Stand Mixer

Questions on how we spend our money and our time - consumer goods and services, home and vehicle, leisure and recreational activities
Topic Author
DTalos
Posts: 1208
Joined: Wed Apr 10, 2013 7:59 pm

Stand Mixer

Post by DTalos »

They seem to be very popular. Are they worth the price and how much better is making cookies, brownies, cake, pizza,p dough etc with one vs without one?
ElJefeDelQueso
Posts: 171
Joined: Wed Mar 06, 2019 4:54 pm

Re: Stand Mixer

Post by ElJefeDelQueso »

My wife tells me she has heard they are "life changing".

But get the tilt-head version.
Misenplace
Moderator
Posts: 6110
Joined: Mon Feb 01, 2016 8:46 pm

Re: Stand Mixer

Post by Misenplace »

They are handy to have, especially if you want to stuff sausage, grind meat, make pasta (need expensive attachments for last two), or knead pizza dough (I don't use them for any other kinds of bread dough). But if all you are doing is whipping egg whites or mixing cake batter, you can get by with a hand mixer. For me, I'm glad to have the option of both- although just used the hand mixer tonight to make a soufflé.
DarthSage
Posts: 596
Joined: Tue Sep 19, 2017 9:39 am

Re: Stand Mixer

Post by DarthSage »

I love mine! I use it all the time, for baking, for making whipped cream, for mashing potatoes. I have a Kitchenaid, which you can get a lot of attachments for--meat grinder, pasta maker, spiralizer, and so forth. I've had mine for 20+ years, still works like a charm.

If I had one "complaint", it's that I have a white one. It works fine. They're pricey, so I got it as a Christmas gift from my MIL, and on a Black Friday sale (she was fond of getting big items, and letting us pick). At the time, there were only a couple colors, so I got white. Now, of course, they come in a rainbow of colors, and when I see all the beautiful shades, a couple of which would go perfectly in my kitchen, and I sigh. But, I'm way too cheap to replace a perfectly good appliance, just because of color. Maybe one day I'll give this to one of my kids and treat myself to a new, colorful one.
BrownEyedGirl_27
Posts: 302
Joined: Tue Dec 17, 2019 5:37 pm

Re: Stand Mixer

Post by BrownEyedGirl_27 »

DTalos wrote: Sat Mar 28, 2020 12:32 am They seem to be very popular. Are they worth the price and how much better is making cookies, brownies, cake, pizza,p dough etc with one vs without one?
They’re great if you have the counter space in your kitchen and bake often. My mom has a cabinet built with a stand just to store hers, so it goes out of sight very easily without having to lift it. I love ours except that it is not a tilt head and it’s heavy/bulky—it’s one of the professional models, a little hard to mix the contents due to the angle. I would say for bread and for other baked goods it is a lifesaver. The previous model we had was my mom’s old Kitchenaid which held up great for 26+ years.

If you’re just making small batches of cookies you’d be fine with a hand mixer but if you’re serious about your bakes absolutely go for the stand mixer. Check out the department stores online right now for deals.
"Your mind has a mind of its own. At the very moment when you are most convinced of your own rationality, you may be feeling rather than thinking your way toward a decision.” | Jason Zweig
AlwaysaQ
Posts: 624
Joined: Fri Apr 13, 2007 7:37 am

Re: Stand Mixer

Post by AlwaysaQ »

I like mine. I wouldn't care to make 2 loaves of date-nut bread without it. Anything with nuts in the dough is easier with a stand mixer.
WolfgangPauli
Posts: 617
Joined: Sun Aug 23, 2015 8:28 am

Re: Stand Mixer

Post by WolfgangPauli »

FULL DISCLOSURE: I Worked at the plant where the KAID StandMixer is Made (In USA, Ohio)

I assume you are talking about a Kitchenaid SM as it really is the only kind. I happen to have 4 of them as I use them as "Jewelry for my kitchen" but practically they are the best "tool" you can have in a kitchen and I don't think any professional cook could survive without one. Bakers have to have them. Here are a few fun facts:

1. Patented in 1919 and they were sold door to door.
2. When sold back then they cost almost as much as a car
3. The name comes from the quote of a salesperson's wife, "This is the best Kitchen aid I have ever had"
4. There are many many attachments - I have made bread, ice cream, Pasta as well as the normal cakes etc with it.
5. The attachments from the original design still work in the modern one.

OK, now, which to buy. Really depends on the budget but first and foremost I would buy a "Bowl lift" v. a "Tilt head". Just easier to use and more powerful. I would have the pasta roller attachment and the mill attachment. I actually have a friend of mine whose dad has a farm in Kansas. When he would go home he would bring me back wheat and I would grind my own flour using the standmixer.

