Monday, January 14, 2008
Oh, what should I get???
It's that time of year again. . .another birthday is quickly approaching. (Didn't I just post about turning 30?!) There is something on my list of wants and needs, and I would like the opinions of some other culinary experts. :-)
To make a long story short - I need a "big mixer" since I burn out a hand one about once a year, and after nine years of marriage I should have done this a long time ago! I am really tired of not being able to double a recipe, etc.
The "question" is (**drum roll**) - - Should I use all of my birthday money and get a Kitchen Aid brand, or is there a certain type that would make me just as happy? I am not necessarily a name brand gal, but I do like quality and prefer not to purchase another "big" mixer in a few years!
I would like to know if you have another brand that has served you well, and if I do choose a Kitchen Aid, do you think it is wise to get one from eBay? (I can also get a simple one for a reasonable price at Walmart.)
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22 Comments:
Oh, I love my Kitchen Aid! My mom had one for years and years and finally had to replace it this last year.
I don't know how much it cost to upgrade to a slightly bigger bowl with a handle, but it's really nice . . .
Good luck!
Lizzy
Love, Love, Love my Kitchen Aid. I have had it about 5 years and have not had any trouble with it. My friend has a Sunbeam and likes it but I am sold on my Kitchen Aid.
Have fun shopping:-}
I'm a big fan of Kitchen Aid products, they seem to be of great quality. I have a K.A. mixer and love it, it was a wedding gift and is still going strong, my Mom just sold her mixer when leaving Mexico after having it for 20+ yrs. and it still worked great. In my ever-so-humble opinion, you can't go wrong with a Kitchen Aid! :)
LOVE, LOVE, LOVE my Kitchen Aid. Mine was a Christmas gift from Shane a few years ago, and it's still going strong. To this day, it's my all-time favorite Christmas gift. (He knew how badly I wanted one and I still thank him periodically.) I have absolutely no trouble doubling recipes and one of my favorite features - it kneads bread dough! No more tired, achy hands and arms! I don't see a problem with buying one on ebay. As long as the seller has a high percentage of positive feedback and it's brand new. Good luck! I think you would love having one.
I will toot the horn of my little hand held Hamilton Beach mixer. Got it as a wedding gift (16 yrs ago) It has smashed (Sarah Brooke's term) hundreds of potatoes, mixed cheese cakes and etc. If you want to double a recipe all you will need is a bigger bowl :) Be sure to factor in storage or think about if you want it out on your counter ALL the time. The Kitchen Aid does come in fun colors now.
I love my Kitchen Aid. Have had it for nearly 10 years and it still works great! I would suggest getting the 300watt or more. The one at Walmart is just a 250 watt motor and I believe you can buy the 300watt motor at Target for just $50 more. I love ebay and would check there first! Happy mixing!
I have had a hand held mixer for about 19 years that was purchased at Belk's and it is still working, but sometimes the one beater wants to fall out. I would love one like you are thinking of getting, too. Kitchen Aid seems to be a good brand; they have been around for a long time and there are good reports about them.
You don't know me, but I just had to jump in when I saw your blog today. Several years ago, I bought a KitchenAid Artisan on ebay with birthday money. I'd planned on getting the Ultra, but it wasn't a good deal on ebay. I paid just about the same as the Ultra for the Artisan - which has a nicer bowl and a pouring shielf. You definitely want the Artisan or higher - not lower - based on the size of your family. Boys can REALLY eat when they get past 8 or so. Mine are 9 and 12, and they can't be filled up. I love the 5 quart bowl of the Artisan as I can make a quadruple batch of muffins - some for my family and some for sharing with elderly widowers or others at church. Such a nice ministry.
One word of caution, however, last year, I discovered whole wheat bread baking and grinding my own wheat. My Artisan does a great job, but it only makes one loaf at a time. I have the Kitchen Aid grain grinder - which does an adequate job, but not GREAT. So, my advice to you is to consider if at some point in your life you'd like to do bread and consider whether or not you'll want to efficiently make 3 or more loaves at a time. If so, check out the Bosch Universal and Nutrimill Grain Grinder. If I had it to do over again, I'd definitely get that grinder. Not really sure what I'd do about the mixer 'cause I really LOVE my Kitchen Aid Artisan. The Bosch would definitely be more efficient for me - even though I love the KA.
For advice on bread and mixers, check out http://www.marmeedear.com/ She's in the Greenville area. Or call Log Cabin General Store (in Greenville) (864) 242-3833.
