Mommies who bake: Need help finding a mixer.

[connor_mommy]

You should check to see if your Costco carries it. The Costco set may come with extra parts.

[kijip]

I am not a mom who bakes (much) but I am married to a dad that bakes A LOT and we love the KitchenAid that we have. I am sure we will have it for many years to come. And it sees lots of use. However, to be honest I see more dusty KitchenAids in my friend's kitchens than I can count. It is seemingly second only to bread making machines in "I meant to use that pricey appliance but never got around to it." Get started with baking, either as a hobby or a chore (it is both in my household, LOL) and then invest in top quality equipment once you are confident that you will keep using it. J went from making pastry entirely by hand to the mixer so you don't need a mixer to get started. To some extent, I think the KitchenAid has become a kitchen status symbol, even for families that don't even use it to mix cookies because they buy the pre-maid dough in the tubes. Like a Dyson in a house with un-vaccumed floors.

[zoestargrove]

kitchenaid has forums that you can ask more specific questions and maybe help you narrow down the best version.
http://forum.kitchenaid.com/forums/f...sp?FORUM_ID=31

I have one of the larger ones where the mixer does NOT tip away from the bowl - instead it just raises straight up. I'm not sure if they've changed this and now all of their models tip away from the bowl, but I would make sure that the one you bought one that did. There is WAYYYY more room to access the bowl if it tips away from the bowl. (I hope this makes sense).

Kitchenaid is a workhorse! like everyone else mentioned, I think its a great investment.

[Dcclerk]

Like almost everyone else, I'm in the pro-KitchenAid camp. However, I have never used one of the cheaper ones, so I really couldn't compare. That being said, I will say that I think the stand mixers are so much nicer to cook with little kids. My kids really like to do everything, and LOVE to turn on the mixer. There is no way that they could do a hand mixer and I really think that it would lose some of the fun of baking for them.

On a non-kid cooking front, I cannot tell you how great I think it is to be able to whip up really whipping cream by just turning the thing on and go about fixing up the last parts of a dessert or just washing a bunch of berries. For me, real whipping cream can make a dessert, but I never bothered to do it since it was such a hassle with the hand mixer. It is now a staple in my refrigerator because of my KitchenAid :) .

[chrissyhowie]

I have a Bosch Concept 7 mixer, which I love:
http://www.pleasanthillgrain.com/bosch_concept.asp

http://www.pleasanthillgrain.com/concept_bake_2.jpg

I suggest it just as another alternative to the Kitchen Aids that are very popular. I chose the Bosch because I have very limited kitchen space. The mixer needs to sit below my cabinets on the counter, so the design of not needing to lift or tilt the motor head is what sold me on it. The model I got also came with a blender, and they were running a special where I got the food chopping attachment free. I opted to get cookie paddle mixing blades. Since I didn't have a food processor, I also got that accessory attachment. So in the space of one appliance on the counter, I now have a great mixer, food processor, blender and chopper/slicer. The motor is very powerful and I have had no problems with it.

HTH,

[clc053103]

Note that the "professional" models have a lever that lifts and lowers the bowl- then you sorta reach in to remove the beater. The classic and artisan have a locking mechanism- you unlock and tilt back the top of the mixer, and remove the beater that way. I prefer the tilt back- others prefer the professional's lever.

I do agree wholeheartedly that extra bowls are really nice, esp at the holidays when you bake a lot!