It is iconic.. Can't imagine a kitchen not having one.
Twitter: @JAXbogleheads | EM: JAXbogleheads@gmail.com
TheGreyingDuke
Posts: 2219
Joined: Fri Sep 02, 2011 10:34 am

Re: Stand Mixer

Post by TheGreyingDuke »

I assume you are talking about the Kitchen Aid models?

I have been making all of our bread (and we supply our son and his family) for years. I make 6-8 lbs of dough at a shot, every week or so. A KA would not work, 15 years ago about one of these and have never looked back:

https://www.everythingkitchens.com/ankarsrum.html#
"Every time I see an adult on a bicycle, I no longer despair for the future of the human race." H.G. Wells
bob60014
Posts: 3768
Joined: Mon Jul 31, 2017 8:59 pm
Location: The Land Beyond ORD

Re: Stand Mixer

Post by bob60014 »

The Kitchenaids are well built and I would try to find one used. It seems many people buy these intending to be the next greatest bakers, but they lose interest and the mixers just become showpieces in the kitchen, making plenty of used ones available.
dukeblue219
Posts: 4074
Joined: Fri Jan 29, 2016 11:40 am

Re: Stand Mixer

Post by dukeblue219 »

It's worth getting one of the better models that has metal gears (Pro, but do your own research to be sure) and the lift bowl in my opinion. They're also powerful enough to grind meat easily, which is what I use my wife's mixer for.

If you have the counter space it's worthwhile.
Buford T Justice
Posts: 130
Joined: Mon Dec 15, 2014 4:33 pm

Re: Stand Mixer

Post by Buford T Justice »

My wife likes her bowl lift. I think wattage is important to consider.
Patzer
Posts: 701
Joined: Wed Jun 10, 2015 10:56 am

Re: Stand Mixer

Post by Patzer »

They make things so much easier. Totally worth the cost and this is coming from a frugal person.
Also, don't go cheap on them. I tried that, and was disappointed.
Get a KitchenAid Artisan.
michaeljc70
Posts: 10843
Joined: Thu Oct 15, 2015 3:53 pm

Re: Stand Mixer

Post by michaeljc70 »

They are well made (if you are talking KitchenAid) and I've had mine for 20+ years. However, I rarely use it anymore. I can make pizza or bread dough in my food processor which is on the counter (stand mixer is tucked away). KitchenAid stand mixers are bulky/heavy if you don't have room for it on the counter. I also make no-knead bread a decent amount so no need for stand mixer for that. I don't bake much beyond breads. When I did use it for bread it will only hold enough for 2 loaves. Of course, there are many (expensive) attachments that may interest you. So, it depends how much you will use it and what for.

You cannot do this with baked goods, but there is some level of satisfaction making/kneading bread by hand.
clemrick
Posts: 448
Joined: Wed Sep 09, 2009 8:46 pm

Re: Stand Mixer

Post by clemrick »

I love mine. A couple years ago arthritis started in my hands. I complained on Facebook about how much pain I was in after Thanksgiving and all the baking I did. My BIL and wife bought me one for Christmas. It has been a life-saver for my hands. I would have probably bought my own after another a year or two of Thanksgivings.
User avatar
bertilak
Posts: 10725
Joined: Tue Aug 02, 2011 5:23 pm
Location: East of the Pecos, West of the Mississippi

Re: Stand Mixer

Post by bertilak »

We have a Kitchen Aid, bowl-lift style. Model Pro 600. We had an older, smaller, model but one Christmas my wife said we needed an upgrade. I think she wanted to mix heavier stuff. The bowl-lift is definitely a step up from the tilt-head. Besides being bigger and more powerful it is easier to use. It doesn't take up more counter space. If you need a spot for a mixer, bigger isn't significantly bigger. Unless you go up to a Hobart!

My mother had a much older version (tilt-head) for many years and she seemed happy with it.

I don't remember having trouble with any of them over the years.
May neither drought nor rain nor blizzard disturb the joy juice in your gizzard. -- Squire Omar Barker (aka S.O.B.), the Cowboy Poet
Topic Author
DTalos
Posts: 1208
Joined: Wed Apr 10, 2013 7:59 pm

Re: Stand Mixer

Post by DTalos »

TheGreyingDuke wrote: Sat Mar 28, 2020 7:00 am I assume you are talking about the Kitchen Aid models?

I have been making all of our bread (and we supply our son and his family) for years. I make 6-8 lbs of dough at a shot, every week or so. A KA would not work, 15 years ago about one of these and have never looked back:

https://www.everythingkitchens.com/ankarsrum.html#
Yes I am talking about Kitchen Aid models. Do you prefer making bread with it vs a bread machine?
teCh0010
Posts: 415
Joined: Mon Oct 31, 2011 11:20 am

Re: Stand Mixer

Post by teCh0010 »

We have had a bowl lift KA Pro for 17 years, still going strong. We have a cabinet with a mixer lift in the kitchen, and I added an outlet to the cabinet.

