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Note: This product has been discontinued by the manufacturer.
Manufactured by “Eclipse”
Product information:
- 750 Watts (see note)
- 3 speeds, plus a “pulse”
- Electronic touch control pad
- Includes: base, plastic mixing bowl, bowl cover and splash ring, dough hook, French whisks, blender with lid
- Dimensions: Height 7.5″, Width 13.75″, Depth 9.25″
- Weight 12.75 lbs
- 110VAC / 60hz/ 750watts
- Made in Korea
- UL listing: The Dimension 2000 as of the date of this review is not UL listed.
Note: According to some marketing ads, the Dimension 2000 is described as having an “800 watt” motor. According to the information listed on the product itself, the product book supplied by the manufacturer and verbal confirmation from the manufacturer, the Dimension 2000 is actually 750 watts.
Product Review Summary:
The Dimension 2000 is a newly arrived large mixer, joining the Bosch Universal and other Bosch models, as well as the DLX and the KTec Kitchen Champ.
The first thing I noticed when I looked at the Dimension 2000 was that the Dimension 2000 looks almost exactly like the industry-standard Bosch Universal. However, in my side by side kitchen-testing, comparing the Bosch Universal and the Dimension 2000 in actual operation, there were some significant differences noted. In my tests, I not only evaluated the Dimension 2000 on its own and tested the marketing claims of the Dimension 2000, but also compared it to the Bosch Universal.
In my kitchen-testing, the Dimension 2000 adequately performed its tasks – kneading, mixing, whipping and blending. I was generally pleased with the overall product results from the Dimension 2000 and it did a good job with bread, pasta dough, cookies, blending etc. However, there were some areas of concern raised while using the Dimension 2000 which will be addressed below.
Manufacturing:
As noted above, the Dimension 2000 looks like an almost exact copy of the Bosch Universal, with a few differences.
- One of the positive differences in the Dimension 2000 design is the solid center post (with no holes around the metal shaft as in the Bosch). This does a good job of keeping the dough from going down the center shaft openings. However, it should be noted that Bosch has two options to rectify the openings in the center post, one option is a dough guard and another is an updated design of the kneading arm, both which are reported to take care of the problem in with dough in the center of the Bosch. It should be further said that the design of the Dimension 2000 which simply does not have the holes in the center post, is by far better in this respect, because it totally eliminates the problem by design.
- Another positive feature of the Dimension 2000 is the lower “mixing” speed. I found this helpful in adding ingredients while the machine was running, but conversely, I found it was not an adequate kneading speed and I used the higher speeds to knead.
- The upper part of the blender on the Dimension 2000 was appealing to me since the blender jar and the blades were slightly wider than the Bosch blender and blades. Again, they are very close in appearance to the current Bosch Universal, and in actuality, the Dimension 2000 blender resembles an earlier version of the Bosch Universal blender which was slightly wider and had slightly wider blades. I did prefer the Dimension 2000 blender design, with the notable exception of the Dimension 2000 blender bottom and how it just sits on the blender base without locking (*see below)
Some of the differences with the Dimension 2000 which are very concerning to me:
- The fittings on both the bowl bottom and the base of the Dimension 2000, (which interlock and secure the bowl to the base) are plastic. Over time and use, with heat and friction, plastic parts can be worn down, become weak and break. In comparison, the fittings on the Bosch Universal bowl and base are both metal, which has been proven to stand up well over time and use.
- The Dimension 2000 is not UL (Underwriter’s Laboratories) listed. This is a serious deterrent for some users. In comparison, the Bosch Universal is UL and CSA listed.
- The Dimension 2000 blender does not lock onto the machine, but has a widened plastic “skirt” which simply perches atop the raised blender base. This in my opinion is a cause for concern for the blender being shaken or knocked over during operations and the contents being spilled and/or the blender breaking. In comparison, the Bosch Universal blender actually locks securely into the blender area on the blender base, thus making it much more stable.
Performance:
As noted previously, the Dimension 2000 performed well in side by side testing as far as evaluating the finished product. Using the same recipes and techniques in both the Dimension 2000 and the Bosch Universal, my conclusions are that the Dimension 2000 produced similar results to the Bosch. I could not see a significant difference in the bread kneaded by either mixer, nor when comparing other finished products.
