Kitchen Mixers
Kitchen Mixers Are Essential in Today's Kitchen
Let's face it - baking and cooking in the kitchen is a lot of work. Kneading, mixing, and grinding will require some hands-on dirty work taking up a lot of your time and energy. It's a good thing there are electric kitchen mixers available to cut any home gourmet's work in half. It's not surprising to see professional class mixers on most kitchen counters nowadays. They have quickly become part of the essential group of kitchen appliances.
Hand Mixers Or Stand Mixers?
There are two types of kitchen mixers available: hand held mixers and stand mixers. Both types can be very handy depending on the use. For a lighter load of kitchen work like mixes for cakes and frosting, a hand mixer will do. With most hand mixers you can also add a few attachments like wire whisks, making it a bit more versatile.
However, if you require some heavy duty mixing equipment, then a stand mixer is your best option. A stand mixer can handle a lot more load than a hand mixer, making it an essential tool in larger kitchens. You won't be making bread or cookie dough with a plastic hand mixer. Stand mixers also come with various specialty attachments like meat grinders for making sausage, pasta presses for making noodles, dough hooks for kneading dough, and whisks for whipping up creams and batter.
Stationary vs Rotating Beaters
You can also take your pick on a single beater or a double beater mixer. Single beater mixers are generally better than their double beater counterparts. Nearly all of the top mixers use planetary action, which means that they use a single beater on a rotating head. This allows them to better mix ingredients because the beater reaches out to the sides of the bowl. Mixers that use stationary double beaters are less effective and require periodically using a spatula to scrape the ingredients to the middle of the bowl.
Features To Consider
Stand mixers come with different bowl sizes and performance ratings. A bigger, more powerful motor is usually better with 300 watts being on the low end of what you should buy. A stainless steel bowl that has a capacity of 5.5 to 7.5 quarts can handle most anything this side of a commercial application. Also, look for a mixer with multiple speed settings that are appropriate for what you'll be mixing.
Brands
Deciding on which kitchen mixer to buy can be difficult because of the availability of several different brands in the market. The many brands and models differ greatly on quality and of course, on price. Here are a few of the top brands available to make your decision easier:
KitchenAid - Probably the most popular and trusted name when it comes to kitchen mixers, not to mention several other lines of small appliances. KitchenAid stand mixers are known for their durability around the kitchen. There are several models and colors to choose from. They also come with different attachments and accessories like an ice cream maker, juice extractor, sausage stuffer, food grinder, and a pasta maker among others. Whether you are a top chef or a simple homemaker, a KitchenAid mixer will work wonders for you in the kitchen.
Viking - Viking mixers are also known for their durability and power (800 - 1000 watts). Each of the attachments are durable and strong, and plus they are dishwasher friendly. Another thing most people like about Viking is that they offer great customer service, which is an important factor when it comes to making any buying decision.
Hamilton Beach - These are probably second in line to the ubiquitous-ness of KitchenAid mixers. They can be found everywhere and perform very well for the price. Plus, they make some of the quietest mixers available compared to other brands.