I have a buddy that owns a cheesecake store. He has a Hobart 40Qt commercial mixer, but he also has 6 KA Pro bowl lift mixers. He runs them for 4 hours a day, they are all between 15 and 8 years old as he as expanded. He has had to replace one gear in the mixers, but otherwise they keep on running and his use is far from home user.
skp
Posts: 317
Joined: Tue May 01, 2018 8:12 am

Re: Stand Mixer

Post by skp »

Contrary opinion here. I wouldn't recommend a Kitchenaide. My 5 year old 6 qt professional lift model Kitchenaide is currently sitting on my kitchen table, broken for the 3rd time in the last year. My husband fixed it twice, about $50 in parts, and now with it broke again, I'm thinking about giving up on it and throwing it out. It was OK when it worked. I just think for the price I expected it to last longer. I think a tilt might be easier to use. Because it was a larger mixer, it didn't do small quantities well. It is heavy, but that didn't bother me. I used it mostly to make bread, So I am wondering if it just can't handle the hard work of breadmaking. Also I've heard kitchenaids were good quality , but another company bought them out and since then the quality has gone down hill. Read some Amazon reviews. If I do get another stand mixer, it won't be a kitchenaide.
sport
Posts: 12094
Joined: Tue Feb 27, 2007 2:26 pm
Location: Cleveland, OH

Re: Stand Mixer

Post by sport »

If you want a Kitchenaid mixer, Costco sells one of the better models for a price much lower than most other places.
https://www.costco.com/kitchenaid-profe ... 85356.html
iamlucky13
Posts: 3527
Joined: Sat Mar 04, 2017 4:28 pm
Location: Western Washington

Re: Stand Mixer

Post by iamlucky13 »

My mom's KitchenAid had around 30 years of regular use when she gave it to me so she could have a newer model. The gear train was making a fair amount of noise at this point, and the ceramic was wearing off the beater, but we continued to use it for several years. My wife decided she liked it enough she wanted a brand new, quieter one. She gave the now 35 year old one to some friends at church. I haven't heard any updates since then, but I'd wager it is still working several years later.

The bowl lift versions are bigger and heavier, but also heavier duty. I don't have current details on which ones have metal gears. They are likely to be slightly louder, but more durable.

I prefer the mixer over hand mixing for quick breads, especially those where the sugar and shortening are creamed together, as well as for cookies. I still make my yeast breads by hand, though. I don't have a good reason for doing that. It just seems like I'd have a better feel for the dough texture kneading by hand.

All that said, a family friend who really loves to bake and makes literally thousands of cookies per year said she traded in her KitchenAid stand mixer for a Bosch mixer. The Bosch design has the motor connect below the bowl, with the mixer shaft passing through a column in the middle of the bowl (which is shaped sort of like a tall angel food cake pan) in order to leave the top open for easier adding ingredients.

So it seems the KitchenAid isn't the default choice, but I'd say you can't go wrong with it.
samuck
Posts: 43
Joined: Sun Oct 12, 2014 11:05 am

Re: Stand Mixer

Post by samuck »

Get the real thing, a Thermomix: https://shop.thermomix.com/
Since I have one, I do not use my Bosch kitchen machine any longer.. However, hefty pricetag!
User avatar
jabberwockOG
Posts: 3087
Joined: Thu May 28, 2015 7:23 am

Re: Stand Mixer

Post by jabberwockOG »

We've had a KA tilt head for years. Still runs flawlessly. Be aware that the bowl lift models are taller than a tilt-head and at least at our house (built 2008) the bowl lift models will not fit under our kitchen cabinets.
Yooper
Posts: 683
Joined: Fri May 21, 2010 7:25 am
Location: Michigan's Upper Peninsula

Re: Stand Mixer

Post by Yooper »

I second the counter space availability point. If you have it (to be there permanently), then by all means get one. If you don't, then don't. I got one 30 years ago that I used a LOT, and liked it. But when I moved I didn't have the counter space and as a result it sits in it's box in the basement. Got a KitchenAid hand mixer and other than bread, it does what I need - even chocolate chip cookies, which usually bog down a mixer... I do bread by hand (or did when I did....) so that wasn't a deal breaker for me.
onourway
Posts: 3778
Joined: Thu Dec 08, 2016 2:39 pm

Re: Stand Mixer

Post by onourway »

Do you cook now and feel like you are missing a mixer? We have had one forever and it’s a great tool to have if you have the room, but I wouldn’t buy it expecting it will inspire you to cook more. Anything that can be made with a stand mixer can be made without it. I make all our bread and pizza dough by hand, for instance.
User avatar
Phineas J. Whoopee
Posts: 9675
Joined: Sun Dec 18, 2011 5:18 pm

Re: Stand Mixer

Post by Phineas J. Whoopee »

I scored a KitchenAid 6 quart (I can use it for one person) metal-geared stand mixer during the 2007 - 2009 financial crisis, from a company that was liquidating a failed company's assets. Mostly I use it to make true whole wheat bread, that is to say, all the flour is whole grain. I do have to add the wheat derivative gluten to achieve a palatable texture.

