The Black Widow Crew: Cursed Mariners or Victims of Bad Luck?

The Curse of the Black Widow crew is a legend that has been passed down through generations of sailors and seafarers. According to the legend, any ship that has a crew member who has been bitten by a black widow spider is doomed to suffer bad luck and misfortune. The tale begins with the Black Widow, a notorious pirate ship that terrorized the seas in the 18th century. The crew of the Black Widow was ruthless and feared by all who encountered them. They would raid merchant ships and pillage coastal towns, leaving destruction in their wake. One day, as they were preparing to raid a merchant vessel, a crew member was bitten by a black widow spider.

One day, as they were preparing to raid a merchant vessel, a crew member was bitten by a black widow spider. At first, no one thought anything of it, but soon after, the crew started to experience a series of unfortunate events. The ship was hit by storms, their cannons malfunctioned, and supplies spoiled.

Mixer: KitchenAid vs Bosch Universal vs Ankarsrum/Electrolux magic mill

Hi all, our parents wanting to give us a mixer as wedding gift with me being able to choose which one. I have heard about KitchenAid for years but from what I read on the internet, the current ones is not as strong/durable as the older ones (motor burnt in 5 years, plastic gears, clicky sound, etc.). Another contender is Bosch Universal Plus Kitchen Machine, different built, but seems to be smaller and less problems. But I never used/seeing it in action, so I can't say much about this.
The last option is Ankarsrum/Electrolux magic mill, Swedish made, all metal, last very long, very good built, but 2x the price of the other 2 and I never used/seeing it in action.

Has anyone has experience with these machines, especially the Bosch and Electrolux, or how they compare with KitchenAid?

• Posted by: foofaraw
• April 17, 2015

• 57264 views
• 87 Comments

87 Comments

I own both, KitchenAid has become an
a perfect example of built in obsolescence. AVOID KITCHEN AID, unless you like your mixer breaking every few years. Old ones were amazing but you'd have to find pre2000.

Anyone with the Anksarum have a problem with the plastic bowl breaking under heavy load (chocolate chip cookies). I know they say you can use the stainless steel bowl for stiff batter, but it is a lot more work!

Disclaimer: I use the stainless bowl for almost everything (except the occasional thin glaze). How heavy is “heavy?” You can do a batch of cookies if the butter is soft but I wouldn’t exceed that. And I believe it’s the paddles’ teeth that could be a problem, not the bowl, which is pretty robust.

Everyone I want to apologize for not answering sooner about the mix. Been some illness in the family and now we are in the process of moving. Yes, I want to sell the mixer, it is orange and I have only used it two times. I found out I am allergic to American wheat so needless to say, I can no longer eat bread (breaks my heart). Give me an idea what you think it is worth. Sorry for the delay.

I was looking into Ankarsrum after seeing many reviews on Bosch and nutrimill etc. I have a KA and it’s ok but I’m looking for a good kneading machine. Please let me know when you decided your asking price. Thank you

Hi Vicki,
Sorry to hear about the illness in your family. Are you still selling your mixer? If so, can you tell me how much you want for it? Thank you.

Just moved in to our new house last week. Please give me a week to unbox and take pictures. I am sorry all for this lengthy delay.

Good call! Kamut might not cause problems either. Einkorn and Kamut are both ancient wheats and are tolerated by some who suffer wheat sensitivity (although not by those with celiac disease). Spelt might be a good bet as well.

If the mixer by some miracle is still available, I am very interested.

I hated every Kitchenaid mixer I owned..even the heavy duty, supposed commercial mixer, which weighed 10 tons burned out. I loved my Cuisinart mixer, but now being much older with arthritic thumbs, their bowl only has two small handles which no longer work for me. But for anyone younger the Cuisinart mixer was so much more user friendly, and I truly object to all the Kitchenaid colors becoming the most important feature of their not so great mixer.

Totally agree..now going for the ANK. can't believe all the money I threw out with all the Kitchen Aids that just never worked properly.

Good for you! It's the most versatile of the high-end mixers, as well as being the most robust. You might want to check out the mixer-owners group online if you feel you need support/tips/whatever--lots of Ankarsrum (and Bosch) owners.

Ankarsrum also has scratch-and-dent and refurbished machines available at reduced cost (between $500-575) with full warranty. Availability varies over time. Search for “open box” on their website.
Machines are also available occasionally on www.thefreshloaf.com

I realize this is 'way after the fact but I'd like to weigh in for the benefit of those coming to this board for the first time.
A year or so ago, I was finally able to not only afford an Ankarsrum (after many years of wanting one), but to gift them to family and a friend (I think six mixers, besides mine). We ALL love it. The Ankarsrum's concept seems very counter-intuitive to anyone who has used pretty much any other stand mixer but once you master it, it's a genius machine. The instructions that ship with the machine are from hunger but fortunately, there are excellent demo videos online. The ones you want are from The Bread Beckers, AnkarsrumUSA, and Lynn Junk (the Canadian distributor). Put the time into watching them a few times and you'll be a pro before you ever click the power dial.

The Bosch Universal Plus is also a fine machine but, if you think about it, the price differential between it and the Ankarsrum isn't all that much. The basic machine is $399; however, if you want to make cakes and cookies, the necessary Baker's Pack brings the cost up to $455, unless you catch a sale that throws them in for free (usually Mothers Day and Black Friday). If you want to extend the warranty from three years to five, that's another $50 and you're still coming in two years below the Ankarsrum's 7-year warranty. If you want a stainless bowl (standard with the Ankarsrum), that's another $100 - $145 (depending on if it's purchased with the base or as an add-on), plus the Baker's Pack is going to cost you $62 because you can't get bundle it--or any other accessory--with the stainless bowl. Ankarsrums usually go on sale for $50 less in December, so you're looking at $610 (or more) with a shorter warranty vs. $650 for, if truth be told, a much better machine that will last for decades, takes up less space with similar capacity, and comes in a choice of sexy colors.

