Kenwood Chef A901

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jmurray01

Well-known member
Joined
Dec 12, 2011
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Location
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I saw this machine on Gumtree for £2 and without even thinking twice snapped it up.  Now I look at it, it may be quite an old model.


 


It hasn't been tested yet but the previous owner advised that it runs but only when the dial passes "3", below that it doesn't turn on.  I'll have to check that out for myself.


 


Please check out the below pictures and let me know if you have any information!


 


 

[this post was last edited: 7/21/2015-14:29]

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Also, I don't know the first thing about food mixers so a general "lesson" on using them and their maintenance would be very helpful too.


 


I have only just went on eBay to research this model and saw a listing for a drive belt, which I didn't even know this had.  As far as I knew all mixers were direct drive - shows how much I know!
 
Check out a Yahoo group called WACEM (We Actually Collect Electric Mixers). They may be able to answer your questions. Lots of knowledgeable people there, as passionate about mixers as folks on Vacuumland are about vacuum cleaners.
 
The A901 model is probably the longest running model, James from the mid 1970s throughout the 1980s although the rarer colour is a bright orange one. My parents had the white one as a wedding gift. Heavy but durable - far more durable than some of the higher powered models sold today. I'd keep it if I were you unless you aren't really going to use it, or keep it as a long running model. See Wikipedia link for almost truthful history.

Also those A901s are usually sought after as the D shaped mixing bowl in later Chef models weren't as good.

http://https//en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kenwood_Chef
 
Thanks Nar, and don't worry - I'll be using it!!


 


Back before I started full-time work a couple of years ago I was baking more than the whole street could eat, and I fully intend to get back into that again.  Once cleaned up and back to full working order this mixer will be in daily use.


 


I will check out that Wikipedia page - to be honest I hadn't even bothered looking as I didn't think it would have one!  It seems the Chef range was much more popular than I had imagined.
 
Glad I could help - they are great workhorses and that A901 has a few spares kicking about. I've often sworn by the Chef's ability to make sponge cakes airy because of the whisk and planetary action. A few agree with me, who own Kenwood Chef models.
 
£2 is a bargain, you did well there. Virtually any Kenwood Chef is salvageable, but yours doesn't appear to be in too bad a condition which helps from the get go. I think with very little additional outlay, and some time and elbow grease, you'll have a nice mixer that will last for many more years to come.

The only concern is the speed control, particularly if as you say it doesn't start until the knob has been turned beyond setting 3. It's not unusual for the speed control to fail on these due to age, due to one of more of the electronic components blowing. If this is the case, the mixer will still operate, but may run erratically, fail to go through all the speeds correctly, or kick out smoke. Sometimes this doesn't show up in initial testing, only when the mixer is given a good, hard run for the first time in years.

There are repair kits available to fix the speed control issue, and they're not expensive. They do require soldering however (which I cannot do, hence why I roped a mate into doing mine for me). It's a good idea to replace the feet at the same time, because if they have worn away, airflow through the base of the machine will be restricted, leading to overheating. Good idea to check the carbon brushes while you're at it too. The belt is inexpensive to replace, but if still in good condition can easily be re-tensioned simply by adjusting the motor mountings.

An eBay seller offering the repair kit (besides lots of other parts) is:

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/like/1213...3=1&ff11=ICEP3.0.0-L&ff12=67&ff13=80&ff14=108

Note they also offer a kit with carbon brushes and/or feet for only a little extra. I've used this seller before, and can recommend them personally.

Another source worth trying is:

http://www.kenwoodchefrepair.co.uk/Kenwood-Chef-A901-Repair-Kit

Note this seller offers to fit the kit for you at a cost of £25, inclusive of parts, if you don't feel confident doing it yourself.

Remember, your machine is a 901, NOT the later 901E. Although they both look the same, the speed control is where they differ.

Yet another option would be to upgrade your machine to take the current motor and speed control setup. This is more costly, but gives you a quieter, more powerful motor with greater speed control and a pulse function. Fitting this requires you to file out a small notch in the motor casting, hidden behind the speed control knob:

https://www.kenwoodchefrestore.co.uk/shop/kenwood-chef-motor-replacement-a901-upgrade-kit-part

Other than that, while you have the mixer apart, give everything a good scrub and polish and I think you'll be surprised at how well it turns out. The paintwork on yours looks to be in good condition, and the odd battle scar isn't always a bad thing because it shows the machine has been well loved through the years. They're not difficult to work on, and are easy to disassemble and put back together, but if you get stuck just say the word and I can give you some pointers.
 
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Jamie, that ad seems to have been removed, so we can't see what it is you were referring to. If you can tell us what the item is, and maybe provide a pic, we can advise if it's suitable for your particular machine.
 
Ah, now I see. Yes, that will fit your machine, goes right into the front power outlet. I have one of these too and think it's brilliant, one of the more useful attachments IMHO.

Do bear in mind, when buying used/vintage attachments, it's important to check the model number. The cream maker, for example, was available as either the A727, or the A927. Looks identical, but the fitting is different. In this case, you want the latter version. Most modern attachments will fit your machine also, except the odd one or two that were made exclusively for the Titanium series, likewise the new Chef Sense line.

New Kenwood attachments are still excellent quality, but it must be said many of them are rather expensive. I think secondhand is the best way to go, provided they are complete, in good condition and given a thorough scrub before use. On eBay, people are always listing accessories that were used a handful of times and then packed away and forgotten about, or even still NIB. Fairly recently I managed to pick up a mincer, multi-mill and Thermo Resist glass blender someone was selling as a bundle, all brand new and boxed, for less than the retail price of the mincer alone.

Won't be long til you have an array of accessories - when you have a Kenwood, collecting the attachments is half the fun!
 
Forgot to add...

Link below takes you to the attachment matrix on the Kenwood Chef Restore website. Lists the accessories with their model numbers, and shows which machines they are compatible with. Well worth referring to when scouting out used attachments, saves the disappointment of buying something only to find it doesn't fit.

http://kenwoodchefrestore.co.uk/Kenwood Attachments Compatibility.html
 

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