Attachments, of which I purchased several in my initial madness, have made little difference in my life.

As one might surmise I am not a devotee of the fashionable heath weakness of the moment.

PJW
lostcoast
Posts: 121
Joined: Sat Jun 29, 2013 6:53 pm

Re: Stand Mixer

Post by lostcoast »

skp wrote: Sat Mar 28, 2020 9:55 am Contrary opinion here. I wouldn't recommend a Kitchenaide. My 5 year old 6 qt professional lift model Kitchenaide is currently sitting on my kitchen table, broken for the 3rd time in the last year. My husband fixed it twice, about $50 in parts, and now with it broke again, I'm thinking about giving up on it and throwing it out. It was OK when it worked. I just think for the price I expected it to last longer. I think a tilt might be easier to use. Because it was a larger mixer, it didn't do small quantities well. It is heavy, but that didn't bother me. I used it mostly to make bread, So I am wondering if it just can't handle the hard work of breadmaking. Also I've heard kitchenaids were good quality , but another company bought them out and since then the quality has gone down hill. Read some Amazon reviews. If I do get another stand mixer, it won't be a kitchenaide.
+1
May have been good in the past but to be price competitive I believe the quality has suffered.
michaeljc70
Posts: 10843
Joined: Thu Oct 15, 2015 3:53 pm

Re: Stand Mixer

Post by michaeljc70 »

samuck wrote: Sat Mar 28, 2020 4:32 pm Get the real thing, a Thermomix: https://shop.thermomix.com/
Since I have one, I do not use my Bosch kitchen machine any longer.. However, hefty pricetag!
$1500? $200 for an extra bowl? Who needs a screen on a mixer? I wouldn't call this a stand mixer.

"can whisk, caramelize, brown, chop, steam, sauté, blend, boil, knead, emulsify + so much more"

Sounds like something that should be sold on an infomercial by Ron Popeil.
Last edited by michaeljc70 on Sun Mar 29, 2020 2:36 am, edited 1 time in total.
Pigeon
Posts: 311
Joined: Mon Mar 06, 2017 7:50 am

Re: Stand Mixer

Post by Pigeon »

I can't imagine not having a Kitchen Aid. I originally was given a bunch of accessories too, but don't use them. I've had to replace the paddle beater and dough hook because the coating was peeling off after 20 years. Mine is a lift model. Love it.
Dottie57
Posts: 12379
Joined: Thu May 19, 2016 5:43 pm
Location: Earth Northern Hemisphere

Re: Stand Mixer

Post by Dottie57 »

DTalos wrote: Sat Mar 28, 2020 9:47 am
TheGreyingDuke wrote: Sat Mar 28, 2020 7:00 am I assume you are talking about the Kitchen Aid models?

I have been making all of our bread (and we supply our son and his family) for years. I make 6-8 lbs of dough at a shot, every week or so. A KA would not work, 15 years ago about one of these and have never looked back:

https://www.everythingkitchens.com/ankarsrum.html#
Yes I am talking about Kitchen Aid models. Do you prefer making bread with it vs a bread machine?
My dad made delicious bread using his kitchen aid. Much better than the bread from a bread machine.
DarthSage
Posts: 596
Joined: Tue Sep 19, 2017 9:39 am

Re: Stand Mixer

Post by DarthSage »

Dottie57 wrote: Sat Mar 28, 2020 10:17 pm
DTalos wrote: Sat Mar 28, 2020 9:47 am
TheGreyingDuke wrote: Sat Mar 28, 2020 7:00 am I assume you are talking about the Kitchen Aid models?

I have been making all of our bread (and we supply our son and his family) for years. I make 6-8 lbs of dough at a shot, every week or so. A KA would not work, 15 years ago about one of these and have never looked back:

https://www.everythingkitchens.com/ankarsrum.html#
Yes I am talking about Kitchen Aid models. Do you prefer making bread with it vs a bread machine?
My dad made delicious bread using his kitchen aid. Much better than the bread from a bread machine.
This is good to know! We frequently make our own pizza dough in the bread machine. Since I'm home these days, it might be a good time to try using the Kitchenaid instead.

