If you missed the memo that baking is back in fashion, then quite frankly you must have been living under a rock the last few years. There are television programs dedicated to creative and inventive baking skills, from the professionals to the amateurs. While on the high street there are artisanal style coffee shops popping up every week with their fresh baked spelt and barley batch loaves. Seems there is a lot of money in dough!
To really do the job justice, though, you need a Stand Mixer. While there are budget brands offering their own more wallet-friendly versions, overall it’s always a piece of kitchen equipment that comes with a premium price tag and is definitely a big purchase. So just why are stand mixers so expensive?
What Is It That Makes A Stand Mixer Expensive?
First and foremost, it’s all about their functionality and the superb engineering that goes into the standard units. The well-known brands like Kitchenaid and Kenwood perform way more than just the one task, and as such, they require a powerful motor to fulfill all the functions.
We are talking mixing, yes, but also grinding, kneading, and blending, as well as processing. The machine needs to be quality engineered and constructed to last in order to continue to deliver on its high-performance capabilities.
Stand Mixers also come with a wide assortment of attachments each designed to fulfill a specific function. Generally speaking, the more attachments you get, the more you are going to have to pay for your Stand Mixer. Many of the big brands might also throw in additional kitchen accessories, which might help soften the blow of your purchase a little. But did you really want a pasta maker?
It’s not just about the number of the attachments though, it’s also about the ease of use. Being able to quickly and easily detach and interchange them so that you can swap from kneading to grinding for example. That type of quality engineering, practicality, and convenience does cost money.
Let’s take a look at some more top recommendations on how to go about choosing the best Stand Mixer for you.
Stand Mixers are predominantly designed for classic baking tasks, so they will have a large mixing bowl and various other attachments as we discussed above, including a balloon style whisk for whipping and whisking, along with dough hooks for kneading.
If you already know what kind of food you are going to be using your mixer to create, then make sure that the version you are investing in facilitates all the essential functions you’ll be using it for.
You might want a flexi beater or perhaps a jug blender, and if you fancy yourself as somewhat of a professional and love creating your own cakes and bread for the whole family, then you might want a fold setting. This will ensure your flour is thoroughly mixed without beating the air out.
Of course, many food processors and multi-tasking kitchen equipment may well come with some mixing functions, and if you are just starting out, they might be a more cost-effective and versatile option for you. Until you fully get hit by the baking bug, that is! If you opt for a model that chops as well as blends, it will be adequate for a novice getting started and won’t break the bank.
Stand Mixers are big and heavy beasts, and they certainly do take up quite a lot of countertop space. However, so many of them are designed beautifully with the kind of aesthetics that you could drool over. Best to measure the space you do have allocated first, though, to ensure that you physically have the area to get your Stand Mixer out and use it. When it comes to Stand Mixers, bigger really is better!
The larger capacity bowls allow you to bake more produce, the units are sturdy and reliable, and the motors have been engineered to be so much quieter than you would have ever expected. Look out for models that also come with integrated lighting. Again, this is a convenient feature, but obviously one that contributes to their more expensive price tag.
It’s all about the Quality
When it comes down to it, perhaps the main reason why Stand Mixers are so expensive is their quality. Yes, you can get versions that are made of plastic, and these will be far more budget-friendly.
However, if you are looking to the big brands and investing in a model that is polished/brushed aluminum or even solid aluminum, then the price tag is obviously going to reflect the use of superior, durable materials. It may well be an expensive purchase, but it will be the only one you need to make.
Expensive Stand Mixers are built to last, and many get passed down through families from Great Grand Mother to Grand Mother, to your Mother and now to you as a baking rite of passage.
That same quality should also extend to the attachment and the motor itself, which is powering your purchase. In the end, it is the durability, reliability, and versatility of your Stand Mixer that will justify its purchase.
The better-known brands shouldn’t be afraid to stand behind their products performance either, so you should also be investing in exceptional levels of customer service and satisfaction in the unlikely event that anything does go wrong with your mixer. Most will offer a 5 year extended warranty for your additional peace of mind, so look out for that before you invest.
Brand integrity
Several very well established brands own this corner of the kitchen appliance market, and they have been around for many years, continually evolving, improving, and innovating with their latest product releases. So one of the other reasons why Stand Mixers can be expensive is that you are buying into this brand history and pedigree.
You can never put too high a price on trust or peer recommendation from the broader baking community, so do your own research before you invest. Also, check out all the positive feedback that happy users of Stand Mixers have given their cherished purchase.