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    Home > Baking Basics, Tips, & Information > Equipment

    The Breville Bakery Chef Review

    Modified: Jul 25, 2025 ยท Published: Nov 16, 2023 by Helen S Fletcher ยท This post may contain affiliate links ยท 52 Comments

    Earlier this year, several of my readers asked about the Breville Bakery Chef Mixer. I had been using my Breville model BEM800XL which was the model before this one and loving it. But I have to admit, I was curious and also wanted to answer their questions. So I contacted Breville and asked if they would supply a machine for me to test. And they did. Here is what I found.

    The Champage colored  Breville Bakery Chef Mixer with a glass mixing bow.

    As a pastry chef for a top restaurant, the best equipment is important to me. While I use larger equipment at the restaurant, this is the closest thing you can get to what I bake with at work.

    One of the most popular posts on this site is the Breville vs. Kitchenaid Mixer review for the former mixer which I loved. And this model has a couple of new items that makes it even more special. And I am here to tell you this one is even better.

    Jump to:
    • Why You'll Love This Mixer
    • The Perfect Gift
    • Let's Talk Bowls
    • The Attachments
    • Innovations That I Love
    • What I Tested
    • What I Found Out
    • Conclusion
    • The Techy Stuff - Equipment Specs
    how to bake better custard
    Baking gets better when you subscribe

    Baking gets better when you subscribe to receive this PDF on getting the most out of baking including information on equipment, ingredients and baking equipment.

    Why You'll Love This Mixer

    The first thing you will notice is how beautiful the box is and well packed the mixer is. It was exciting to go down and down into the box and find yet another attachment, cover or bowl (yes it comes with two bowls, more later on that). While the color of the mixer above is Royal Champagne, It comes in a variety of colors which can be seen on their website including:

    • Sea Salt.
    • Black Truffle.
    • Damson Blue.
    • Oyster Shell.
    • Royal Champagne.

    The next thing that will amaze you is the beauty of this tilt head mixer. It just plain looks fantastic sitting on a counter. Breville is known for its sleek, modern designs with all of it's equipment and this mixer is a perfect example. It not only mixes perfectly, it looks gorgeous while doing it.

    The Perfect Gift

    The Breville Bakery Chef and an autographed copy of my latest book, Craving Cookies is the perfect gift for yourself or for your favorite baker.

    You can buy one or buy both. When buying both, they have to be ordered separately and will come to you separately.

    (As an affiliate of Breville I make a small commission when the mixer is sold. If you decide to buy the mixer, I would very much appreciate it you bought it from my site.)

    Buy Now
    Buy Now

    Let's Talk Bowls

    The Bakery Chef comes with two bowls. A 5-quart glass bowl and a 4-quart stainless steel bowl. One more than other mixers because they know you'll need each one!

    Brevile Bakery Chef Mixer with 2 bowls

    5 Quart Borosilicate Glass Bowl

    I'll be perfectly frank. I was not a fan of glass bowls for a couple of reasons. They are heavy - even empty - and this one has to be hand washed due to the rubber gasket on the bottom. But it won me over when I could see how the batters or mixtures were coming together and how completely they were or were not mixed. No more wondering if the bottom of the mix was being incorporated. Just take a look! It also has a pouring spout and is marked with cups, milliliters, and fluid ounces.

    Borosilicate Glass is extremely durable which is what you want in a mixing bowl. Taken care of, it will last a life time.

    Ok, I get it! You really want something lighter that can go in the dishwasher. Well that's covered too. There's a 5 quart stainless steel bowl that can be purchased separately. It's the same size as the glass bowl and is just as efficient.

    4 Quart Stainless Steel bowl - Why?

    Why would you need a second, smaller bowl? Well, sometimes small amounts of ingredients just don't do as well in larger bowls. Take the 2 egg whites in my recipe for Haselnussmakronen - German Hazelnut Macaroons. The smaller bowl did a much quicker job of whipping the whites than if they were in the larger bowl.

