I need a stand mixer!

[taxlady]

Hopefully the 500W is a typo for 1500 watts (12.5 amps @ 120VAC).
I've been looking at these contraptions for over 15 years and decided at my age it's now or never. We've been making 6 1/2 cups of flour / 3 lb batches of bread by hand for the past 5 years from mid Nov to mid Jun but have been unable to accumulate enough loaves to tide us through the hotter months. A decent loaf of bread retails in our area for the better part of $5 and it's not always decent. At that rate it will take about 3 years to recoup the cost of the machine. I hope to be able to double my batch size and make about 100 pounds of bread per year.
KA claims-
"Description KitchenAid® 7 Qt Bowl Lift NSF Commercial Stand Mixer with 1.3 HP Motor, designed to provide professional-style results. Our Most Powerful, Best Performing, Longest Lasting, Quietest, and Largest Capacity. 14 Dozen Cookies. Over 8 lbs of Dough. No Problem."
Hope to be able to give some positive feedback after a few trial runs.
FedEx says the machine is due to be delivered today!

Okay, someone has figured out the economics of this.

I keep thinking that the stand mixer I have is adequate for the times I use it for making sponge cake, and I almost never use it for anything else. I use the immersion blender for egg whites and stuff like that. I have a meat grinder too. I have been looking at fancy stand mixers and lusting after one, but couldn't really see how it would possibly pay for itself. I don't bake bread any more, because I get bored with the kneading. Hmmm. I wonder how well a good food processor would do dough. I will soon be needing a new food processor.

 

[justplainbill]

We consume about 2 - 3 pounds of bread products a week but very little sweet stuff (except upwards of 2 cups of ice cream).

 

[taxlady]

We consume about 2 - 3 pounds of bread products a week but very little sweet stuff (except upwards of 2 cups of ice cream).

I only make that sponge cake once or possibly twice a year. I use it for trifle for Winter Solstice.

We are eating very little bread at the moment, 'cause I'm trying to lose the weight I gained from quitting smoking and I'm doing the low carb thing.

 

[CWS4322]

I have a serious stand mixer problem!
I desperately need one, but the one I want is only available in Europe (Kenwood Major), so that plan is out the window.

I used to have a KA pro 600, but it just isn't doing the job with less than 600W. I got so annoyed with it that I sold the damn thing on Craigslist, and now I'm spending what feel like hours and hours on kneading.

So now what? Is there an alternative to the Kenwood Major in the US (I believe the DeLonghi is discontinued), or do I need to rewire my house?
I need at least 1200W motor, pref 1500W.

Solutions anyone?

Did you ever find the yeast you wanted? I have a Kenwood. I like it, but if I were to replace it, I'd look at either a Viking or a Hobart. I do not eat bread because it gives me gas (TMI, I know). My only sweet vice is that I eat Ice Cream. I love Ice Cream. I don't eat cookies, pies, or cakes, but I eat about 2-3 scoops of Ice Cream 1 or 2 days a week. I thought your hubby was trying to get a job in Norway? Not happening yet?

 

[Bolledeig]

Did you ever find the yeast you wanted? I have a Kenwood. I like it, but if I were to replace it, I'd look at either a Viking or a Hobart.

Yes, I did. Once, and then the store stopped carrying it. So I gave up.

 

[CWS4322]

Yes, I did. Once, and then the store stopped carrying it. So I gave up.

Oh--that's not nice re: the yeast!

 

[NoraC]

Unfortunately in this recession/depression a lot of restaurants are going under. We picked up a Hobart at a great (we insisted on fair,which was more than was asked) price. Keep an eye out for those "closed" signs and you may get what you want and be able to put a little cash in a distressed family's pocket.

 

[marigeorge]

I have had a Magic Mill for over 20 years, it has never gotten hot or bogged down. It will hold about 14-15 lbs of dough at a time. I used to make 20 -25 loaves of bread on weekends to take to the office on Monday mornings. They are quite expensive now compared to what I paid for mine.

