I need a stand mixer!

[Andy M.]

Frank, thanks for posting. What the article says is valid. However, wattage/horsepower ratings for like tools is still a valid comparison method. 746 watts may not deliver an actual 1 HP but that would be true for all mixers of the same type. Thus, comparing wattages is a reasonable way to determine relative power.

That said, as I have recently learned from personal experience, you're better off paying attention to the load you put on the motor AND GEARS. So if the instructions say max. 6 kg.(or whatever) I go with that.

 

[taxlady]

This is an interesting read regarding single phase A/C electric motors. It is geared towards power tools, but it is still applicable.

Thanks for the link Frank, interesting article.

 

[CWS4322]

I've used that mixer in a vocational cooking school, it was awesome, seemed unstoppable! We also had a 5 qt. kitchenaid and it was a good machine, but not nearly as sturdy and robust as the Hobart.

Hobart equipment was what my parents had in their restaurant. I covet having a hobart commercial stand mixer...

 

[CharlieD]

Will do, CharlieD!
___________________________________

I read pretty poor reviews on the Kenwood-posers, so that's a no go.

On the other hand, I now see the KA commercial has 990W. I was just a little confused there by all the places saying 500W. Turns out that was a gov UL test deal, and 990W are the real peak wattage.
Almost $800 though..

gadzooks: wooow! I've never been to a thrift store yet. Maybe it's time to start

What model is it? I mean what is number? I spent some time yeterday looking around what's available after reading this thread. But I did not see the KA model that was 990W. Would be interesting to find out.

 

[FrankZ]

What model is it? I mean what is number? I spent some time yeterday looking around what's available after reading this thread. But I did not see the KA model that was 990W. Would be interesting to find out.

Charlie:

KitchenAid®: Welcome to KitchenAid.com

One thing that is interesting. From the article above, if this mixer is truly 1.3HP then it is pushing the limits of a 15A circut. If your house wiring is not completely up to snuff (sizing and quality) you might find that putting some load on it might (should) trip the breaker. Then it is downstairs to the back corner of the basement to crawl over the stuff piled up to get to the breaker panel (not that anyone would be so unsafe as to pile things in front of their breaker panel).

 

[Bolledeig]

Yeap, the KSM7990WH.
I wonder if I could still use all the attatchments out there with that one..
Would be crazy if not.

It's a relatively new model I believe.

 

[justplainbill]

Yeap, the KSM7990WH.
I wonder if I could still use all the attatchments out there with that one..
Would be crazy if not.

It's a relatively new model I believe.

KA's spec sheet says it accommodates the existing residential as well as the to be released commercial accessories(Fits all current KitchenAid® attachments and future larger capacity commercial style attachments).
Since they describe it as having a DC motor it may be what's known as a universal motor ( 0 to 60 cycles). Be interesting to see if the parts list includes motor brushes.

 

[FrankZ]

I missed seeing it say it is a DC motor. Where did you find that?

 

[jim262]

After a "watt" has been given to the marketing department they are folded and mutilated to the point where they are unrecognizable by engineers. When you connect a Professional 600 KitchenAid to a watt meter, it will typically run at 250 to 275 watts depending on load. I am pretty sure that most other kitchen appliance marketing agents failed the same engineering courses and are exaggerating just as much about the "PEAK" wattage that their machines attain.

Williams Sonoma has had an exclusive on the home version of KA's new 7 quart mixer since last July. It is a totally new design and not based on the Professional 600 platform. It has been getting good reviews and has been selling for $550.00 before rebates and incentives.

 

[justplainbill]

I missed seeing it say it is a DC motor. Where did you find that?

See-
http://www.webstaurantstore.com/specsheets/KSM7990.pdf

 

[justplainbill]

"The KitchenAid KSM7990WH NSF 7 qt. commercial stand mixer is ready to handle all of your jobs, large or small up to 16 cups of flour at at time! Its powerful 500 watt, 1.3 hp DC motor is KitchenAid's longest lasting powertrain, featuring precise all metal gears and advanced electronic controls that communicate with the motor 15,000 times per second to ensure optimum torque, less heat buildup and smooth, quiet operation. Delivering plenty of mixing power for everything from a slow stir to a fast whip, this high efficiency motor with 10 speed slide control is perfect for use in your bakery or commercial kitchen! A glossy white finish and all metal touch points give a professional look to any mixing station while a 7 qt. burnished stainless steel bowl with "J" style handle and flanged edges can hold enough dough for up to 8 1/2 loaves of bread at once! The unit features a professional bowl lift design to raise and secure the bowl while using any professional or commercial style KitchenAid attachment. A professionalstyle attachment power hub is compatible with all KitchenAid attachments for added versatility. For additional security, speed control protection reduces the risk of turning on the unit during cleaning. The KSM7990WH NSF 7 qt. commercial stand mixer comes with an 11 wire whip, flat beater, bowl and Power Knead dough hook, all constructed of durable, dishwashersafe stainless steel. This mixer requires a 120V connection and comes with a 48" long orange commercial power cord and NEMA 515P plug. The cord's bright orange color lets your health inspector see right away that this is not a residential unit. Please consult the Specification Sheet for additional details. NSF Listed. Overall Dimensions: Width: 13 5/8" Depth: 14 5/8" Height: 16 1/2" KSM7990WH From KitchenAid"