    It's also ideal when two mixtures are needed in a recipe such as egg yolks and sugar mixed in one bowl and the egg whites in another. There's no cleaning of a single bowl to continue if that's all you have.

    The Attachments

    The mixer with the glass bowl and  attachments including a whisk, dough hook, paddle beater and scraper and the glass bowl.

    The whisk is used to areate and increase the of volume of buttercreams or increase the volume of egg white – think meringues, angel food cakes, and chiffon cakes as well as anywhere air is the main leavening agent. This Perfectly Easy Angel Food Cake whipped up even higher with this mixer. My only concern with the beater is I think it is a strange design. The previous one whipped egg whites and cream really fast. This one seems to whip the center really well and then it takes a bit for it to pull in the edges. It does a good job, but takes a bit longer.

    Egg Whites whipping in glass bowl.
    An angel food cake in it's pan.

    The dough hook is indispensable for bread baking. It's the mini version of those used in professional bakeries. It incorporates all of the ingredients, cleaning the sides and the bottom of the bowl so well it almost looks clean. It mixes everything including at the very bottom of the bowl which is where so many other mixers fail.  There is no floury mix left unincorporated.  Consequently, less time is used stopping and scraping the bowl. In the photo below, you can see the sides of the bowl are clean and the rest of the dough is mixed in the bottom of the bowl.

    Yeast dough on clinging to the dough hook with the rest of the dough cleaning the bowl.

    The double sided scraper attachment is my very most favorite attachment. It scrapes the side of the bowl and cuts the mixing time down by 60%. It is best used when ingredients are to be creamed or with light ingredients. Just look at how well it cleans the side of the bowl in the picture. Even better, it picks up everything in the bottom of the bowl and incorporates that also. Having said that, I made peanut butter fudge using the scraper and it worked like a charm.

    There is literally no reason to ever scrape the bowl when mixing with this attachment. I don't know about you, but stopping and scraping down was my least favorite thing to do when mixing but really necessary for smooth batters and good results. However, this should not be used with heavy doughs. The next attachment is best for those.

    The scraper attachment in the mixing bowls,cleaning the sides of the bowl,

    The Paddle Attachment is used for heavier batters, doughs and cookies or when mixing but not necessarily blending everything completely as when making crumbs, crumbles or crisp toppings where you want them to form crumbs.

    The mixer also comes with a cover for the mixing bowl that allows you to mix bread and then cover it to rise in the same bowl at room temperature.

    Glass bowl with a black plastic cover on top.

    Here you can see the yeast dough has risen in the same bowl as it was mixed. Just cover it with plastic wrap and put the black top on. Set aside and let it rise.  However, if using the oven as a proofer (see the notes in the ingredient card for (Pumpkin Dinner Rolls Two Ways), I suggest removing the dough to a different container. 

    Yeast dough has risen in the same glass bowl it was made in.

    Last, but not least is the pouring shield with splash guard. At the restaurant, the pouring shield for my large mixer falls 3 inches away from the bowl so everything is poured on the floor. This all encompassing design won't do that. It prevents larger amounts of cream from splattering out of the bowl before it thickens as well as keeping hazelnuts from flying out of the bowl when skinning them as in Hazelnut Gianduja Cake. Ingredients can be added by pouring them down the extension.

    The pouring shield and splash guard.

    Innovations That I Love

    • THE LIGHT - as someone who photographs food, I go for brighter pictures to make sure you can see what is going on. Well, there is a light under the head of the mixer that turns on when you start mixing. I can't tell you how much you'll love this. No more peering into dark bowls to see what's happening. And it is a boon to the photos. This alone is worth the price.
    • On the side of the machine there is digital timer that, by default, counts up, but it can be changed to count down and the machine will automatically stop if that is preferred.
    • There is a dial on the side of the machine with 11 speeds within 4 groups including folding/kneading, light mixing, cream/beating and aerating/whipping.  There is also a pause button, that allows you to interrupt mixing without stopping the timer.  If you turn the machine off, the timer will start all over.
    • A handle at the front of the machine makes it much easier to lift and move the mixer.
    • A thermo-cutoff will automatically stop the machine if it begins to overheat.  The only time this happened for me was when making Italian or French Buttercream due to their extended time beating at a higher speed.  It was easily managed as the machine restarted within a minute.  

