I do a fair amount of baking; mostly cookies, muffins, quick breads, pies, etc. My mother doesn’t have a stand mixer, so I have always thought a hand mixer was all I needed. So, why do I have this burning desire to make room on my countertop for one of these beautiful appliances?
ooooh aaaah... so purdy
If you have a stand mixer, would you mind answering a few questions for me?
What brand/model do you have? Do you like it?
What do you use it for?
Why do I need one (or why do I not need one)?
If you don’t have one, do you share my pathetic yearning for a kitchen appliance, or just think I’m totally weird?
What do you use it for?
Why do I need one (or why do I not need one)?
If you don’t have one, do you share my pathetic yearning for a kitchen appliance, or just think I’m totally weird?
21 comments:
I have the KitchenAid stand mixer (in purple, of course). To be honest, I don't use it that much because I hardly ever bake or do any cooking that involves more than the stove or oven. However, I love it and it's a piece of decor in our apartment. Also, I do use it sometimes, especially to whip things or to create the occasional dessert, such as chocolate mousse. If I baked more I would definitely use it more. And also, I love it and that's what counts.
I have the standard Kitchenaid Stand Mixer (as in, not the artisan) and I think it has a 5 quart capacity. Lori---this thing is amazing. I hated baking cookies until I got it. The dough was a breeze. I’ve used it to whip my potatoes, to make whipped cream, to throw muffins together real quick….it is just the greatest thing ever. I actually have high aspirations of getting the pasta attachment and making homemade pasta or the grinder to make my own baby food (ok, that is taking it a bit far). Trust me, I am no Suzy Homemaker, but I LOVE this thing.
I have the KitchenAid stand mixer in orange (my favorite color) and I do really like it. I don't have a hand mixer, so it takes care of all of my mixing needs. It's not always the best tool - sometimes a hand mixer would be better, but it is pretty mulit-faceted and I like that. Also, it does all the mixing work for you and I think it's less messy than and hand mixer.
So in closing, JOIN THE CLUB. Muhuhahaha.
Warning - I am a KitchenAid Stand Mixer Evangelist!
I have the KitchenAid Artisan, 5 quart bowl. I LOVE IT. My mother had one and it outlived her, so I figured they are built well.
The box with my mixer in it was the only box I insured when I moved across the country. I didn't insure my $3,000 computer. Just saying.
I use my mixer no less than once a week, and often use it two or three times a week. I use it to make homemade bread every Sunday, I use it mix cookie dough or homemade muffin batter every couple of weeks, pizza dough every Friday night (yep - I decided to make my own dough, too!). It makes yeast bread prep go sooooo much faster. Actually, it makes any kind of dough or batter prep go faster.
Um, so I guess I use it no less than twice a week. During the holidays I used this sucker nearly every night.
When I have family over I use it to whip up big batches of Norweigan pancake batter or aebleskiver batter. I don't mind how it whips up egg whites, but a hand mixer may do that better.
I should be getting paid for these endorsements, damn it.
Let me add - (geezuz, just shut me up already!) that I doubt I'd be making the homemade bread, pizza dough if I didn't have the mixer. It would be too much work, then!
I'd also be skinner because there would be considerably fewer cookies in the house.
I too yearn for one of these but I worry about the cost and perhaps the lack of use that might occur even though I bake a lot - I am totally way old fashioned and like to stir by hand. However, the cute/sleek/beauty of these appliances just take my breath away - seriously, I am a total appliance junkie... That is why we have not one but two crock pots in two sizes, an unused ice cream maker and several other doo dads that seemed OH SO necessary when I (we) bought them but now... hmm how the hell do I used that $50 pineapple slicer anyway?!
I have the mixer pictured, except in black. I LOVE IT TOO. I was surprised when you said you didn't have one with all of the baking you do.
I'm with Artemisia, the real value of the stand mixer over the hand mixer is with bread doughs and such. It reallyy does replace kneading, and like her, I probably wouldn't bake bread or make pizza dough if I didn't have it.
Plus, the motor is so powerful, there's no cookie dough or bread dough that it can't handle. It won't crap out like the hand mixer. Plus, it saves time since you can WALK AWAY from it, unlike the hand mixer.
Tessie - awesome point. The ability to walk away and let it do the work for you is worth its weight in cookies.
It also rocks that it handles all the kneading for you, too.
