I actually made som fondant the other day and used the paddle attachment because I forgot to switch to the dough hook. It didn't work very well. I had to switch it halfway through.
When I was taking the Wilton fondant class, I made regular fondant and mmfondant with my regular attachment because I didn't know I should use the dough hook. It turned out fine -- class teacher didn't notice any problem, and neither did I. But I guess using the dough hook causes less strain on the motor (?).
It probably wouldn't make a big difference to your fondant, but it will definitely burn out your motor. Too much $$$$ to risk it!
I tried mixing MMF from start to finish with a regular beater in my KitchenAid Pro 600 mixer. I thought I would get more complete mixing faster doing this than by using my dough hook. NOT a good idea! I actually overheated my motor and the mixer shut itself down - first time ever. Fortunately, it worked okay after cooling down a bit. Moral of story - use the dough hook.
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