Every good cook deserves a top-notch kitchen mixer. It's one of the most versatile items you'll find in a well-stocked kitchen, with the ability to do everything from whipping cream to kneading bread. Even novice cooks can benefit from this useful appliance. Here are some tips for choosing a good quality mixer, including some little points that may not have occurred to you.
When you shop for a mixer, usually you have to make a tradeoff between function and price. Sure, you could buy the cheapest appliance on the shelf, but you'll regret doing that when it breaks after a few months or simply fails to do a good job of mixing. If you like to cook and you plan on using your mixer several times a week, you definitely want to spend a little more to get a quality product. You should expect a kitchen mixer to last a long time.
A kitchen mixer relies on its motor to do the work, so a powerful motor is essential. For a household appliance, the motor will typically be between 250 watts and 325 watts. Just as important as the horsepower is the number of mixing speeds available. Low, medium, and high are simply not enough when you're working with a variety of foods that must be processed in different ways. Look for a mixer with at least 10 speeds, enough to give you complete control.
Many stand mixers come with only one bowl, so it should be a good one. The 4.5 quart bowl is a standard size that will do nicely for most of your recipes. That's big enough to knead dough for two loaves of bread. Mixers with 5 quart bowls are not uncommon.
Mixing bowls are made of metal or glass. Many cooks prefer glass bowls because you can put them into the microwave if you want. A glass bowl also feel sturdier than a metal mixing bowl. Sometimes a metal bowl has protruding parts on the bottom for securing it to the mixer base. The problem with this kind of bowl is that it can't be used for other purposes besides mixing. So be sure to pay attention to this detail when you're deciding on your mixer.
The thoroughness of mixing is an important consideration. Do the beaters get every morsel of flour or butter into the mixture without your intervention, or do you have to scrape the sides of the bowl frequently to get ingredients perfectly blended? Some beaters are situated to cover every section of the bowl, while others don't do such a good mixing job.
What kind of attachments or accessories are included with the mixer? Most models don't come with a lot of extras. You'll probably want to buy additional bowls in varying sizes as well as mixing attachments for special functions such as grinding meat or making pasta. A flexible spatula is handy for scraping, and a plastic shield helps to prevent food spillage if the bowl is too full.
Both experienced and inexperienced cooks will find a good stand mixer to be a time-saving assistant in the kitchen. When you choose the right appliance, you'll be motivated to try new recipes and create culinary masterpieces for you and your family to enjoy.
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