KitchenAid Let Down

[goodfella]

I have been looking for a mixer. What brand do you suggest?

Also, I am not trying to be funny or ignorent, BUT, would you sell your KA at a good price? My uses for it are smaller & more simple, I think a KA would still be ideal for my uses. (I just have not been able to afford one yet)

 

[Treklady]

And don't even get started with those who grind their own wheat. that is even worse for mixers. The strain of the firmer dough is what burns out the motors quicker.

My girlfriend got me into grinding my own wheat, but as of yet we do not have a mixer, so my daughter and I knead our dough by hand. We double our mixture and freeze two loaves and bake two loaves. But she outright told us, for those she is turning on to grinding and making our own bread...not to purchase a Kitchen Aid, for the fact that it does not have the motor capacity to sustain the freshly ground wheat. She has a Bosche(?), but that is not her favorite. Yes she has 2 mixers.

We are commonly nick named the grain-grinding-freaks

 

[Sararwelch]

I just ordered the professional 5 - I am glad I read this thread because I make bread all the time and wouldn't have known about these issues. I do a fair amount of kneading by hand anyways, looks like I should probably continue with that and use the KA for kneading when it's really necessary (ie a rustic dough).

 

[StirBlue]

Doubling a recipe and making an extra loaf is one thing but trying to mass produce is sort of like getting away from the goal of "joy of cooking".
How hard is it to make a batch of biscuits or bread for the meal. And I am sure a lot of appliances are designed just for "a batch". If you're destine to try and make 20 plus loaves, you have to buy the industrial machines.
I bought a small battery powered wisk. It is not powerful enough to beat an egg and too much for mixing a cup of cocoa. Maybe it was meant for mixing salad dressings. (oil & vinegar).

 

[subfuscpersona]

And don't even get started with those who grind their own wheat. that is even worse for mixers. The strain of the firmer dough is what burns out the motors quicker...We are commonly nick named the grain-grinding-freaks

hi Treklady,

from one grain-grinding-freak to another, I've been milling my own wheat (and other grains, plus legumes) for 30 years with my KitchenAid K5A mixer. Both my mixer and grain mill attachment were manufactured by Hobart, so they are better designed and sturdier than the current mixer and attachments manufactured by Whirlpool.

Milling grain or legumes doesn't burn out the motor if you apply common sense - don't mill a lot in a batch, monitor the heat of the motor and just turn the mixer off to cool down awhile if the motor feels too hot.

Freshly milled whole wheat flour really has the best taste. Everyone can taste the difference between a whole wheat loaf made with freshly milled flour vs. one made with even the best quality, stone ground whole wheat.

My grain mill looks like this

 

[skilletlicker]

hi Treklady, from one grain-grinding-freak to another...
Freshly milled whole wheat flour really has the best taste. Everyone can taste the difference between a whole wheat loaf made with freshly milled flour vs. one made with even the best quality, stone ground whole wheat.

Hey Treklady and subfuscpersona, how do I apply for membership in the grain-grinding-freak club? So far I've only ground beans and corn in the new Nutrimill but as soon as the flour supply is used up I'll be grinding wheat.

Milling grain or legumes doesn't burn out the motor if you apply common sense - don't mill a lot in a batch, monitor the heat of the motor and just turn the mixer off to cool down awhile if the motor feels too hot.

That's good advice. If even I am putting a load on the mixer, I keep my hand on the top and if it starts to get very warm, turn it off for a while.