the UK version of the KitchenAid Food Processor 1.7L.

A matte black KitchenAid 7 cup food processor is pictured against a pink background. It is sitting on a grey stone-effect surface on which also sites the reversible slicing and grating disc on the left, with the plastic dough hook positioned just in front, and to the right, the thick slice disc that is only available with the KFP0719 configuration.

(Image credit: Future)

Setting up the KitchenAid 7 cup / 1.7L Food Processor was straightforward. All of the accessories were neatly stored inside the work bowl, which is a convenient feature, saving you from cupboard-diving each time you want to process something. And the accessories fit into place with ease: there are markers on the top of the disc and the drive shaft to ensure you place it in the correct position for either processing or storing. 

The 7 cup / 1.7L Food Processor is available in a range of colors that will fit in with most kitchen decors. It doesn’t take up unnecessary space, measuring 9.7 x 7.7 x 15.4 inches / 245 x 195 x 390mm and weighing just 6.6lb / 3kg. The work bowl easily clicked into place every time thanks to its convenient twist-free design, and although I had the occasional issue putting enough pressure on the lid to get the latch to shut, the lift-out design of the hinge made it simple to remove. One downside with the design, however, is that the work bowl handle can only be positioned on the right-hand side, which could prove inconvenient for some users. 

A closeup of the KitchenAid 7 cup food processor feed tube, showing that a larger-diameter cucumber is too large to fit inside.

(Image credit: Future / Cesci Angell)

Using the two feed tubes and pushers was easy, but the bigger feed tube still isn’t big enough for larger-diameter fruit and veg, so if you want large, neat circles of sliced cucumber, you may be out of luck. If you get into the habit of buying slimmer cucumbers though, you’ll probably be fine. 

There are two speed settings labeled 1 and 2 on the easy-to-press buttons, with one being low speed, and two being high. There is also a Pulse button. Speed one and two aren’t overly noisy, but the noise level was uncomfortably loud when using the Pulse function, especially when chopping almonds.

Everything but the base unit is top-rack dishwasher-safe, which proved to be a great time saver. These parts were easy to hand wash too, although removing pastry from tight areas proved difficult. At the end of the testing, I put the work bowl, lid, and accessories in the dishwasher. Everything came out fine, although the work bowl did show some water marks.

A closeup of the KitchenAid 7 cup food processor food bowl with breadcrumbs inside.

(Image credit: Future / Cesci Angell)

The performance of the KitchenAid 7 cup / 1.7L Food Processor was adequate. For my tests, I used it to slice or chop carrots, onion and cucumber, as well as whizzing bread into breadcrumbs, finely chopping almonds and combining the ingredients for pastry. It managed all these tasks quickly and with no trouble. 

However, the consistency of the processed foods wasn’t the best. There is only one grade of shredding, which seems to be somewhere between fine and medium. For example, the processed carrot looked somewhat unappealing; it certainly wouldn’t have fared well if subjected to a Rate My Plate jury. A fair amount of carrot also ended up inside the lid, which wasn’t ideal. When chopping the almonds the results were inconsistent, with pieces that ranged in size from large to dust. There were also occasions where ingredients such as breadcrumbs, almond dust, and pastry mixture migrated inside the fitment ring of the chopping blade, which proved tricky to remove when hand washing.

A closeup of shredded carrot inside the clear work bowl of the KitchenAid 7 cup food processor.

(Image credit: Future)

Overall, there are a few issues with the KitchenAid 7 cup / 1.7L Food Processor, like that smaller feed tube and the uneven shredding, which may mean it doesn't quite stand up against the best food processors on the market. However, if you want something that is compact for the capacity available, has convenient accessory storage, and has a no-twist design, then this is a food processor to consider. The consistency of the processed food may not be Instagramable, but it’s the taste that counts, right?

KitchenAid 7 Cup Food Processor: price & availability

  • List price: $99.99 / £169 / AU$299
  • Often available for cheaper
  • Currently available in the US, UK, and Australia

The KitchenAid 7 cup / 1.7L Food Processor is currently on sale at $84.99 / £143.65 / AU$219, (usually $99.99 / £169 / AU$299). If you’re querying why the US model is cheaper than the UK and Australian models, it is because it comes with fewer accessories. I will elaborate further on the accessories in the Design and features section below. 

The 7 cup / 1.7L Food Processor isn’t the cheapest. There are similar products on offer from our pick of the best food processors. These include the Cuisinart Easy Prep Pro FP8 food processor, which is slightly lower in price and comes with two reversible shredding and slicing discs, plus a small bowl add-on to use when the large work bowl feels excessive for the task. Or, you could spend just a little extra for more versatility with the Ninja 3-in-1 Food Processor with Auto-IQ, which is currently on sale for $179.99 / £169. The KitchenAid 7 cup / 1.7L Food Processor has some innovative design features and performed adequately during testing though, so it’s still worth considering.

The KitchenAid 7 cup / 1.7L Food Processor is available now, on the US, UK, and Australian KitchenAid websites as well as various third party retailers.

  • Value for money score: 3.5 out of 5

KitchenAid 7 Cup Food Processor specs

KitchenAid 7 Cup Food Processor: design & features

  • Feed tube could be larger
  • Fixed handle position
  • Different accessories per region

Setting up the food processor was quick and easy. All the parts and accessories were stored inside the work bowl, so it was a simple case of removing them, before washing them along with the work bowl, lid, and food pushers. After this step was completed, I had to place the drive adapter on the drive pin in the center of the work bowl. Installing the different cutting accessories was also a straightforward process, which I was thankful for, as it avoided any unnecessary delays when I was working through lots of different types of food.

