A kitchen mixer will be required by the majority of cooks at some point. Blenders are fantastic, but they are incapable of mixing cookie dough or cake batter. A mixer is the best tool for the job. However, how does a cook select the best kitchen mixer?
The first thing to think about is how you’ll use the kitchen mixer. If the cook mostly makes simple brownie, cake, or cookie recipes, a standard hand mixer will suffice. If he makes breads and more complicated recipes, such as meringues that require whipped egg whites, he should consider investing in a stand mixer. These mixers are far more powerful than hand mixers, and they can work independently, allowing the cook to focus on other aspects of the recipe.
Attachments, such as pasta rollers and meat grinders, can be added to stand mixers to expand their functionality beyond simple mixing. Hand mixers, on the other hand, now come with attachments. Some include balloon whisks or dough hooks, and a powerful hand mixer can be used for almost any task by the average cook.
Another thing to consider for the cook is the amount of space available. Stand mixers are more powerful than hand mixers, but they take up a lot of space. They’re also quite heavy, making storing them under a cabinet impractical. Hand mixers are small and easy to transport. They can be placed on a shelf or kept in a cabinet or a deep drawer. A hand kitchen mixer is ideal for a small apartment or any home with limited counter space.
Price is a third factor to consider when purchasing a kitchen mixer. A kitchen mixer can be purchased almost anywhere, and the buyer can usually compare prices and features while shopping. Depending on the maker and attachments, a hand kitchen mixer can cost anywhere from $15 to $40. Kitchen mixers with a stand start at around $80. Some of the more popular models have a price tag of around US$125. However, a top-of-the-line, professional stand mixer with all the bells and whistles can cost more than $400.
Cooks looking for a good kitchen mixer can do some comparison shopping in stores or online. This is a good idea because the price of the same mixer can vary greatly from one store to the next. The cook will be able to find the best kitchen mixer for his needs by first considering space and use.