Category: Help & Advice

If you are an avid baker you already know the benefits of a stand mixer. However, if you are just getting into serious baking you may be weighing your options. Let us help you see why you really should purchase that stand mixer.

#1 Hands Free Operation

With a stand mixer you don’t need to be doing anything with your hands. You simply need to turn the machine on and off and load the ingredients. What this means is less work for you and faster and better results.

Without much effort and without much mess you can blend together the thickest mixture without getting your hands dirty. No need to get flour on your hands when making that bread dough thanks to the stand mixers ability to knead dough to the texture just like your hands would.

Make the tastiest and creamiest frostings without getting a drop of sticky frosting mess all over your counter tops. Add ingredients quickly and easily while the unit is in use without making a mess.

#2 Versatility

Stand mixers are very versatile as they are multipurpose kitchen utensils. Most stand mixers come with three standard mixers that allow you to do different tasks. Most mixers have the ability to work with other attachments which you can purchase separately. You can purchase attachments that give you the ability to make cupcakes, mashed potatoes, and guacamole and pizza dough, to name a few.

#3 Attachments

Stand mixers usually come with a basic set of attachments and often can be fitted with a number of optional ones which you can purchase additionally. These attachments make your stand mixer a lot more versatile than any hand held mixer could be.

#4 Multipurpose

Your stand mixer can serve a number of different purposes in your home kitchen. While the mixer itself may just sit on your counter, the steel bowl that accompanies it can be used for all sorts of things. The bowls can be used as double broilers and the deep narrow bowls can be used as cake molds and ice cream molds as well.

#5 Power and Control

With powerful motors and stand mixers that have up to 12 different speeds you can get all the control and power you need from a stand mixer to make even the heaviest dough. When it comes to controlling the unit you will find most of them with a tilt head or a tilt arm. This allows you to control mixing and adding ingredients as well as adding and removing the bowl and any attachments you want to interchange.

#6 Reliability and Efficiency

These powerful units are reliable and efficient to ensure that they will be long lasting since these are built with top quality materials to ensure longevity. Most stand mixers are traditionally made from die-cast metal which also means they are heavy. Heaviness is an advantage as it allows the bowl to stay in place while it is in use.

#7 Fast

With the right stand mixer you can get your batters and dough done a lot faster and with less fatigue. No longer will you have to be standing circling your mixing bowl for 10 minutes and getting your hands tired. With a stand mixer you can set your ingredients and leave them to mix. If you have a high tech model with a timer you can just set the timer and it will stop once it is done.

#8 Value for Money

Stand mixers aren’t cheap but you can find affordable models that can do what you need it to do. They do offer value for money though because of their durable build. That means even when you invest in a costly machine you will have it for years to come. If you were to divide the cost by the years of ownership, you would easily see the extreme value for money the purchase of a top quality stand mixer brings.

Conclusion

Stand mixers are a great addition to your kitchen if you love to bake. The benefits of a stand mixer go beyond their ability to allow you to mix up a cake batter easily, quickly and without too much mess. They also offer versatility and great value for money.

The true workhorse of a modern kitchen is the stand mixer and if you don’t already have one, you need to know which stand mixer to buy. There are a number of criteria to pay attention to when choosing a stand mixer and we are going to look at those right now so you know what to look out for when choosing this big ticket kitchen item.

#1 Attachments

• If you plan on making bread you will want to ensure that the stand mixer you choose has a powerful motor and comes with a dough hook attachment. If you don’t choose a powerful motor your mixer will be straining and shaking as you try to knead two lbs. of dough.
• A whisk attachment is perfect for making foams and meringues or to whip you up some cream. This attachment needs to spin in planetary motion, orbiting the bowl in one direction around its axis so as to maximize missing power and contact.
• A paddle attachment to make easy work of creaming butter and sugar or making meatball mixes and mashed potatoes.

#2 Low gear port

This is a great option if you want your mixer to do more than just mix up the batter and knead dough. This port is where you can add things like a pasta maker attachment or a meat grinding attachment.

#3 Bowl Design and Capacity

You can find stand mixers with bowls in different shapes and with different capacities.

• You will find mixers with bowls that go as big as 7 quarts but this may not be a necessity unless you have your own little cake or bread shop. If you are a home baker, then you will do just fine with a bowl with a 5 quart capacity.
• When it comes to the shape you will find some mixers have taller bowls that are narrower at the top and wider at the bottom. These allow the ingredients to fall to the bottom easily so less scraping is required. It is a bit harder to add ingredients to these bowls while the machine is in use unless they come with lid guards or feed tubes.

#4 Power

The wattage of the mixer will demonstrate how it ranks within the manufacturers’ lineup of stand mixtures. This number tells you how much power the mixer consumes and not how much power it produces so you want to take that into consideration.