The food processor doesn’t take up a load of unnecessary worktop space, the cable length is adequate at 35 inch / 90 cm, and the work bowl easily attaches to the base (a useful design feature that I much prefer to the twist-to-secure designs that are often used with some other food processors). Additionally, the lid catch is easy to unclip, and once the lid is in an upright position, the hinge design means that you can easily lift it off. 

On replacing the lid, slotting it into the hinge side was no issue, although sometimes I needed to put a fair amount of pressure on the lid to get the latch to close again.

A closeup of the KitchenAid 7 cup processor food bowl and lid clearly showing the feed tube, and the handle placement.

(Image credit: Future)

Due to the way the work bowl sits on the base, the handle placement is somewhat limiting, as it can only be on the right-hand side. This was frustrating enough for me, as I like to hold the handle in my left hand while using a utensil to get the ingredients out with my right – but it could really make this product less accessible for people who aren’t able to use their right hand.

KitchenAid is known for having some enticing color options. In the 7 cup / 1.7L Food Processor’s case though, the color range is somewhat basic, with glossy-finished Onyx Black, and Empire Red available in the UK, US, and Australia, plus additional color variants including Contour Silver, Almond Cream, White, and Matte Black, depending on your region.

There is a 2-in-1 feed tube on the top of the work bowl lid, with a two-piece plastic food pusher. Together, they can be used to push in wider ingredients, or the inside section of the pusher can be removed to enable you to accurately feed in slimmer food items such as celery. Unfortunately, the bigger feed tube was not wide enough for a larger-diameter cucumber, so it needed to be cut down. Therefore if you want neat, round slices of cucumber this may not be the processor you’re looking for.

A closeup of the control buttons on the front of the KitchenAid 7 cup food processor.

(Image credit: Future)

There are three operational buttons on the front of the 7 cup / 1.7L Food Processor’s base: setting one (lower speed), setting two (higher speed), and a pulse mode. You don’t need to worry about getting tired fingers with the two speed settings, as you don’t need to hold the button down for the processor to operate. It takes one press to set them off, and a second press or a press on the O/Pulse button to stop the processing.

There are two design features that I found particularly useful. Firstly, the lid, work bowl, and accessories are all dishwasher-safe when washed on the top rack. 

I also hand-washed all of these components repeatedly in-between ingredients during testing. All parts were easy to clean and dry; however, I did find that small amounts of the ingredients would easily end up inside the fitment ring of the multipurpose blade, so I had to pay particular attention to this area. 

Secondly, the accessories can easily be stored inside the work bowl when the food processor isn’t in use, saving cupboard space and preventing you from wasting time trying to find the desired accessory.

Three of the KitchenAid 7 cup processor accessories, the plastic dough blade, reversible slicing and shredding disc, and the thick slice disc.

(Image credit: Future)

The 7 cup / 1.7L Food Processor doesn’t come with as many accessories as larger models such as the KitchenAid1319, but it is perfectly adequate for day-to-day food prep. Please note that some accessories are not included with the KFP0718 model, which is sold in the US. This model comes with a multipurpose stainless steel blade and a reversible slicing and shredding disc. The KFP0719 models, sold in the UK and Australia, include these accessories, along with a thick-slice disc and a plastic dough blade.

  • Design & features score: 4.5 out of 5

KitchenAid 7 Cup Food Processor: performance

  • Shredded and chopped effortlessly
  • Some waste carrot from shredding
  • Consistency of processed food varied

The KitchenAid 7 cup / 1.7L Food Processor performed well during testing. I tested its ability to slice, chop, mix, and grate a variety of foods. I used the shredding side of the reversible slicing and shredding disc to grate some carrots, running it on speed setting two as per the user manual. While it managed the job in a matter of seconds, the result was finer than I would have liked – some other models, such as the KitchenAid 13 cup / 3.1L Food Processor, have dedicated grating discs with fine and coarse options that give a more desirable result. Due to how fine the shredding was, the results were a little on the wet side, and a lot of carrot shot into the lid during processing.

The underneath of the reversible shredding and slicing disc with a small amount of carrot on it, the lid of the KitchenAid 7 cup food processor is visible in the background, with grated carrot around the inside edge.

(Image credit: Future / Cesci Angell)

Next I used the slicing side of the reversible slicing and shredding disc to slice a cucumber on speed setting one. Because the diameter of the cucumber was too large even for the larger feed tube, I had to manually cut a slice off of the side of it to enable it to be fed into the processor. The machine sliced the cucumber quickly, with next-to-no remnants left on the disc or in the lid. The slices were fairly even, although some were slightly wedge-shaped, thicker at the rind, and thinner where the cucumber was sliced down to fit.

A close up of sliced cucumber inside the KitchenAid 7 cup food processor work bowl.

(Image credit: Future / Cesci Angell)

I used the multipurpose stainless steel blade to chop onions, almonds, and to make breadcrumbs from slightly stale wholemeal bread. The onions and almonds were chopped using speed setting one. The food processor had no issues chopping up a large onion that I’d cut into quarters: it quickly chopped it into fine pieces and while the pieces weren’t that even, none of them were overly large. When I pulsed the almonds for 10 seconds, the result was again pretty uneven, with larger pieces, smaller pieces, and a fair amount of almond dust. Upon removing the accessories, I found that some of this dust had made its way inside the plastic cutting blade ring. 

