How do you choose the best stand mixer? Here are the main points I think you can consider:
What tasks can it handle?
You’d want to know whether it can mix cake batter, or bread dough, or cookie mix. How do you know? Check the power of the mixer. Stand mixers generally have power from 250 watts to 800 watts. If you only bake the occasional cake or cookies, a basic stand mixer of 250-watt is quite sufficient. A more regular baker will want to look at 350 to 500 watts. Any wattage over that is suitable for the heavy bread baker because bread dough is thick and tough to knead with a stand mixer that doesn’t have enough power.
Basic stand mixer: KitchenAid K45SS Classic Stand Mixer - 250-watt
Heavy duty stand mixer: KitchenAid Professional 600 – 575-Watt
Powerful stand mixer: Cuisinart SM-55 Stand Mixer - 800-watt
Is it heavy? Is it too big?
The size and weight of the mixer is a rather important aspect when choosing a mixer. We want a mixer that doesn’t rival with elephant in weight, and yet still have enough stability to not tumble around when the mixer is in operation. Choosing a mixer which is modest in size also makes storage a breeze, instead of having to allocate a huge space for it.
How much batter can I make in one batch?
Check the capacity of the mixing bowl. Getting too small a mixer is such a blast because you’ll have to do everything twice (measuring stuff a second time gets on my nerves) and the precision is lost. But a mixer that is too big won’t do either, because you’ll have a hard time trying to get an even batter (imagine scraping the sides all the time because of splattering).
Basic bowl capacity: KitchenAid K45SS Classic Stand Mixer - 4-1/2-Quart
Large bowl capacity: KitchenAid Professional 600 - 6-Quart
How much control do I have over the mixing?
One of the mistakes I made when I bought my first mixer, was it had as many buttons as a space shuttle and only my teenage son knew how to operate it. When looking for a good mixer, you would want a mixer that is easy to learn and straight forward. You’d want a mixer with at least 6 speeds and a slow start option to prevent puffing up the floury ingredients. Some mixers offer special custom speeds and modes for special preparation foods. Make sure you know if such additions are necessary and if it will add on to the cost of the mixer.
Will it mix evenly?
The more quality mixers have a rotating spiral action designed to let the mixing action get as close as it can to the sides of the mixing bowl. That way the batter is mixed evenly without you having to scrape the sides to the middle every time.
Is it easy to clean and assemble?
This is one of the most important factors for me! The mixer must be easy to clean and re-assembled after cleaning. Having a mixer that doesn’t attach and detach smoothly can result in a huge hassle just to get the mixer cleaned after each use. The body of the mixer must also not have many nooks and crannies to attract dirt and flour particles that float around when you pour ingredients.
I recommend this easy to clean stand mixer: Cuisinart SM-55 5 1/2 Quart Stand Mixer
What else can it do for me?
Most stand mixers now have very convenient features such as timer, splash guard, overload protection, and locking tilt-head. Standard attachments are usually the whisk, the dough hook and the beater. Some even have vegetable/meat grinder, and pasta or sausage maker. All these may or may not add to the price and you will have to decide whether you need these or not. If you are not sure you want these now but may want to buy attachments later on, this stand mixer is a good option: KitchenAid Artisan Mixer.
How long will it last?
Stand mixers are usually not cheap so you will want it to last as long as possible. Choose a good brand or make that is sturdy and has great reviews on the durability and customer service. Also look out for a good warranty offered by the company.
Well, I hope you can find the best stand mixer, because a good mixer will make baking so much more fun and trouble-free. Do check out my recommendations here: Best Stand Mixer - Top Picks
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