 

[FrankZ]

Wow...

Seriously?

Wow.

I have a friend that specializes in electric motors, I need to chat with him about this. But I would think it is silly to plug the mixer into AC then rectify to DC to run the motor. I am not sure what kind of lose you get, but converting isn't free.

I do wonder what the VDC are for this.

Scrolling down I find it interesting they say "500 Watts delivering
1.3 HP High Efficiency DC Motor"

I am not sure that is physically possible.

 

[justplainbill]

Wow...

Seriously?

Wow.

I have a friend that specializes in electric motors, I need to chat with him about this. But I would think it is silly to plug the mixer into AC then rectify to DC to run the motor. I am not sure what kind of lose you get, but converting isn't free.

I do wonder what the VDC are for this.

Scrolling down I find it interesting they say "500 Watts delivering
1.3 HP High Efficiency DC Motor"

I am not sure that is physically possible.

Probably 1.3 hp non-sustainable peak power. Universal DC motors will run ok on AC current but they tend to be pretty noisy and generate a bit of ozone.
It's a shame that the kitchenaid site is not more forthcoming about the details for their stand mixers. 'Assembled with pride in Ohio' with parts from G*d knows where? They seem to have a penchant for new model introductions. I'm more of a high torque at low RPM 5 -7 speed manual tranny type.
Please let us know what your friend has to say.

 

[justplainbill]

You guys just cost me $546.75 and likely a lot of grief from my wife to get the skinny on the KA commercial 7 quart. At least it is supposed to have a stainless dough hook and beater, but from the video demo I'm afraid it will be a pretty noisy machine.
Hopefully the noise will drowned out my wife's b&m.

 

[FrankZ]

You guys just cost me $546.75 and likely a lot of grief from my wife to get the skinny on the KA commercial 7 quart. At least it is supposed to have a stainless dough hook and beater, but from the video demo I'm afraid it will be a pretty noisy machine.
Hopefully the noise will drowned out my wife's b&m.

Yay a volunteer!!

I discussed the DC motor with my industrial electrician friend today.

Basically he said that if it is using a permanent magnet rotor that may be some advantage in efficiency, which is usually around 70% for A/C motors. One benefit of a DC motor, in this application at least, would be that it uses less current at slower speeds but retains the torque. So it moves slower but still can push hard, which might be useful for dough.

I will do more discussing about this as time goes on, today we were distracted with boat things.

 

[Bolledeig]

Whawhawhat? You're gonna get it, justplainbill?
Sorry, some things just don't make sense to my foreign languaged brain.

 

[FrankZ]

Oh.. one other thing mentioned today.

500W in, 1.3HP out. Not a chance other than locked rotor HP, which is meaningless (except to marketers).

He said with decent electric motors 1000W will get you 1HP. (real world usable)

 

[justplainbill]

Oh.. one other thing mentioned today.

500W in, 1.3HP out. Not a chance other than locked rotor HP, which is meaningless (except to marketers).

He said with decent electric motors 1000W will get you 1HP. (real world usable)

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!

 

[FrankZ]

I am sure it is capable, but it isn't likely as powerful in use as a true 1.3HP motor would be, nor likely the size of most of them.

When I bought Lucille it was partly an economic decision. I figured we would get payback in a year to year and a half. That doesn't count anything we use it for other than bread.

I am looking forward to your report.

 

[justplainbill]

I am sure it is capable, but it isn't likely as powerful in use as a true 1.3HP motor would be, nor likely the size of most of them.

When I bought Lucille it was partly an economic decision. I figured we would get payback in a year to year and a half. That doesn't count anything we use it for other than bread.

I am looking forward to your report.

I’m using an oold Wagner Electric single phase continuous duty capacitor start 4 amp x 120 VAC ¼ hp motor on an even oolder piston compressor. It may be severely lacking in efficiency but makes up for that with its longevity. Even though its only ¼ HP, it’s stronger than me and must weigh about 20 lbs.