A close up of the unevenly chopped almonds in the KitchenAid 7 cup processor work bowl.

(Image credit: Future / Cesci Angell)

When making the breadcrumbs, I used speed setting two to blitz two slices of bread. In just 45 seconds the processor had turned them into fine breadcrumbs with an even consistency, and no bread was left under the blades.

I also used the multipurpose stainless steel blade, using the lowest speed setting to combine flour, margarine, and water for pastry. At first, the ingredients didn’t mix evenly – a layer of flour remained at the bottom and didn’t begin to mix in until water was added and the mixture started to form a proper dough. Apart from that detail, the processor combined the pastry ingredients easily, it didn’t rock about on the work surface, or overheat, both of which can happen with food processors that don’t have strong enough motors for pastry making.

A close up of the inside of the multipurpose blade which has a coating of pastry around the inside of the ring.

(Image credit: Future)

While conducting the tests, I found that settings one and two were not overly loud; however, the pulse mode may make your ears ache if you need to use it for a long period of time. At no point during testing did I encounter issues with ingredients getting stuck under the blade or disc inside of the work bowl – I did however find that ingredients would end up on the inside of the fitment ring of the multipurpose stainless steel blade that sits on the drive adapter. This was particularly evident when chopping the almonds, and combining the pastry ingredients. There was a layer of pastry mixture coating the inside of the blade's plastic ring, which was tricky to clean out.

  • Performance score: 3.5 out of 5

Should I buy the KitchenAid 7 Cup Food Processor?

Buy it if...

Don't buy it if...

KitchenAid 7 Cup Food Processor review: also consider

How I tested the KitchenAid 7 Cup Food Processor

  • I assessed the setup and performance
  • I ran our usual series of chopping, grating, and combining tests
  • I checked how easy it was to clean

I spent time getting the KitchenAid 7 cup / 1.7L Food Processor setup, read the instruction manual, and assessed the design and accessories.

To put the KitchenAid 7 cup / 1.7L Food Processor through its paces, I used the chopping blade and reversible slicing/shredding disc to shred carrot, slice cucumber, chop onion, and almonds. I also used it to process bread to make breadcrumbs and combine flour, margarine, and water to make pastry. These are the same tests we run for all food processors, making it easy to see how different models compare. 

I tested how easy it was to clean the processor parts by hand-washing, and using the dishwasher to establish how well you can clean the parts with either method.

Remington One Dry & Style Hair Dryer review
10:00 am | June 24, 2024
Author: admin | Category: Computers Gadgets Hair Care Home Small Appliances | Tags: | Comments: Off

Remington One Dry & Style Hair Dryer two-minute review

The Remington One Dry & Style Hair Dryer D6077 is great value for what you get in the set. The hair dryer comes with four tools to suit a range of hair types – be it short and curly or long and straight. It has a wide head and one slim but wide concentrator nozzle to fit. I found that the hair dryer’s wide opening helped ensure fast-drying results, and when used at the highest speed and temperature, it left my hair feeling smooth and not over-dried like some hair dryers can make hair feel.

There’s a unique flyaway attachment in the set too. This can be used on dry and straightened hair to tame flyaways and help create a sleeker finish on straight hair. For curly hair, there are two diffuser attachments to choose from, which neatly click on the head of the hair dryer. You can choose the gentle drying diffuser to dry waves and curls without disturbing the shape and texture of hair. Alternatively, the more traditional style curl defining diffuser is great for drying natural curls and waves.

Box for the Remington One Dry & Style Hair Dryer

(Image credit: Future)

I found this hair dryer comfortable to use, although it took me a while to get used to the shape of the angled handle. There are two speeds to choose from and three heat settings, although the difference in temperature is subtle between the three temperatures. There’s also a cool shot that provides a constant cool stream of air that’s great for setting styles. 

The hair dryer feels well-made and durable and comes with a hanging hook for convenience. There’s also a storage bag in the kit to house the hair dryer and all its attachments. Overall, I think that while this hair dryer is a little too bulky for use when travelling, it’s a good all-rounder for all hair types from poker straight to curly and coily hair types.

Remington One Dry & Style Hair Dryer review: price & availability

  • RRP: £99.99
  • Available: UK/EU

Established in New York in 1937, Remington is a well-respected brand in the haircare industry. The company sells a range of hair dryers, flat irons, curling tongs, rollers and grooming tools for both men and women.

I tested the UK version of the Remington One Dry & Style Hair Dryer D6077, which is reasonably priced at £99.99. At time of writing, this is on sale for £66.66 direct on the Remington website and at Amazon for £64.35. I think this is an excellent price for a very versatile design.

The hair dryer comes in a grey, black and rose gold finish. This hair dryer is part of the ‘One’ collection that also features the Remington One Straight & Curl Styler, the Remington One Head & Body Multi Groomer and the Remington One Total Body Multi Groomer.

A very similar hair dryer is also available in the USA, although the name and colorway are slightly different. In the states, you’ll find the almost identical Remington ONE Multi-Style Hair Dryer in a black and rose gold finish. At the time of writing, it costs $54.99 at Remington.

