Magimix Compact 3200 Review

Good Housekeeping loved the design and ease of use of the Magimix Compact 3200. It is easy to control, has a nice three bowl system for cooking different amounts and runs quietly. In terms of results, it produced good volume when whisking cream but produced batter that was too thick when mixing for cakes. The blade was also too short for mixing pastry properly and the mix was not even.

Amazing
I've tried to buy a food processor over the last 10 years, each time I've had to return it as the motor can't cope with the use ! I'm an avid amateur cook , but I have a full time job so it only gets use say Saturday mornings ! This is perfect though, so versatile and compact in its design, but also reliable, I don't feel I have to be careful how much I'm using it. It grate , slices, whips, blends and purées. I've also got a 6 month old starting solid foods so it has been the best addition ( after my son) to our family as I can do batch dishes ready and freeze them. His favourite is roasted peaches , placed in the oven whole until soft , when cool squeeze out the stone, and purée until smooth. The old me would then use this to make belinis with champagne , but now my son has it with natural yoghurt.

Useful processor.
I treated myself to this as it was on offer, and was recommended to me by my friends, all expert cooks. First, it looks good on the worktop and the accessory case fits neatly in the cupboard above it. . So far I have made lots of coleslaw and also made scones and shortbread with great success. I have used the small bowl to chop onions but the results have been poor with large lumps of onion in an onion purée. This is despite cutting the onion up into small pieces first.. This is disappointing as I bought this machine mainly for chopping, grating and slicing. I haven't found a problem with food migrating into the other bowls and everything is easy to wash and dry by hand. This machine is also very quiet in use. Initially, I found it very difficult to lock the lid onto the bowl and had to use so much force I was worried it would break. This has eased with use. I probably won't use all the tools that come with it, but I'm glad I have it, and would recommend it.

A really good product
I bought this for my husband as he loves to cook and it is used every day since he got it. Its very easy to use and comes with a plethora of blades and tools which allow it to perform lots of different functions. Overall it does a good job, but if I was purchasing again, I would go for the next size up as sometimes you need the extra capacity.

Not impressed
I was given a present of the Magimix 3200 as a Christmas present to replace my 37 year-old Braun food processor. It is not a patch on my old processor. It is very heavy, and I have to keep it on the work surface instead of keeping it in the cupboard. The lid is very stiff and requires two hands to open and close it. I have read the advice to apply some kitchen oil, and that it will probably ease up with use. Time will tell. I find it very noisy. I think maybe because the main blade seems to somehow move out of alignment during use? The machine starts off fairly quietly, but very soon becomes noisy. In the online description, it says that the food processor bowls and parts are dishwasher safe. Not so. According to the instruction book, you can only wash the "detachable parts" in the dishwasher if the temperature is less than 40C and you have to "avoid the drying cycle (generally >60C)". So, actually, you have to wash everything by hand - unlike my previous food processor. I could wash and dry everything in the dishwasher without any damage. Even hand washing seems to have its hazards. The instructions say: "Washing by hand: do not leave the parts immersed in detergent for too long." and "Detergents: read the manufacturer's instructions to check their compatibly with plastic items." It seems that the detachable parts are not robust enough. One thing I do miss is there is no storage for the flex and plug. That would be a very useful design feature to have. Lastly, I think the instruction book could be clearer. So far, I have only used it for making marmalade and for blending soup. Overall I am not particularly impressed with this product, and the jury is out. It is much inferior to my previous food processor. The only positives I can find are that the storage box for all of the attachments is great, and the product looks good.

Never worked - very frustrating!
I am writing this review as I stand covered in gourmet melted chocolate, half way through attempting to bake my friends birthday cake with a broken Magimix that has only been used twice. I can appreciate that it sounds as though my specific machine probably has a fault - and when I rang Magimix customer service they have immediately arranged to collect it on Weds for repair. However I did have to argue (given that I have a 6 week old baby, cannot drive and Camden is quite far from where I live) to ensure it was collected and I wasnt responsible for taking it in for repair. The girl I spoke to was lovely but I still feel extremely angry at paying the best part of 200 pounds for a machine I have used twice - and that I have wasted a further 30 pounds on ingredients, my kitchen is covered in almond flour chocolate cake mix, my baby is crying and I still have to go and buy a chocolate cake (or attempt to beat this by hand). Ive also been told I have to find a shipping box and adequate protective covering (ie go buy bubble wrap from somewhere - further expense!) for the collection of my machine. As stated I can appreciate I may have had a unique experience - but having worked as a professional chef in my previous life I would absolutely NOT recommend. I specifically bought some ingredients for this cake back from the US - and, as stated, machine has been used twice. Very frustrating!

Good, but
I bought this after speaking to the Magimix rep in John Lewis. I was concerned after reading feedback which said that liquids leaked over the top of the mini bowl into the other bowl(s).The rep reassured me that this only happened if too much was put in the mini bowl, so I tried to make a smoothie with only 112 ml of milk and 75grms of berries, which only just covered the blade. It splattered around and out into the midi bowl.. So next time I put in more liquid to cover the blade. (about 240 ml). This all flowed over the edge of the mini bowl and made about one inch sitting inside the midi bowl. I am extremely disappointed about this as I need a berry smoothie every day for a limited diet . I would welcome some comment on this. Is there an accessory that fits round the mini bowl to stop this leakeage? Or am I doing something wrong?

Really worth the money
I was really unsure if I would really use it. I did lots of research into which one to buy and I chose the Magimix because of its simple design and functions. It is very easy to clean. Every thing can go in the dishwasher and there is nothing on the base that makes it difficult. The blades are excellent and it makes short work of most jobs. I have sliced veg, whipped cream, made cakes etc. The small bowl is handy if you want to quickly chop something. The only thing I have found is that when I slice potatoes in the medium bowl sometimes the liquid from them goes into the large bowl which is a big annoying as you have to wash it even though you haven't used it. I would recommend it to anyone. I use it nearly every day and it has made me a more confident cook.

Got one again
I bought a largish one of these in 1980 to use in my pub kitchen. I gave it away three years ago because the main blade housing that fitted the spindle broke and I couldn't get a replacement blade after only 35 years. The machine itself was in first rate order. Rubbish after-sales spares! If this one lasts as long I will be 101 years old by then and presumably won't give a fig. Or indeed know what a fig is.

A replacement for my old Magimix
My old Magimix of 30 years finally gave up and the replacement works just as well, if not better. The material that the bowls are made of seems better than on the previous one and the motor seems more powerful. Being able to store the attachments in the box that came with the machine is very good. The old one never had one of these. The machine is also more compact that the old one, which is useful as I have a small kitchen. I am not sure about the three bowls and whether I shall use them all. It's a bit early to say. I should have preferred it if I could keep the main blade in the largest bowl, rather than the storage box as that is the attachment I use the most but I guess you can't have everything. Overall, I think it's a great machine.

A truly useful appliance.
As part of a more healthier regime it became clear we needed a certainly quieter processor than the handheld we'd had for years. The Magimix arrived well packed and it was quiet in use! The only thing I would add is there are a host of accessories available for the 3200 some of which will only work with the XL model. In the end I contacted the very helpful Magimix UK and discovered the only real difference between this model and the XL is the lid which in the end we purchased separately. If you don't consider using any of the available accessories then the 3200 is good value but if you think you might want to add at a later date it would probably make more sense to purchase the 3200XL.