Sun Tzu's Awesome Tips On Stand Mixers
Mixer Buying Guide
KitchenAid
An electric mixer has become an indispensable tool in home kitchens. Before their
Arrival on the culinary arena, home cooks needed to stir cookie dough by hand, whisk egg
Whites or cream until their arms ached and master the method of kneading bread to
But now, an electric mixer can do All those tasks for you -- and it'll probably do a
better job.
mixer.
Hand Mixers vs. Stand Mixers
A stand mixer has a powerful motorized base with a mind that retains the beater
Attachments and a bowl that locks into position beneath the beaters.
mounted.
are evenly mixed.
Bigger, typically more powerful piece of equipment.
There are advantages and disadvantages to each type of appliance.
more powerful motor, so it can tackle stiffer doughs, such as thick cookie dough or
bread dough.
you to use the machine for everything from making ice cream to making sausage. But, a
Superior stand mixer can also be expensive (starting at around $200), and because they are
Bulky and heavy, they will likely need to take up a permanent spot on your counter.
drawer. You can buy a decent model for easily under $100, and because It's handheld,
You are able to control the path of the beaters, moving them around the bowl to ensure
that no ingredients are missed.
You can also use it with just about any bowl, large or size.
Motor isn't as powerful, so hand mixers are really only great for thinner, softer doughs
And batters, in addition to whipping cream or beating egg whiltes.
Since the hand mixer is relatively expensive.
Advantage Hand/Stand Mixer, a hand mixer that converts into a stand mixer by
Mounting on a base.
Does Brand Matter?
Kitchenaid is arguably the best-known brand in the mixer category, especially when it
stand mixer for the home in 1919.
Only option on the current market, or even that it's necessarily the best. KitchenAid's mixers
Begin with the Classic Series (read a review of the KitchenAid Classic Series Stand
Mixer) and go up to the Professional and Commercial collections.
At the entry level end of the market are stand mixer options from Sunbeam and
Hamilton Beach, which are less than $50 but are not as sturdily constructed and have
smaller work bowls than other models.
They're also made of lighter-weight materials, which means they're not as durable and
They could "creep" across the counter, particularly if they're beating a particularly stiff
dough.
At the high end, Breville makes a stand mixer that has an Integrated timer and a rugged,
die-cast metal construction. And Cuisinart's models also have a countdown timer as
well as optional attachments (sold separately). One of the priciest -- and best-quality --
mixers is from Viking. It has one of the most powerful motor's on the market (1000
watts), metal gear transmission and even wheels to easily move it around the countertop
(a nice touch considering it weighs more than 20 pounds).
In terms of hand mixers, most small appliance brands make them, and the performance
Of higher-priced brands is not necessarily markedly better than more affordable brands,
Although more expensive models might have additional features or a better design.
Finally, the best advice is to choose the brand that you feel has the best reputation,
Or the best-quality product you are able.
Wattage and Other Features
Don't settle for a stand mixer with less than 250 watts of power -- anything less and
You will be lucky if it can handle pancake batter. Pricier models have more powerful
motors; Breville's model has a 550-watt motor, and Cuisinart has an option that has a
1000-watt motor.
Countdown timers, such as those in Cuisinart's and Breville's models, are nice; you can
Set them to knead bread dough for 10 minutes, for instance, and the machine will turn
Itself off when it's completed. KitchenAid stand mixers are known for the little plug on the
Head which can be used for accessories; the business sells a wide arrange of
attachments, including citrus juicers, ice cream makers, sausage grinders, pasta
extruders and more. The plug is universal, so every KitchenAid model, regardless of
how old or new it is, will fit every attachment. Cuisinart also has a similar feature; its
Stand mixers have three outlets in which to plug attachments, but the company does not
Have as wide a choice of attachments.
Some stand mixers tout "planetary action" mixing; this means that the beaters take an
elliptical path around the bowl to ensure uniform mixing. Most, even the cheapest,
Come with three basic attachments: a paddle for general mixing, a whisk for beating
cream or egg whites, and a dough hook for kneading bread dough.