  • Value for money score: 4.5 out of 5

Remington One Dry & Style Hair Dryer review: design

  • Wide 9cm concentrator nozzle for fast styling
  • Flyaway attachment plus two diffusers
  • Comes with storage bag and hanging hook

Designed with versatility in mind, the Remington One Dry & Style Hair Dryer is solidly built and comes in a glossy grey and rose gold finish. Its attachments are finished in black, which is a bit of a contrast from the hair dryer's finish, but they do fit on effortlessly. The hair dryer measures H21.9 x W8.7 x D29cm and weighs 930g, which feels solid in hand, but a little heavy after extended use. The design is built to be fast and comes with a 2000-watt motor, which generates air speeds of up to 120km/h. This, says Remington, is 25% faster than its standard hair dryers.

There are three heat settings on board, two speed settings and one cool shot. It also comes fitted with a ‘Thermacare sensor’ for peace of mind that prevents the hair dryer from overheating.

Remington One Dry & Style Hair Dryer with concentrator, diffuser and flyaway tamer attachments

(Image credit: Future)

The hair dryer comes with a range of useful attachments to suit both straight, wavy and curly hair. In the kit there’s a slim concentrator nozzle that measures 3.5" / 9cm long. This is above average compared to a standard hair dryer and makes things faster – the Dyson Supersonic’s largest nozzle measures 2.7" / 7cm wide, for example. There’s also a flyaway tamer attachment that can be used on dry hair to tame wispy flyaways that can sometimes appear after drying or hair straightening. A gentle drying diffuser is also included in the set, as is a curl defining diffuser, which makes the hair dryer a really versatile option.

There’s also a small Remington branded drawstring bag in the box. It is just about big enough to store the hair dryer and its four attachments. Alternatively, you can make use of the hanging loop to store your hair dryer on a hook.

  • Design score: 4.5 out of 5

Remington One Dry & Style Hair Dryer review: performance

  • Powerful 2000-watt motor
  • 3 speeds, 2 heat settings and one cool shot
  • Accommodates all hair types

While it does have a few flaws, I feel that this hair dryer does well to cater for use on all hair types as it promises. On first use, I was pleased with the fast results of this hair dryer, but it took some time to get used to the design. 

I was pleased with how much cord you get on this design, which at 2.55m, makes it easy to move around at the dressing table. I did find the head of the hair dryer quite heavy in comparison to the handle, however, and it weighed a little on my hand. This is fine for general use, but I can imagine it might start to feel cumbersome after extended use – in a salon perhaps, or if you have a few kids who’ve just had bath and hair wash time.

While the finish of the Remington One is smooth, there isn’t a defined area to grip. That said, the controls are positioned in such a way that makes them easy to reach and ensures they don’t get accidentally knocked while drying hair. The handle of the hair dryer is positioned at a slight angle from the head. It took me a while to get used to holding it as I had previously been using the Dyson Supersonic, which has a handle that is a lot straighter and at a right angle from the main head. 

As I began to use the attachments, I started to appreciate the angled handle, however, as it allowed me to hold the hair dryer in a comfortable position for blow drying the sides of my hair. I also found it very easy to switch between the four attachments. They can simply be clicked on and off the head of the hair dryer. I did need to wait for the hair dryer to cool down before changing them, though,  as the tip of the hair dryer can get very hot in use.

Remington One Dry & Style Hair Dryer with concentrator, diffuser and flyaway tamer attachments

(Image credit: Future)

With its 2000-watt motor, this Remington hair dryer is powerful. This means that it’s not the quietest hair dryer I’ve tried, measuring around 86.1dB in use. By comparison, I measured the 1600-watt Panasonic Nanoe Moisture+ and Mineral hair dryer at 88.3dB.

There are three heat settings on the Remington One hair dryer that can easily be adjusted via controls on the handle. While the highest setting is hot, I didn’t notice that much difference in heat when flicking from one to three. The two speed settings come in useful if you need a blast of power or if you don’t want to use too much force and heat on your hair. The lowest settings also work well for kids. A cool shot that can be clicked on and off and cools down in under five seconds also works well. I found it particularly beneficial when things were getting a bit too hot and I wanted to cool things down on a lower heat. It’s also great for setting styles or giving hair a little  shine at the end of a drying session.

With its four attachments, two speed settings, three heat settings and a cool shot, I think it’s a great piece of kit to get creative with your styling or for simply achieving dry hair, fast. Having used the hair dryer over the course of a month, I was impressed at just how quickly it dried my hair each time I used it, in fact. I used the concentrator nozzle regularly, which at 9cm manages to dry a good chunk of hair quickly in one go. I managed to blow dry my hair in an average of six minutes, which I felt was fast compared to some less powerful hair dryers I’ve tried in the past that take a while to get up to speed.

Remington One Dry & Style Hair Dryer next to Panasonic Panasonic Nanoe Moisture+ and Mineral hair dryer

Remington One Dry & Style Hair Dryer next to a Panasonic NA0J (Image credit: Future)

The attachments provide a good range of options for all hair types too. While I mainly used the concentrator nozzle, the flyaway tamer came in useful after straightening my hair. It took a while to figure out how to direct the airflow, but I managed to flatten a few flyaways when needed. Meanwhile, the gentle drying diffuser is ideal for curly and coily hair (or any child who hates a hair dryer) as it gently dries from a distance without damaging your hair style. While I didn’t have much need for that attachment, I did use the curl defining diffuser when I wanted to dry my hair wavy. The diffuser isn’t that big but it was large enough to fit a good section of my hair in one go and left my hair feeling soft in the process.

