“The Magimix 4200XL is just spectacular! I'm a former chef, so maybe I'm a bit biased, but it's hard to match the versatility of this machine (looking at you, Breville!).
I've noticed several sites have mixed reviews of the Magimix food processors and most of them are, frankly, operator errors. Those who complain about all the bowls all getting soiled when using the small bowl are overfilling it. Just yesterday I used the smallest bowl to quickly process 4 cloves of garlic and even after I drizzled in some olive oil, I only had to clean the bowl I used and the lid. When I made mayo in the small bowl, the same was true. Those who can't get it to turn on lack appreciation for the built-in safety features. The bowl and lid both click into place in one direction - counterclockwise - and only in that direction. After you do it a couple of times, it's second nature. There *is* a learning curve to using this piece of equipment efficiently, but it's a short curve even if you're a novice cook. There also seem to be a fair amount of websites who test and review food processors and most of them also downplay the capabilities of this machine. If, like me, you've been doing research before making the investment into a food processor, I recommend taking those reviews with a large grain of salt.
The other thing is you have to understand what each bowl is designed to do. Obviously, the mini bowl is best for small quantities like mayo, hummus, pesto, dressings, or if you need to quickly chop an onion or a few cloves of garlic or a smattering of herbs. The midi bowl works with the shredding and slicing attachments and doesn't have a regular chopping blade (by design!). This is not a flaw when you can chop in the mini or largest bowl. The shreds and slices come out perfectly, but again I've seen complaints about this too. Regardless of the brand, you will almost always have a small piece left, but with the Magimix, that piece is very small - and who doesn't need a snack when they're powering through prep? There are several ways the opening/pushers can be configured, so you can, for example fit a mini cucumber in the smallest circular opening and slice it without issue. If you want longer plank slices, cut the item to fit the width of the wider opening and insert it on its side. There are videos produced by Magimix that demo all of this to make it easy for anyone to learn to use the machine properly. The largest bowl is great for larger batches, making dough, pureeing soups, mixing up a cake batter, cookies, etc. Since getting this machine I'm actually contemplating getting rid of both my KitchenAid mixer and my Vitamix, but I've only had the Magimix for a couple of weeks, so we'll see. I did test making dough and it took 1 minute to process a batch of dinner rolls and a mere 30 seconds to make pizza dough! The dough quality was superior to the same dough produced by my KitchenAid mixer, which not only mixes slower, but has a tendency to overwork dough if you're not paying attention. I guess Magimix is better suited to my short attention span and my desire to get my prep done quickly.
As far as pricing goes, the Magimix is on par with the Breville sous chef or a bit less depending on the model you're interested in. I ended up finding the Magimix on sale, and it's definitely more expensive than the over hyped Cuisinart, but it's also sturdier, more versatile with the multiple bowls/functions, and has a much longer warranty. Ironically, I had bought the Cuisinart first, but it's seriously lacking compared side by side to the Magimix especially when you compare the plastic bowls and overall functionality.
The last thing I'd like to point out is the blade quality. Magimix uses Sabatier blades (if you know, you know), while other processer manufacturers are using blades from...yeah, it's a mystery. The 4200XL comes with two slicing blades, two shredding blades, a chopping blade for the mini bowl and one for the large bowl, a dough blade, and the "blendermix" ring attachment for the large bowl (creates a sort of vortex that pulls ingredients in towards the blade for perfectly mixed and pureed ingredients), a whisk for whipping cream or egg whites or batters, a storage box for the blades, a bespoke spatula, and a recipe book. I also got the citrus juicer attachment and the Parmesan cheese blade (sold separately) and they don't disappoint!
This is hands down the best machine for versatility and power. The motor base has a just slightly larger footprint than my Vitamix motor base, so it packs a lot of power into a reasonably sized footprint. It's a lot quieter than my Vitamix though, so that's also a plus. The bowls are easy to clean and dishwasher safe, but I don't recommend using the dishwasher for food processor parts across the board unless you're ok with replacing them more frequently. As for size, I don't think it's too big if you consider all the other machines that it potentially replaces. I've seen complaints about the size of the blade storage box, but it's larger because you're getting more attachments than you are with other processors, so c'est la vie! I'm a single person, and this lets me do small and large quantities of prep making it perfect whether I'm cooking for myself or prepping a dinner party.
The one potential downside is that there aren't many authorized dealers in the US, and I actually reached out to Nutrimill about getting parts or using the warranty. I was informed that both could be handled by them, which put it to rest for me. Nutrimill has been great to work with and I recommend them as highly as I do this food processor. Based on people's experiences with Breville's customer service, it doesn't appear warranty claims are very straightforward if you go that route. The Magimix 30-year warranty is one of the best in the business and they also guarantee replacement parts will be available for the machine for the same period of time!
For all those reasons, I picked the Magimix, and it's really lived up to its reputation so far! Frankly, I'm tired of seeing US websites acting like Cuisinart and Breville are the only options. If you're looking for versatility, quality, consistent performance, a strong warranty and replacement parts availability, and a product that *isn't* made in China, this is the only processor I've tested that has it all.”
“I had a Robot Coupe for over 40 years, and occasionally replaced the bowls. Sadly, spare parts are no longer available so I had to purchase a new one. I found Magimix by the same company and look forward to many more years of trouble free use.”
“I was so looking forward to this machine. Sadly, it arrived broken--the plastic surface of the unit was cracked. It looked like it had been dropped somewhere along the way in shipping, because the small cap over one of the machine screws had been popped off. That does not happen unless the machine has been temporarily deformed or experienced a severe drop. I am waiting for NutriMill to respond to my request for assistance. I had a Robot Coupe 3500 from the early 80s and it has lasted most of my adult life. Never a scratch through multiple moves. The motor and the housing are just fine, but the 3rd bowl has cracked and the replacements are no longer available. I hope this is not a harbinger of the future.”
Hi Katileigh! I'm really sorry to hear that your machine arrived in less-than-great condition. It's clear that you were excited about the product and it's disappointing when something like this happens. We have received your warranty claim, and our service team will be in touch promptly!
“Great potential. I need a basic elementry how to use this product, more than what comes with it. I have never used a processor before and I am a bit lost.”
