Want to bake a bit more, do I need a stand mixer?

[artquejtion]

So I want to get into baking, beyond the brownies, carrot cake and banana bread that I currently make.

I have a Magimix food processor with the attachments.

Would you recommend I get a stand mixer, or will the Magimix work just as well.

Well, you need a satisfactory method of whisking eggs and sugar and creaming butter and sugar. I’d have thought you probably do want a stand mixer but I don’t have a magimix so don’t know what they’re capable of.
You could start by making tarts and fancy pastries, which don’t need a stand mixer and see how it goes.

I bake a lot and don't have a lot of counter space so I don't have a stand mixer, I do have a hand mixer though which is the next best thing. Like you I have a Magimix and use that to make pie crust and whisk meringue.

The things I rely on for baking are a really good set of digital scales and a couple of silicone spatulas. They make a huge difference!

But I should have asked, what do you want to bake? If it's loaves of sourdough then I'd get a bench scraper and two bannetons, for instance...

They are nice to have but you don't need one as such. My grandma was an awesome baker and did everything by hand or using a cheap handheld mixer/whisk.
If you are only just getting into baking I would get a handheld one to start with and upgrade to a really good stand mixer (kenwood chef or kitchenaid) when you need it, and can afford it.

Hi op
I have a decent hand mixer (dualit)
Its really really effective. Has a whisk and dough hooks etc

I have an electric hand whisk that has served me well for years - they're much cheaper than stand mixers. I noticed Mary Berry using one in her programme last week so I'm sticking with it!

I have a stand mixer and electric hand whisk and I use the hand whisk far more than the kitchen aid! It was a only fiver from dunelm but I find it quicker and easier to use

You don't really need a stand mixer but in my opinion a decent handheld electric whisk is invaluable for egg whites/meringue, whipped cream, cake batter etc. They just can't cope with really large quantities so it depends how much you're making. That being said, I was given a kenwood chef for Xmas last year and I LOVE it. It's so easy to use! And I love the fact I can do pizza dough really easily without having to knead it. Still hard to justify as essential though, in my opinion.

If you are right on space or money, I would get a hand mixer. A stand mixer is really the gold standard though and they are fantastic to have.

Modern recipes may sometimes assume a stand mixer. In older ones you will see things like work in as much flour with your mixer as you can, then work in the rest by hand. They don’t even necessarily mean with a spoon, sometimes it literally means your hands. A stand mixer just powers through.

You can use a handmixer, and I did for years. The advantage of a standmixer though is that you don't have to stand there holding it while it's mixing. I find that means I'm more time efficient - you can weigh out the next ingredients while the butter and sugar are creaming for example, or get the cake tins sorted. It also makes baking with kids easier as you still have your hands free to supervise.

It doesn't need to be an expensive one though, I have a £100 ish one from Bosch I've been using for the last 8 years which is still going strong despite me using it to knead bread every 2-3 days.

I have a hand mixer which makes jobs like making buttercream a million times easier. I would hate to try that manually.

I use an electric hand whisk. They take up no counter space. And they are more hands on. You get a better sense of the consistency when the bowl is in your arms and you are holding the whisk.

I have both: a hand mixer and a stand mixer. I find that I bake a lot more now that I have the stand mixer. I would not want to be without it, but I agree with others that a good hand mixer also works well.

No you don't need it really. A wooden spoon and a good mixing bowl have worked well for my mother and grandmother for years. They both made amazing cakes.
It might make you life easier, daster and simpler but it's not essential to make great cakes.

Like others have said a good hand held mixer will be fine but I started with that and now love my stand mixer. I can knead bread whilst tidying the kitchen and like the consistency of cake batter, just makes life easier. Mine is 15 years old (it's kenwood) so I've got my money's worth!!

I’d say it’s a nice to have. It’s nice to be able to pop everything in and have all the whisking/creaming/beating etc done hands free. But let’s be honest, many of us secretly like the idea of a kitchen aid stand mixer on display somewhere… but you only really need a handheld whisk which is a tiny fraction of the price and will give you the same result for minimal extra effort.

Thank you all.

I do have a hand held but it takes forever to even thicken cream, so it's probably not that powerful. I looked at KitchenAid today and just don't think I will spend the money on it yet, so will upgrade the handheld and see how it goes.

I have a stand mixer and I love it.

I was also poor for a long time and didn't even have an electric whisk, just a rotary whisk like this one.

My baking isn't better now but it is easier and quicker.

There are good hand mixers and really crap ones. Kenwood and Dualit tend to be good. I find any with wire beaters rather than bladed ones are crap and won't even do cream. If you get one with dough hooks make sure the motor is fairly powerful.

Something like this a danish whisk is also useful. Stand mixers cost a fortune , take up space and IMO don't get used much.