Hand mixers are typically 200 to 250 watts of power, and for the thinner mixtures that
These are typically used with, a motor that is 200 to 225 watts should work just fine.
Features to watch for are the types of beater attachments included, the range of speeds,
And whether there's a storage case for the accessories.
Don't bother with a hand mixer that has a dough hook -- chances are the motor isn't
powerful enough to handle bread dough anyway, and at any rate, it would be too
Uncomfortable holding the mixer over a bowl for the period of time it takes to
machine-knead dough.
Tilt-Head or Bowl-Lift Stand Mixer?
Most stand mixers have a tilt-head design, where the bowl remains stationary, locked
Into a base, and the head is on a hinge so it can tip up to lift the beaters out of the bowl.
KitchenAid, however, makes a number of models with a bowl-lift layout, in which
The bowl locks onto a framework, and a lever is turned to lift the bowl up to satisfy the beaters.
The bowl-lift design was originally used mainly in commercial kitchens, but is now
Offered in some of KitchenAid's higher-priced and larger-capacity mixers.
The advantage with the bowl-lift design is that the mixer can fit under a cabinet
And doesn't need to be moved forward in order to use it (with the tilt-head mixers,
there wouldn't be room under a cabinet to lift up the head). Some people prefer
The bowl-lift mixers because they appear more professional and they often have a larger
bowl capacity. But others like the tilt-head design because you get more access to the
Bowl, in order to add ingredients or scrape down the side.
Choosing a Mixer Size
Mixers come with a Selection of bowl sizes; it's important to choose a size that will be most
useful to you. The normal size is between 4.5 and 5.5 quarts. This is large enough to
bake a batch of cookies or a knead a loaf of bread. You might even be able to fit a
double batch of cookie dough in there. If you do a lot of large-quantity cookie or bread
Baking, you might want to opt for a larger mixer; KitchenAid claims its 6-quart mixer
Has the capability to make 13 batches of cookies or more than 8 loaves of bread at the same time.
KitchenAid
An electric mixer has become an indispensable tool in home kitchens. Before their
Arrival on the culinary arena, home cooks needed to stir cookie dough by hand, whisk egg
Whites or cream until their arms ached and master the method of kneading bread to
But now, an electric mixer can do All those tasks for you -- and it'll probably do a
better job.
mixer.
Hand Mixers vs. Stand Mixers
A stand mixer has a powerful motorized base with a mind that retains the beater
Attachments and a bowl that locks into position beneath the beaters.
mounted.
are evenly mixed.
Bigger, typically more powerful piece of equipment.
There are advantages and disadvantages to each type of appliance.
more powerful motor, so it can tackle stiffer doughs, such as thick cookie dough or
bread dough.
you to use the machine for everything from making ice cream to making sausage. But, a
Superior stand mixer can also be expensive (starting at around $200), and because they are
Bulky and heavy, they will likely need to take up a permanent spot on your counter.
drawer. You can buy a decent model for easily under $100, and because It's handheld,
You are able to control the path of the beaters, moving them around the bowl to ensure
that no ingredients are missed.
You can also use it with just about any bowl, large or size.
Motor isn't as powerful, so hand mixers are really only great for thinner, softer doughs
And batters, in addition to whipping cream or beating egg whiltes.
Since the hand mixer is relatively expensive.
Advantage Hand/Stand Mixer, a hand mixer that converts into a stand mixer by
Mounting on a base.
Does Brand Matter?
Kitchenaid is arguably the best-known brand in the mixer category, especially when it
stand mixer for the home in 1919.
Only option on the current market, or even that it's necessarily the best. KitchenAid's mixers
Begin with the Classic Series (read a review of the KitchenAid Classic Series Stand
Mixer) and go up to the Professional and Commercial collections.
At the entry level end of the market are stand mixer options from Sunbeam and
Hamilton Beach, which are less than $50 but are not as sturdily constructed and have
smaller work bowls than other models.
