If you are a frequent baker and use a stand mixer...

[Anonymous]

First, some context: I am a frequent baker. That is, baking is a primary hobby of mine, to the point where I bake a variety of things several times a week. I have been baking as an avocation for fifteen years or so, and am generally considered to be an excellent baker by friends. I have never had a stand mixer, mainly because of expense, but also because I am the type who generally doesn't upgrade when I am satisfied with what I have currently, and I have always gotten by just fine with my trusty hand mixer.

Well, a couple of weeks ago, for my fortieth birthday, DH got me a stand mixer. I was really thrilled to finally have one, and couldn't wait to get started using it. Well, I've used it several times now, and I'm not thrilled. I don't necessarily dislike it, but I now wonder why everyone oohs and aahs about these. Well, I do sort of like that I can do other things while it is mixing, unlike with a hand mixer, but actually, the down side of that is that it kind of makes me feel like I'm not really baking--like I'm just pouring in the ingredients and letting the mixer mix. Is it really baking if there's no elbow grease? I don't really notice any quality difference--I mean, maybe the batter is slightly more uniform or has slightly less air than when I mixed it by hand, but nothing remarkable.

So I'm wondering, will I learn to love it in time, or should I just sell it on Craigs List and go back to my hand mixer? I had always thought that frequent bakers were exactly the ones who need something like this, but now in reality I kind of miss my hand mixer.

If you bake a lot and love your stand mixer, could you please tell me why, and weigh in? Otherwise I could probably use the $150 resale value...

Thanks!

[Anonymous]

I bake very often and I LOVE my stand-up mixer. I am happy to do other things (getting out the next ingredients) while its mixing and I think it mixes more uniformly than my hand mixer or my hands ever did.

Most professional bakers use a stand-up mixer, as does my sister who is in culinary school/pastry school. You are still a real baker, even if te machine is doing the mixing. I guess I can see how you'd feel different if you used to mix by hand but I really dont see a difference in your efforts from a hand mixer to a stand-up mixer.

[Anonymous]

Agree with the pp. Also I find that the results are better because when it says mix for 3 minutes, or until light in color, I actually do it rather than decide it looks mixed enough. I would definitely not trade it in.

[Anonymous]

I don't think I'd bake at all without my kitchen aid.

[bakersman]

I like mine for the dough hook. I still knead some by hand, but let the mixer do the initial work -- much faster. I also like that it is hands free, which makes it a time saver for me. If I was making mixes out of a box, it would not be worth the money. But I'm guessing you are making recipes from scratch, and I find it helpful to be able to keep the mixer running while I add the ingredients.

So what is your favorite cook book or receipe?

[Anonymous]

Bragging rights only.

[bakersman]

Anonymous wrote:Bragging rights only.

O.k, I also like it because it looks cool and has a big engine. I do like kitchen tools and gadgets.

[Anonymous]

"If I was making mixes out of a box, it would not be worth the money. "

And you wouldn't be a baker.

[Anonymous]

I love my stand mixer, OP, but you're right, it can feel like you're "cheating" because it makes things go so quickly and requires so little elbow grease. You don't have to use the stand mixer every time you bake - I often use my hand mixer when I'm doing something small or just don't feel like getting the big mixer out.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:"If I was making mixes out of a box, it would not be worth the money. "

And you wouldn't be a baker.

Now, now. People have to start somewhere.

[Anonymous]

I like our Kitchen Aid mixer but it is heavy to move to the counter to use, but it's great to mix double batches of cookies or make whipped cream, etc. Makes the mixing part go faster. I use to have DH help me mix the batter when it got really thick/hard to hand mix, so the stand mixer is much easier to do myself.

[Anonymous]

I'm a baker and consider myself a "foodie"--and I care about taste more than whether or not something was made from scratch. I am a taste snob. If your amazing cookies uses ingredients from cake-in-a-box, I care only to the extent that I want to know which box it was so I can make them, too.

I use my stand mixer only because for certain heavy doughs, it's much easier. I don't know if this is a boy-thing, but DS is much more likely to enjoy baking when I pull out the "machine," i.e., Kitchen Aid stand mixer in all its stainless steel and moving parts glory.

[Anonymous]

OP,

I am so with you on this. I use mine, but part of me prefers the old-fashioned hand mixer. I feel more connected to the dough that way!

I also do not like crock pots. I prefer using a Dutch oven.

I have never owned a microwave.

I would keep the mixer, it comes in handy for whipped cream and also creaming butter and sugar for cookie recipes. At that point, I take out the bowl and mix by hand.

[Anonymous]

I am also a frequent baker with a stand mixer. I don't use it for everything. I usually use it for things that need extensive kneading - breads and pizza dough and pasta (it's GREAT for the pasta because that dough is really stiff and harder to do by hand). I don't use it for muffins or cookies or cakes or the like because that's more mixing and less kneading and can be done easily by hand.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I am also a frequent baker with a stand mixer. I don't use it for everything. I usually use it for things that need extensive kneading - breads and pizza dough and pasta (it's GREAT for the pasta because that dough is really stiff and harder to do by hand). I don't use it for muffins or cookies or cakes or the like because that's more mixing and less kneading and can be done easily by hand.

I agree...its great for doughs, pasta's,etc...and I really like it for whipping cream. I say use both...really its about what makes you happy, right? Ask for a handmixer for Christmas!