 

[leasingthisspace]

You should see the three I use at work. They are crazy big. I want a KA but its always just out of budget. Someday I will get one so I can teach the kids. My 5 year old would love it.

 

[Addie]

I have had a Magic Mill for over 20 years, it has never gotten hot or bogged down. It will hold about 14-15 lbs of dough at a time. I used to make 20 -25 loaves of bread on weekends to take to the office on Monday mornings. They are quite expensive now compared to what I paid for mine.

You were taking 25 loaves to work for lunch? Wow, you must have been hungry.

 

[Joshatdot]

I see a couple of N50s on ebay under $800, Buy It Now.

 

[gadzooks]

I see a couple of N50s on ebay under $800, Buy It Now.

Buy the one with the stainless steel flat B beater. The ss beater alone is worth nearly $275 new, with shipping. I know, because I'm saving my pennies for one.

 

[bakechef]

I wonder how good these mixers are? At $829 it seems like a deal.

Vollrath 40755 7 Qt. Countertop Commercial Mixer with Guard - 110V

 

[gadzooks]

That is an impressive looking machine, but it does not appear to have an attachment hub, something I would expect for that kind of machine for that kind of $$$. The 1/3 hp motor sounds more than adequate, but the speed control is still a rheostat, meaning the motor itself turns at varying speeds. An N50 is rated at 1/6 hp, which sounds low, but it turns at a constant speed and transfers through a three speed transmission. Tres torquey.

 

[gadzooks]

Buy the one with the stainless steel flat B beater. The ss beater alone is worth nearly $275 new, with shipping. I know, because I'm saving my pennies for one.

Oops...I just found that ss B beater for under $200.

 

[gadzooks]

I have been looking for a picture of this, a Hobart HL6, 6 qt. countertop mixer, made in Sweden for less than a year as a proposed replacement for the N50. Comes with 6 accessories; flat beater, wavy beater, whisk, dough hook, pastry knife and mixer bowl, all stainless steel. It was only available to Hobart employees and never sold commercially, except by them or whoever they sold or gifted them to. It is obviously a lift bowl and has a #10 accessory hub that fits all current and older Hobart/KA attachments, and has five speeds plus a "jog" setting. I have no idea how well they work or if the five speeds are motor speeds or transmission speeds, but it is a rarity and looks pretty cool. If anybody here snags one, (one like this recently sold on Ebay for $380 + $99 s&h), please give us a review.

 

[gadzooks]

Another one like it recently sold on Ebay for $1400+, plus s&h.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&_trksid=p4340.l2557&item=350497750858&nma=true&rt=nc&si=J8eULiDjq177RlGgdBjrhieBb5M%253D&orig_cvip=true&rt=nc

 

[PrincessFiona60]

I have been looking for a picture of this, a Hobart HL6, 6 qt. countertop mixer, made in Sweden for less than a year as a proposed replacement for the N50. Comes with 6 accessories; flat beater, wavy beater, whisk, dough hook, pastry knife and mixer bowl, all stainless steel. It was only available to Hobart employees and never sold commercially, except by them or whoever they sold or gifted them to. It is obviously a lift bowl and has a #10 accessory hub that fits all current and older Hobart/KA attachments, and has five speeds plus a "jog" setting. I have no idea how well they work or if the five speeds are motor speeds or transmission speeds, but it is a rarity and looks pretty cool. If anybody here snags one, (one like this recently sold on Ebay for $380 + $99 s&h), please give us a review.

I would love that one...it's about half the size of the one I used in the restaurant.

 

[CWS4322]

I would love that one...it's about half the size of the one I used in the restaurant.

So would I!

 

[bakechef]

I would love that one...it's about half the size of the one I used in the restaurant.

I would be giddy with delight to get my hands on one of those!

This thread has been making me think about the day when I'll need to replace my kitchenaid, I hope that day doesn't come soon, because I'm beginning to think that I'll never find a machine as durable as this one. We've been together for 18 years! It's an Ultra Power, it was the better flip head model before the Artisan came along, and I have really put it through its paces over the years without a hiccup, she's still running strong.