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Original poster

Stand mixers - tell me which one to buy

48 replies

Blastandbollocks · 07/11/2020 06:57

Santa has agreed to bring me one! (FINALLY!)

Obviously, KitchenAid is an option, but it's so expensive.

I need it for basic baking - cakes, meringues etc. But I'd also like it to knead dough as my fingers are seizing up.

So, give me the best to buy!

OP posts:
Original poster
Blastandbollocks · 07/11/2020 07:04

Oh, and I have read up on them, but that's not subjective! I want the details about it not getting the bits at the bottom etc!

OP posts:
Nc135 · 07/11/2020 07:08

Have just got a Kitchen Aid one this very week but haven’t used it yet. Am just admiring it standing on the worktop in the kitchen for a while first Grin

Wtfdoipick · 07/11/2020 07:09

I love my k--mix and would recommend it. It's good for getting the bits at the bottom but likes to dance around while doing dough so I have to stand there with a hand on it to stop it travelling too far

Matildatoldsuchdreadfullies · 07/11/2020 07:10

Last year DD (now 17) saved up all her Christmas and birthday money, and refused presents from DH and me, in order to get a Kitchenaid to replace her £40 Aldi stand mixer. She adores it, and tells me frequently that it’s amazing.

Flamingolingo · 07/11/2020 07:10

I bought a kitchen aid 7 years ago when we got married. It’s still going strong, and has moderate use. I was at a friend’s house a while ago and she was baking using another brand, possibly a Kenwood, but it was so much noisier. I think it also depends whether you have cupboard space because the kitchen aid is iconic

KedsAndTubeSocks · 07/11/2020 07:15

Kenwood Major is amazing, particularly if you like lots of attachments. It's great for bread dough.

ToastandJamandTea · 07/11/2020 07:19

I have had my kitchen aid for nearly ten years. It's fabulous. Very quiet and I enjoy the extra attachments you can purchase.

BoomBoomsCousin · 07/11/2020 07:21

I have a KitchenAid. It's good for the most part and looks lovely. But the first time I made bread in it the bowl was forced past the grip by the kneading of the dough. I don't know if it's the metal of the bowl that's been misshapen or the metal in the twist in base, but I now have to hold the bowl if I do anything too heavy to keep it in place. I can probably fix it by getting a replacement bowl or base but I frequently do the same amount of dough (~2lbs) so I assume it would just happen again. I haven't heard of this happening to anyone else, so maybe it was just mine, but I can't recommend them if you want to do a reasonable amount of bread baking.

My gran had a Kenwood Chef (40 years ago!) that was a total work horse, I doubt they're quite the same now but maybe worth looking at.

BoomBoomsCousin · 07/11/2020 07:22

Also, Kitchen Aid doesn't get the bits at the bottom when mixing cakes etc. You need to stop and scrape it down.

Doobydoo · 07/11/2020 07:26

I have a high spec kenwood and disappointed. Had for 2 years and already had replacement bowl as it cracked..also blender massively heavy. It is really noisy. I like the built in scales. I researched but should have asked on here!

Doobydoo · 07/11/2020 07:28

Ah..obv it is not a stand mixer( did not read title properly) I would go for Kitchenaid!

divafever99 · 07/11/2020 07:28

Had a kitchenaid for 8 years now, mainly used for cakes. It does make a real difference to the sponge. Well worth the money. I have cream and it looks lovely in my kitchen too.

lanbro · 07/11/2020 07:33

I have a K Mix, it replaced a kenwood that had belonged to my gran so hopefully this will last as long! I love it, and I bake professionally. I managed to find one discounted to £250 from £350, I like that it comes with the guard as standard, I think with a kitchenaid it's an extra. The only thing is the glass bowl that comes with it has a plastic nut to keep it in the stand which cracked very quickly due to the weight. As it was during lockdown the company refunded me the cost of a new bowl and I bought a stainless steel one instead, which is perfect. Would recommend

MiniDoofa · 07/11/2020 07:44

I have the breville one. Had it ten years and still going strong. Blade has rubber edges so it doesn’t miss bits at the bottom. I have steel bowl but looks like they’re glass now.
Came with dough hook and whisk attachments. Regularly make cakes, meringues, pizza dough. All great. Would highly recommend. 😀

lancashirelady · 07/11/2020 07:46

I had a Kenwood chef for 30 years and replaced it 3 years ago with another Kenwood when it stopped working. The new Kenwood lasted 2 years before it stopped working and tbh I wasn't impressed with it. I replaced it last year with a Kitchenaid and I am more than impressed with it.

