Hm... I think the old Robot Coupe might be made better than the new one. Will the new bowl/lid for the old machine fit the new Magimix? If so, I say spring for the bowl, and if you decide later you need a new machine know that you'll have a spare bowl.

Frankly, $125 doesn't sound bad if the rest of the machine is in good working order. How's the knife doing?

If it were me, even if I got the new Magimix, I couldn't get rid of the old Robot Coupe, so then I'd just have "junk" in the cupboard.

Yep. I'd probably go for the new bowl if the rest of the machine, and especially the cutting tools, were in good shape. Otherwise, I'd buy the Magimix, and maybe see if I could find a good home for the old motor.

LOL, Plllog, I'm thinking the same things...I'm so tempted to just buy a new bowl/top assembly. But the knife blade ain't what it used to be--it is a little dull, and the plastic on it is rather brittle, so I'm not sure how long that will be lasting, either. The grating and slicing discs are in OK shape, but the plastic "pole" they sit on is wearing, so it's getting unstable. A replacement blade is $80! I could spend the price of a new FP easily in replacing the bowl and the attachments. In thinking about it, too, the Magimix might be overkill for my needs. I don't use a FP that often (I love my knives), and never for kneading bread other things that would really tax the motor. I guess I'll need to consider this a little more carefully. I'd feel better about it if I knew that the old motor would go to a good home--it's huge and heavy and I'm sure there's another 30 years left in it. It just seems wasteful to retire it. LOL, or maybe I'm just too sentimental!

Thanks, P, for your thoughts.

Cj

Those old, French motors are nigh on indestructible. You could definitely eBay it and someone will love to have it. By the time you're replacing all the plastic parts, including the knife, however, it might be time to move on.

You should ask Johnliu. I think it was he who was really up on all the old Robot Coupe models and would know for sure whether it's worth keeping or starting over.

I was sorta hoping that he would chime in....but alas, he must be busy with his vintage Cuisinarts. :-) I'm a sucker for old stuff, so while I'm wondering if the new ones might be more quiet and better designed, I'm also feeling ambivilant about retiring that beast of a machine while it still has life in it.
Guess I'll think on it.
Cj

I would KILL for a Hobart-made Kitchen Aide dishwasher.

I just got a n email from America's Test Kitchen and they had just tested blenders for just your applications. Guess what? Teh best was a Kitchenaid KSB580. It costs $149.95. I don't know if the jar is still the same, but the Test Kitchen folks said it was very thick polycarboate. The cutter is now a part of the jar. The shape of the jar is one secret of why it works so well. The other was the blade orientation. The other blenders were all cheaper and I don't know how the really expensive ones would have fared.

As far as functionality goes, I found that my Cuisinart CFP-5, which was probably made in the same factory as your KFP-700 with most of the same guts, does a fine job on everything except bread dough, for which my slightly newer Cuisinart DLC-7 - made by a son of Nippon, but otherwise same narrative - is better.

Unless you knead dough in the food processor, or want a much larger workbowl, I doubt a new food processor would be dramatically more functional.

Just as a bit of trivia, Robot Coupes are today made in Montceau-les-mines, north of Lyon in the industrial heartland of France. Magmix is a sister company of Robot Coupe. It was formed in 1971 to sell the then-new food processor technology to consumers, while Robot Coupe concentrated on commercial users. In France these machines are generally called ''robot de cuisine'' or ''robot menager''.

Ah, Johnliu, I so hoped that you would shine around at some point! Your romantic picture of my food processor's origins was a delightful and inspiring read.

Alas, the link to the eBay auction you posted includes everything but the actual work bowl--the bowl pictured is made to go on top of the original work bowl, not on the base itself. From what I can tell, it turns the entire top of the work bowl into a food chute--useful if your shredding 20 lbs of cheese for a bunch of lasagnas. :-)

Not to worry. Just when I'd decided to get a new one, I decided to take just ONE MORE LOOK at Ebay..and of course, there it was. Newly listed, a "non working base" with the bowl and all the blades.
:-)

I am sorely tempted by the listing you posted, however--it promises a few 'extra discs'--perhaps the thin slicer and fine shredder? I'd love to have those, but I'm happy just to have the work bowl on the way now, with extra parts for my base should it need them.

Thanks for posting, John.

Cj

Here is a link that might be useful: The solution.

Oh--does anyone know if it's possible to sharpen the working blade of this food processor? Johnliu? Have you tried this on any of the vintage processors you have?

Cj

Sorry, I did not look closely enough at the auction I posted. I'm glad you looked again.

On the blade - I imagine it is the same as on my CFP-5s, one side is smooth and the other side is serrated. It can be sharpened pretty easily. I'm not sure what sharpening tools you have, but you can hone the flat side on a stone and then do just a bit of honing on the serrated side (what I do, on all my food processors), or do the same with a grinding wheel or even a fine sanding disc on an electric drill. You can pass the blade through an electric knife sharpener. Or you can give it to a knife sharpening service, should only cost a few dollars.

Then you'd be good to go for another 30 years.

My 2 cents: If you drive a CJ, you should preserve your old food processor.

Here is a link that might be useful: Might help?

Those old machines were made to last. The new ones are plastic. KA mixer is 37 yrs, my food processor is 18yrs. I keep my eyes open at thrift stores etc for parts. I have bought about 4 old KA food processors for family members for the weddings. 🤣 Old KA products are the best. FB market place is a great resource too.