Its that time of year again when Magimix, the world leaders in Food Processors roll out their Spring promotion. This season, whenever you buy a Magimix Food Processor, you can claim back a FREE Creative Kit.

Whats in a Creative kit? Well, stuff that helps you ‘Create More’. Whoops, that’s Kenwood’s new strap line! But essentially, with the kit you get 3 processing discs, normally worth £49.99, and they can julienne vegetables and and slice them, allowing you to make some great salads and more.

You’ll get a free:

Fluted disc – Achieves a wavy slice suitable for
crisps or decorative vegetables

Wide Julienne disc – Ideal for wide, thinly sliced
fruit or vegetables suitable
for stir-fry or salads.

Julienne disc – Ideal for producing fine
chips and small batons
of fruit and vegetables.

Claim your free kit today, simply order at: http://www.electricshopping.com/magimix-food-processors

Metro London had an interesting article in it on the 23rd of November looking at what professional chefs have inside their own kitchens. Fun to note that Duncan Barham of The Grove in Wales both made a £2450 mistake on caviar and also has the fantastic Cuisinart waffle maker in his own kitchen. The fashionable Nespresso machine is also a hit it seems with Richard Davies of the Michelin starred Manor House in Castle Coombe.

To have a peep though the article yourself, click the copy of it below, reproduced of course with thanks to the Metro London.

Enjoy!

BPA or Bisphenol A is an organic compound used in the manufacture of plastics and is commonly found in kettles that are made from plastic or have plastic components. Around the world, health organisations and governments have been investigating the effects of BPA on the human body and the response from each has been similar. In Europe, the EU have said that it is generally safe as long as the product is ‘used as intended’ while as recently as November 2010, have ruled somewhat conversely that the compound should be banned in the manufacture of baby products, such as baby bottles.  The UK’s stance on BPA is that it is fine and safe for use, as the exposure we all get is well below levels that would be harmful to health. Across the Atlantic the United States Food and Drugs Administration raised concerns in 2010 about the safety of the compound with particular concern for babies and foetuses. With so much conflicting information on BPA and its effects, it’s easy to be confused about what the truth really is.

Recent studies suggest that the compound may have detrimental effects on human health.  There is evidence that links exposure to the compound to various health conditions, including obesity, reproductive problems, coronary problems, diabetes, genetic defects and even increased susceptibility to prostate cancer.  The data suggests that people who are subjected to BPA are at a greater risk during the earlier stages of development, i.e.  pre-natal and neonatal stages.

Knowing what we now know about BPA, and more importantly what we don’t know about it, some have thought it best to stay away from products that contain it. Though the compound is neither persistent in the environment, nor in the human body, there is still a constant exposure to the substance.  The principal source of BPA in humans is through diet, though the foods we eat do not inherently contain the compound, nor is it found in nature.  Bisphenol A tends to get into the food that we eat from the containers the foods are stored or prepared, such as bottles, cans, pots and yes, even kettles. Some investigations into the release of BPA from the plastic show that there is a greater release of the compound when the plastic is heated, this means that extra care should be taken for example when heating foods in plastic containers, and in our case, boiling water in kettles.

Here at electricshopping.com, we have had a number of customers contacting us to ask which products have BPA in them, so we thought we would compile this list to help you make an informed decision on your next kettle. After all, we all want to make sure that we are as healthy as we possibly can be! You’ll find a list of our main kettle manufacturers below, and if their products contain BPA. This list was compiled in June 2011, so by the time you read this it may have changed a little. The general trend we found however was that all brands were working towards removing BPA from their products, it looks like it’s the end of the road for this little compound in the plastics we use to store and heat food and drink.

We hope that providing you with the most up to date information on BPA has been helpful, electricshopping.com offers a wide range of kettles that are BPA-free.  We offer BPA-free kettles  starting at around just £15, including free UK delivery. While we don’t yet know the exact effects of Bisphenol A on our health, choosing a BPA free kettle may be a wise choice nonetheless. Whichever product you choose, you can be confident that you are getting the product developed with your wellbeing in mind and at a price that suits your budget. We stock well over 100 different models, click here to find the perfect kettle for you.

* Update 11/10/11 – We have a customer who kindly contacted us to say that Kenwood kettles are NOT BPA free, this is not what we have been told on this issue by Kenwood, so you may like to check if the model you are interested in is 100% BPA free. Thanks to EH for pointing this out.

With Summer just around the corner, we have started to see some of our more popular ice cream makers starting to shift off our shelves and into our little electricshopping.com brown boxes to find their new homes. So with all the ice cream brands and flavours you’ll find in your local supermarket, some ask us, ‘what’s the point in owning one?’. One of the best things about owning an ice cream maker is that you will have the chance to make your very own flavours.  You can get as creative as you like and use a wide mix of ingredients to develop delicious and healthy ice cream flavours. The one that I was most proud of was made simply with loads of dark chocolate, with 80% cocoa, melted with some sugar syrup and a touch of vanilla. Yum!