#5 Material

The material that is used to make the mixer is of importance if you want to ensure you get a machine that will last you for years to come you will find mixers made with all steel construction as well as mixers that are made from heavy duty plastics. Steel construction means a heavier mixer but this doesn’t have to be a disadvantage. If you have dedicated space for your mixer and won’t have to move it around, then a heavier mixer is actually a good thing.

#6 Design

The major difference in mixers, when it comes to designs, is the way the attachment contacts the food in the way it spins. You will find some mixers with a lift mechanism which just tilts the head and others that have a lifting mechanism which lifts by tilting at the joint where the base and body of the machine meet. The latter will require more effort and more space to insert and remove the bowl from the machine, so that is something to consider.

#7 Modern Features

More modern stand mixers have more features. For example, you can find stand mixers with an automatic shut off feature. There are also those mixers with a built in timer so that you can set it to stop working based on your recipe. This allows you the convenience to leave the mixer and do some other task. You want to look at the price difference to see if these added features are really worth it when you compare the price with other models without these features.

Conclusion

Which stand mixer to buy is really dependent on your needs, the space you have in your kitchen and the amount of money you can afford to spend on a mixer. When you are hunting down a stand mixer, make sure you look at customer reviews as this will give you a good idea of what to expect from the mixer as well as from the manufacturing company.

Buying bread in the store can really add up, especially when you are buying the healthy bread. If you are considering making your own bread, then you may be wondering what kind of machine you should use. So what should it be, what are the differences and what are the perks? Keep reading to see what you can expect when you compare the stand mixer vs. bread maker.

You have to look at the pros and the cons of both the bread maker and the stand mixer to determine which will be the best for you. You can make bread with a stand mixer or you can make bread with a bread maker that only does the mixing and rising. There are also bread makers that do all the work for you. So let’s look at the three options and then you can decide which one is the right option for you.

Making Bread with a Stand Mixer

With a stand mixer the appliance will do the mixing and kneading of the dough. All you have to do is place the ingredients into the mixer’s bowl according to your recipe. Then you add the dough hook to the unit and turn on your mixer, allowing it to knead for the time specified by your recipe. The only thing the stand mixer does for you is to knead the dough and it takes the same amount of time it would take you to do it by hand. Once your stand mixer is done kneading the dough you will have to complete the bread making process entirely by yourself.

Stand Mixer Pros

• Easier than kneading with your hand
• Provides you with a texture similar to what is produced when you knead with your hand
• Multipurpose items so they can make more than bread

Stand Mixer Cons

• Getting the bread to rise in a cooler house can be a problem

Using a Bread Maker That Does the Mixing and Rising

With this type of bread maker you can simply place all the bread ingredients into the machine. The machine will, in turn knead the dough and allow it to rise in the machine by keeping it warm inside. Once the dough is done rising you will then need to punch it down yourself and shape it, then leave it to rise again. You will then need to complete the rest of the process by yourself.

Pros

• Speeds up the process of kneading and rising of the dough
• Raises the dough to a perfect level
• Can set it and forget it while doing other things
• Allows more control over the quality of the final product

Cons

• You still need to punch down and shape the dough and place back in the machine
• Can only be used to make dough

Using a Bread Maker That Does All the Work

This type of bread maker is the machine that does it all. The machine will mix and knead your dough as well as allow it to raise and then bake your bread.

Pros

• Set it and forget it and allow the machine to do everything from start to finish
• It can make bread overnight or when you are away from home
• Fastest method to make bread at home

Cons

• Bread usually has a different texture than that made in the first two abovementioned ways
• Can only be used to make dough

Conclusion

While the bread maker that does everything for you allows you the convenience to do other things and to even leave the house, the bread maker that does the kneading and raising allows you to have more control over the final quality of your bread. This type of bread maker also gives you the option to make different types of bread from the same dough. So you could knead your dough and allow it to rise as necessary, then use it to make regularly shaped bread or some dinner rolls, etc.

But if you are usually strapped for time you may want to choose the machine that can do everything. If, on the other hand, you like to be more involved in creating your bread, then you can go ahead and use your stand mixer to knead your dough. The stand mixer is also a great multipurpose tool so you can use it for other kitchen uses as well. In that case, a stand mixer would be a better purchase and would provide better value for money than a dedicated bread maker.

So there you have it, the stand mixer vs. bread maker – which one will you choose?

How many times have you watched your grandmother use a mixer and considered the day you would own your own? Well, today is the day and the only thing left for you to do is to find out how to use a stand mixer. Now you can make your own bread just like nana used to and whip up a plethora of other great homemade goods.