  • Performance score: 4.5 out of 5

Should you buy the Remington One Dry & Style Hair Dryer?

Buy it if…

Don’t buy it if….

How I tested the Remington One Dry & Style Hair Dryer

I have tested a wide collection of hair dryers in recent years from brands such as Laifen Swift to Dyson. This means that I know what makes for a good design and a top performing hair dryer. A design that is easy to hold with simple controls that give you a lot of flexibility is key. I was keen to see just how well the Remington One Dry & Style Hair Dryer compared to other popular hair dryers. 

To find out, I used the Remington One Dry & Style Hair Dryer for four weeks to see how best it could suit my family of four. I have medium length wavy hair that is prone to frizz, so I wanted to see how well it could blow dry my hair smooth. I also used the diffuser attachment to see how well it could enhance the waves in my hair.

Read more about how we test

First reviewed June 2024

Gozney Arc XL review: this pizza oven is a crowd pleaser
4:55 am | June 19, 2024
Author: admin | Category: Computers Gadgets Home Small Appliances | Comments: Off

Gozney Arc XL: Two-minute review

The Gozney Arc is a pizza oven for serious pizza aficionados. Slotting into the range between the approachable Roccbox and the company’s premiere Dome series, the new Arc – and its larger sibling, the Arc XL – harness the company’s most recent learnings to make an exceptional pizza at home.

The Arc and Arc XL utilize the efficiency and ease of gas, hooking up to readily-available propane (LPG) bottles to mean you can have the oven fired up in minutes. Both the Arc and the Arc XL take longer than the Roccbox to heat up, requiring you to turn them on at least 30 minutes ahead of cooking, but they are bigger ovens and offer improved temperature stability, better flame control and allow you to cook bigger pizzas.

So while the Roccbox can bake 12-inch pizzas to perfection, if you want to make large or family-sized pizzas, then that's where the Arc and Arc XL step in. The Gozney Arc will allow you to make 14-inch pizzas – traditionally called large in the US, UK and Australia – while the family-sized Arc XL is capable of turning around generous 16-inch pizzas in minutes. Gozney sent me the Arc XL for this review.

To ensure you make the perfect pizza, the Arcs can be combined with the optional Arc Stand accessory to give you an oven at the right height. This stand can be wheeled around like a traditional barbecue and offers plenty of prep room on either side via fold-down shelves for resting tools and food.

The Arc and Arc XL both include an integrated digital thermometer, meaning there’s no guesswork required to know when your oven is the perfect temperature for cooking. They also feature a new sleek exhaust that reduces the buildup of soot that you get above the door on the Roccbox.

The elongated burners optimize internal oven space and feature a wider rolling flame that arcs across the top to help cook the toppings on your pizza perfectly every time.

All this combines to make a compact home pizza oven that can make professional-level pizza week after week, without becoming a chore.

The only thing I think that would make this a better oven is if Gozney can create a baffle door accessory to help the Arc reach heat saturation faster. And if you only plan on making pizzas occasionally, you'll get more bang for their buck with the Roccbox. However, if you entertain large groups or want to frequently make large pizzas, the Arc and Arc XL ovens are stylish, compact and reasonably priced, considering their professional pizza capabilities.

An uncooked pizza on a peel going into the fired-up Gozney Arc XL pizza oven

(Image credit: Joel Burgess / TechRadar)

Gozney Arc XL review: Price & availability

  • Gozney Arc: $699 / £600 / AU$1,200
  • Gozney Arc XL: $799 / £700 / AU$1,400

The Gozney Arc and and Arc XL are more expensive than the $499 / £399 / AU$799 Roccbox, with the smaller 14-inch capable Arc costing $699 / £600 / AU$1,200 and the larger 16-inch capable Arc XL coming in at $799 / £700 / AU$1,400.

If you have an outdoor kitchen benchtop, then you’ll be able to slot the ovens in directly on top of that, but for those needing a freestanding option that can be moved to different parts of the deck, veranda or patio, then the Arc and Arc XL stand is a handy accessory for $250 / £250 / AU$350. It has enough room either side to rest a pizza or pizza peel, carries the gas cylinder and can be moved using the lockable and stable wheels.

Because both ovens come with an integrated thermometer, you can get away without needing an additional $49 / £39 / AU$69 handheld infrared temperature gun, although this can still be useful for when you’re short on time since the inside surface of the oven gets hotter faster than the built-in thermometer reads.

You will need a pizza peel to easily slide pizzas into the oven, but we weren’t sure you need the placement peels with the longer handle designed for Gozney’s bigger ovens ($99 / £75 / AU$139), you could easily get away with using the shorter handle Roccbox Turning ($65 / £49 / AU$89) and Placement Peels ($85 / £65 / AU$119). Gozney also has a couple of new Balance and Pro Placement Peels that we didn’t get an opportunity to test out, but they look to be the right size for the new Arc range and promise to offer a better feel than the current range.

If you plan to keep the oven exposed to the elements, it’s probably a good idea to cover it with the Arc or Arc XL Cover available from $50 / £50 / AU$80 or the full length Arc + Arc XL Stand Cover ($80 / £80 / AU$130).

