FP Verdict
 

Over time, numerous parts of my Cuisinart Pro 14 weakened and broke, and
the machine was no longer usable. Total replacement for parts ~$125, which
I couldn't easily afford just now. I've kept the motor and may consider
replacement parts someday.

Meanwhile, I asked here for recommendations and opinions, but most units
fell short of the 14-cup capacity I was used to and didn't want to give up,
albeit the brands and quality were all good choices.

I wavered over the choice of the Hamilton Beach Big Mouth which had exactly
the capacity I wanted and fell within my price range at $69.00 with free
shipping.

I'm happy to report that it was a good choice for me. I don't do much
slicing, but I use it frequently for chopping, batters, and pizza dough.
All these tasks it has performed flawlessly. As an experiment I sliced
cucumber, carrot, and tomato. The slices were more even than my Quisinart
produced.

The unit comes with a chopping blade, reversible shredding/thin slicing
blade, and a bonus thick slicing blade.

If you're on a budget, IMHO, this is a good choice.

No, I am not affiliated with Hamilton Beach or its sellers.

Cheers,
Wayne

On Sat 19 Feb 2005 09:13:17p, Karen wrote in rec.food.equipment:

> Wayne Boatwright wrote:
>> Over time, numerous parts of my Cuisinart Pro 14 weakened and broke,
>> and the machine was no longer usable. Total replacement for parts
>> ~$125, which I couldn't easily afford just now. I've kept the motor
>> and may consider replacement parts someday.
>>
>> Meanwhile, I asked here for recommendations and opinions, but most
>> units fell short of the 14-cup capacity I was used to and didn't want
>> to give up, albeit the brands and quality were all good choices.
>>
>> I wavered over the choice of the Hamilton Beach Big Mouth which had
>> exactly the capacity I wanted and fell within my price range at $69.00
>> with free shipping.
>>
>> I'm happy to report that it was a good choice for me. I don't do much
>> slicing, but I use it frequently for chopping, batters, and pizza
>> dough. All these tasks it has performed flawlessly. As an experiment
>> I sliced cucumber, carrot, and tomato. The slices were more even than
>> my Quisinart produced.
>>
>> The unit comes with a chopping blade, reversible shredding/thin slicing
>> blade, and a bonus thick slicing blade.
>>
>> If you're on a budget, IMHO, this is a good choice.
>>
>> No, I am not affiliated with Hamilton Beach or its sellers.
>>
>> Cheers,
>> Wayne
>
> Hi Wayne,
> I, too, was contemplating the HB Big Mouth after seeing a commercial
> for it. I loved the "Big Mouth" idea and the 14 cup capacity. I ended
> up buying one at Wal-Mart on clearance for $50.00. After examining it
> at home I decided to return it. I didn't like the fact that the
> chopping blade had a serrated edge (can't sharpen it yourself, although
> I'm not sure if you are supposed to try to sharpen those kind of blades.
> Anyone know?) I also didn't like the sound of the motor. At any rate,
> the thing just didn't seem sturdy enough to really last. I hope you
> will post updates regarding your experience with the unit and it's
> longevity. If it looks like it will hold up to lots of use over a good
> period of time then maybe I'll end up buying it again.
>
> Thanks,
> Karen B.

I have to admit that I had some misgivings when the Big Mouth arrived. It
seemed a bit lightweight compared to the Cuisinart Pro 14 I had owned and
used for a good many years. I, too, noticed the serrated chopping blade,
but compared it to the Cuisinart's blade and found that it was also
serrated, but not in quite the same way. In either case, I doubt if one
could sharpen the blade oneself.

Admittedly, I haven't had the unit all that long, but it has done an
excellent job on bread and pizza dough, which I consider one of the major
challenges for a food processor. I have also chopped hard vegetables,
pureed soups, and shredded hard cheddar, all with excellent results.

At the $69.99 I paid for the Big Mouth, it's no Cuisinart, but it also
didn't cost $300.00.

If I have a breakdown, I'll surely post about it.

Thanks,
Wayne