WHY A BAKER SHOULD HAVE A STAND MIXER IN HER KITCHEN
By AngryJulieMonday (Flickr: KitchenAid at Housewares 3 (Mixers))
Most of the people who don’t use stand mixers for baking are those who trash it for being overpriced. Even though I understand these people’s perspective about stand mixers, as an avid bread baker, I certainly find it hard to agree with such an assessment. A Standard Kitchen Aid Stand Mixer costs a few hundred of dollars; so if you only bake occasionally, you probably don’t utilize it that often since it’s not for commercial reasons, therefore you are not really getting your money’s worth, thus, it’s highly understandable why you don’t fancy its value for its high cost. Spending some time to research and find the best kitchen stand mixer can pay real dividends when baking – trust me.
I have come to realize overtime that stand mixers are one of the most versatile appliances in the kitchen, and this is what most people don’t know. It can be utilized far beyond beating eggs, whipping cream and mixing dough. A stand mixer has diversified functions, the more you use it, the more you play around it, hence, the more you get to enjoy it for such an amazing tool that it is. The more you enjoy it however, the more valuable it will be for you, so the high cost of purchasing it wouldn’t really matter to you. It is possible to find cheap stand mixers, but you have to be willing to make compromises, and of course not plan on handing it down generation to generation.
I am sure that you didn’t just bump on this article by mistake. You are stuck in a situation where you are trying to deliberate between purchasing a stand mixer or a hand mixer, or you already have a hand mixer but you are thinking of getting a stand mixer, or you have a stand mixer but you think it’s not very useful for you because it serves you less than you thought it would due to its high cost —so you are thinking of selling it at your next garage sale. Maybe you’re frustrated at the counter space – whatever. I am glad to tell you that you are on the right path for choosing to read this article.
Buying a Hand Mixer vs. a Stand Mixer
When setting up a kitchen, a hand mixer is usually one of the first purchases made as it is considered a basic house ware item. You can easily find a hand mixer at a low cost of $30, even though some models can be costlier but also provide more versatility.
There’s no gainsaying in the fact that a hand mixer does a better job of mixing and blending ingredients together compared to mixing a cake batter by hand. Due to a hand mixer’s power and consistent mixing, mashing potatoes, whipping fresh cream or creaming recipe ingredients is much quicker, and you end up serving a better meail. Based on different mixing needs, a variety of speeds are used and in fact essential. If you don’t tend to bake much, you will find yourself using a hand mixer often for more dinner recipes.
On the other hand, a stand mixer transforms the mixing of foods into a whole new level. It allows you to whip, mix and blend effortlessly for longer periods of time without getting tired. It’s also easier to mix heavier cookie batters as well as mix pie dough and knead bread since stand mixers generally have much more power than a hand model, and in some cases more extensive attachments.
When you utilize a stand mixer, you do better mixing in lesser time because it has the power to operate at such a higher and fully loaded level, while you tend to skimp on mixing minutes when utilizing a portable hand mixer due to its lesser power. More efficient blending of ingredients is provided as a result of the preset mixing action of a stand mixer. A stand mixer provides hand-off convenience since you can leave it for a while to start a clean up or gather ingredients, thereby, saving you an overall food preparation time. All of the above leads to an improved and enhanced blending, mixing or beating, which consequently results to better baking results. And with some reduced frustration you may end up enjoying baking more than you think/
Basically, whatever you can do with a hand mixer, you can definitely do better with a stand mixer. The only disadvantage however is that a portable hand mixer can be made use of in any pot or bowl, while the capacity of a stand mixer is restricted to the capacity of its bowl. You also often have to find a counter spot for it, as due to their size and weight it can be a nuisance taking it in and out of a cabinet. But one can definitely do a better job with a stand mixer when it comes to mixing power and heavier batters or dough’s.
Pertaining to storage, a stand mixer can be used more if conveniently located on the counter, but it can also be stored in a cabinet. Many upscale kitchens often utilize a decorative mixer cover, which enhances the look of the mixer and also helps protect it. A hand mixer on the other hand is often stored in a cupboard or in a deep drawer since it needs the least storage space.
So by now, I am sure you should be able to decipher which is best for you. At the very least, you should be able to afford a hand mixer in your home. But you will enjoy the function and extra power of a stand mixer if you are an avid home baker or you bake larger portions to save money and want to save time. Also, if you bake often for schools, churches and other social functions, it will sweeten you to have a stand mixer at your disposal.
Both hand mixer and stand mixer are very practical kitchen appliances, so when it comes to choosing between the two, it goes beyond a matter of recommendation—as function, versatility and price are put into bigger consideration.
Why Choose a Stand Mixer over a Hand Mixer?
People who bake do fall in love with stand mixer as a consequence of three important reasons, such as—hands-free, speed and power.
Bread dough can be taken on by a decent stand mixer. It can be left to do its job whilst you do other jobs, and it also mixes in lesser time than a hand mixer. So it is of a special advantage when you are making more than one recipe, the time to finish the task can be considerably cut down.
Table top mixers can handle several batches and bigger volumes. Some can even perform many other functions with several attachments like juicer, food grinder, meat grinding, pasta maker, etc.