You will find that stand mixers are super easy to use and allow you the opportunity to walk away while it is still mixing, stirring or kneading. You will find that the modern day stand mixer comes with multiple attachments and tools, and therefore these devices are great multi-tasking tools for use in your kitchen. Each mixer will come with its own set of attachments and tools and its own manual. You always want to ensure you read the manual prior to setting up your stand mixer for the first time. When you have set up your mixer, then it is on to the good stuff – the exploration.

Once your stand mixer is all set up, you want to take a look at the blades that come with it. Each of these will be used for one specific task. The blades included will differ from model to model and from manufacturer to manufacturer. Typical blades included with the average stand mixer are:

1. The flat beater – this blade is ideal for making cookies, mashed potatoes, pie crusts, cakes and biscuits, among other things.
2. The Wire Whisk – this is ideal for making items that need to be airy, such as egg whites, sponge cakes, mayonnaise and frothy frostings. The design of the whisk incorporates air into the mixture, making the final product lighter.
3. Dough hook – this blade is useful for creating your bread, rolls, buns, pizza crust and heavier cakes.

Which Attachments Are Necessary?

Now if you are a serious baker you may want a stand mixer that can work with more blades than the mentioned above. If that is the case you want to ensure the mixer you choose has a plethora of attachments available for purchase so that your mixer can truly be the multitasking appliance that you need it to be. Less expensive stand mixers may only come with a standard beater attachment but you will find that most stand mixers nowadays come with at least three major ones. They will also come with a large mixing bowl and sometimes with smaller bowls too for smaller batches of work.

How to Use Stand Mixer – General Guidelines

Before you use your mixer you want to ensure that your items are all washed and clean. Ensure that the speed control is set to the off position prior to plugging in the machine. You also want to ensure that your bowl is securely in place prior to plugging in and starting the machine.

What about Speed?

Some mixers will only have three-speed settings while others may have more. The only way to think of speed settings is in terms of ranges. There is a range for slow speeds, medium speeds and fast speeds as well. The speed you choose to use will be dependent on your recipe but speed standards tend to be the same across the board when it comes to stand mixers.

Why Choose a Stand Mixer?

Stand mixers are a better option over portable mixers if you will be using your mixer a lot. With the ability to be operated without your presence, you can set your mixer and leave it to do the work while you work on something else in your kitchen. Since they are fully automated, the mixing is a lot more even than it would be if you decided to use your hands.

This is especially true when doing tasks such as whisking eggs to make a sponge cake or for a meringue. You can allow your stand mixer to do all the work and you will not have to worry about fatiguing your hands. Having the machine in one fixed place also reduces the risk of accidental spills.

All in all, the answer to the question “how to use stand mixer” depends on the recipe that you are attempting to accomplish. The recipe is what tells you exactly what you will be doing and what speeds to use. Once you follow your recipe and the instructions specified by the manufacturer of your stand mixer you will be sure to get it right.

KitchenAid is undoubtedly one of the most trusted brands when it comes to premium kitchen appliances. They manufacture the best units for major countertop appliances and kitchenware.

With years of continuous production of high quality kitchen products, KitchenAid has globally become a leading brand in household kitchens and even in commercial kitchens.

In fact, the products they manufacture are so innovative and cutting-edge that it seems like only another KitchenAid product can be compared to them.

KitchenAid Stand Mixers

With a wide range of high-quality stand mixers, KitchenAid has certainly improved the way baking is done, especially in traditional household kitchens. The company spearheaded innovations that brought not only convenience, but also creativity to every baking mothers and pastry chefs out there. Here are some of the features that are almost unique to KitchenAid mixers:

• Versatile Power-hub – The versatile power-hub feature has revolutionized stand mixers’ designs. It can be used with at least 12 available attachments; each of which has a specific function that is crucial to different pastry recipes.
• Multiple Beaters – No matter what kind of mixing, beating, kneading, whipping, and whisking task you have on your hands, KitchenAid stand mixers can do it. With multiple beaters available, you’d be able to achieve the desirable consistency and texture of your batter and dough.
• 59-Point Planetary Mixing Action Mechanism – KitchenAid mixers ensure thorough blending of all the ingredients with their 59-point planetary mixing action mechanism. It allows the beater to rotate around the mixing bowl through each of its 59 touch points. And with its powerful motor, mixing dry and wet ingredients becomes very easy.

List of Popular KitchenAid Mixers

KitchenAid® 7 Qt/ 6.9 l Professional Bowl Lift Stand Mixer

Just one look at this mixer and you’ll know it means business – literally. This is a perfect mixer for those who engage in baking not only because it’s their passion, but also because it’s their livelihood. With its 7-quart capacity, it becomes easier to make batches with larger output. With the combination of high-efficiency motor and direct drive system, you can achieve efficient mixing without exhausting mixer’s motor.