    What I Tested

    Everything! Here are a few of the recipes but there were many more. All of these can be found on my blog.

    • Cakes:  Angel food cake, Spirited Chocolate Cake, Double Chocolate Mousse Cake, and Strawberry Cake, as well as Coffee Cakes, big cakes, little cakes, butter cakes, sponge cakes, heavy cakes, light cakes.
    • Buttercreams:  Strawberry buttercream (American), Italian Buttercream, and French Buttercream
    • Breads:  Large batch of flatbreads (pizza dough), No Knead Bread, Chocolate Cherry Bread and Wine and Cheese Baguettes for just a few. 
    • Sweet Bread: European Nut Roll, Conchas, Gibassier and Fresh as a Daisy Doughnuts
    • Cookies:  Levain Style Chocolate Chip Cookies, Spice Bars, Langue de Chat, Baci di Dama, and Mocha Kahlua Brownies,
    • Miscellaneous: Hazelnut Meringues with Raspberry Mascarpone Mousse, Individual Wedding Cakes,

    What I Found Out

    THIS IS THE PERFECT MIXER FOR BAKING AND PASTRY!!

    I have seen reference to the head of the machine bobbling and the mixer moving around when mixing. So, let's address these.

    I can only remember a few times in all the months I have worked with this machine that there was slight bobbling of the head of the machine. It was insignificant and in no way affected the mixing, end product or the machine itself. This most often occurs with heavy mixtures that are being beaten at too high a speed. All mixers will do this in the same conditions.

    It creams butter and sugar better than I’ve ever seen.  The  double edged scraper attachment creams so thoroughly and quickly producing a lighter, fluffier mixture that enhances any recipe. Using this attachment, I didn’t need to scrape the bowl at any point from the start to the finish of mixing.  I just put in the pans and baked it.

    About Making Bread

    Most breads, especially yeast breads are heavy, sticky doughs by nature.

    For most bread recipes, the mixture should clean the sides and bottom of the bowl when mixed unless it is a batter or artisan breads that tend to be very wet.  This mixer, even on the low speed as suggested, accomplishes that.  

    I particularly like the design of the bowl as the dough hook pulls all the flour in, whether from the sides or bottom without having to stop and scrape it down or push the flour into the center.  The doughs cleaned the bowl without any help from me. The bread dough from the dough hook photo was removed from the bowl and this is what the bowl looked like. It wasn't cleaned at all.

    Bread dough removed from the glass bowl leaving it almost clean.

    This Breville incorporates ingredients more thoroughly and completely than any machine I have used.  And faster!  One of the things I like about using the glass bowl for bread is that it cleans the sides of the bowl with no scraping or help.  It just keeps picking up the flour and incorporating it.  

    I have heard comments about the head of the machine “bobbling”.  I have found that, especially with bread, this can occur if the speed is raised too high.  It is recommended to keep it on folding/kneading, which is the lowest speed.  Truthfully, I thought it was too low, but it isn’t.  Even the leading American mixer suggests that speed for bread.  

    As to the machine moving or bouncing when running, my testing did not find that it happened at any time with any recipe.

    Conclusion

    This heavy duty mixer will help make you the best baker or pastry chef around. It uses the same planetary mixing action in my professional mixers and has full 360° coverage like the ones I use at work to produce beautiful desserts.

    There is free delivery within 5 to 7 days of ordering with a 30 day return. The Warranty includes 1 Year Repair with 5 Year Motor Warranty.

    If you are wondering at this point if I am just blinded by my love for the Breville Bakery Chef, here are a few other reviews for your consideration.