Gozney has a great range of recipes and how-to videos freely available on its website for those keen to progress their pizza-making skills, but if you want all the best info in the one place, then it might be worth considering the recently released Pizza Volume 01 Cookbook for $35 / £25 / AU$40. I haven’t had a chance to flick through this yet, but the recipes on the website are excellent, so I would expect nothing less here.

  • Value score: 4.5 / 5

Gozney Arc XL pizza oven on its stand and covered with a branded cover

(Image credit: Joel Burgess / TechRadar)

Gozney Arc XL review: Specifications

The Arc and Arc XL are significantly smaller than the original Dome and Dome S1 range, weighing just 47.5 Ibs (21.5kg) and 58.5 Ibs (26.5kg) instead of the 107 lbs (48.5kg) of the gas-only Dome S1.

Gozney Arc XL review: Design and features

  • Stylish
  • Top vent prevents soot buildup
  • Efficient internal space

While restaurant-quality performance is the trademark Gozney has built its reputation on, it’s hard to go past the importance of looking good, and Gozney’s ovens are the best-looking consumer-grade ovens around – by some margin in my opinion. And the new Arc and Arc XL don’t stray too far from this established aesthetic, borrowing the igloo shape from its original Dome siblings and continuing the bone-white coloring that would fit in any home.  

The Arc series looks slightly different with a wider mouth proportion, sleek front vent and metal side strips. The steel sides on the Dome and Arc aren’t as nice as the more uniform Dome S1 units, in my opinion, but it’s a minor detail that's quickly overlooked. In addition to looking sleek, the vent at the top will prevent any soot buildup, which is an issue on the Roccbox where the cooking process leaves black streaks on the front.

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Flames inside the fired-up Gozney Arc XL pizza oven

(Image credit: Joel Burgess / TechRadar)
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Gozney Arc XL pizza oven fired up on its stand

(Image credit: Joel Burgess / TechRadar)

 What’s perhaps the biggest functional tweak however, is the lateral burner at the side of the oven. The now flat gas outlet fires a line of flames from the side of the unit which hugs the arched ceiling of the oven to stretch right across and down the far side, creating a much more even top-down heat. This has an excellent impact on performance, which I’ll talk about later, but it also occupies much less space than the circular output found on the Dome, allowing you to cook bigger pizzas in a more compact form factor. Reducing the overall internal oven space means there's less thermal mass for faster heat times, but it also allows the unit to be more compact and lightweight without losing performance. 

The Arc stand looks a little bottom heavy when the arms are folded down, but there's logic in a device as hot as a pizza oven having an abundance of stability. I did wish there was somewhere to hang the larger pizza peels from as they're unlikely to fit in your home kitchen cupboard. 

  • Design & features score: 5 / 5

Gozney Arc XL fired up with two uncooked pizzas beside it on the fold-up shelves of its stand

(Image credit: Joel Burgess / TechRadar)

Gozney Arc XL review: Performance

  • Gas is faster and easier
  • Wide mouth for easy manoeuvring
  • Stable temperatures for back-to-back performance

Wood-fired is obviously the gold standard when it comes to the highest quality pizza, but making a wood fire is a significantly more laborious process than firing up a gas oven, and the difference can be hard to justify when you’re only going to make a handful of pizzas in one session. Add to this the extra space you need in the oven for wood and the cost of buying pellets or the time to process compact wood cuttings, and you have an equation where gas is going to be, by far, the more preferable option for many home cooks. 

Apart from it not being wood-fired, the cooking performance of the Arc XL I tested really can’t be faulted. The oven is capable of maintaining a stable 950ºF / 500ºC temperature thanks to considerable insulation and the 20mm thick cordierite stone floor that holds a generous amount of thermal mass to cook thick or thin pizza bases as quickly as the toppings. 

Image 1 of 2

A pizza cooking inside the Gozney Arc XL oven

(Image credit: Joel Burgess / TechRadar)
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A cooked pizza on a peel coming out of the Gozney Arc XL pizza oven

(Image credit: Joel Burgess / TechRadar)

The Arc XL I tested had a much wider mouth than what I was used to with the Roccbox, providing a lot more space for sliding in larger pizzas and making it easier to turn them without hassle. The big mouth did have the downside that the Arc XL took around 35 minutes to get to an optimal temperature to start cooking, which is 10 to 15 minutes longer than what you can get using the Roccbox. The smaller Arc takes a similar time to the XL, or even a bit longer by many reports. So if you’re hoping to cook multiple times a week that difference can start to add up, but when you consider large wood-fired pizza ovens can take the better part of a day to get to the right temperature, this distinction can seem like splitting hairs. Still, I'm hoping Gozney is working on a baffle door to cut that heat-up time down considerably.

A cooked pizza on a peel beside the Gozney Arc XL pizza oven

(Image credit: Joel Burgess / TechRadar)

 Once the oven is ready to go, it’s impressive how much control you have over the speed that toppings cook. The gas dial allows you to leave the flame at full roll for those pizzas with more toppings needing a good sizzle, but you can also dial it right back for the classics that just need a smattering of top-down heat. All the while the thick stone base ensures the dough is cooked through in a matter of minutes. This control means that even newcomers to pizza making can easily get a feel for how to make the perfect spotty crust and evenly cooked ingredients. 

The Arc XL had no issues churning out pizza after pizza for those moments when I was trying to entertain a number of guests. It’s also stable enough that you could easily put one in a beer garden and try your hand at a side hustle. The only way you could make a better pizza is with a full built-in wood-fired pizza oven… and even then you’d still have to really know what you’re doing. 

