Stand Mixers

Prized amongst bakers, Stand Mixers are well known for kneading bread and pizza doughs, whipping egg whites and mixing batters for cakes. A Stand Mixer is a countertop Kitchen Appliance that can consistently and thoroughly churn ingredients in large quantities over a long or short period of time, taking the hard work out of mixing tasks. They do a more thorough job than manual mixing regardless of experience or skill and can do most of their work unsupervised.

The variety of attachments for modern Stand Mixers add a lot of diversity to the appliance, making it much more multifunctional. Most come with standard inclusions such as a dough hook, scraper and whisk, however there's a multitude of Stand Mixer Attachments that make homemade pasta and noodles, mill grains, grind meat for mince or sausages, spiralise vegetables, juice fresh fruits and vegetables and even churn homemade ice cream.

These sorts of attachments vary between different brands and models and most will need to be purchased separately so remember to check before buying.

Hand Mixers and Stand Mixers both make beating, mixing and whipping easier. Hand Mixers are more portable and less expensive than a Stand Mixer and are pretty close to as good for mixing batters, whipping eggs and butter and even mashing potatoes. They can be used in any bowl whereas Stand Mixers require their own compatible bowl.

Hand Mixers come with a pair of removable metal beaters suited to mixing, whipping and beating. They can do a lot of the primary jobs that a Stand Mixer can do without the same degree of thoroughness and the extra versatility that Stand Mixers can bring with the right attachments. It depends on what is being made, but for a batch of cookie or pizza dough you'd prefer the power of a Stand Mixer over a Hand Mixer.

Whilst they are easier and more thorough than mixing with a spatula or wooden spoon by hand, you'll still need to hold and move a Hand Mixer. For people with an injury or disability handling a Hand Mixer can be strenuous or difficult, so Stand Mixers are a lower strain alternative.

Although Stand Mixers tend to be a more expensive appliance for the kitchen, their versatility and durability make them a great investment. Many of today's models are constructed out of solid diecast metal and come with 5 or 10 year manufacturer warranties. With the right care, many customers have their mixer last 10 to 25 years or more.

We have some tips to keep a Stand Mixer in the mix for longer. When using try to increase the speed gradually and give the machine a bit of warmup time if it has not been used in a while. This will move the lubricant through the engine before putting it to work. It's also advised to have the gears in a Stand Mixer regreased once a year.

Clean your mixer after each use by removing the beater attachments and the bowl, then washing them by hand in a sink with warm soapy water. Many bowls and attachments are also Dishwasher safe but double check the manual first. Always remember to turn off and unplug your Stand Mixer before cleaning and never immerse the whole unit in water. Wipe away any excess water and air dry the bowl and attachments before storing.

Stand Mixers are larger and heavier than most other Benchtop kitchen appliances, so consider the available space in your kitchen carefully before picking one up.

Many of today’s models have aesthetics worth showing off like the classic Artisan KitchenAid Stand Mixers or the 1950s style Smeg Stand Mixers with a suite of matching appliances for effortless kitchen benchtop styling. If you have the space, it could be easier to buy a model that adds to the kitchen décor and leave it out on display.

Make sure the Mixer has a substantial variety of speed settings. Six speeds should be enough to cover kneading, folding, mixing, creaming, beating, whipping and aerating. A sturdy beater, scraper, whisk and dough hook attachments should also be included.

Many Stand Mixers have a tilt head meaning the head of the mixer with the engine and mixing attachment lifts up and away from the mixing bowl. This makes adding ingredients or taking mixed ingredients out of the mixing bowl much simpler in models like Kenwood's and Sunbeam's for example.