barrys@tekecs.UUCP (Barry Steel) (08/05/85)
Well after years of swearing, I finally did it... I sold my Mixmaster (motherless, under-powered trash, mainstay of an earlier generation). I have been planning on buying a Kicthen-Aid mixer (by Hobart). I know they are pretty much the standard for bakeries/restaurants. What I would like to know is: 1) I presume power is no problem (including bread kneeding). 2) They make two "regular sized" models, which one should I get? (I saw a floor model that stood 6 feet tall in a bakery recently). 3) Do they have a tendency to throw food (as did the Mixmaster). 4) I remember reading on the net a while back about Hobart being bought by a larger company and rumors of "there goes the neighborhood". Any truth to the rumor. 5) Anyone care to make a testimonial (pro/con)? Well, I will be mixing by hand for a while anyway... barry steel
rib@cord.UUCP (RI Block) (08/06/85)
The standard home Kitchenaid mixer is the K5A/SS. We have had a K5A for several years and it's a powerful mixer. The optional shield is essential for kneading flour without a mess. CU liked the K45 (the 4.5 quart model) but if you're serious, get the K5.
rusty@sdcarl.UUCP (rusty c. wright) (08/11/85)
I have owned the smaller kitchen-aid mixer (model k45) for about 2
years now. For the most part i am happy with it. My biggest
complaint with it is that it is hard to scrape the bowl; when you tilt
the top of mixer up to lift the beater out of the bowl (or to remove
the bowl) the beater is still partly in the bowl and you have to work
around it to scrape the bowl. Since other types of stand mixers
rotate the bowl it is much easier with them to simply hold the edge of
the spatula against the side of the bowl while it rotates.
Another problem is that because there is only one beater (the mixer
uses a planetary motion) oftentimes some of the mixture gets stuck
inside the center of the beater. The easiest way to get it out is to
momentarily turn the mixer to high and this will cause it to be thrown
out. This problem is even more prevalent with the wire wisk beater.
The only time food has been in danger of being thrown out is when i
put a hard, cold stick of butter in it to be creamed and turned the
mixer on high. The bowl is very deep so it typically isn't much of a
danger.
I hever had success with the dough hook (for kneading). The dough
always crept up to the top of the hook and wanted to become entangled
with the mechanical parts of the mixer up by the motor. Or there was
always some unincorporated flour in the bottom of the bowl that would
never get mixed in. Even though it might save some time if it could
be made to work, i realized that you have much greater control over
the kneading process when you do it by hand. It only takes 10 minutes
to knead a loaf, it takes a lot longer for the risings; if you don't
have the time for the kneading then i don't understand why you are
making bread (unless you have arthritis or something).
Never having used a stand mixer of the rotating bowl with two beaters
variety i can't compare the kitchen-aid against that. What i had
previously was a small electric hand mixer that works just fine for
small jobs.
--
rusty c. wright
{ucbvax,ihnp4,akgua,hplabs,sdcsvax}!sdcarl!rustyjerem@tekgvs.UUCP (Jere Marrs) (08/16/85)
I agree that the recommendation of Consumer's Union carries a stigma, but DO consider the K45 KitchenAid Food Preparer. The major difference between the K45 and the K5 is that of size. Either machine can handle the most difficult tasks within the capacities of their respective bowls. If you're not cooking for a large number of people or professionally, the K45 should do nicely. I have used mine for even moderately large jobs for that last ten years. The one thing the K5-A can do that the K45 cannot is use a jacketed bowl. The K5-A has an optional jacketed bowl to surround the mixing job with either cold or hot water. The hot can be used for making, for instance, Quenelles (q.v.). Word was several months ago, that Hobart had sold their KitchenAid division to Whirlpool. That transition will likely take a considerable time, and I've seen nothing about the change since it's announcement. Check the fine print: if it's made in Troy, Ohio, chances are it's a vintage Hobart-made model. Jere M. Marrs Tektronix, Inc. Beaverton, Oregon tektronix!tekgvs!jerem
davidson@sdcsvax.UUCP (Greg Davidson) (08/20/85)
I've used a Kitchenaid K45 mixer for about ten years now, and love it. I use all three elements (regular, whisk and dough hook) and find them perfectly suited to their job. The regular element is much easier to clean (or lick!) than conventional beater elements. The whisk does sometimes accumulate unmixed material in the center, but its easy to dislodge such with a spatula or, as Rusty says, by speeding up the motor for a moment. Unlike Rusty, I've never had trouble with dough climbing up the hook, but of course, every dough recipe has different physical properties. I use it mostly to kneed dough for making noodles (no, I don't use the Kitchenaid noodle extractor, I use a hand cranked noodle maker which presses and cuts the noodles - much nicer than extrusion). I've looked at the K5 model, but its only very slightly larger, and seems clumsier to me; yet I've met lots of people who swear by it. I've also looked at the food processor attachments, but (1) they seem very expensive, and (2) I have a Cuisinart. Gee, its nice to be spoiled! The only thing which the Kitchaid mixer doesn't do is mix things on the stovetop. When needing to mix something being cooked, or something being heated in a double boiler, I use a hand mixer. I think that there's a heated water jacket attachment for the K5, but so far I've never encountered a recipe calling for mixing anything very difficult at the stovetop. The Kitchenaid's strength allows me to mostly ignore the order in which I mix ingredients; I just throw them in (I do use a pouring shield when adding flour, as it likes to fly back up at you). When making candy, the Kitchenaid doesn't mind either the heat or the thickness of the mixes. You do have to watch out with things like chocolate chips or nuts; add them last, or the mixer will mix them in - I mean homogeneously! _Greg Davidson Virtual Infinity Systems, San Diego