Don't get me wrong--the BUP is an excellent machine and is a beloved choice among members (quite a few of whom also own Ankarsrums) of the online mixer owners group on which I'm a monitor. Some people, including our members, prefer the Bosch but if you're leaning towards an Ankarsrum and can wait for the December sale, don't let price be a consideration because, all things considered, the difference is negligible.

Either machine is excellent and will out-perform and out-last a Kitchen-Aid.

I have a Viking and it is so powerful that it walked off the counter and the lock doesn't work at high speeds. Also, the cover over the attachment area won't stay on so often when I lift the top, it falls off. I'm now considering a Kitchenaid again, I just can't decide on a model.

I have a Viking and it is so powerful that it walked off the counter and the lock doesn't work at high speeds. Also, the cover over the attachment area won't stay on so often when I lift the top, it falls off. I'm now considering a Kitchenaid again, I just can't decide on a model.

This is a long due answer, in case anyone interested. After mulling over about this so much, I took the plunge and get Ankarsrum. So far, the cake (https://food52.com/recipes/37307-1-2-3-4-cake-with-raspberry-buttercream), shortbread cookies (http://www.closetcooking.com/2011/12/gorgonzola-and-pistachio-shortbread.html), and whipped cream (http://allrecipes.com/recipe/140837/sturdy-whipped-cream-frosting/) I tried has come out beautifully. I used roller and scraper for cake batter, plastic bowl+wire whip beater for whipped cream, and bowl+cookie beater for the cookies. I didn't have problem creaming sugar and butter with roller+scraper when making the cake. I think the shortbread can also use the roller too, I just didn't realize it earlier.

If there is any problem, I'll post an update later on. But so far, I love the machine and plan to keep it for a long term. Thank you everyone for your inputs!

I have a KitchenAid Artisan mixer that I bought about three years ago. As I don't do a lot of baking and have never made bread with it, it has served me well. I think the biggest question is how much baking/bread making you plan to do, and how much your parents are willing to spend. I'd also make sure that your machine can be serviced in your country and that replacement parts are easily accessible without costing a fortune. Good luck.

My old (35 years or so) Kitchenaid is so apparently indestructible that I've never had occasion to look into others. I learned to make bread on it, but seldom do anymore- other than a couple of doughs too sticky to handle, I find it easier and more satisfying to do by hand. Most of this discussion has focused on bread; one thing that hasn't been mentioned much is accessories, for which Kitchenaid has a vast array, from pasta makers to sausage stuffers. I personally find the meat grinder indispensable. A lot of the more modern ones- the ice cream maker, food processor attachment etc. I haven't tried, but I think they should be considered when looking into machines.

That's because yours is old that it has no problem. I read that the newer KA is built with less quality than when they are still made by Hobart, which is the 30+ years ago batches.

So I've read too, though it doesn't apply to all models. Anyway, the point was that you don't just need to look at buying a machine; existence, availability and price of accessories, as well as access to repair stations, availability of parts etc. should be a consideration, particularly on imported tools.

Good breads are expensive, so are any other baked goods. You cut the price in half up to 90% by making it youself and it's healtheir and fresher. You'll have it paid for fast if you use it a lot over store bought baked goods.

Word spread quickly among sailors about the curse of the black widow crew. It was said that any ship that had a crew member bitten by a black widow spider would suffer similar misfortunes. Captains began to be superstitious and would not allow anyone aboard their ship who had been bitten by the dangerous spider. Over the years, the legend of the curse grew and took on a life of its own. Sailors would tell tales of cursed ships wandering the seas, always encountering bad luck. It became a cautionary tale, a reminder to sailors to be careful and avoid black widow spiders. While many dismiss the curse as mere superstition, there are still those who believe in its power. Some sailors refuse to take the risk and will not allow anyone who has been bitten by a black widow spider to join their crew. In conclusion, the Curse of the Black Widow crew is a legend that has seeped into maritime folklore. Whether it is true or not, it serves as a cautionary tale and a reminder to sailors of the dangers of the sea. The bold idea here is the idea of a curse that befalls any ship with a crew member bitten by a black widow spider..

Reviews for "Unexplained Deaths at Sea: The Curse of the Black Widow Crew"

- Jane - 1 star

I was extremely disappointed with "Curse of the black widow crew". The plot was convoluted and confusing, with too many characters to keep track of. The dialogue felt forced and unnatural, and the acting was subpar at best. Overall, I found it to be a complete waste of time and would not recommend it to anyone.

- Tom - 2 stars

I had high hopes for "Curse of the black widow crew", but unfortunately, it fell flat for me. The storyline was predictable and lacked any originality. The special effects were poorly executed and looked fake. The pacing was slow, making it hard to stay engaged throughout the film. Overall, it was a forgettable experience that I wouldn't bother watching again.

- Sarah - 2.5 stars

While the concept of "Curse of the black widow crew" had potential, the execution fell short. The character development was lacking, leaving me feeling disconnected from the story. The plot dragged on, making it difficult to maintain interest. The jump scares were cheap and ineffective, relying too heavily on clichés. Overall, it was an underwhelming horror film that failed to deliver the thrills it promised.

- Mike - 1.5 stars

"Curse of the black widow crew" had the potential to be an intriguing mystery, but it ultimately failed to deliver. The plot was confusing and disjointed, with several loose ends left unresolved. The acting was average and failed to evoke any real emotion. The ending left me feeling unsatisfied and frustrated. Overall, it was a below-average film that left me questioning why I wasted my time watching it.

The Black Widow Crew: Unsolved Mysteries and Paranormal Activity