    The 7 Best Stand Mixers of 2023, Tested and Reviewed by Real Simple

    We Tested 21 Stand Mixers — Here Are Our Favorite Models by All Recipes

    The Best Stand Mixers of 2023 by USA Today

    The Best Stand Mixers for Cookies, Cakes, Bread, and Beyond by Epicurious

    The Techy Stuff - Equipment Specs

    Attachments: Scraper Beater, standard flat beater, dough hook, whisk, splash guard, pouring shield and bowl cover.

    Bowls:  5 quart Borosilicate Glass Bowl, 4 quart stainless steel bowl.

    Construction:  Die Cast Metal Mixer Body

    Wattage:  550 watts 

    Voltage:  110-120 volts

    Warranty:  1 year repair with 5-year motor warranty

    Dimensions - (WxDxH)11.4" x 14.8" x 14.3"

    Construction Materials - Die Cast Metal Mixer Body

    LED Display - Counts up when starting, or use the arrow buttons to set timer to count down.

    Load Sensing Technology - Detects when heavy dough and batters are being mixed and automatically adjust the power to maintain the selected speed

    Pause Button - Rotate dial to PAUSE to temporarily stop mixing

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    1. Maria says

      October 29, 2025 at 3:38 pm

      Thanks so much for posting such a thorough review. I am completely sold on the Breville brand...I have their food processer, which has been an absolute champ the past five plus years. Clicked on your affiliate link to purchase and, I'm sad to say, Breville no longer includes all of the attachments. The machine only comes with the extra bowl and scraper beater. With an additional $102 tacked on to the $450 - whew...ouch. Pressing pause for now, but hope to snag a sale soon. Thanks again for the great info!

      Reply
      • Helen S Fletcher says

        October 30, 2025 at 5:54 pm

        Hi Maria, I'm not sure what Breville you are looking at. The Breville Bakery Chef, one I reviewed that is connected to my link, has all of the extras including a 5 quart glass bowl and a 4 quart metal bowl,the beater, whisk, double sided scraper, flat beater, a pouring shield, and bowl cover. The Bakery Chef was previously priced when I reviewed it at $399.00. It is currently $450.00 which is a $50 increase. If you price out Kitchen Aides, a competing machine is more expensive with less attachments. Thank for your interest.

        Reply
    2. Laura says

      May 19, 2025 at 7:26 pm

      Do all of these attachments come with the mixer?
      How much flour (for bread) can you put in bowl at one time

      Reply
      • Helen S Fletcher says

        May 22, 2025 at 12:32 am

        Hi Laura - the do which is why I featured them in the photos and talked about them. I love the second smaller stainless steel bowl.

        Reply
    3. Judith Willson says

      March 27, 2025 at 1:04 am

      Dear Helen,
      Thank you for all the information you have given us about the Breville Bakery Chef. I am wanting to purchase one from you so could you please let me know the cost. Your report on this machine has been so thorough and helpful.
      I don't want the new one that they have brought out. I want to replace my old Brevill Bakery Chef with the two bowls and all the attachments, the exact one that you have shown on this site.
      Thank you, Judith

      Reply
      • Helen S Fletcher says

        March 27, 2025 at 8:10 am

        Hi Judith, I don't sell them, I only reviewed them. There is only one Bakery Chef mixer that I am aware of and it is the one I reviewed. I can't see that they have made a newer one. To make sure I get credit for the sale, just click on the "Buy Now Red Button" on the side. It will take you to their site where you can buy the mixer.

        Reply
    4. Priya says

      March 03, 2025 at 8:42 pm

      Is this mixer good for small quantities - for instance, 1.5 to 2 cups of flour?
      Thanks in advance!

      Reply
      • Helen S Fletcher says

        March 03, 2025 at 11:07 pm

        It has two bowls. A 4 quart stainless steel and a 5 quart glass bowl. The stainless steel bowl would work well for you.

