A home chef’s arsenal is incomplete without the best stand mixer in your kitchen. These powerful, versatile machines take all the hard work out of mixing up dough, cake batter, frosting, and a long array of other home delights. The best brands like KitchenAid, Cuisinart, and Vitamix offer a variety of different models that will help any cook make delicious treats. Be ready to cook today because there must be a model out there just for you, from a casual dabbler to an elite gourmet baker.
- The best stand mixers come in many sizes with many different price ranges. The first thing you need to do when shopping for one is decide on which kind of functions you want. Are you looking for a basic mixer that will whip up a few basic baked treats or are you seeking the top of the line kitchen appliance that will create ice cream, cakes, cookies, pies, tortillas, whipped cream, and more? Do you want one with several different attachments or do you just want a simple mixer? Once you have decided on these things, you can narrow down your choice of the perfect mixer by going to a kitchen appliance store and looking at the available options.
- Once you have determined what it is that you want, you can start narrowing down your choices by going to your favorite home cooking or kitchen appliance store. There you will find a wealth of very knowledgeable sales reps that will help you narrow down your options until you are left with the very best stand mixers for your needs. You can ask them the names of the best stand mixers, the pros and cons of each individual model, as well as recommend a few that they recommend if you can’t seem to find one that’s exactly right. When talking to representatives from different companies though, be sure to make sure that you are specific about which type of functions you are looking for. If you specifically want a mixer with multiple bowl settings, be sure to tell the sales rep so that they can match that request with the appropriate bowl for your machine.
- Once you’ve narrowed down your options based on your specific needs, it’s time to start browsing some of the more popular stand mixers. The most popular choices will usually have the basic functions of a mixer, a slow-low temperature setting, and a few different speed speeds (some mixing bowls will let you set the speed to different speeds; this is helpful for whipping, mixing, etc. ). Another important consideration is whether or not the bowl lift is included as an option, or if you are going to have to buy one separately. While a bowl lift may not seem like an important feature, the actual function of the attachments it can add to your kitchen counter-top will make a big difference in the quality of the final product.
- One type of mixer that has become quite popular recently is the tilt head model. Tilt head mixers are a bit more expensive than a standard mixer, but they offer a higher quality of performance. Because the bowl is tilted, it allows you to mix ingredients at different heights. Many chefs highly prefer this style because it adds more counter space to the kitchen and allows them to perform a variety of tasks without actually moving their working area closer to the stove. These are also great to use when making breads and cakes, because the height can help to mix the ingredients without creating lumps.
Lastly, we will discuss the two most common attachments that are included with many mixer models; the blending paddle and the whisk. Blending poles come as attachments for several mixers, while whisks are usually a separate purchase that are found in either the tabletop or the tower form. Whists provide quick service, as they can be used to mix sauces or soups, beat eggs and cream, and whisk things up in a variety of manners. The whisk is probably the most versatile attachment, as it is often used to make egg whites, whip cream, or produce alcoholic beverages.