  • Performance score: 5 / 5

A cooked pizza on a Gozney-branded pizza rocker

(Image credit: Joel Burgess / TechRadar)

Should I buy the Gozney Arc XL?

Buy it if...

You want larger pizzas

The Roccbox does awesome 12-inch pizzas, but if you want 14- or 16-inch family-sized options, then you’re going to need to get an Arc or Arc XL.

You expect to make pizza frequently

The Arc and Arc XL units are excellent at making lots of pizzas for big groups, but you can also expect them to be easy enough to use week after week when you want to make pizzas for yourself or your immediate family.

You want the most convenient option

In addition to being able to turn this on and fire up in minutes at the turn of a knob, you also don’t need to clean out ash or cut wood down to size… making it by far the easiest option for cooking pizza.

Don't buy it if...

You need a portable oven

If you think you might like to make pizza while camping or at a holiday home, then the Roccbox is likely to serve you better.

You want the flavor/ romanticism of wood fire

If you’re going to be wondering what every one of your pizzas would have tasted like if it was cooked using a wood fire, then you should really be thinking about buying a dome.

Also consider

Gozney Roccbox

This compact portable pizza oven is more than capable of cooking excellent 12-inch pizzas at home or anywhere you can think to carry it. It’s fast, efficient and makes pizza good enough to be the perfect option for most people’s requirements.

Read our full Gozney Roccbox review

Ooni Karu 16

This is another option if you want to make larger pizzas and offers the bonus of having the option of wood fire, but its performance isn’t quite as good as the Gozney models unfortunately.

Read our full Ooni Karu 16 review

How I tested the Gozney Arc XL

Gozney Arc XL on a stand and covered with branded cover

(Image credit: Joel Burgess / TechRadar)

I tested the Gozney Arc XL pizza oven over a period of a couple of months, making pizzas frequently for guests, family dinners and sometimes even for my own lunch. 

A stopwatch was used to measure heat-up time and an infrared thermometer was used to verify the internal thermometer’s readings. The oven was tested at various temperatures and using a range of settings to cook different toppings. 

Over 40 pizzas were cooked before coming to a final conclusion for this review.

Read more about how we test.

[First reviewed June 2024]  

Bissell CrossWave OmniForce review: Bissell’s best wet-dry vacuum yet
6:01 pm | June 14, 2024
Author: admin | Category: Computers Gadgets Home Small Appliances Vacuums | Tags: | Comments: Off

Bissell CrossWave OmniForce: two-minute review

I don't know that I’ve seen any company with as many wet dry vacuums as Bissell. And, having used three different models, including the epically-named Bissell CrossWave OmniForce I can say that each model has qualitatively improved on the last.

Whether you'll find the Bissell CrossWave OmniForce to be one of the best vacuum cleaners for you will depend heavily on your needs. This wet dry vacuum has the best vacuuming performance of any of the Bissell models I’ve handled, and you’ll have to pay much more for a wet-dry competitor.

While I’ll go much deeper into what makes the Bissell CrossWave OmniForce tick, I can already state that its vacuuming ability is its best asset over the rest of Bissell’s wet dry vacuum line, as it no longer feels like an underpowered afterthought. The fact that it will clean its own mop pads when returned to its base station is another point in its favor. Plus, you’ll get a decent 30 minutes of battery out of it, though that’s not particularly impressive compared with the best cordless vacuums.

Bissell CrossWave OmniForce in a living room

(Image credit: Future)

There aren’t a ton of negatives, either. While the vacuuming capability is pretty good, it won’t replace the need for a powerful model for deep cleaning purposes. Also, the floorhead doesn’t tilt enough to get very far under hard-to-move furniture. All in all, though, it’s a worthy addition to any home when you want a convenient way to vacuum and mop your floors.

Bissell CrossWave OmniForce review: specs

Bissell CrossWave OmniForce review: price & availability

  • $379.99 (about £237, AU$450)
  • Available now
  • Available only in the US

Though I assume the Bissell CrossWave OmniForce will eventually make its debut in the UK and Australia, it is, at the moment, a US-only affair. And, since it’s the newest addition to Bissell’s surprisingly deep lineup of wet dry vacuums, it’s also the most expensive. It’s also pricier than some of the other models for other reasons. As someone who’s been able to test the Bissell SpinWave + Vac, which retails at $249.99 / £179.99, I can tell you that spending the $379.99 (about £237, AU$450) on the Bissell CrossWave OmniForce is worth it for the much improved vacuuming ability.

If you already have a fantastic vacuum and don’t need the two-in-one capability, you might feel just as satisfied with the SpinWave SmartStream Spin Mop, which goes for a much lower price at $159.99 (about £130 / AU$250), though it doesn't have the self-cleaning mop capabilities of the CrossWave OmniForce. It also doesn’t have quite as cool a name.

Of course, there are some models out there that are amazing wet dry vacuums with performance that can match the best vacuums, such as the Tineco Floor One S7 Pro. However they’re generally bulkier and more expensive. In the case of the Tineco, you’ll have to pay $799.99 (likely £669 / AU$999) to get one.