They're also made of lighter-weight materials, which means they're not as durable and
They could "creep" across the counter, particularly if they're beating a particularly stiff
dough.
At the high end, Breville makes a stand mixer that has an Integrated timer and a rugged,
die-cast metal construction. And Cuisinart's models also have a countdown timer as
well as optional attachments (sold separately). One of the priciest -- and best-quality --
mixers is from Viking. It has one of the most powerful motor's on the market (1000
watts), metal gear transmission and even wheels to easily move it around the countertop
(a nice touch considering it weighs more than 20 pounds).
In terms of hand mixers, most small appliance brands make them, and the performance
Of higher-priced brands is not necessarily markedly better than more affordable brands,
Although more expensive models might have additional features or a better design.
Finally, the best advice is to choose the brand that you feel has the best reputation,
Or the best-quality product you are able.
Wattage and Other Features
Don't settle for a stand mixer with less than 250 watts of power -- anything less and
You will be lucky if it can handle pancake batter. Pricier models have more powerful
motors; Breville's model has a 550-watt motor, and Cuisinart has an option that has a
1000-watt motor.
Countdown timers, such as those in Cuisinart's and Breville's models, are nice; you can
Set them to knead bread dough for 10 minutes, for instance, and the machine will turn
Itself off when it's completed. KitchenAid stand mixers are known for the little plug on the
Head which can be used for accessories; the business sells a wide arrange of
attachments, including citrus juicers, ice cream makers, sausage grinders, pasta
extruders and more. The plug is universal, so every KitchenAid model, regardless of
how old or new it is, will fit every attachment. Cuisinart also has a similar feature; its
Stand mixers have three outlets in which to plug attachments, but the company does not
Have as wide a choice of attachments.
Some stand mixers tout "planetary action" mixing; this means that the beaters take an
elliptical path around the bowl to ensure uniform mixing. Most, even the cheapest,
Come with three basic attachments: a paddle for general mixing, a whisk for beating
cream or egg whites, and a dough hook for kneading bread dough.
Hand mixers are typically 200 to 250 watts of power, and for the thinner mixtures that
These are typically used with, a motor that is 200 to 225 watts should work just fine.
Features to watch for are the types of beater attachments included, the range of speeds,
And whether there's a storage case for the accessories.
Don't bother with a hand mixer that has a dough hook -- chances are the motor isn't
powerful enough to handle bread dough anyway, and at any rate, it would be too
Uncomfortable holding the mixer over a bowl for the period of time it takes to
machine-knead dough.
Tilt-Head or Bowl-Lift Stand Mixer?
Most stand mixers have a tilt-head design, where the bowl remains stationary, locked
Into a base, and the head is on a hinge so it can tip up to lift the beaters out of the bowl.
KitchenAid, however, makes a number of models with a bowl-lift layout, in which
The bowl locks onto a framework, and a lever is turned to lift the bowl up to satisfy the beaters.
The bowl-lift design was originally used mainly in commercial kitchens, but is now
Offered in some of KitchenAid's higher-priced and larger-capacity mixers.
The advantage with the bowl-lift design is that the mixer can fit under a cabinet
And doesn't need to be moved forward in order to use it (with the tilt-head mixers,
there wouldn't be room under a cabinet to lift up the head). Some people prefer
The bowl-lift mixers because they appear more professional and they often have a larger
bowl capacity. But others like the tilt-head design because you get more access to the
Bowl, in order to add ingredients or scrape down the side.
Choosing a Mixer Size
Mixers come with a Selection of bowl sizes; it's important to choose a size that will be most
useful to you. The normal size is between 4.5 and 5.5 quarts. This is large enough to
bake a batch of cookies or a knead a loaf of bread. You might even be able to fit a
double batch of cookie dough in there. If you do a lot of large-quantity cookie or bread
Baking, you might want to opt for a larger mixer; KitchenAid claims its 6-quart mixer
Has the capability to make 13 batches of cookies or more than 8 loaves of bread at the same time.
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