Hi all -

For most of my 40+ years of cooking, I used a hand held mixer. I have had
various brands of handhelds and all have used the normal 2 mixer blades that
were made up of 4 pronged beaters that intermeshed with each other. I
finally decided to get a stand mixer.

When I was looking for a stand mixer, I was first drawn to the Sunbeam type
that used the same kind of beater blades as the handheld ones. This type
also came with a wide bottomed bowl and the mixer blades were positioned at
the side of the bowl. Being at the side of the bowl would enable
ingredients to be added easily. There was also a switch that allowed the
bowl to be moved from side to side so that the beaters covered all parts of
the bowl. When I used my handheld mixer, I tried to used wide bottom bowls
as things mixed up better using them.

After reading reviews, I decided that Kitchen Aid stand mixers had the best
rating. So that is what I purchased over a year ago. I do like the fact
that with stand mixers you can leave the mixture alone while it is beating
and do other things. That was a big pain with the handhelds - that you had
to hold it for the entire mixing time.

However, maybe it is just me and that I have not adjusted to the Kitchen Aid
yet, but there are things that I do not like about it. I am not fond of the
big, deep narrow bowl that came with the mixer. Today I was making a
cheesecake. I had to cream 3 large packages of cream cheese. I blended
them for a few minutes, stopped and cleaned the sides of the bowl several
times during the mixing. When I was done mixing, I could tell by feel that
there were areas at the bottom of the bowl where the cream cheese was not
mixed properly. I used a spatula to reach into the bottom of the bowl and
stir it some more. When I poured the mixture into the pan, there were still
areas that had unmixed cream cheese! It seems like there are parts of the
bottom of the bowl that the mixer blade just does not get to.

I find that basically no matter how much I scrape down the bowl or how long
I mix things, with this deep narrow bowl there are always areas at the
bottom of the bowl that do not get mixed. A wider bowl would be so much
better to get things properly blended together. Also, with the Kitchen Aid
regular mixing blade, it does not seem that things get incorporated as well
as with the mixers that have the 2 separate blades that intermesh.

I also find that with the tall narrow Kitchen Aid bowls, it is difficult to
add ingredients - especially things like flour - while the machine is on.
There just isn't much room between the blade and the side of the bowl.
Mine came with a plastic bowl cover that has a chute for adding ingredients,
but it does not seem to do much better than just putting things in with out
it on the bowl.

Any advice would be appreciated with regard to these matters. Am I doing
something wrong that things don't get mixed in properly that are at the
bottom of the narrow bowl? I do scrape down the bowl several times during
mixing. I admit that is a little annoying to have to stop mixing a couple
of times and scrape the bowl down, but that seems to be something that is
necessary. Is there some trick to being able to add things to the mixer
while it is running? There just does not seem to be enough room do to so in
an efficient manner. Thanks for any help.

I wore a tilt back KA out over 20 years. I used it a LOT. Until it
ground its way to a halt one day I never had one complaint. I replaced
it with bowl-lift type that has a much stronger motor. I hate the new
one. It has taken several bowl height adjustments to get it right.
That is probably your problem. The book gives all the info on making
the adjustment it is just sort of finicky on the new machines getting
it just right. Adding ingredients in the bowl-lift machine always
has me ending up with stuff all over the counter, even if I use the
cumbersome pouring shield. Mine is 2 years old and every time I use
it I gripe, and I avoid using it when I can. The thing has a feature
that makes it hesitate when it starts. That is ok but sometimes now
it doesn't start at all unless I turn it off and on again. I miss my
little old, less power tilt back KA.
Are there other brands that folks would recommend?
Taria

On Feb 8, 9:44�am, "LB" > wrote:
> Hi all -
>
> For most of my 40+ years of cooking, I used a hand held mixer. �I have had
> various brands of handhelds and all have used the normal 2 mixer blades that
> were made up of 4 pronged beaters that intermeshed with each other. �I
> finally decided to get a stand mixer.
>
> When I was looking for a stand mixer, I was first drawn to the Sunbeam type
> that used the same kind of beater blades as the handheld ones. �This type
> also came with a wide bottomed bowl and the mixer blades were positioned at
> the side of the bowl. �Being at the side of the bowl would enable
> ingredients to be added easily. �There was also a switch that allowed the
> bowl to be moved from side to side so that the beaters covered all parts of
> the bowl. �When I used my handheld mixer, I tried to used wide bottom bowls
> as things mixed up better using them.
>
> After reading reviews, I decided that Kitchen Aid stand mixers had the best
> rating. �So that is what I purchased over a year ago. �I do like the fact
> that with stand mixers you can leave the mixture alone while it is beating
> and do other things. �That was a big pain with the handhelds - that you had
> to hold it for the entire mixing time.
>
> However, maybe it is just me and that I have not adjusted to the Kitchen Aid
> yet, but there are things that I do not like about it. �I am not fond of the
> big, deep narrow bowl that came with the mixer. �Today I was making a
> cheesecake. �I had to cream 3 large packages of cream cheese. �I blended
> them for a few minutes, stopped and cleaned the sides of the bowl several
> times during the mixing. �When I was done mixing, I could tell by feel that
> there were areas at the bottom of the bowl where the cream cheese was not
> mixed properly. �I used a spatula to reach into the bottom of the bowl and
> stir it some more. �When I poured the mixture into the pan, there were still
> areas that had unmixed cream cheese! �It seems like there are parts of the
> bottom of the bowl that the mixer blade just does not get to.
>
> I find that basically no matter how much I scrape down the bowl or how long
> I mix things, with this deep narrow bowl there are always areas at the
> bottom of the bowl that do not get mixed. �A wider bowl would be so much
> better to get things properly blended together. �Also, with the Kitchen Aid
> regular mixing blade, it does not seem that things get incorporated as well
> as with the mixers that have the 2 separate blades that intermesh.
>
> I also find that with the tall narrow Kitchen Aid bowls, it is difficult to
> add ingredients - �especially things like flour - while the machine is on.
> There just isn't much room between the blade and the side of the bowl.
> Mine came with a plastic bowl cover that has a chute for adding ingredients,
> but it does not seem to do much better than just putting things in with out
> it on the bowl.
>
> Any advice would be appreciated with regard to these matters. �Am I doing
> something wrong that things don't get mixed in properly that are at the
> bottom of the narrow bowl? �I do scrape down the bowl several times during
> mixing. �I admit that is a little annoying to have to stop mixing a couple
> of times and scrape the bowl down, but that seems to be something that is
> necessary. �Is there some trick to being able to add things to the mixer
> while it is running? �There just does not seem to be enough room do to so in
> an efficient manner. �Thanks for any help.