  • Value for money score: 4 out of 5

Bissell CrossWave OmniForce review: design

  • Attractive if unassuming as well as durable
  • Streamlined controls
  • Not much in the way of accessories

The Bissell CrossWave OmniForce, made of of durable, high quality plastic in an attractive if unassuming black and gray colorway, has a definite mid-range look to it. You’re not going to get a premium feel, but neither will you worry that it’s going to break during use.

At almost 11 pounds, it has some heft to it. I could see it being tiring for some to push around for 30 minutes straight, which is how long it can last on a single charge. That said, it’s well-balanced and moves around easily on its two wheels. I would assume some of its balance comes from the fact that, unlike with stick vacuums, the body containing the motor, the water reservoir and the dirty water tank are all located close to the floorhead instead of the handle.

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Bissell CrossWave OmniForce with included accessories

Bissell CrossWave OmniForce with included accessories (Image credit: Future)
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Bissell CrossWave OmniForce filter in dirty water reservoir

Bissell CrossWave OmniForce filter in dirty water reservoir (Image credit: Future)
Image 3 of 4

Controls on Bissell CrossWave OmniForce

Controls on Bissell CrossWave OmniForce (Image credit: Future)
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Bissell CrossWave OmniForce brushroll

Bissell CrossWave OmniForce brushroll (Image credit: Future)

Speaking of the water reservoir and dirty water tank, they easily pull out to empty with a simple push of a lever. The brush roll in the floorhead is accessible in the same way if you need to clean it. Considering the brushroll is basically a rolling mop in cylindrical form, you don’t have to access it too often to untangle hair and the like.

In terms of controls, the Bissell CrossWave OmniForce is pretty streamlined. You have a power button that automatically engages the vacuum mode (there’s no way to turn that off, incidentally), the button to turn on the mop function, and a turbo button to run the vacuum or vacuum and mop functions at a higher speed. These are all situated on the front of the handle. There’s also a button at the top of the handle to run a self-cleaning cycle on the brushroll, which you would do when the unit is sitting in the storage and rinse tray.

Bissell CrossWave OmniForce LED display during use

(Image credit: Future)

You can track what’s engaged by looking at the large LED display on the front of the body that indicates not only whether mop mode is on, but at what level the vacuum and mop modes are at. It also shows battery life.

As far as attachments or accessories go, the Bissell CrossWave OmniForce is fairly light compared to a lot of vacuums. There’s the storage and rinse tray, which also charges the vacuum in between use, and two sample size containers of cleaning fluid. So, don’t expect this to do everything your stick vacuum can do as there’s no crevice tool or anything else. Considering the form factor of this vacuum, however, that’s to be expected.

  • Design score: 4.5 out of 5

Bissell CrossWave OmniForce review: performance

  • Surprisingly good vacuum performance
  • Even, deep mopping
  • Surprisingly quiet

Whether it’s cereal or pet hair, the Bissell CrossWave OmniForce will pick it up. I even picked up small leaves. I say all this to emphasize that this vacuum does a good job being a vacuum. Some wet dry vacuums do a great job of leaving the floors clean, but only after using something else to vacuum first, and then using said wet dry vac to do the mopping.

Bissell CrossWave OmniForce vacuuming

(Image credit: Future)

However the Bissell CrossWave OmniForce does a good job on both fronts, and the floorhead is only a little bit wider than the brushroll so this model is able to reach edges fairly easily as well. But while I found it to pick up all sorts of debris, I wouldn’t consider this a complete floor-cleaning package. You’ll probably still want a powerful vacuum, preferably with a HEPA filter (this does not come with one) and an assortment of attachments to get into various nooks and crannies. It’s also worth noting that the floorhead doesn’t have a lot of tilt to it so you won’t be able to get far under furniture without moving it.

Bissell CrossWave OmniForce mopping

(Image credit: Future)

In terms of mopping, the Bissell CrossWave OmniForce leaves a small and even level of water or water and solution as it goes across the floor that not only properly washes the floor, but does so without leaving excess amounts of water as you might experience when mopping by hand. Seeing the dirty water as well as debris in the dirty water tank is enough evidence that this does an excellent job mopping, though the shiny floors help.

During operation, it’s also surprisingly quiet, registering at around 68dB during use. I’ve used plenty of vacuums that get very loud, yet this one is able to do its job well at a volume you can talk over (at least when you're not using the turbo mode).

It also has a decent, if not amazing, battery life. It took me 8 minutes and 15 seconds to get to 75%, for instance, and I’ve used it for up to its advertised 30 minutes of juice, which I found to be more than enough time to cover a full floor of a house. However, it does take four hours to charge back up. Plus, if you use the self-cleaning function (and you should), the brushroll will be wet for up to 24 hours. Likewise if you use the mop function, which means you won’t be able to vacuum carpet straight after.

  • Performance score: 4.5 out of 5

Should you buy the Bissell CrossWave OmniForce?

Buy it if…

Don't buy it if...

Bissell CrossWave OmniForce review: also consider

How I tested the Bissell CrossWave OmniForce

To test the Bissell CrossWave OmniForce, I used it for a week to vacuum hardwood and marble flooring around my house. I also tested it on carpets and used all the modes to see how the vacuum performed. I also vacuumed up different sized debris and made sure to use it to get under furniture and edges.

I’ve tested a lot of gear over the years from laptops and audio equipment to vacuum cleaners and air fryers, and so have been able to use my expertise to give an honest and fair opinion, not to mention a critical eye, to any product I test.

Read more about how we test

First tested June 2024

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