Also, you can google KA and Bosch and see demos of their BIG machines baking bread. If you want to make bread at some point, get the biggest KA they sell (I think the 600 or something like that).
I wouldn't settle for anything less than a KA or Bosch.
Good Luck! Sharon
Robert's family is partial to Bosch. I'm not domestic enough to care.
I definitely vote for the Kitchen Aid! Aaron surprised me with it as a Christmas gift a few years ago. I LOVE it and don't know what I'd do with out it. One of the really neat things I like about it is all the attachments you can get for it. I have the grinder attachment and I use it all the time to make ham salad. I just throw left over ham in it, the pickles, and even the boiled eggs and it cuts it up just beautifully! :-) Sure is a time saver!
I absolutely love my Kitchen Aid! I don't know what I would do without one. I really don't know how anyone can exist without one. My grandma has one, my mom and now me.... I guess it's a family thing. I haven't ever used any of the attachments but would love to try some of them. I'm not a huge e-bay person but if it's your 'thing', go for it.
My Mom has had a Kitchen Aid for about as long as I can remember. So I got one for myself this Christmas....from my MIL. LOVE. IT.
I have had my Kitchen Aid for 8.5 years now and never one time have I had a problem with it. We use it for mashing our potatoes every Sunday and I love it!
Go for it, girl. I'd love to have a Kitchen Aid. One of these days.
Kitchen Aid's are great (had one until I began grinding wheat and making bread) The motor isn't big enough to do this; I got a Bosch and love it! It will do anything, any size with such simplicity. Mine came with a very powerful blender. Other attachments are available.
We just bought a Kitchen Aid a couple weeks ago! We went with the Artisan as mentioned in a couple previous comments b/c it has a larger motor and is ALL METAL. The step down (Ultra?) is made of "durable metal" which led me to believe that some parts aren't metal. I really wanted the red one since my kitchen is yellow with red accents but I knew that this was a product that was going to last for years so I ended up with good old white :)
I am not big on small kitchen appliances but after seeing this little machine whip up a carton of whipping cream at my mil's and seeing how easy it was to use, I was actually the one who suggested it to my "appliance collector" husband :) Funny timing because he was trying to figure out how to approach me on the idea of one.
I have made several batches of cookies, meatloaf, (totally awesome - mixed perfectly and no messy hands!!) cakes, icing and lots of other things since we've had it. My main complaint - scraping the batter off the beater. Wow, huh?!?! Sure beats having to call Tony to help me mix the cookies now. (I've become a wimp in the last couple years.)
I did buy the shredding attachment and am taking it back. I would use it mostly for cheese and I didn't care for the texture and inconsistency. I'll stick with my salad shooter for that job.
Mixers seem to be "necessary" based on family history. My mother never had anything other than a handmixer. My MIL, on the other hand, loves her KA and puts it to good use, making multiple batches almost every time she bakes.
I mix cookies and a lot of cakes with only a wooden spoon. I like my handmixer for making icing and things like that.
I've also heard a lot of good things about Bosch...but I am funny, I guess - I wouldn't want to give up the "fun" part of making bread to a machine. It's therapeutic to knead that dough! :)
Janice
My mom has a Kitchen Aid and Loves it, she said buying it was the best thing she ever did. She purchased it many years ago because the hand held ones kept burning up on her when she would make frosting for her cakes and now she doesn't have any trouble. I would definitely recommend the Kitchen Aid.
Wow! Thanks for all the help. It seems Kitchen Aid has some real fans! :-)
Okay, am I the only one anxiously waiting to see what you're going to get???????? :)
After chatting with my friend, Marianne Brown, who regularly puts a mixer through the "wringer," I will probably go with the Kitchen Aid. I know they are terribly expensive, but the good thing is that she told me of two stores in the Cincinnati area that sell refurbished ones. So, it looks like I will wait until May to get one.
Martha, you don't know me - I found your blog off of Sara Derschied's. However, I had to chime in here..... I have a KA mixer that I absolutely couldn't live without (well, without much weeping and gnashing of teeth anyways). It is well over 50 years old. My husband just recently replaced all the "brushes" (whatever that means) on the inside and re-oiled the innerds but it is still going strong and is such a blessing. You can read about it and my dispair when it broke. http://gurneejourney.blogspot.com/2008/01/i-am-married-to-best-man-ever.html
All in all, you'll LOVE a K.A!!!
Julie Gurnee
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