New mixer recommendations, please...

[Faith]

I had just bought a new hand held mixer (Hamilton Beach) at Wal Mart not 6 months ago and it's broke all ready. The beater holes were stripped out. This time I want one that lasts longer than a few months. Hand held or stand up mixer is fine. I usually only use it for batters like cakes or cookies. Suggestions?

[ELaurie]

I have a hand held and stand up mixer.

[Faith]

Thanks ELaurie, I'll check on these when I go shopping tomorrow.

[Claire]

I have an old KitchenAid mixer, and the one thing I don't like about it is that it squirts out flour. I have learned to wrap a kitchen towel around the top of the bowl before mixing in flour -- helps contain it.

My sister uses a Sunbeam Mixmaster, and that works well for her.

[DIY-DY]

I had just bought a new hand held mixer (Hamilton Beach) at Wal Mart not 6 months ago and it's broke all ready. The beater holes were stripped out. This time I want one that lasts longer than a few months. Hand held or stand up mixer is fine. I usually only use it for batters like cakes or cookies. Suggestions?

It's not the best choice, imho, for a big bread baker, but for cakes, batter breads, frostings and other light mixing, I think it'd be a fantastic choice. I use mine daily (even for breads, and it does hold its own), and really, for the money, it's a little workhorse. It's also not going to be as costly as the Kitchenaid and Bosch products.

Also, fwiw, I had a dough hook strip out on me just last month. I emailed Sunbeam, let them know what happened and asked how they'd like to make it right. They shipped me a new dough hook at no charge, and I had it within a week. I was pleasantly surprised by how the customer service was handled. :)

[ELaurie]

Hi Claire -

You can buy an attachment that will keep dry ingredients contained as you add them - It looks like a clear plastic "collar" to go around the lip of the mixing bowl, if that makes sense : )

[Claire]

Hi Claire -

You can buy an attachment that will keep dry ingredients contained as you add them - It looks like a clear plastic "collar" to go around the lip of the mixing bowl, if that makes sense : )

Yes. I got one and tried it. Didn't like it. :( A towel around the top actually works better for me. :rolleyes:

[ELaurie]

I don't like it that much either, but I thought I'd pass the thought along : )

[RoughCollie]

Sunbeams are great. I had one for 25 years and used it often. It finally died a couple of years ago, and I got a KitchenAid Professional 600. It has a lot more power than the Sunbeam did, and it has all sorts of attachments that can go on it, and it is a prettier color.

If price were important to me, I'd choose a Sunbeam every time.

I had yearned for a KitchenAid for decades, though, so I splurged.

It's not the best choice, imho, for a big bread baker, but for cakes, batter breads, frostings and other light mixing, I think it'd be a fantastic choice. I use mine daily (even for breads, and it does hold its own), and really, for the money, it's a little workhorse. It's also not going to be as costly as the Kitchenaid and Bosch products.

Also, fwiw, I had a dough hook strip out on me just last month. I emailed Sunbeam, let them know what happened and asked how they'd like to make it right. They shipped me a new dough hook at no charge, and I had it within a week. I was pleasantly surprised by how the customer service was handled. :)

[momo4]

I had an Oster that broke within the first month. Don't get that brand. I realized my Vita Mix does everything it can do and didn't replace.

[Sunshyne]

I love my Kitchenaid. I bake bread 1-2X a month, cookies and cakes occasionally. I figure at this rate, the Kitchenaid will last me forever...

[Faith]

I have a nice food processor. Can that be used for batters and cookie doughs?

[Claire]

I have a cookie recipe for the food processor that makes a drop type cookie. I can also make bread dough in the food processor, although I have to be careful not to over-process. I think it would be easy to over-process firm cookie doughs and end up with cookies that are tough (from the gluten being over-worked).

Batters would be too messy in a food processor to be worthwhile, I think. Batters would probably be okay made in a blender, though.

[wide eyes & laughter]

When I ordered a Bosch stand mixer, they had a Mother's Day promo: Bosch hand held mixer. It is awesome.

[Ellie]

so it's over 30 years old. I'm not a particular fan of GE, but hey, can't argue with success!

I also have a Bosch mixer, which I love. But you may not need the kind of *umph* the Bosch has.