Ice Cream, without the nasties.

Most people love ice cream but unfortunately the choices available from the supermarket are usually high in fats and sugar.  If you have an ice cream maker then you have the opportunity to control the ingredients in your ice cream.  This means you can create some great flavours that are lower in fat and sugar and also incorporate some healthy options such as fresh fruit or yoghurt.

Ice cream makers are also great for those with special dietary requirements.  You can make sure your ice cream flavours do not contain any ingredients you or members of your family are allergic too such as dairy or nuts. All ice cream makers are also just as good at making a sorbet, and if you love a fresh fruit taste to your sorbet, you’ll love it more when you can choose the exact fruit that’s going into your mix.; try watermelon and strawberry for instance.

Choosing an Ice Cream Maker

We stock a wide range of ice cream makers, to be honest, most of them work in exactly the same way, so you may be choosing on style rather than substance. The main difference between them is if they have an on board freezer, the ones that do, such as the top of the range Cuisinart Ice Cream Maker,will freeze as you go, meaning you don’t need to pre-freeze the work bowl and the results you get are consistently better. Here are some of the things to look out for when buying an ice cream maker:
•    Size and Capacity – how many people are you cooking for?
•    Pre-Freezer or Removable Freezing Bowl Options
•    Cycle Time
•    Additional Equipment (spare paddles, pouring jugs, freezer bowls etc)
•    Safety features (non-slip feet, locking lids, bowl handles etc)

Ready to buy? We sell a wide range of ice cream makers online from well known brands such as Magimix, Kenwood and Cuisinart. Click here to view the range.

Update 31/05: Buy any Magimix Ice Cream maker before 31/08/11 and you can get a free receipt book!

Calling all coffee connoisseurs, caffeine-junkies and java-freaks, if you love your cup of steaming freshly brewed coffee, then it’s time you you had a taste of Nespresso. For true coffee lovers and connoisseurs, perfect coffee is not just an indulgence, it is a lifestyle.

Black gold, with an intense aroma

Nespresso is winning the battle of the brand when it comes to capsule coffee, and for good reason. It’s also the brand we use in our office coffee machines – yep, with everything we have on offer to us at electricshopping, we have all chosen Nespresso. Why? We love it as it tastes great, is quick and is mess and fuss free. With most espresso machines, you will need to add the coffee ground, pat them down, then connect the grounds holder to the machine, wait for it to heat up and then start the coffee cycle. Once you are done, you then have to clean up. With Nespresso, you just add the capsule, press the button and…. well that’s it really, you just can enjoy from then on. Simple huh?

For those who say that they will only drink the finest coffee and would not imagine ever drinking something that’s not been ground in front of them, Nespresso say:

The non-stop quest for perfection begins with the transformation of the finest green coffees into exquisite Nespresso Grands Crus offering full-bodied taste, exceptional aromas, and perfect crema.  Moreover, Nespresso ensure that coffee farmers and their communities benefit from a shared dedication to highest quality coffee through the Nespresso Ecolabaration program.  These exclusive Grand Cru coffees, combined with stylish, east-to-use espresso machines and personalised services are all designed to guarantee you moments of genuine coffee pleasure wherever, whenever and however you wish.

The Nespresso capsule is amazing in its simplicity, each has a perfectly measured portion of premium coffee and is sealed to protect it from light and humidity, which will degrade coffee in normal environments, keeping your coffee at its best. The high pressure extraction means you also get a lovely creama layer on top of your cup, every time. brilliant.

So, interested? you can find out more about Nespresso at our Nespresso store and whats more, if you place an order between March 31st and May31st, you will get £40 to spend on free coffee from the Nespresso club, that’s over 150 cups of espresso, enough to keep even the most die hard coffee fan awake and alert! Machine prices start from under £100.

April’s edition of Good Housekeeping magazine has done a great little test of some of the top food processors on the market, the article is helpful and highlights some of the most common questions our customers ask us when choosing a food processor. When you are selecting one, especially one that’s  at the high end of the market, you need to know that it will last for years and also will do the job you need.

The machines on test in the article are:

• Kenwood FP950
• Cuisinart FPDCSU
• Bosch MC4100
• Breville VFP013
• Dualit Compact

The winner of their tests was the fantastic all rounder, the Kenwood FP950 that wins thanks to its efficient chopping, multiple speeds and lots of attachments. You can download the full article here.

Sorry for the radio silence of late blog-fans, we have been super busy in the office preparing for lots of exciting things over the next few months. We wanted to update you all on some results from the Which? cookware survey.

Three brands from Meyer Group have taken first and joint third Best Buy awards in an in-depth laboratory test of saucepans, undertaken by consumer watchdog Which? The results appear in the December issue of the consumer magazine. So for those of you who must have the very best in cookware, the Which? boffins have spoken!

