Stand Mixers are an essential part of every kitchen
Ideal for the avid home cook and baker, a stand mixer is an essential part of the mix (pun intended), helping you whip up everything from cakes to bread and delicious whipped cream.
A stand mixer can make every recipe, from a batch of cookies to a healthy helping of mashed potatoes, far simpler, and more fun, to create.
Stand mixer benefits and features
Stand mixers are versatile and attractive appliances that can spice up your kitchen with their sleek design, and bold colours that range from empire red to ice blue.
Mixing bowls start at about 4.5 quarts, enough to hold the dough for six-dozen cookies or three loaves or bread, to as large as 8 quarts for more serious bakers.
You can get a basic standing mixer with detachable wire whips and beaters, or move up to a pro-level device with a 575-watt or 1.3 horsepower motor that can help you make creations like a chef. Various speed settings accomplish a basic stir, quick mix, or rapid beating of egg whites for meringue.
Features like planetary mixing in higher-end models spin the beater clockwise while the shaft turns in the opposite direction, avoiding any unmixed ingredients.
Pro-level baking mixers come with attachments like a flat beater, wire whip, and dough hook for making bread. A power hub in some models let you use optional attachments to grind meat, grate cheese, make homemade pasta noodles, and more.
How does a stand mixer differ from a hand mixer
In addition to the added power of a stand mixer, the biggest difference between a stand and a hand mixer is your effort. While a stand mixer takes care of mixing, you can relax, or multitask.
If you’ve ever manually kneaded dough for bread, you can appreciate how a dough hook and stand mixer makes the process so much easier and less strenuous.
When would I use a stand mixer?
Stand mixers are ideal for bakers who want to make bread dough, whip items, like butter for shortbread cookies, or just get cookie batter or cake dough stirred while you wash the dishes. They’re great for savoury dishes, too, like getting a smooth texture for mashed potatoes.
Other stand mixer attachments can function as your meat grinder, food chopper, ice cream maker, and more—the possibilities are endless.