Have you ever hand kneaded bread? If you have, then you know it is incredibly exhausting. A kitchen stand mixer not only saves you time, but also saves you from sheer muscle exhaustion. Electric mixers can help you become the master chef in your house without paying the price.
Stand mixers offer much more versatility than basic hand mixers. These kitchen mixers have the ability to knead dough for homemade bread, yet they are simple enough to mix cake batter thoroughly with ease. Using a stand mixer is much more efficient than using a hand mixer because the hands-free design allows you to add ingredients while the mixer is churning. This also allows you to do other tasks such as preparing the pan for baking or taking a short phone call.
The KitchenAid Artisan Series, KitchenAid Ultra Power and the Hamilton Beach Mixer Pro are the best stand mixers we reviewed. All of these mixers have the motor power and capacity to handle any mixing job you desire.
For even further information on the best stand mixers, please visit our learning center for articles on stand mixers.
STAND MIXERS: WHAT TO LOOK FOR
When choosing a stand mixer you should consider what your plans are for using this appliance. Besides baking cookies or bread, consider what other things you'd use your kitchen mixer for.
Mixing Specifications
The overall quality score takes into account a number of different things, such as noise level, motor power and convenience. Each mixer is assigned a score based on how well it faired in each category. Use that score as an indication of a good mixer.
The overall quality score takes into account a number of different things, such as noise level, motor power and convenience. Each mixer is assigned a score based on how well it faired in each category. Use that score as an indication of a good mixer.
If you are looking for a tool that will mix something stiffer such as cookie or bread dough, make sure that your stand mixer has enough motor wattage to do so. Also be aware of how much flour your mixer can handle. The ‘cups of flour’ measurement doesn’t indicate how much your bowl can hold, but rather how much flour your motor can handle mixing. The more flour your motor can handle, the thicker mixes and more dough it can knead. Another important feature to look for is planetary mixing. This allows mixers to hit several different points in the mixing bowl to ensure that all of your ingredients are thoroughly mixed.
Functionality
The purpose of a stand mixer is to make your life in the kitchen as easy as possible. Therefore, the food mixer itself should be easy to use. A good stand mixer will offer a tilt-head design that will allow you to properly position the mixing bowl before lowering the mixing head.
The purpose of a stand mixer is to make your life in the kitchen as easy as possible. Therefore, the food mixer itself should be easy to use. A good stand mixer will offer a tilt-head design that will allow you to properly position the mixing bowl before lowering the mixing head.
A cake mixer with an auto shut-off feature will help with two things. First, if your mixer is not in use for an extended period, it will shut off automatically. More importantly, if your mixer is having trouble mixing, or if the mixture is too thick and the motor is laboring, the auto shut-off feature will turn the motor off automatically to prevent motor burn-up.
Attachments
Flat beaters, dough hooks, tip beaters and bowls should come standard with a dough mixer. The best stand mixers offer additional attachments, as well, such as pasta makers, slicer/shedders and food grinders. With these additional attachments, a kitchen stand mixer is all you’ll need to handle any job in the kitchen.
Flat beaters, dough hooks, tip beaters and bowls should come standard with a dough mixer. The best stand mixers offer additional attachments, as well, such as pasta makers, slicer/shedders and food grinders. With these additional attachments, a kitchen stand mixer is all you’ll need to handle any job in the kitchen.
Help & Support
A good stand mixer will come with a user manual complete with a few recipes to try out. It should also include a warranty. Finding help for your new stand mixer should not be difficult. Some of the mixers we reviewed even offer multiple support options to help you with questions.
A good stand mixer will come with a user manual complete with a few recipes to try out. It should also include a warranty. Finding help for your new stand mixer should not be difficult. Some of the mixers we reviewed even offer multiple support options to help you with questions.
Finding the right stand mixer will take a bit of decision making on your part. Choosing how your stand mixer will be used is the biggest consideration. If you are looking for something as simple as hands-free mixing, then you don't need a food mixer that offers extra features. However, if you are looking for a stand mixer that will act as a juicer, or one that will help you to make homemade sausages, you'll need to choose one with these additional features. Let us help you find the right stand mixer for you, and we're confident you'll be happy with your choice.
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