Bosch CreationLine kitchen machine review

First impressions of the Bosch CreationLine

The 'MUM' acronym in the CreationLine’s product code stands for ‘Multi Use Machine’ and stems from the German product name, 'Multi Use Maschine'. But that isn't explained on the packaging and could be a turn-off for English-speaking consumers, who might confuse it for gender stereotyping.

In response to BBC Good Food's questioning on the issue, Bosch confirmed that the brand will be moving away from the 'MUM' naming convention this year (2021). An explanation of the name’s origin on the UK website would be beneficial until that happens.

This is a modern re-imagining of the classic stand mixer, designed to sit ‘landscape’ on your work surface and therefore be less obtrusive. It's powerful, with a 1000W motor for kneading up to 1.9kg of dough with the included dough hook. And thanks to the machine’s non-slip feet, it’s incredibly stable while churning away.

A patisserie set of attachments (including a flexi stirring whisk with silicone edge; height-adjustable beating whisk; and kneading hook with gear protector) arrive in a zip bag in one pocket. In the other pocket are four food processor discs (including a reversible disc for slicing and grating and reversible shredding disc) for use with the continuous shredder attachment. All are dishwasher safe. We tested the continuous shredder attachment and its four discs with potatoes, carrots and cheese, all of which it blitzed through with ease.

How easy was the Bosch CreationLine to use?

Attaching the stand mixer accessories is an easy push-on affair. Press the silver button and the EasyArmLift lock releases to give you space to do this. The partly brushed stainless steel bowl twists and locks into place, settling grip-lip outwards for easy manoeuvring. The clear lid slips over the bowl to help keep ingredients in – it’s possible (though not recommended) to do so even when the machine is on.

A touch-screen control panel, found on the left-hand side, is where you reset scales and select your weight metric (grams or lbs) and time. Ingredients are measured directly into the bowl. It weighs in increments of five grams which is fine for recipes with rounded quantities, but for more accurate weighing (for example, our chelsea bun recipe requires 14 grams of yeast) you'll need to use kitchen scales instead. Once the machine is turned on, the speed is controlled using an intuitive twist-dial and the LED screen switches from scale function to a count-up timer.

The pulse function is available alongside the speed settings. Electronic safety shut-off prevents the unexpected starting of the motor, alongside a power-on safety lock and overload fuse. The automatic cable rewind works much like those you get with a vacuum cleaner – incredibly satisfying to use.

Results of using the Bosch CreationLine kitchen machine

All the stand mixer attachments sit low in the bowl and reach the majority of ingredients. The '3D movement' mentioned on the Bosch website means each attachment spins widely around the bowl in a rhythm that helps reach all the ingredients.

The whisk attachment is height adjustable and a large, robust stainless steel balloon design is so efficient that four egg whites whipped into stiff peaks in less than two minutes. We achieved thick, glossy meringue in just under four minutes.

The stirring whisk has a silicone edge that scrapes the sides of the bowl while beating. It handled chunks of softened butter easily and creamed it with sugar in two minutes. Conveniently, you can switch between scales and attachment mode during use. So, for example, you can weigh the flour going into the bowl once the butter, sugar and eggs have creamed together.

The orange and lemon cake we made was light and fluffy, showing a good rise in the middle and evenly dispersed zest throughout.

The dough hook took a bit longer and the bowl required the occasional scrape-down during use. Being plastic, the body flexed slightly with heavy, sticky dough. But when pushed to a higher speed to test its robustness, it handled the gear change well.

Particularly useful is the ‘automatic parking' function. When you stop the machine, the attachment in use automatically switches position to the back of the bowl. This means you can scrape-down edges easily.

Conclusion

The Bosch CreationLine's dual functionality (both a stand mixer and food processor) is a feature unmatched by most other major brands on the market right now. Thanks to the smart storage pouch, the accessories can be stored inside the bowl when not in use.

The main body is easy to wipe clean; speed control is intuitive to use; all the accessories are dishwasher safe; there are useful hand grooves for lifting the machine; and retractable cord storage. This machine gets top marks for versatility, ease of use and results.

Bosch CreationLine MUM5XW10 kitchen machine specifications

Serial number: MUM5XW10
Wattage: 1000W
Product weight: 7kg
Speed settings/pulse functions: 7
Functions: Mixing, stirring, whisking, kneading, shredding, grating, slicing
Accessories: Professional patisserie set contains: flexi stirring whisk with silicone edge, professional beating whisk, kneading hook. Continuous shredder includes four discs: grating disc medium-fine, reversible disc for slicing and grating, reversible shredding disc and reversible slicing disc for an extra size. Transparent lid with filler hole.
Capacity of bowl: 3.9l bowl with a grip-rim, 2.7l capacity for whisk, 1.9Kg for dough hook
Warranty: 2-year

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