Question on Stand Mixers

[chopsaw]

Is mixing dough that hard on these machines?

Few years back I built a test lab for A.B. Mauri foods , they own Fleischmann's yeast . I had to go back after they opened to set up a tortilla machine in the test kitchen . There was a gal in there making bread . Stainless steel counter with 4 or 5 kitchen aid mixers mixing dough . Talking to her she explained that they do testing for all uses . From home to commercial kitchens . Alot of testing for home users . She had 2 each of the tilt head , and the bowl lift . one of the small ones . Those mixers ran non-stop for the 5 hours I was there . She would pull the dough , use a new bowl and start it right back up .
I don't think you have anything to worry about .

 

[chef jimmyj]

My older 5qt has been used almost exclusively for bread dough, 10 minutes of kneading with the hook, and heavy cookie doughs during the holidays.
I never understood why KA mixer prices vary by color, housing metal yes, but paint color?...JJ

 

[Xendau]

My only concern after reading some of the reviews and questions on amazon is the durability when mixing dough. One customer said "great mixer, just expect to replace the if mixing a lot of dough" . He said his wifes sent out and when they called kitchen aid, he was told not to mix dough longer than 4 minutes. He said he asked if that meant 4 minutes per hour, per half day or day. He said they would not answer the questions. He said the gears were $50-60 and fairly easy to replace.

Is mixing dough that hard on these machines?

Ive been making bread in mine for 9 years never a problem. I would equate it to user error in the making of the dough too heavy or thick or too much at one time.

Ive made french baguettes, sour dough, focaccia, ryes, etc... Never a single problem.

Then there is always the competition which I am sure has marked a number of compliants, or those who gripe about anything... 1 star on yelp, review reads... excellent food, service sucks. As if a single server is not allowed to have a bad day.

 

[mrad]

Thanks for all the help. I'm thinking teh 600 professional should do all I need and more. it's biggest use will probably be pizza dough for the "kettle Grill" wood fired attachment on my Weber.


I'll probably go the refurb route to keep the cost down. for $33 i could get a sqaure trade 4 year warranty that would also cover shipping. Guessing if it lasts that long, the refurb would have been as good as a new one

 

[SonnyE]

As I have said before, revoews have to be taken with a grain of salt.
I suggest a grain of rock salt....
What do you do with idle workers in a web based business? Well, why not let them do reviews for the competitions products? Negative reviews.... Muddy the waters.... Make people have doubts....
What I see here in your thread are fairly overwhelming positive experiences by folks I can trust.

 

[smokeybreeze]

Google KithenAid KSM5 ProLine 325 watt stand mixers made in Michigan. I find used ones on eBay all the time for under $200 and they're the 30+ year old bullet-proof metal gear models that still have complete parts availability.

https://www.ebay.com/p/KitchenAid-Proline-KSM5-Gray-Matte/1701557098
and one even cheaper
https://www.ebay.com/itm/KitchenAid...563719?hash=item41eddd16c7:g:HfsAAOSwefxbnnBP

I've been using my KSM5 for 30+ years and my family hasn't had store-bought bread or rolls since I got my KA. I've made 16-25 pounds of flour-based products (bread, rolls, pizza crust, pate de choux, ...) monthly, plus grinding ingredients for sausage, plus slicing/grating ingredients, plus milling my own grain for the past 30+ years and my original KSM5 ProLine has yet to hiccup and I mix my bread dough for at least 10 minutes per bowl.

I bought this unit new in 1988 and must have thousands of hours on it since then. You cannot go wrong with an older model of KitchenAids. I cannot speak of the newer models, but I believe they use nylon gears (that can be replaced with metal ones).

 

[johnmeyer]

My grandfather had a saying he used often: "The quality is remembered long after the price is forgotten."

In addition to looking for a used one, you could also simply get the Classic KitchenAid. It is $100 less than the $280 you mentioned:

KitchenAid KSM75WH Classic Plus Series 4.5-Quart Tilt-Head Stand Mixer, White

 

[nanuk]

When I was looking for mixers, I was going to get a 575watt 600 series one

but after checking a local online flea market, I got a 6000HD model (375watt? DC motor) for 1/2 the cost of new.

the DC models are more powerful, less noisy, units and the attachments fit.

 

[mrad]

When I was looking for mixers, I was going to get a 575watt 600 series one

but after checking a local online flea market, I got a 6000HD model (375watt? DC motor) for 1/2 the cost of new.

the DC models are more powerful, less noisy, units and the attachments fit.

I'm a bit confused. So are you say ing the 375 watt motor is more powerful than the 575 watt motor?

 

[nanuk]

Yup! welcome to the black magic of DC versus AC! the DC motor has double the torque of an AC motor

 

[mrad]

Double the torque of the 575 watt mixer or of a comparable sized motor?

Are all of the smaller motors (375 and under) DC?
The smaller motor models are less expensive from what I am seeing? I assumed they were a bit less durable because of this???

 

[nanuk]

no... I don't think all of them are DC, only the ones advertised as such.
mine has been labeled as a 6000HD

I didn't look, but online information has the watts at 350.

But what is most important is the DC vs AC, and how it gets to the bowl.

like one person reported in an article, a commercial 1/6hp hobart mixer has far more torque than ANY KA mixer.
1/6hp is only 125watts....

 

[chef jimmyj]

I used my daughters Pro 600 6qt before she moved. Did a good job with 2 pounds of bread or pasta dough or double batches of cookie dough, but if more than that needed, we made multiple runs. I can see the 6000HD being better suited. I am looking at the KSM 8990 8 qt DC motor from the Websturant Store at $559...JJ

 

[nanuk]

that'll be a BEAST!

 

[mdboatbum]

If you’re still looking, one thing to consider is the longevity of the tilt head versus the bowl lift.

If you’re thinking you’ll be doing a lot of heavy doughs, might be best going with the bowl lift.

My tilt head has loosened up over time and likes to dance across the counter while kneading dough due to the wobble. I’ve caught it trying to escape to the floor a couple times, though thankfully it’s never made it.

Great machine overall though. Only having trouble when kneading a couple loaves worth of dough.

 

[chef jimmyj]

Same, same, here! But I was not fast enough to catch it the day I learned the dance was a problem. It only happens kneading dough. My daughters 600 pro with lift, is a dream to work with...JJ

 

[mrad]

I’m still looking and thanks for the advise. I wondered why anyone would want a bowl lift. Now I know why

 

[chef jimmyj]

Another reason for the lift bowl...The tilt models use the old style Dough Hook. These are straight like a fish hook. They do an OK job but bread dough climbs the hook and every 30 seconds or so you have to stop and push the dough off, turn the batch over and run some more. Big PITA! The lift models use a Cork Screw shaped hook the pushes the dough down and turns the batch all by itself. Much better design and mostly hands free...JJ

 

[6GRILLZNTN]

Another thing to remember is that all of their accessories fit every KA stand mixer the have made. I don't know if that matters, but it tells me they got it right a long time ago. I found mine on sale, and it stays on my counter.

 

[bregent]

Another reason for the lift bowl...The tilt models use the old style Dough Hook. These are straight like a fish hook. They do an OK job but bread dough climbs the hook and every 30 seconds or so you have to stop and push the dough off, turn the batch over and run some more. Big PITA! The lift models use a Cork Screw shaped hook the pushes the dough down and turns the batch all by itself. Much better design and mostly hands free...JJ

Just an FYI, they redesigned the fish hook style dough hook a few years back, and it works pretty good. Most of the time I don't need to stop and adjust the dough. Still not as good as the spiral hook, but much better than the old one.
In the image below, the old style is on the left, new on the right.