KitchenAid KSM150PSER Artisan Tilt-Head Stand Mixer

This KitchenAid mixer is the best unit to use for a low-profile yet extensive baking task. Hobbyists and mothers – who bake occasionally – would certainly enjoy this product. It has just the right set of features and capacity for moderate baking. It may not have the power or capacity of the Professional Bowl Lift Stand mixer, but it does have the same 59-point planetary action mechanism that allows it to evenly blend both wet and dry ingredients.

Read Our Full Review of the KitchenAid KSM150PSER

KitchenAid KSM75WH 4.5-Qt. Classic Plus Stand Mixer

This first generation classic mixer benchmarked the features that most modern and high-quality stand mixers exhibit today. This mixer does not have the power and capacity of both artisan and professional mixers but it does get the job done. Like all KitchenAid mixers, it has the power-hub feature that makes it a versatile stand mixer. The 4.5-quart capacity makes it an excellent practice mixer especially for those who are just starting to learn baking.

Read Our Full Review of the KitchenAid KSM75WH

Conclusion

Generally, each mixer has a designated target market. Classic mixers are for novices, artisan mixers are for more advanced bakers while the professional mixers are for those who use the mixer for commercial needs.

Each KitchenAid product is designed to cater for the needs of the customers. Customer demographics show that a lot of people prefer to buy artisan mixers. It is indeed a more balanced and safer choice than the low profile classic mixers or cutting-edge professional mixers.

Practically speaking, it is the best choice considering that one would move up from being a novice baker and might need a more powerful mixer for future use.

Keeping that in mind, here is a list of some excellent stand mixers that are very popular in the market today.

Baking has been revolutionized in many ways over the years. It has been improved not only with the techniques of creating different pastries, but also with the equipments that have been used in the kitchen.

One rather significant kitchenware that plays an important role in the baking is the stand mixer. It is much better than the traditional hand models but its convenience comes with a price.

Kitchenware’s make and model usually do not matter when it comes to an average household kitchen. However, for those who do a lot of baking for a small business or as a hobby, choosing a good and reliable mixer is extremely important.

While taking a look at various kitchenware product-review sites, a very common and popular name that one can encounter is KitchenAid. When it comes to stand mixers, it is the most trusted name and brand.

Why? KitchenAid has proven to be one of the most reliable brands in the market not only for stand mixer products, but also for other kitchenware items.

KitchenAid offers many options for customers who have unique needs for every purchase they make. It creates helpful innovations for professional chefs as well as for average people who are looking for convenient kitchen baking practices.

Classic vs. Artisan

KitchenAid mixers can be classified into two models: Classic and Artisan. When it comes to design, a few obvious observations let you distinguish between the classic and artisan mixer.  Artisan mixer’s bowl comes with a handle and has a pouring shield as well. Furthermore, artisan mixers are more powerful and can be used for bread making too.

For those who don’t want to get into technicalities of a mixer’s features, here’s a simplified description of an artisan mixer and some reasons why choosing an artisan mixer is better if one does a lot of baking:

Why choose Artisan mixers?

• Power – Artisan mixer is more powerful because of its 325-watt design. This gives it a 75 watt advantage over a classic mixer which is a significant power difference. This makes a lot of difference when it comes to bread making. With just 250 watt capacity, classic KitchenAid mixer is not built for bread making whereas the 325 wattage of the artisan mixer allows it to be used for such a task. Furthermore, using a mixer for extensive bread making may not be a very good idea if one expects to maximize the lifespan of the mixer.
• Holding Capacity – Artisan mixers are generally bigger than the classic ones in terms of bowl volume and capacity. Artisan mixer has a 5-quart volume while the classic only has 4.5. For those who use it for commercial purposes, the .5 quart difference is very significant. This means that the artisan mixer can make bigger batches and produce larger output in a single batch.
• Accessories– KitchenAid mixers are known for their versatile power-hub that allows the baker to use different attachments to suit their baking needs. In terms of accessories, the artisan mixers are more advantageous. First of all, the bowl has a handle which is a very convenient feature especially for novice bakers. Furthermore, the package comes with a pouring shield. You can attach a pouring shield to classic mixer too but it has to be bought separately from the mixer.

Generally, classic mixers are for novices while artisan mixers are for more advanced bakers. Because of the difference in features, it is understandable that artisan mixer comes at a more expensive price.

Classic mixers can be bought within $200-250 price range while artisan mixers are available between $250 and $300.

For those who pay more attention to the price while making a purchase, we still recommend buying the artisan mixer. It may be more expensive to buy, but in the long run it actually lets you save a lot of money.