P.S. It's interesting, reading the history of the machines. If the quality has suffered, maybe I'm better off appreciating my old white one, versus coveting the prettier, shiny new models. I would like the bowl-lift option, though. And maybe a glass bowl. Sigh!
rustymutt
Posts: 4001
Joined: Sat Mar 07, 2009 11:03 am

Re: Stand Mixer

Post by rustymutt »

I love mine. Made oatmeal raisin cookies last week. Can't mix them well enough without one. Vanilla favor everywhere. Walnuts everywhere. Used Monk fruit 1 for 1 sugar sub. Couldn't tell sugar wasn't used. Real butter. I'm hungry again.
Even educators need education. And some can be hard headed to the point of needing time out.
User avatar
Tim_in_GA
Posts: 509
Joined: Wed Jun 08, 2011 9:42 am

Re: Stand Mixer

Post by Tim_in_GA »

We had a Kitchen Aid Pro 600 for years. At some point it started getting louder and louder. Turns out the gearbox was cracked causing the noise. We repaired it ourselves as there just aren’t places around here that service them, with Sears going away everywhere. But it was never the same. Eventually my wife got a Bosch mixer that far exceeds the Kitchen Aid in performance. And it’s not that loud. She makes bread often and the quality has been noticeably better. It’s a keeper.
samuck
Posts: 43
Joined: Sun Oct 12, 2014 11:05 am

Re: Stand Mixer

Post by samuck »

michaeljc70 wrote: Sat Mar 28, 2020 9:27 pm
$1500? $200 for an extra bowl? Who needs a screen on a mixer? I wouldn't call this a stand mixer.

"can whisk, caramelize, brown, chop, steam, sauté, blend, boil, knead, emulsify + so much more"

Sounds like something that should be sold on an infomercial by Ron Popeil.
True, it‘s much more than a stand mixer — it let‘s you cook entire meals. You‘ll find it also in every decent restaurant because it makes it so easy to cook sauces and keep them for an entire evening.
Dottie57
Posts: 12379
Joined: Thu May 19, 2016 5:43 pm
Location: Earth Northern Hemisphere

Re: Stand Mixer

Post by Dottie57 »

DarthSage wrote: Sun Mar 29, 2020 6:41 am
Dottie57 wrote: Sat Mar 28, 2020 10:17 pm
DTalos wrote: Sat Mar 28, 2020 9:47 am
TheGreyingDuke wrote: Sat Mar 28, 2020 7:00 am I assume you are talking about the Kitchen Aid models?

I have been making all of our bread (and we supply our son and his family) for years. I make 6-8 lbs of dough at a shot, every week or so. A KA would not work, 15 years ago about one of these and have never looked back:

https://www.everythingkitchens.com/ankarsrum.html#
Yes I am talking about Kitchen Aid models. Do you prefer making bread with it vs a bread machine?
My dad made delicious bread using his kitchen aid. Much better than the bread from a bread machine.
This is good to know! We frequently make our own pizza dough in the bread machine. Since I'm home these days, it might be a good time to try using the Kitchenaid instead.

P.S. It's interesting, reading the history of the machines. If the quality has suffered, maybe I'm better off appreciating my old white one, versus coveting the prettier, shiny new models. I would like the bowl-lift option, though. And maybe a glass bowl. Sigh!
I am keeping my white 30 yr old kitchen aid. It is lighter weight than the one my dad had but works well. I don’t want anything heavier.
User avatar
bertilak
Posts: 10725
Joined: Tue Aug 02, 2011 5:23 pm
Location: East of the Pecos, West of the Mississippi

Re: Stand Mixer

Post by bertilak »

michaeljc70 wrote: Sat Mar 28, 2020 9:27 pm "can whisk, caramelize, brown, chop, steam, sauté, blend, boil, knead, emulsify + so much more"

Sounds like something that should be sold on an infomercial by Ron Popeil.
Or Ralph Kramden: "But can it core a apple?"
May neither drought nor rain nor blizzard disturb the joy juice in your gizzard. -- Squire Omar Barker (aka S.O.B.), the Cowboy Poet
AlwaysaQ
Posts: 624
Joined: Fri Apr 13, 2007 7:37 am

Re: Stand Mixer

Post by AlwaysaQ »

Darthsage
Glass bowls are heavy. I know I have enough trouble holding the metal mixing bowl with one hand and scraping out the mixture into the cake or bread pan. I think glass would only be good for making drop cookies.
freckles01
Posts: 314
Joined: Sun Aug 10, 2008 4:43 pm

Re: Stand Mixer

Post by freckles01 »

if you plan on making large batches of cookies, brownies, dough etc then a kitchenaid won't last very long. to make them affordable- they've made them with cheaper parts. check out thefreshloaf.com- under equipment, there is a ton of discussion about models and brands.

a vintage kitchenaid, when they were still made by hobart are a special find but then you will have a hard time finding parts with a smaller capacity.