NannyR · 07/11/2020 07:57

I've had a Kenwood chef titanium for over ten years and I love it, I use it several times a week.
Although it doesn't have the bright colours and retro looks of the kitchen aid, it still looks good and performs just as well.
I think what swayed me towards the Kenwood rather than the KitchenAid was that the Kenwood was slightly cheaper but came with food processor and blender attachments included, I've since bought the ice cream maker and mini grinder attachments too.

Fluffycloudland77 · 07/11/2020 07:59

I’d go fir the kitchen aid tbh.

QueenAnnesHat · 07/11/2020 08:02

I have a Kitchen Aid. It does a good job, but - it tends to 'walk' across the kitchen counter when mixing at anything above medium slow speed, so has to be supervised; it needs frequent adjustment to the rod on the hinge and to the screw which controls the height of the whisk in relation to the bowl; even with adjustment it doesn't seem to reach the very bottom of the bowl, so you have to keep stopping and scraping. On reflection, I wish I'd bought a Kenwood chef - I grew up using them at home and think they do a much better job.

Jellycatspyjamas · 07/11/2020 08:03

I have a 20 year old Kitchenaid, it looks like new and works brilliantly - I’d highly recommend.

midgebabe · 07/11/2020 08:06

Kitchen aid. Make about 3 loaves a week plus a cake , beanburgers etc. Love it.

SistemaAddict · 07/11/2020 08:07

I have a kitchen aid and use it every other day or sometimes daily to make bread, and cakes. It's 9 years old and I love it. It's a joy to use. I'm lusting after extra bowls and the matching toaster and kettle.

mysteryfairy · 07/11/2020 08:09

I’m stalked on mumsnet by adverts for personalised kitchen aids which would make me inclined to abandon any attempt to get a good deal just so I could customise. However if you’re not so shallow there have been bargains the last few Black Fridays so worth waiting a couple of weeks.

AntennaReborn · 07/11/2020 08:10

I have had a Kitchen Aid for 10 years, I use it at least once a week but often a lot more than that.

I make all our bread, plus cakes, brioche, etc

It's fantastic for making buttercream and marzipan too.

It's quiet, easy to use, a doddle to clean, and every part of the bowl is reached by the paddle or whisk so you won't find unmixed bits at the bottom

SinkGirl · 07/11/2020 08:13

I replaced my KitchenAid with a Kenwood Major about 12 years ago and it’s still going strong - used to get a lot of use as I used to run cake decorating classes but doesn’t get so much use now. I also used to teach at a cake school that used K Mix and they were really good and definitely nicer to look at than my giant hulking Kenwood Major.

I think the difficulty is that production standards across brands have gone down - my mum and various others I know I had old Kenwood Chefs that lasted decades, but I don’t think the newer ones are up to scratch.

KitchenAid definitely look the nicest, if that matters :)

LaurieSchafferIsAllBitterNow · 07/11/2020 08:23

my mother has always had Kenwood.... she is over 80 now and on her third, so they are pretty longlasting....she has the Major. She got the third one about 20 years ago because somehow she dropped a knife into one of the attachments and shattered the innards or something!

The Kenwood is to be passed on to someone like a family heirloom! It was to be my SIL but they have fallen out so probably not her anymore!

I have a Kitchen aid which I have no bother with at all, I make bread most days...my only issue was that once I somehow did not put the dough hook on properly and it locked itself on and it took forever to get it off....I thought it was done for! I am super careful now though about fixing the beaters on.

If you adjust the height of the beaters then there is never a problem with it leaving stuff in the bottom, esp if you have the beater with the flexi edge. Also never had an issue with it walking.
The only issue I do have it the wee screw in knob at the front that removes for attachments always seems to work itself loose, but by habit I know tighten it as soon as I start anything.
Oh and the whisk is aluminium and cannot go in the dishwasher. Bloody nuisance.

If you know anyone with a Costco card they nearly always have the solid metallic grey enamelled on in there.

Otherwise if you are not fussy about the colours have a good rake about the internet...Dh got mine with a free glass bowl, a flexi beater, the flour funnel cover, a KA cook book, ( the cook book is pretty rubbish tbh!) a free box of wine and a knife block so that was brilliant! It was one of these internet cookshops like ScottsofStow, but not them...very similar type name though.

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