Summary: 2005-12-25 17:29:46 I got this model as a replacement for the earlier DSM 700, which arrived with cosmetic defects - paint chips and dings. A paint chip even popped off in front of me, while I was locating the serial number for the customer service rep. Cosmetic defects are supposed to be covered under the warranty, but the process was a nightmare.
There was/is apparently only ONE authorized service center in the entire state where it was purchased. That service center was/is completely incompetent. They allowed my machine to sit in their shop for over 2 months, instead of returning it to DeLonghi. They never contacted me about my machine, and when I called them about status, they couldn't find info on my machine, and told me to call DeLonghi. I kept calling DeLonghi for status, not knowing the service center had never even sent my machine back to the company.
Long story short, by the time I got to anyone at DeLonghi who actually took any action, it was four months later, and by then, I was told there were no more of the DSM 700 in stock, and no more were available, as it was an older model. Next I was told they found ONE, which I was told was being shipped to me. I was stunned when this *brushed stainless* model DSM 7 arrived at my home, with no explanation as to what happened to the *white* DSM 700 I was told to expect.
Multiple calls to the DeLonghi corporation and also its 3rd party customer service provider were useless. I repeatedly requested the manager I’d spoken with call me back, to explain why his promise to replace my *white* DSM 700 with the identical model had been broken. Those repeated requests went unanswered. I finally gave up in frustration, which in retrospect, I suspect is exactly what DeLonghi hoped would happen - that'd I'd give up and go away.
The machine itself does what it says it will do. It's got a very powerful motor, which has a 10-yr warranty, although I dread the prospect of future warranty issues. It has a large bowl capacity. The manual says it can accommodate 2 lbs of pastry dough, 3 lbs 6 oz of yeast dough, 10 lbs of cake mix, or 16 eggs. I haven't tested those limits, as I don't have any interest in making 10 lbs of cake mix or anything that uses 16 eggs.
The stainless steel bowl is very tall and deep, and makes the overall height of this model very tall - much taller than the earlier DSM 700. The mixer has to be positioned far-forward on the countertop because the mixer head hits the bottom edge of the upper cabinets when raised, preventing it from being raised completely.
There's a design "oddity" about the mixing bowl. The bowl locks into place on the mixer base. It has two rather small, horizontal handles versus one vertical handle, which I would find more practical. When the bowl is locked in place, the handles are not straight-across at 3 and 9 o’clock, but rather, they're turned at an angle of about 5 and 11 o’clock. One would think that would indicate the bowl was *not* locked in place.
When I look at the mixer, my impulse is to turn the bowl so the handles are straight, but even in the unlocked position, the bowl doesn't sit on the mixer where the handles can be positioned straight across.
The splash guard has been changed from the earlier model. Now, instead of a hinged door where you add ingredients, there’s a removable section that sits in a recessed opening. There's no hinge or attachment to this removable section, so there’s some possibility it could get misplaced over time. The splashguard is not dishwasher-safe.
This model allows the cord to be pulled out from an opening on the side of the mixer base, to keep the cord neat and out of the way. It would be nice if there was an automatic retraction to this feature, as it can be tricky to get the cord back into the base.
There’s a wide variety of optional accessories. I originally owned the mini food processor/chopper, which came bundled with the DSM 700. I like it for grinding things like seeds. I received the grain mill and blender as part of the replacement order, but I haven't tried them yet. These accessories are rather expensive in my opinion (and may not be readily available), but probably not out of line with similar KitchenAid accessories.
As for styling - you either love it or you don't. I have all white appliances, which is why I chose the white DSM 700. I actually prefer the more angular styling of the earlier DSM 700 to the more rounded styling of this model. The shiny chrome (?) outlet covers on the front and top of this machine, and the entire brushed stainless machine body show fingerprints. This can be an issue if those kinds of things bother you.
I would give this machine a higher rating if it weren't for the horrendous customer service experience I had. It concerns me for any future warranty issues. I’m not sure I would buy another DeLonghi product, after the nightmarish experience I had with the company and its customer service contractor.
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