i somehow ended up with 3 stand mixers :oops: - my favorite and the one i got for free (!!!) is the bosch universal- its lightweight but very strong and can knead 5 loafs worth of 100% whole wheat bread with nuts/fruit with ease. i don't like the center funnel thing but the bosch works so well i love it anyways. its super lightweight so easy to transport from pantry to kitchen counter with ease

if you plan on making smaller batches (1-2 loafs), then i highly recommend the bosch compact! it seriously looks like a toy but it is a tiny super lightweight but powerful mixer and can beat the pants off of the kitchenaid for just about $200.
michaeljc70
Posts: 10843
Joined: Thu Oct 15, 2015 3:53 pm

Re: Stand Mixer

Post by michaeljc70 »

samuck wrote: Sun Mar 29, 2020 9:00 am
michaeljc70 wrote: Sat Mar 28, 2020 9:27 pm
$1500? $200 for an extra bowl? Who needs a screen on a mixer? I wouldn't call this a stand mixer.

"can whisk, caramelize, brown, chop, steam, sauté, blend, boil, knead, emulsify + so much more"

Sounds like something that should be sold on an infomercial by Ron Popeil.
True, it‘s much more than a stand mixer — it let‘s you cook entire meals. You‘ll find it also in every decent restaurant because it makes it so easy to cook sauces and keep them for an entire evening.
With only a 9 cup capacity and that price tag? I also don't see a product that has a screen to tell you how to cook being needed in a decent restaurant. Most restaurants keep their warm sauces in a steam table/bain marie. Can I ask where you are getting this information from? Good chefs don't need gadgets like this and typically eschew them.
User avatar
LilyFleur
Posts: 3499
Joined: Fri Mar 02, 2018 9:36 pm

Re: Stand Mixer

Post by LilyFleur »

I have a white Kitchen Aid bowl-lift mixer that is 36 years old. When it was about ten years old, it needed the bushings replaced, which cost about $25. My homemade bread was legendary among my children's friends--I adapted the recipe to the Kitchen Aid, and could make three big loaves at a time. And I could mix up a double recipe of chocolate chip cookies at one time in it.

I downsized to a condo, so I no longer keep it on my kitchen counter--it is in my garage. It is still a wonderful piece of equipment. My mom had the smaller tilt model, and after she died, I brought it home to save for when one of my children needs it. My mom's is probably at least 45 years old--I noticed the electrical cord was replaced at some point.
Alf 101
Posts: 424
Joined: Wed Sep 01, 2010 11:24 am

Re: Stand Mixer

Post by Alf 101 »

I do own a stand mixer. It was a gift from my mother when we got married. Apparently she was from a place and of a generation where this was a thing couples should have when starting out life together. Perhaps it was because of utility, perhaps because of status, but it's been quite useful. I wonder if others have seen this.

We own a KitchenAid Classic, or it may be the Classic Plus. My mother got advice from my brother, so it was the Test Kitchen's winner or best-buy, following some grueling test, making pizza and bagel dough. The tilt head has not been a problem. This is a more basic model (i.e., less expensive), and having owned it, I can't see where the jump in price from "upgrading" it would carry a corresponding uptick in utility.

I've used it primarily for bread, rolls, cookies and cakes, pizza dough, meatballs, and whipping egg whites into soft peaks. Sure you can do these things by hand, but you can also walk places instead of driving. I bake a lot of bread. One thing I like is how you can mix a fairly wet dough; if I was kneading by hand, I would have to add considerably more flour, and end up with a denser product.

While I've been interested, I have not pulled the trigger on buying any attachments. These aren't cheap, and I haven't quite determined which will have value and get a lot of use, and which will gather dust. I don't anticipate grinding a lot of meat, or milling a great deal of grain. I would be curious to hear what attachments others have and love.

Lastly, the point others have made it maybe the biggest one. No one has infinite counter space. In a small kitchen your stand mixer could be essential if you do a lot of baking, but it could be hard to find a parking space for it.
User avatar
langelgjm
Posts: 308
Joined: Sun Jul 15, 2012 9:02 am
Location: India

Re: Stand Mixer

Post by langelgjm »

We have an older bowl-lift type that was given to us as a gift from a friend who cleans out people's houses as a side job. It's super heavy and takes up a lot of space, but for certain jobs it's pretty great (cookie dough, cakes).