Even though there were similarities in overall product results, there were also some notable differences in operations that I consider serious:
- On at least 10 separate occasions, when kneading large batches of bread dough (6 loaves worth – about 9 pounds) which the marketing claims the Dimension 2000 should be able to handle, the Dimension 2000 emitted a strong, acrid “electrical” smell and became warmer than normal to the touch on the base. The machine was turned off and allowed to cool. After the machine cooled down, operations continued and the smell re-appeared. This happened each and every time the Dimension 2000 was used to make large batches, but did not occur with smaller batches. It was concluded that the larger batches taxed the motor, causing it to become hotter than normal. While the Dimension 2000 did not overheat, it did not appear to handle the larger batches as well as it did the smaller batches, nor did the Dimension 2000 handle the larger batches (same recipe, same techniques, same pounds of dough) as well as the Bosch Universal, which did not emit a smell or get hotter than normal. *The marketing ads on the Dimension 2000 make note of the “built-in circuit breaker to prevent overheating.” It should be noted that the technical information for the Bosch Universal states that the Bosch’s standard features include a built-in circuit breaker to prevent motor overheating.
- The Dimension 2000 rocked and “walked” across the counter while mixing a small batch (4 cups of flour) of pasta/ egg roll dough, despite some marketing ads claiming this does not happen. I repeated this test over eight times to qualify and document the Dimension 2000’s response and each time it was the same, the Dimension 2000 rocked, rolled and “walked”. I held my hands over the mixer to insure it would not be thrown to the floor until the mixing was completed. It should be noted that under the same conditions, I have found the Bosch Universal will walk and rock. The reason I am addressing this is to test the marketing claim that the Dimension 2000 will “not walk”, and I found this claim to be untrue.
While not as concerning, there was also this noticeable difference:
- I found the Dimension 2000 noisy and the mixing bowl “rattled” loudly during mixing and kneading operations. In side by side testing, the Bosch Universal was not as noisy.
I have tested some of the marketing claims and included my conclusions above in my review as well as conducted comparisons with the Bosch Universal, but one additional claim is worth addressing:
Claim:
The Dimension 2000’s electronic touch panel eliminates the problem of moisture behind the dial of some other machines.
Reviewer’s Reply:
One of the longest-used and most tested mixers is the Bosch Universal which has a dial speed control.
According to the industry experts I consulted, as well as my own experiences in using a dial control mixer for over 12 years, and the testimonies of people known to me that have used Bosch mixers with the dials for over 30 years, the issue raised above is non-existent. There are no problems known with Bosch dial controls and moisture is not known to collect behind them. Bosch Universal motors and transmissions are not known to corrode or to be contaminated and the proof is that there are Bosch Universals with dial controls still being used today that are over 30 years old. This claim of a problem with dial controls appears to be a marketing claim only. It should be noted that I am not a technician or engineer, and so I consulted with people who are considered knowledgeable in both areas. The experts I consulted have extensive experience in this field and particularly in the technical areas of large mixers. Their statements were emphatic that the dial issue is not a real one and that there are no known problems with the dial controls and seals on the Bosch Universal.
On the other hand, there are legitimate concerns in using an electronic touch pad. According to technical and repair advisors I contacted, plus my own experiences, more problems are seen and documented with the electronic components of a touch pad because there are more parts in general and more fragile electronic parts that break due to repeated use, wear out, lose contact, wires beak etc. None of these problems exist with a dial control.
Conclusions:
The Dimension 2000 mixer did perform its tasks during testing, however, not without concerns, such as addressed above.
Despite the physical similarities between Dimension 2000 and the Bosch Universal design, in my side by side kitchen-testing, in consideration of the issues raised and in my experienced opinion, the Dimension 2000 not perform overall as well as the Bosch Universal.
Because of the relatively short time the Dimension 2000 has been on the market, the fact that it has not been tested and proven over years of use, and the fact that it is not currently UL listed, I would not consider the Dimension 2000 to be a product I would risk my money on, regardless of the “lifetime warranty”. In actuality, any warranty is only as good as the company that issues it. In this case, the Dimension 2000’s manufacturer is relatively new to the market and their customer service record has not been established.
Overall, in my tests I did not see that the Dimension 2000 performed “better” than other mixers as claimed, but I did see that it performed as good, except where noted. However, I would rather be a good steward and invest in a machine that is market-proven, tested and used over decades, is UL listed and has shown itself consistently to be a quality machine, with an unbeatable record for excellence in workmanship and customer service, and that is the Bosch Universal.
Note: This product has been discontinued by the manufacturer.
© 1995-2010 Vickilynn Haycraft and Real Food Living. All Rights Reserved. No portion of this review may be copied, stored or transmitted in any medium, for any reason without prior written permission of the author.
About Vickilynn Parnes
