Mommies who bake: Need help finding a mixer.

[mommysammi]

I would like to start baking pastries from scratch with DS. Should I get a KitchenAid mixer? If yes, which one (the price ranges from $300-$600)? What do I look for in a decent mixer?

What makes KitchenAid worth the extra couple hundred of dollars? I've seen others, like Hamilton, SunBeam, etc. for at least half the price. I don't mind investing in a KitchenAid one so long as its worthwhile.

Thanks in advance.

[dules]

We got this one as a wedding gift in 94 and it is still going strong. I love it, and everything goes in the dishwasher and is super easy to keep clean. (Some Kitchen Aid parts don't go in the dishwasher, so watch for this if it's important to you). It looks nice on the counter which is key since we don't have a cabinet for storage.

It's quiet, easy to operate, and easy to lock/unlock for safety's sake (I remember learning on my mom's Sunbeam and how finicky it was to get the beaters in right - although they are probably much better now 30 + years later).

http://www.amazon.com/KitchenAid-Cla...410261?ie=UTF8

Good luck.

Mary

[niccig]

I think I have the same one. We were given duplicate wedding presents which I was able to return to Williams Sonoma and buy a mixer. The amazon price is a good one.

I would look for one that will last, it's not a purchase you should need to make twice. My mum's mixer (different brand) is as old as me! I also wanted one that could manage 1 batch of cookies or two. Somtimes you are baking more, I just made 18 loaves of pumpkin bread for a baby shower. My mixer got a workout that night. It is bigger than other mixers, but I think it's worth it.

Also look at the extra attachments and cost. I got the juicer attachment as an extra, not cheap, but cheaper than buying a separate juicing machine.

nicci

[SnuggleBuggles]

DO you think you will be using it for bread dough or something else difficult? If so, look for a mixer with a good motor and follow the directions (my dh burned out our Kitchen Aid motor by kneading dough at the wrong speed).

I have the one the pp posted in almond. It has been great for the past 6 years. Before that I only had a hand mixer so I can't really compare.

There have been very few times that I wish I had a bigger capacity unit. So far the 4.5qt one has been fine.

I have 2 bowls which really helps on holiays or for dinner parties!

Beth

[mom to little e]

I've had mine for about 13 years and it is awesome. I don't have an extra bowl but that would be really nice. I do also have a hand mixer that I use for quick tasks.

Maryann
Mommy to Ean & Mia!

[JBaxter]

I have had a kitchen aid mixer since 1990 and its still works perfect! My mom has been through 3 cheeper ones in that time. I highly recommend them.

[oliviasmomma]

I think that unless you're baking a lot of breads or large capacity recipes, the classic or artisan ones are great. They are worth the $$. I use ours at least once a week, usually more. It is easy to clean, very powerful, lasts a long time and makes me feel like a pro!

My mom had a sunbeam that burned out during a long baking session :(

[brittone2]

You want a good motor otherwise it will burn out easily if you plan to mix things like pizza dough or heavy/thick stuff, kwim?

We got our Kitchenaid as a wedding gift. It isn't the professional series, but it is still plenty big for most things. I want to say it was under $300 but that was 5ish years ago. Bed Bath and Beyond or Linens and Things have those 20% off coupons that might help if they carry the model you want. I think Costco had one recently (I want to say bigger than our model) for a decent price.

My dream would be a Bosch mixer. That's basically industrial strength LOL.

[JacksMommy]

I'm pretty sure my Cooks magazine tested mixers and found the Kitchen Aid ones to be awesome on a variety of factors. I didn't read it that carefully since I already have one (which hardly gets any use) but I think the higher end models at least partially involve extra features and attachments so it would also depend on what else you'll be using it for.

Laurel
Mama to Jack 6/02 and Maddy 12/04

Babywearing education in Napa, CA

[miki]

I've had my KitchenAid since about '98. Still works great. If you want to make stuff like bread dough, you need the heavy duty sort of mixer. But if you are just doing soft dough or batters, I think you could make do with a good hand held electric mixer. I like the option to use attachments--especially the meat grinder which I use to make my own pot sticker fillings.