I'd never buy one full price. My sister-in-law wanted one, so my wife and I put an alert on Craigslist and found an older model for $60. As it turns out, a lot of people buy these or receive them as gifts, and then find out they don't use them enough to warrant the counter space... then they want to unload them :-)
"Simplicity is the master key to financial success." - John Bogle | "If I am what I have and if what I have is lost, who then am I?" - Erich Fromm
User avatar
mfswatz9
Posts: 209
Joined: Mon Jul 14, 2008 1:03 pm

Re: Stand Mixer

Post by mfswatz9 »

A stand mixer doesn't have to be a KitchenAid. I have a Sunbeam Mixmaster that I've had for about 25 years. I make cakes, cookies, etc. with it and I wouldn't trade it for a KA. I bought a KA several years ago and it was so heavy, it sat in my pantry. I just sold it after never turning it on. As others have stated, unless you have room on the counter for it, it is just too heavy for moving it back and forth; especially for older people.
User avatar
lthenderson
Posts: 8525
Joined: Tue Feb 21, 2012 11:43 am
Location: Iowa

Re: Stand Mixer

Post by lthenderson »

DTalos wrote: Sat Mar 28, 2020 9:47 am Yes I am talking about Kitchen Aid models.
We had the tilt head model for many years, probably well over a decade. It worked well but I had to rebuild the gearing inside twice over those years. There is a bevel gear made of plastic that can shear if used with heavy doughs for longish periods of kneading. Not hard or expensive to replace the gear but might be unnerving to some to have the guts of your mixer spread out all over the table. We switched to the bowl lift model and haven't had that problem yet but we've only had it for a year now. We do like the bowl lift for convenience of using it over the tilt head.
Luke Duke
Posts: 1333
Joined: Tue Jun 18, 2013 11:44 am
Location: Texas

Re: Stand Mixer

Post by Luke Duke »

skp wrote: Sat Mar 28, 2020 9:55 am Contrary opinion here. I wouldn't recommend a Kitchenaide. My 5 year old 6 qt professional lift model Kitchenaide is currently sitting on my kitchen table, broken for the 3rd time in the last year. My husband fixed it twice, about $50 in parts, and now with it broke again, I'm thinking about giving up on it and throwing it out. It was OK when it worked. I just think for the price I expected it to last longer. I think a tilt might be easier to use. Because it was a larger mixer, it didn't do small quantities well. It is heavy, but that didn't bother me. I used it mostly to make bread, So I am wondering if it just can't handle the hard work of breadmaking. Also I've heard kitchenaids were good quality , but another company bought them out and since then the quality has gone down hill. Read some Amazon reviews. If I do get another stand mixer, it won't be a kitchenaide.
There's a difference in the "Pro" models and the "Commercial" models. It sounds like your usage may need one of the Commercial mixers. If it isn't NSF rated it isn't a commercial uni. I have the 8qt and it is a workhorse.
skp
Posts: 317
Joined: Tue May 01, 2018 8:12 am

Re: Stand Mixer

Post by skp »

Luke Duke wrote: Mon Mar 30, 2020 10:47 am
skp wrote: Sat Mar 28, 2020 9:55 am Contrary opinion here. I wouldn't recommend a Kitchenaide. My 5 year old 6 qt professional lift model Kitchenaide is currently sitting on my kitchen table, broken for the 3rd time in the last year. My husband fixed it twice, about $50 in parts, and now with it broke again, I'm thinking about giving up on it and throwing it out. It was OK when it worked. I just think for the price I expected it to last longer. I think a tilt might be easier to use. Because it was a larger mixer, it didn't do small quantities well. It is heavy, but that didn't bother me. I used it mostly to make bread, So I am wondering if it just can't handle the hard work of breadmaking. Also I've heard kitchenaids were good quality , but another company bought them out and since then the quality has gone down hill. Read some Amazon reviews. If I do get another stand mixer, it won't be a kitchenaide.
There's a difference in the "Pro" models and the "Commercial" models. It sounds like your usage may need one of the Commercial mixers. If it isn't NSF rated it isn't a commercial uni. I have the 8qt and it is a workhorse.
Thanks for the information. I was looking at an Ankarsum but they don't seem as versatile as a Kitchenaide. If the commercial can really handle my bread, I would go with it. Both are pretty pricey though. I think I'll hold off, hand kneed my bread for a while. until I get so tired of it, the money won't bother me.
AlwaysaQ
Posts: 624
Joined: Fri Apr 13, 2007 7:37 am

Re: Stand Mixer

Post by AlwaysaQ »

I have an older KA tilt-head. It stands on the counter next to the refrigerator but I usually move to the counter next to the sink when I use it for easier cleanup. However, that is a lateral move; not lifting it up or taking it down. I have other heavy appliances in a pantry closet on a middle shelf; again lateral moves.
Luke Duke
Posts: 1333
Joined: Tue Jun 18, 2013 11:44 am
Location: Texas

