Stand Mixer Help

[MBMorgan]

I would (and did) go with the KitchenAid Pro. It will handle pretty much anything you throw at it and it has really useful attachments available (like the meat grinder for instance). Like Breadhead , I prefer to mix bread dough by hand ... but for everything else there is the 30 year old 'Old Faithful' KitchenAid.

[Strat50]

Any of the Kitchen Aid mixers will work well. Buy the most powerful one that you can. For 2-3 loaves of bread, or less, it will serve you well. If you need higher capacity, the best I've used(outside of the one's I use at work, that is) is a Bosch. The larger one's are a BEAST for large batches of stiff bread dough. I've smoked KA mixers (yes real smoke!) on too large batches of stiff dough needing long kneading times. But, for 2 loaves or less, the 625 watt KA is fine. I've had my current one for a few years without problems. Overall, the Bocshes are more powerful due to their design, but are more work to clean. The KA is much easier to clean, but weaker, due to their design, but still strong enough for most non power users.

Having said all that, I usually make some version of no-knead bread. ( I frequent many of the same bread making sites as Breadhead). It's usually quicker than dragging out the mixer, especially for smaller batches of bread. However, the mixer is great for Ciabatta, Foccacia, and other breads that use a lot of liquid(high hydration) and long kneading times. In other words, the right tool for the right job. A quick thought: If you really want to up your bread game, get a good grain mill! The mill has shown me things that are usually impossible with just buying flour. 'Nuff said...lol

[Thunder77]

I bet that's a good story! My daughter is grown, almost 20. I think she has used one before, so will probably be ok. Good point, tho.

[gcdmd]

You didn't mention your daughter's size or age or if she will be operating it without help. Whatever you consider, be sure that she can operate it, preferably without help.

As an aside, one of these days I'll have to tell you all about the time I almost blew up the kitchen and myself with it when I was eleven years old and making biscuits.

[Thunder77]

Skip, the KA mixers accept a C-shape dough hook, which seems to do a pretty good job. In fact, the new ones come with the dough hook.

[Skip]

I have been working on pizza and bread dough for the past 18 months. Sometimes by hand but usually with the KA mixer. We got our KA mixer for our wedding in 1981. It is a model made by Hobart before they sold to KA. Now I want a spiral dough hook for ours and it won't accept one. I've been told that no KA Tilt Head mixer accept the spiral dough hook. Soooooooo, my recommendation would be to buy a mixer that would accept the spiral dough hook! You will get what you pay for!

[Thunder77]

I know you do, but I do recall you mentioned using a mixer for some type of bread. It was the ciabatta.

[Breadhead]

I rarely mix bread dough in a mixer unless it's a really high hydration dough like Ciabatta bread, 80 to 95% hydration. When I do use a stand mixer I use the Pro version of the Kitchen Aid mixer. I like to make bread by hand.

[EdF]

I have an Electrolux Kitchen Asistant (7.5 qt / 600W). It could handle it. But it's been discontinued. There's a company called Ankarsrum that makes essentially the same product now (I think there was some kind of a tech handoff between them). But it's really expensive. Bosch has a similar style, which is also likely expensive. You can't go far wrong with the higher end Kitchen Aids.

[tbob4]

Breadhead , Willy , RonB , scottranda, MBMorgan

[lschweig]

We have the bowl lift one and it has lasted many years. To me I would definitely go with the more powerful one for sure.

[Thunder77]

Hello all. I am in the market for a stand mixer. Two models I am considering are the Kitchenaid Artisan series 5qt, and the Kitchenaid Professional Plus 5 quart. I intend to use it to make lots of dough: bread dough, pizza dough, etc. And my daughter will use it for making cookies. The Pro series is a bowl lift type mixer, and the artisan series is a tilt-head mixer.

My concern is that the Artisan series has a 325 watt motor. Is this sufficient for mixing bread dough? I don't want to buy an under-powered mixer and burn it out. Also, Are there other brands that any of you have that you are happy with?

Thanks!