        Reply
    5. Linde says

      January 03, 2025 at 3:08 pm

      I am also looking for a Breville in the stores. Nothing.

      Reply
      • Helen S Fletcher says

        January 04, 2025 at 10:22 am

        Hi Linde, KitchenAid has the market literally sown up. There used to be many more mixers that were carried by stores, but inventories are being kept to a minimum. Breville used to have their mixers in stores but evidently they weren't known enough for people to buy. That's my take, not Breville's. But I love the machine which is why I recommend it.

        Reply
    6. Remy says

      August 25, 2024 at 1:25 am

      Hi Candace,
      You did mention that you had the previous model "The scaper mixer Pro" which is substancially cheaper than this newer model that you have just reviewed. Besides the intergrated light and the extra bowl do you really see a big difference between both. I actually don't mind getting the newer model but I wanted it in stainless steel and for some reason it is only offered in different colors but not in SS which I find a bit bizarre and this reason alone is why I am holding back from getting either one for the moment. If you can answer my question and even better find out for me if they plan on introducing a SS version of the newer model I would greatly appreciate it.

      Reply
      • Helen S Fletcher says

        August 25, 2024 at 8:53 am

        Hi Remy, I do see a big difference not only in the looks, but in the performance as mentioned in the review. I believe their line is set and they aren't going to be issuing new colors.

        Reply
    7. Austin Baker says

      August 15, 2024 at 10:18 am

      Do you know why the Breville Bakery Chef stand mixer is no longer being sold in stores? I live in Austin Texas and they seem to have disappeared? I would like to buy local. Thanks in advance for any information on this product.

      Reply
      • Helen S Fletcher says

        August 15, 2024 at 10:18 pm

        Hi Austin - I don't know why but I suspect that it's because the stores push KitchenAid. It's hard to find anything other than that. They aren't in my area either.

        Reply
    8. Candace Daly says

      January 18, 2024 at 3:12 pm

      I too am in the market for a new stand mixer.
      I notice that all the reviews of other mixers exclude a review of the Bosch.
      I also owned a bakery back in the 80's and then continued to take orders for cookies and bread from home. My kitchenaids (3) have served me well however, at Christmas time, I'm faced with orders for up to 2,000 cookies or more and, according to their web site, the Bosch can handle dough for 36 dozen cookies at a time. I also like the idea of the "open top" of the mixer allowing for easier ingredient additions. What, if any, thoughts do you have with regard to this mixer?
      And BTW, it is 800 watts.

      Reply
      • Helen S Fletcher says

        January 18, 2024 at 3:40 pm

        Hi Candace, I have never used a Bosch so can't really speak to it. It did say it can hold 22 cups. From what I can see, it seems to be a mixer that would be used for someone like you that wants large batches of items. I wonder what it would do with 2 egg whites? Most mixers, even the Breville, can struggle with that - although their smaller bowl is a boon here. Sounds like you can't go wrong for what you want to do. As to why it is excluded? Because I don't see it as an occasional use mixer. Most home bakers aren't going to need that capacity. It does look interesting though.

        Reply
        • Candace Daly says

          January 19, 2024 at 9:56 am

          Thank you for replying. I take after my mother in that I can't seem to cook or bake on a small scale!
          I look forward to following your blog.

          Reply
          • Helen S Fletcher says

            January 19, 2024 at 9:58 am

            Hi Candace, I love that you're still baking - large batch or small batch!

            Reply
    9. Missy says

      November 27, 2023 at 3:40 pm

      I'm thinking of buying this, as my first stand mixer, but I often do very small batch items (small cakes, and bread loaves). Will the Breville mixer be okay for small batch baking? Thanks!

      Reply
      • Helen S Fletcher says

        November 28, 2023 at 6:51 am

        Hi Missy, not sure what small batch baking is. A loaf of bread, a 6" cake? How are you making them now? There is a 4 quart stainless bowl as well as the larger 5 quart. I have made large and small batches of everything including beating egg whites in the small bowl.