Re: Stand Mixer

Post by Luke Duke »

skp wrote: Tue Mar 31, 2020 8:56 am
Luke Duke wrote: Mon Mar 30, 2020 10:47 am
skp wrote: Sat Mar 28, 2020 9:55 am Contrary opinion here. I wouldn't recommend a Kitchenaide. My 5 year old 6 qt professional lift model Kitchenaide is currently sitting on my kitchen table, broken for the 3rd time in the last year. My husband fixed it twice, about $50 in parts, and now with it broke again, I'm thinking about giving up on it and throwing it out. It was OK when it worked. I just think for the price I expected it to last longer. I think a tilt might be easier to use. Because it was a larger mixer, it didn't do small quantities well. It is heavy, but that didn't bother me. I used it mostly to make bread, So I am wondering if it just can't handle the hard work of breadmaking. Also I've heard kitchenaids were good quality , but another company bought them out and since then the quality has gone down hill. Read some Amazon reviews. If I do get another stand mixer, it won't be a kitchenaide.
There's a difference in the "Pro" models and the "Commercial" models. It sounds like your usage may need one of the Commercial mixers. If it isn't NSF rated it isn't a commercial uni. I have the 8qt and it is a workhorse.
Thanks for the information. I was looking at an Ankarsum but they don't seem as versatile as a Kitchenaide. If the commercial can really handle my bread, I would go with it. Both are pretty pricey though. I think I'll hold off, hand kneed my bread for a while. until I get so tired of it, the money won't bother me.
It would probably be worth your (husband's) time to fix your existing mixer and sell it to help offset the cost of the Commercial one.
barnaclebob
Posts: 5586
Joined: Thu Aug 09, 2012 10:54 am

Re: Stand Mixer

Post by barnaclebob »

For making doughs, the Ankarsrum Assistent is really nice. It weighs half as much as a stand mixer with much more power and makes half the noise. Two big loaves (5 or 6 lbs total weight) of bread barely warms mine up.

For batters i use a hand mixer. The Ankarsrum doesnt do well with small batches of batter.
Last edited by barnaclebob on Tue Mar 31, 2020 10:46 am, edited 1 time in total.
barnaclebob
Posts: 5586
Joined: Thu Aug 09, 2012 10:54 am

Re: Stand Mixer

Post by barnaclebob »

WolfgangPauli wrote: Sat Mar 28, 2020 6:55 am FULL DISCLOSURE: I Worked at the plant where the KAID StandMixer is Made (In USA, Ohio)

I assume you are talking about a Kitchenaid SM as it really is the only kind. I happen to have 4 of them as I use them as "Jewelry for my kitchen" but practically they are the best "tool" you can have in a kitchen and I don't think any professional cook could survive without one. Bakers have to have them. Here are a few fun facts:

1. Patented in 1919 and they were sold door to door.
2. When sold back then they cost almost as much as a car
3. The name comes from the quote of a salesperson's wife, "This is the best Kitchen aid I have ever had"
4. There are many many attachments - I have made bread, ice cream, Pasta as well as the normal cakes etc with it.
5. The attachments from the original design still work in the modern one.

OK, now, which to buy. Really depends on the budget but first and foremost I would buy a "Bowl lift" v. a "Tilt head". Just easier to use and more powerful. I would have the pasta roller attachment and the mill attachment. I actually have a friend of mine whose dad has a farm in Kansas. When he would go home he would bring me back wheat and I would grind my own flour using the standmixer.

It is iconic.. Can't imagine a kitchen not having one.
When did you work there? In 2008 the "14 cup flour rating" was a joke on mine. It could barely do half that before it got really hot and started emitting a smell. Ive heard the new Pro model is better but the one i bought was only good for mixing cake batter or single loaves of bread.
User avatar
lthenderson
Posts: 8525
Joined: Tue Feb 21, 2012 11:43 am
Location: Iowa

Re: Stand Mixer

Post by lthenderson »

skp wrote: Sat Mar 28, 2020 9:55 am Contrary opinion here. I wouldn't recommend a Kitchenaide. My 5 year old 6 qt professional lift model Kitchenaide is currently sitting on my kitchen table, broken for the 3rd time in the last year. My husband fixed it twice, about $50 in parts, and now with it broke again, I'm thinking about giving up on it and throwing it out. It was OK when it worked. I just think for the price I expected it to last longer. I think a tilt might be easier to use. Because it was a larger mixer, it didn't do small quantities well. It is heavy, but that didn't bother me. I used it mostly to make bread, So I am wondering if it just can't handle the hard work of breadmaking. Also I've heard kitchenaids were good quality , but another company bought them out and since then the quality has gone down hill. Read some Amazon reviews. If I do get another stand mixer, it won't be a kitchenaide.
After breaking a bevel gear in our tilt head model twice over the years, I read the directions and if i recall correctly, it says not to knead bread for longer than a couple minutes at a time. After reducing our kneading times, we never broke another gear until we traded it off for the lift bowl model. All the gears but the bevel gear were metal so it was a poor design. I've heard they changed that design in newer models.
Post Reply