Gotta Tell Ya How Much I Love My Mixer!
Business By berryblondeboys Updated 13 Oct 2006 , 8:44pm by gmcakes
Since my DH and I married (13 years this Sunday), I've wanted a decent mixer. DH always is skeptical on major purchases for the kitchen. Like, if you don't use it every day, then you can't justify spending $$ on an item. It doesn't help that he's an economist! LOL
However, he has learned that good quality things in the kitchen means that it makes my life easier first of all, second, they don't fall apart as quickly, and the bottom line is that they just work better. So, over time I got good appliances for everything except a mixer.
I had been torn about which to get most of all. I decided I wanted a smaller hand mixer and a big stand mixer (DH didn't understand why I would want two - now he gets it), but I was dismayed at how small the KitchenAide mixers were. When their bigger ones came out I thought about it, bu then I started reading a lot of reviews/info and most bread makers (and I make bread more than I make cakes (at least for now! LOL) find that the Kitchenaide can't handle the heavier whole grain doughs very well... Hmmm... but that's what I make!
Then I heard/read about the Electrolux Assistent (notice it's not assistant, but assistent)/Magic Mill Mixer. (either the DLX 2000 or I think the new model just released is the: This thing can do small and larger quanitities and comes with one stainless bowl with a roller and scraper and one plastic bowl with beaters. It has variable speeds and you can just turn it on, or set it to a timer, so it stops after a certain time (meaning you can walk away and it will stop at set time - nice for breadmaking and thost "beat for five minutes on high recipes).
It's made in Sweden (not China) and it doesn't slip and slide on the counter, can add all sorts of extras (grain mill, pasta machine, meat grinder, mixer, etc). and the best for me, it's so easy to clean! BONUS POINTS as I hate the clean-up part.
When I made my friends wedding cake, I had to use her standard sized kitchenaide (new) mixer and it took forever to make the frosting. Last night I made a HUGE batch of frosting (6 lbs of powered sugar, 6 cups of "fat adn the rest) and I made it in like 5 minutes... That would have saved me so much time for that wedding cake.
There's another really good mixer too (for those of us not big enough to do a commercial size mixer and that's the Bosch Concept 7 I believe). they are pricey, but I think a head above a kitchenaide mixer. it's really meant for those of us who just need a bit more than what a sally homemaker usually needs.
Sorry for the major plug, but I used it last night and when you use a machine and every time you go, "Wow, so glad I got that!" Then you kinda want to talk it up!
Happy Mixing! LOL
melissa
I just read about your mixer in another post...
I have a KA pro-6, but have long considered having a second mixer. I have never even heard of your brand. Can you tell me where you heard about/purchased this mixer? DH is great about buying things like this for Christmas, he looks at it as an investment, because I do use things like this so much! Would love to have more info...TIA!
Well, about 18 months ago I found I was buying/spending way too much on a farmer's market bread booth. Their breads are/were fantastic and whole grain, but... they were charging $6-8 a loaf and they were SMALL loaves. I used to make breads by hand and they were wonderful, but... I don't have time to knead and such. I had a bread maker which was great for some breads, but I hated the texture of the bread maker breads and it couldn't do any of the heartier breads, which we love.
So, somehow I found through a search engine some whole grain bread makers forums and those two mixers kept being praised A LOT. I think they mention it in the King Arthur cookbook (bread cookbook?) too. Some love the Bosch Concept 7, some love the Magic Mill DLX2000/Electrolux Assistent. For what I wanted, I preferred the Magic Mill. Selling points were the 12 lbs capacity, great reviews for whole grain breads and other heavy batters and just overall reputation.
There are several sites that sell them, however new they are between $475 to $575 depending on the finish you get (white base is cheaper than chrome, for istance). Since my husband hates spending money on things, I promised him I would find it cheaper adn I kept scouring ebay for about 6 months. Finally a like new one popped up and it was a little mislabeled, so I was able to get it for about $250 shipped and I SWEAR it was never used - came with instructions too... I "think" some kitchen shops sell it as I think I remember looking at one in white just after I found mine.
Melissa
you know I've never heard of an electrolux mixer........but I will tell ya........my DH and I had our vacuum cleaner break on us and his parents gave us this old raggedy electrolux vacuum from like 1965.....seriously!! lol That thing sucks like nobody's business!!!!!! I mean suck as in suction......it's awesome!!! People pick on me when they see me pull it out (once a month or so for deep cleanings)...but the thing picks up 30 times what my bissell vacuum does, it's amazing. So I know electrolux has had the powerful motor thing down for quite some time.......so I would imagine their mixer would have some power behind the motor too.......I'll have to check it out~
Thanks for sharing. I really want to get a new mixer. I have just a regular KitchenAid stand mixer and I'm really not that impressed with it. I thought maybe the HD line they have would be better, so I've been watching the prices on those. Now I'll keep an eye out for these.
isn't that the old fashioned term for a stay at home mom? I am a SAHM and boy, do I hate checking "homemaker" on forms for "employment"... why is that?
Basically, it's a bit more than an average once a week or once every couple weeks baker needs. A kitchen aide is probably fine for the average cook. Not so useful for someone who makes several cakes and batches of cookies a week.
Sorry if that wasn't PC enough...
Melissa
I have the KA HD model. I bought it at Costco and it was cheaper than the artisan series in the regular stores!! I am VERY happy with it, but then I only make 1 or 2 cakes a week with it. I have made fondant with it using the dough hook and it had no problems.
isn't that the old fashioned term for a stay at home mom? I am a SAHM and boy, do I hate checking "homemaker" on forms for "employment"... why is that?
Basically, it's a bit more than an average once a week or once every couple weeks baker needs. A kitchen aide is probably fine for the average cook. Not so useful for someone who makes several cakes and batches of cookies a week.
Sorry if that wasn't PC enough...
Melissa
I'm a SAHM as well, and I know what you mean about checking the homemaker box...steams me almost as much as "HOUSEWIFE". I find myself very fortunate to be able to stay home, but the decision is mostly financial, in that I don't want to have to pay most of what I would make directly to daycare! 
My desire for a new mixer is not necessarily to "replace" my KA, but more to get it a "new friend". I find myself very busy, and at times it would be really nice to have 2 mixers working at the same time! I have an extra bowl for my mixer, so there is no down time between batches. But, sometimes it would be nice to handle larger batches of icing (my KA can handle a triple batch...but, sometimes that just doesn't cut it for me!). I have even considered buying another mixer identical to the one I already own just so that the attachments are interchangeable, I do love my KA!
However, I also would like one than that I am not worried about burning the motor up on when I make stiff cookie dough. I killed my first KA ( 
...RIP little white classic model, you served me well! 
), just completely burned the motor up on it from over use. Sometimes I fear that it will happen again, you can feel the heat on the casing after a lot of use and back-to-back icing batches!
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