        Reply
    10. Cat says

      November 24, 2023 at 2:42 pm

      Helen - your review for your previous Breville was so informative, I shared it countless times on social media every time anyone requested input on which new mixer to get! I'd already bought a Kenwood, so never did go down the Breville mixer path, although I'm getting increasingly frustrated with its mega deep bowl (it's the DeLonghi iteration) which requires frequent scraping and sticky fingers, for all it does a wonder with egg whites and so on. If it gives up soon I'm definitely treating us to a shiny new Breville though! Thank you for yet another thoughtful and insightful review. Breville are very fortunate to have you!

      Reply
      • Helen S Fletcher says

        November 25, 2023 at 12:37 pm

        Hi Cat, thank you for your wonderful words. I do agree those deep bowls are a problem. The Breville is my fav as you can see.

        Reply
    11. Donna L says

      November 19, 2023 at 11:29 am

      Hi Helen,

      I wanted to reread your Breville mixer reviews from years ago when you replaced your Hobart mixer. I can't find it. All the links which I find (Breville vs KitchenAid, Breville 6 month update) take me to this exact page - this review of the newest Breville Bakery Chef mixer. I think things may have gotten mixed up amidst publishing and site updates?

      Thanks for looking into this! I hope you have a lovely Thanksgiving with your family!

      Reply
      • Helen S Fletcher says

        November 19, 2023 at 11:53 am

        Hi Donna, This is correct. There isn't a lot of sense in having reviews of machines that no longer exist so the only one now is the newest one. If you have a specific question or interest, I can try to address it. Happy Thanksgiving to your and yours also.

        Reply
    12. Kere Griffin says

      November 17, 2023 at 3:56 pm

      Hi Helen,
      It's because of a review you wrote about 7 years ago I brought the exact mixer in the royal champaign colour, and I am really happy with it. I was tossing up between a kitchen aid and Breville, and Breville won me over. I only wished they did the lid for the glass Jug back then. Would you know of they sell them separately?

      Reply
      • Helen S Fletcher says

        November 17, 2023 at 4:58 pm

        Hi Kere, I went to their site and found the lid here. I'm assuming the bowls are the same. Here is their customer service number if you wish to call them and confirm. 1 855 683 3535. Hope this helps.

        Reply
        • Kere Griffin says

          November 17, 2023 at 9:47 pm

          Thank you for the link, I am on to it. All the best
          Kere

          Reply
          • Helen S Fletcher says

            November 17, 2023 at 10:40 pm

            You're welcome.

            Reply
    13. SallyBR says

      November 17, 2023 at 8:15 am

      I absolutely loved the review, and of course, I am tempted but my KitchenAid is just 3 years old, I cannot quite justify getting a new mixer - but wow, so many bells and whistles.... which, I must say is what worries me a bit - so many things can potentially break, and then what? I have bought extended warranty in the past only to have the darn machine break AFTER the extended warranty expired, or to have to deal with shipping a super heavy piece of equipment and the hassle was not worth it. So, I don't know - if I had a full-time well paying job, I could very well go for it, but as things stand right now..... not a good move ;-( I love love LOVE your review, though. I shared it with hubby... (wink, wink)

      Reply
      • Helen S Fletcher says

        November 17, 2023 at 8:32 am

        Hi Sally, interesting comment. I never buy extended warranties and, for some reason, I have not ever needed one. I will tell you that my previous Breville which I had for 7 years prior to this one, never had a single problem. I don't anticipate any with this one either. In all the reviews I researched there wasn't a single mention of something going wrong with the machine. That's not to say it wouldn't or won't on some rare occasion. I never had to return a food processor, mixer, blender, etc. and, as you know, I use my equipment a lot more than the average person. My thinking is if the light ever goes out, it goes out. If the timer on the side of the machine ever stops working, I'll use a manual timer. It isn't the bells and whistles that got me, it's the two bowls, the scraper, its overall mixing ability which I think is superior and it's priced right compared to other machines. You know me, I wouldn't suggest anything if I didn't believe in it. Thanks for the comment though. I think it is very helpful.