The overall Best Buy, scoring an impressive 82%, was the Prestige non-stick aluminium saucepan. Taking joint third place was Raymond Blanc by Anolon Professional saucepan  and Circulon Infinite saucepan; both of which scored 80% in the laboratory tests.

All saucepans were scored on weight and balance, performance, durability, corrosion and ease of use. Testers said The Prestige non-stick aluminium saucepan scored full marks for weight, balance, performance and corrosion. It was the most efficient Best Buy for heating water and maintaining heat, while the non-stick base spread heat evenly, preventing scorching. Which? testers also commented on the comfortable silicone handle and how the pan’s balance made it easy to pour contents out.

Which? awarded Raymond Blanc by Anolon full marks for performance and durability, commenting that out of all the saucepans tested, it was the most effective distributor of heat, extremely durable exterior and generous in its capacity.

Circulon Infinite was awarded full marks for its performance, with testers noting that it had the most even heat distribution which prevented it burning food. Testers also liked the fact it had a generous capacity, could withstand oven temperatures up to 240°C because of its stainless steel lid and that it was robust enough to handle repeated cleaning in a dishwasher.

You will find a wide range of cookware in stock and with free delivery at electricshopping, for the whole range, click here for our wide selection of premium pots and pans.

Remember, remember the 5th of November! Fireworks night is a great excuse to have some friends round to celebrate the fact that parliament was not blown up, by, err… blowing stuff up! Its also a chance to make some wholesome, warming and tasty food to show off your cooking skills, as well as your pyrotechnic ones.

Lots of sites offer some ideas for good food for the night, all are generally warming and filling, great for eating out of bowls and not too messy. My number one dish, generally, is a fantastic chilli. Made with love and with lots of slow cooking, and a cube of dark chocolate, its generally a winner. Thankfully, loads of sites also say this is a good one for fireworks night, perhaps as the fire in your mouth can match the ones in the sky? Ok, enough puns now, they are awful! I’ve tried having baked potatoes too with the chilli, but have always found I prefer it with rice.

Rachel Allens Stew, Image from BBC

Other great ideas for the night have been jotted down by the guys at the new and improved BBC food website, and I’m loving the sound of the soups, especially if you have some left over pumpkin from Halloween. Rachel Allen’s Bacon and sausage stew with beans also looks like a treat, and quicker to make then a chilli. All you need is some beans, bacon and sausages, plus the herbs you will probably have in your kitchen anyway.

The main trick for these amazingly flavourful meals is slow cooking, and if you don’t have one yet, a slow cooker should be on your Christmas list. They are great for families and if you all work during the day you sat set it up in the morning and come home to a lovely meal. We stock a wide range of them, so if you want to give it a go, now’s a great time. Let us know how you get on!

We are helping Cuisinart celebrate the Soupmakers 1st birthday, and the person to get the gift is You! We are giving away a free Cuisinart Soup Maker to a lucky winner simply for answering what we think is a super simple question.

Allowing you to cook, blend & serve in one little unit, the soup maker is all you need to make amazing and warming soups this winter. From start to finish in around just 20 minutes the soup maker will cook raw ingredients, chop them up and then blend them. Its easy to clean when you are done too!

> To find out more about the Cuisinart Soup Maker, click here

> To enter our competition to win one, just click here and answer the simple question.

Good luck!

For an item that has been discontinued for a long while now, the Jack LaLanne juicer is still a product we are constantly asked about. It made its début on home shopping channels and rightly so created a lot of buzz. It was one of the first juicers to have the wide fruit spout so you would not have to chop up a whole fruit to use it. It was also really easy to clean and got more juice out of a fruit than most other juicers on the market.

So far so good right? But that was then and this is now, the jack LaLanne juicer, pictured to the left is a thing of the past, unlike the guy it was names after, who is the ripe old age of 96 at the time of writing this! Goes to show… an apple a day!

Jack LaLanne Juicer Alternatives

Since the juicer came out there have been lots of other models that have taken the idea and improved on it, so why you all still ask for this old model is a bit baffling for us! Move with the times people! Here are a few alternatives:

	The Kenwood JE810 is Kenwoods flagship model and also has the fruit chute you seem to love! Its made from stainless steel, has dishwasher safe parts and also gets lots of juice out of the fruit or veg.
	The Breville JE15 Juicer has a celebrity chefs backing (for all thats worth) but again has the key benefits of the Jack Juicer. This ones a bit more plasticy than the Kenwood model, but our customers seem to prefer this one. its slightly larger and also may be a bit easier to clean.
	The Krups ZX7000 pro juicer is one we have thrown in here as a wild card, not a do-it-all juicer, but fantastic at citrus fruit. Its full metal construction means this is suitable for even professional kitchens, all at a price that was less than Jack’s.

Happy juicing everybody!