I have been having these same thoughts about possibly getting a stand mixer. My biggest issue with just getting one (other than the cost - those babies are pricey) is a place to keep it. As in, I don't have one.
i share your coveting of the stand-up mixer. do you ever watch the barefoot contessa on the food network? the things she does with her mixer...makes me swoon! and i don't even really bake. but i know i would if i had one.
I have a Cuisinart one. I love it. I use it - honestly - multiple times a week. It's fantastic for mixing bread doughs, and I LOVE LOVE LOVE it for creaming butter and sugar for cakes and cookies, which was always my downfall. BUT, if you don't bake frequently, you probably can live without one.
I don't have one, but I covet the KitchenAid ones. Two things holding me back:
1) Is it as much of a pain to clean as it seems? Hand mixers are so easy to clean...
2) The amount of space it takes up on the counter top. Hand mixers just get chucked into a drawer...
Heidi
I have the kitchenaid and it is my best kitchen friend. Cookies are so much easier (if you have lazy arm like I do). I use my a LOT and adore it. However, if you're willing to do some homework, I've been told by culinary genius friends and various cooking experts that there is one that is supposed to be better/more heavy duty (I think it is the Bosch) but I've never tried it
You people are making me drool. How much are these puppies, anyways? Do I have to sell my first-born?
(I just looked, and holy crapola, the answer is YES.)
I don't do enough baking to merit one but I still covet one - they're so pretty!
I have my mother's Kitchen Aid stand mixer, which is actually older than I am (I'm 30). It just recently started making some funny wurr wurr noises, but Brett just lubricated the motor (he's a former mechanic, which is handy) and now she's back on track. Buy one, they're the greatest thing ever and will make you happy. I promise.
Ahhh -- I LOVE my stand mixer. It's a kitchen aid -- the kind that tilts, not lifts. Mom has the lift kind and loves it, I've never seen the need and hated having to fish the beater out of the bowl. She claims it's great for heavy duty mixing (like what? I've always wondered. Concrete? Or some really, really great mud? Actually -- random thought -- what would happen if I tried to mix cornstarch and water in my stand mixer? Maybe her mixer would work better for the liquid/solid cornstarch and water can be in the right proportions? Not that it needs a mixer, just one of those what-would-happen moments.) Anyway. . . I mix lots of things but love it for cheesecakes. I tend to mix my creamcheese and sugar for a really long time and love just walking away from it and letting it do its thing. Also use it for cookies, mashed potatoes, dips. Haven't tried bread (it intimidates me, just like frozen turkeys) but maybe someday. Wish I had a fancy color but, alas, it was a gift and I had no choice. Gotta love the in-laws for giving it to us, though!
I love love love mine!
I have a kitchen aide like you have pictured but in black.
I bake a lot and it make it all so much easier. I love the dough hook too cuz it helps to kneed the bread so I don't have too.
I think if I could do it again I'd get the professional quality one because it can handle bigger quantities and has a bigger motor. My hubby did point out that for the cost I could just have another of the regular ones so...I guess it doesn't matter that much lol.
Short answer - you NEED one of these!
I love mine too (plain old Kitchenaid one. Not the artisan version, although I have found myself lusting after that one on occasion. Well worth the money.
I have a KitchenAid stand mixer, the basic one in white but I WISH WISH WISH I had it in pink.
I worked in a bakery and they have the same mixers but HUGE--you can barely get your arms around the bowl, and on some you DON'T: you leave the bowl there and scoop stuff out of it. Anyway, my point is that stand mixers are the best, and that the Kitchenaids are the best of the stand mixers. Bakeries say so!
I don't have one personally, but my roommate does, and he and my fiance make pizza dough in it all the time. He also uses it for cookies and all kinds of other stuff (can you tell I'm not the cook in the house?). I have decided that when I don't live with him anymore I will NEED one of my own. He has the artisan KitchenAid in gray, but not the shiny gray - it doesn't show any fingerprints or anything, and it's a breeze to clean up. Throw the bowl and mixer in the dishwasher, and just wipe the machine off. I actually would say it's easier to clean and use than my hand mixer, by far.
Also, don't get scared by the suggested retail price - Kohls (and probably other stores) have them on sale sometimes, or you can find a coupon once in a while. Otherwise, it makes a great gift. ;-)
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