        Reply
    14. Leslie B. says

      November 17, 2023 at 12:54 am

      Hi Helen. I thought I posted a question about where the Breville mixer is manufactured earlier, but I donโ€™t see it here. Can you shed some light on that, please. Thanks. Your review is very persuasive!!

      Reply
      • Helen S Fletcher says

        November 17, 2023 at 8:16 am

        You did. I am awaiting an answer from Breville. Can I ask why this is so important. I'm assuming China since everything seems to be made there.

        Reply
    15. David Stong says

      November 16, 2023 at 1:29 pm

      Helen, I have a Kitchen Aid mixer from 1970 (Harvest gold no less). I love it, but I read your original comparison between the new Kitchen Aids and Brevilles and swore that if my mixer gives up the ghost, Iโ€™d get a Breville. This post is excellent; I think I wonโ€™t wait for my mixer to grind away. I see a new Breville for Christmas. Thanks for your excellent work , Helen. Your column is always a dependable source for recipes and information.

      Reply
      • Helen S Fletcher says

        November 16, 2023 at 2:33 pm

        Hi David, You will love it. Wait till you see the light shining in your bowl. Thanks for the kind words.

        Reply
    16. Rosemary Mark says

      November 16, 2023 at 12:01 pm

      What an incredibly detailed review! I'm not quite ready to replace my (30+yr Kitchenaid) but I am very tempted by your enthusiasm for this mixer. Maybe just for the mixer light alone :)

      Reply
      • Helen S Fletcher says

        November 16, 2023 at 2:30 pm

        Thanks Rosemary, The light is a game changer. My husband was always trying to figure out how to put a light on my previous mixers. Interesting, they thought of it also.

        Reply
    17. Leslie B. says

      November 16, 2023 at 10:24 am

      Helen, thanks for this review. Hard to imaginge me parting ways with my motherโ€™s KA at this point in my life, but I enjoyed learning what you experienced. Where is the Breville made?

      Reply
      • Helen S Fletcher says

        November 17, 2023 at 8:39 am

        Answered above.

        Reply
    18. Diane G Perris says

      November 16, 2023 at 8:44 am

      Hi there, Helen! Well, you and I have communicated and played detective about this mixer for a long time. I so appreciated all your help as I struggled to work through the kinks that I was experiencing.
      I've been using the Breville for almost a year now and for the most part I've come to like it a lot better. I still think my Kitchenaid Pro bowl-lift does a better job with heavy batches of cookie dough and bread but that's just personal preference. I haven't pulled it out at all in the last 6 months.
      One thing that is really important to note, I think, if people are thinking about ordering this as a Christmas gift, is that Breville has a 30 day return policy. This was a bit of a conundrum for my husband, who wanted to make sure he ordered the mixer for me last year in plenty of time for it to get here by Christmas. So it sat under the tree for a few weeks, and then I didn't get to trying it out for a few more weeks. By the time I tried it out and wasn't a huge fan, it was too late to return it.
      Fortunately, as I've said, I've come to really like it but that return window can bungle things up if you're trying not to have someone receive it until a particular date.
      Happy holidays! Can't wait to make your Sable Breton cookies next.

      Reply
      • Helen S Fletcher says

        November 16, 2023 at 2:28 pm

        Hi Diane, I'm happy to hear you are enjoying the mixer. Thank you so much bringing my attention to the 30 day return policy. I have reached out to see what can be done about it. Maybe something, maybe nothing. I'll post it as soon as I hear. The Sables are one of my favs. Happy Holidays to you and keep up the good work in those high altitudes.

        Reply
    19. Meg Adler says

      November 16, 2023 at 7:53 am

      Helen,

      Thanks so much for making yourself reachable.

      I am so glad that I have reconnected with you. I fondly remember you from U. City.

