Looking for new mixer for small baking business, breads, decorated cakes, cookies.

Currently use KitchenAid 5 qt that is worked to death and sure sounds like it's dying. Read reviews about 6 qt Kitchenaid. Some people love it, but lots of people have returned them due to motor burnout, overheating, etc., etc.

Any experience with Bosch or Electrolux? Other recommendations?

By Cheftim (Cheftim) on Monday, October 13, 2003 - 09:47 pm: Edit

Kitchen Aids are fine for small batch cake mixes, creams, whipping egg whites etc. Once you get into large batches of bread dough (more than two loaves at a time) and cookie dough you need to move to a mixer that can handle a 20 qt bowl.

I'm guessing your baking at home but I won't get into the twist and turns of that, only to say it's impossible to make money doing small batches of anything.

By Flattop (Flattop) on Tuesday, October 14, 2003 - 12:18 am: Edit

We killed a kitchen aid pro 6 at school. Kitchen aid told us we were using it wrong and wouldn't honor the warrentee. It stripped its splines on the piece that holds the paddle and whip. It broke mixing a cake batter. and was just a few months old. and hadn't seen much use either. Just a piece of junk.

I'd look at the Kenmore 16 Speed Stand Mixer 600wt.

http://www.sears.com/sr/javasr/product.do?BV_UseBVCookie=Yes&vertical=APPL&pid=00869253000

runs about $220 and it takes all the kitchenaid attachments too.

By Chefmanny (Chefmanny) on Tuesday, October 14, 2003 - 09:12 am: Edit

There are two types of kitchen aid mixers, the ones for the home and, the commercial models.
The commercial models cost more, most people, including institutions trying to save a buc buy the store bought type for $300 or so, those will burn out in no time in a commercial kitchen.

By Peachcreek (Peachcreek) on Tuesday, October 14, 2003 - 01:59 pm: Edit

I have used my KitchenAid K5 mixer for over 10 years at work and aside from maintainence over the years it has worked fine. I have two- just in case I have one in for repair. The repair I had done on both besides a good cleaning was to replace the on/off control as it finally stripped out, a new plug-in from being unplugged by the cord for too many years, and replace a little teflon gear that stripped out. Maybe spent $150.00 over the years. But then again since I paid for both of them, I take good care of them.....I agree with Tim and co. that the main thing with mixers is not to overload them. A 20qt. Hobart is definately a great machine, and can be found used at a reasonable price.

By Sharoncakes (Sharoncakes) on Tuesday, October 14, 2003 - 03:16 pm: Edit

Delonghi has a 7 qt. (maybe 8qt) mixer that is supposed to be quite good.

By Chefrev (Chefrev) on Tuesday, October 14, 2003 - 07:07 pm: Edit

Amen Manny:

Too many professional kitchens try to cut corners and get household grade equipment. They usually end up buying two or three of the cheaper items time after time when they cannot be fixed. It'd just be less expensive in money, time and hassle to go with the professional stuff from the start. Costs more in the short term, but lasts longer if you train the people to use it.

As good as KitchenAid is at home (I love mine), even the Pro series is a lightweight next to work horses like Hobart.

By Andapanda (Andapanda) on Monday, July 26, 2004 - 08:12 pm: Edit

Oohlala:
I have a friend who has a Bosch mixer similar to the Universal mixer, but an older model:
http://www.boschmixers.net/boschuniversal.html
I do not recommend it. It has twin beaters that flail around in the dished out area of the mixer, the newer model seems to have a bowl, but still cannot be removed as easily as the bowl in the KitchenAid mixer can.
I had read somewhere that KitchenAid makes mixers for home use(KitchenAid 4.5 qt., & 5.0 qt.Tilt-Head) which have plastic gears, while the mixers(KitchenAid 5 qt. Bowl-Lift Professional 5 Plus, & Commercial 5 series) for commercial use have metal gears.
Check out:
http://www.shopkitchenaid.com/product_detail.asp?HDR=standmixers&T1=KTA+KM25GOXWH & http://www.shopkitchenaid.com/product_detail.asp?HDR=standmixers&T1=KTA+KP2671XWH
I had called KitchenAid, and was told that even the "Professional 6" series of mixers was a "series' name" only, not a denotation that it was suitable for commercial use. The "Professional 6" series of mixers had superceded the "Epicurean" series of mixers which only had 475 watt motors. I had also heard that Hobart bought KitchenAid several years ago.
I do not know if you are using the mixer for home or commercial use. If you are using the mixer for commercial use, then I would recommend that you check out the Hobart N50(5 qt.) mixer:
http://www.hobartcorp.com/hobartg5/pr/n50.nsf/home
or the A120(12 qt.) mixer:
http://www.hobartcorp.com/hobartg5/pr/products.nsf/pages/food-prep_mixer_counter
Do not be penny-wise only to be pound-foolish. You don't always get what you pay for, but you must always pay for what you get.
Good luck.