Let's talk about stand mixers: are they worth it and which one?

[KoreanBeauty]

I'll be honest, I don't think I need one but I would definitely like to have one. I absolutely love the look of a kitchen aid, I think it is a beautiful design object (on top of being a great tool and workhorse) that can last a very long time. That said, it is also very expensive and I have also heard that Kenwood is equally as good and often cheaper. I also like the look of the smeg one.

So which ones are the best and why? And what sort of style/model would I need? Realistically I would mainly use it for the occasional cake or muffins etc and to make dough for focaccia or flatbreads.

Yes.

Kitchen aid. Use constantly.

Cakes or any baking they get more air into the batter and make buttercream light and whippy. I could never do this with a hand held electric mixer as the whisks are too small. So better results

I have the pasta making attachment which makes home made pasta a relatively regular thing in our house, where with a hand cranked one it would be once a year max as takes hours. I use the dough hook to make the dough then the rolling attachment to roll out the pasta, easy peasy in the pan. Happy kids.

But that part is within your control. I definitely started cooking more things with the KA than before.

For example often make scones for breakfast. To do by hand would be a faff but whack it in the kitchen aid for 5 mins when sorting uniform, quick shape and in the oven, get bags packed, out the oven and into mouths yum yum out the door ready for school and work!

If you’re just replicating your own recipes and routines yes you won’t get much use but I found a lot of things are accessible now as they take a fraction of the time and turn out better so I use it loads

I didn't know professional existed! If only we'd known lol.
Isn't that just artisan but bigger? With a strip hugging the bowl from the side? Or is there the bigger artisan and then "professinal" series?

I'm in the eu atm and googled and I got that as an option not much more expensive than the artisan we got. I probably won't get the professional as honestly I don't want to upset partner 😅 but I'd happily have a little look about. Artisan struggled with sd bread mixing. It's okay, does the job, but kenwood did it better and now I'm wondering would ka pro do even better 😂

I have a KMix and I use it several times a week after baking perhaps once a year without it since the children were born (I had baked more previously). But you have to be brutally honest with yourself about whether you are likely to use it. I’ve been making bread for 25 years now on and off so felt confident in that area. What it changes for me is that you can mix dough alongside doing other things. I often make bread while batch cooking other things as you throw in the flour etc. then your hands are free. I find it quicker to make dough for flour tortillas than to go around the corner to buy a packet of them, for example. That’s not the case when you have to mix by hand.

It’s bigger bowl, more powerful motor, reputedly better gearing.

I did have a proper nose around, says professional on that strip instead of artisan. There are artisan bigger bowls but I still don't know if they're much stronger - professional seems to even have that emergency off button. I'll have more of a nose around if I am more serious about upgrading this kitchenaid. I do have attachments for it so it'd be easy if I could use for professional. Idk not that fussed atm there's too many options tbh 😅

It says that everything except the whisk can go in the dishwasher.

I bought a Kenwood last year in a beautiful green colour. It's amazing and it's a pleasure to use.

We got.one as a wedding gift but a smaller basic model that you could use as a mixed or hand held mixed over 30 years ago and it is still going strong!

I don't like the Kitchenaid ones, remind me of a dalek with that bit on the front and also, their customer service is supposed to be shocking.

By the way I checked and the latest version of the Professional (6.6L so American 7qt) is now available but it's a regular price of £899 (on sale right now for £539). It is a good machine but quite the price, would not splash out on that unless I were already a serious baker.

The nylon enamel type paint thing allegedly starts coming off - and I'd assume you're only speeding up the process by putting it in the dishwasher - but I've never used, we've always gone ss but reddit is full of people mentioning dust and flakes coming off.

Please can I have your scone recipe!!!

I left KenMix behind when my circumstances changed and it was only a few years ago I thought about replacing it. Tbh, I don't make bread, cakes about twice a month and pastry once in a blue moon so couldn't justify the money or the space it would take up. I've got a wizzy little electric thing from Tesco (£20 odd) that has a small whisk (for cream/egg whites) and, more importantly, a super stick blender which is used most days. I supplemented this gadget with a more powerful double electric whisk and a goblet blender but these last two aren't used that often. Be different if I was a baker probably but I made the right decision.

I have found this to be exactly true! The enamel paint flaked off both dough hook and paddle. I sent pics to Kitchen Aid and they sent replacements, actually giving me a stainless steel paddle this time. And I alway hand washed them! Bit disappointing

My (then 14 year old) DD wanted a stand mixer. We got a cheapo one from Aldi (under £40, as on sale). She used it several times a week, so saved birthday and Christmas money to buy a KitchenAid. She used to stroke it every time she walked past it.

She is now 22, still loves it, and still uses it regularly.

And the Aldi stand mixer? We put it on our garden wall, and it went within 15 minutes, hopefully for a new life.

I inherited my Nan's 1970s Kenwood Chef and used it for around 20 years until I managed to burn the motor out. I replaced it with another Kenwood Chef, which I have used for around 10 years.

I treated myself to a Kitchen Aid recently - I love the styling of it and had always wanted one. It makes me happy when I walk into the kitchen and see it.

They are both real workhorses and I wouldn't be without a stand mixer. Although, in my opinion, the Kitchen Aid is much quieter in use - even when I'm making bread.

The mixing attachments do need to be washed by hand - apart from the whisk - but this was the same with the Kenwood, so no difference there.

The Kenwood still works well and has been stored so that DS can take it with him when he moves out.