      I will for sure look into this mixer.

      Meg Karsh Adler (Petie and Bobโ€™s daughter)

      Reply
      • Helen S Fletcher says

        November 16, 2023 at 2:17 pm

        Hi Meg - so excited to hear from you. I'll be in touch shortly.

        Reply
    20. Kathy Parathyras says

      November 16, 2023 at 7:31 am

      Hi Helen, Thank you for your extremely thorough review of the Breville mixer. I still use my Kitchenaid which my husband purchased for me for Christmas, 1976. There's a small part of me that would love to ask for the Breville for Christmas - but my Kitchenaid has served me so well for the past 47 years I think I would feel a little disloyal. (LOL) What would you do?

      By the way, I look forward to your blog posts every week.
      Best Regards and Happy Thanksgiving,
      Kathy Parathyras

      Reply
      • Helen S Fletcher says

        November 16, 2023 at 2:16 pm

        Hi Kathy, You are so kind and appreciate it. Here is how I came to buy my first Breville mixer years ago. I had the original 5 quart Hobart lift bowl mixer that Julia Childs used on her first show. It took a while to track it down, but when I found it, I snatched it up, even in those days we didn't have a lot of expendable income. It was literally on it's last leg making weird noises and I knew it's time had come. I started researching mixers and came across the previous Breville. I bought it and loved it. Kitchenaid bought the patent for the original Hobart. I am loyal to a fault with many things. But equipment is important to me and I just feel this machine is the best one yet. Your machine is not going to last forever. It's had a great run, but I would definitely go for this newer machine. As someone besides me said, the light is worth the price. Happy Thanksgiving to you and yours.

        Reply
        • Kathy Parathyras says

          November 16, 2023 at 8:33 pm

          Thank you, Helen. I've decided to ask for the Breville for my 70th birthday. (In February)

          Reply
          • Helen S Fletcher says

            November 16, 2023 at 10:26 pm

            I really think you will love this machine. We formerly young ladies have to stick together. So happy to hear you are still baking.

            Reply
    21. Mark Mayer says

      November 16, 2023 at 7:24 am

      Helen,

      I bought the Bakery Chef a couple of years ago based on your recommendation. It has been much more reliable than my past two Kitchen Aids, takes up less space, makes less noise and looks nice, too! My 63 year old eyes also appreciate the light and the glass bowl!

      One side note- I returned from visiting my family in Italy just as you published the cuccidati recipe. I picked up groceries that day and noticed that the checker accidentally threw some European salted butter in my bag. What would I do with it? I always purchase unsalted. A lightbulb turned on. Why not make Helen Fletcherโ€™s Gรขteau Breton and fill it with this instead of the prune or apricot? As always, thanks for the education.

      Reply
      • Helen S Fletcher says

        November 16, 2023 at 2:08 pm

        Hi Mark - What a great solution. This filling would be wonderful. Love how clever you are.

        Reply
    22. Amy says

      November 16, 2023 at 6:58 am

      Just for clarity, did you have to return the machine, or did Breville allow you to keep it? Thanks.

      Reply
      • Helen S Fletcher says

        November 16, 2023 at 2:07 pm

        Hi Amy, I bought my first Breville and reviewed it. It was working fine but several people asked about the new one. Breville gave it to me to keep.

        Reply
    23. Nan I. Kitagawa says

      November 16, 2023 at 2:48 am

      Hi Helen,

      I appreciated the thorough review and your fans for asking about the Breville mixer.

      Happy Thanksgiving,

      Nan

      Reply
      • Helen S Fletcher says

        November 16, 2023 at 5:09 am

        Thanks Nan and Happy Thanksgiving to you also.

        Reply

    Hi, I'm Helen! Being a self-taught baker and owning a bakery for over 25 years, I found many ways to make baking more successful and less intimidating. Even busy people can bake as in many cases, recipes can be done over days. The goal is to make your baking life easier, more enjoyable, with great outcomes on a consistent basis.

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