You're obviously using a machine that is way to large for the job...
for the small volume cheesecake recipe you describe a handheld mixer
is the best choice.

> of times and scrape the bowl down, but that seems to be something that is
> necessary. *Is there some trick to being able to add things to the mixer
> while it is running? *There just does not seem to be enough room do to so in
> an efficient manner. *Thanks for any help.

A "big wide" bowl will usually also have sides you have to scrape
down. I used to have a tilt-top mixer and I still had to scrape the
sides. You have to scrape the sides of a bowl if you're using a hand
mixer, unless you want batter all over your kitchen.

Just get the kind you are comfortable with. I love my big Kitchen Aid
and wouldn't trade it for anything. I don't have the problems you
seem to have. It just takes practice to use it properly, to add
ingredients while the mixer is running, and not be annoyed by having
to scrape down the sides of the bowl. If you don't want to mess with
it, get something else.

N.

On Feb 8, 8:58*am, Nancy2 > wrote:
> > of times and scrape the bowl down, but that seems to be something that is
> > necessary. *Is there some trick to being able to add things to the mixer
> > while it is running? *There just does not seem to be enough room do to so in
> > an efficient manner. *Thanks for any help.
>
> A "big wide" bowl will usually also have sides you have to scrape
> down. *I used to have a tilt-top mixer and I still had to scrape the
> sides. *You have to scrape the sides of a bowl if you're using a hand
> mixer, unless you want batter all over your kitchen.
>
> Just get the kind you are comfortable with. *I love my big Kitchen Aid
> and wouldn't trade it for anything. *I don't have the problems you
> seem to have. *It just takes practice to use it properly, to add
> ingredients while the mixer is running, and not be annoyed by having
> to scrape down the sides of the bowl. *If you don't want to mess with
> it, get something else.
>
> N.

Agreed- I think more diligent scraping is in order.

"LB" > wrote in message
t...
> Hi all -
>
> For most of my 40+ years of cooking, I used a hand held mixer. I have had
> various brands of handhelds and all have used the normal 2 mixer blades
> that were made up of 4 pronged beaters that intermeshed with each other.
> I finally decided to get a stand mixer.
>
> When I was looking for a stand mixer, I was first drawn to the Sunbeam
> type that used the same kind of beater blades as the handheld ones. This
> type also came with a wide bottomed bowl and the mixer blades were
> positioned at the side of the bowl. Being at the side of the bowl would
> enable ingredients to be added easily. There was also a switch that
> allowed the bowl to be moved from side to side so that the beaters covered
> all parts of the bowl. When I used my handheld mixer, I tried to used
> wide bottom bowls as things mixed up better using them.
>
> After reading reviews, I decided that Kitchen Aid stand mixers had the
> best rating. So that is what I purchased over a year ago. I do like the
> fact that with stand mixers you can leave the mixture alone while it is
> beating and do other things. That was a big pain with the handhelds -
> that you had to hold it for the entire mixing time.
>
> However, maybe it is just me and that I have not adjusted to the Kitchen
> Aid yet, but there are things that I do not like about it. I am not fond
> of the big, deep narrow bowl that came with the mixer. Today I was making
> a cheesecake. I had to cream 3 large packages of cream cheese. I blended
> them for a few minutes, stopped and cleaned the sides of the bowl several
> times during the mixing. When I was done mixing, I could tell by feel
> that there were areas at the bottom of the bowl where the cream cheese was
> not mixed properly. I used a spatula to reach into the bottom of the bowl
> and stir it some more. When I poured the mixture into the pan, there were
> still areas that had unmixed cream cheese! It seems like there are parts
> of the bottom of the bowl that the mixer blade just does not get to.
>
> I find that basically no matter how much I scrape down the bowl or how
> long I mix things, with this deep narrow bowl there are always areas at
> the bottom of the bowl that do not get mixed. A wider bowl would be so
> much better to get things properly blended together. Also, with the
> Kitchen Aid regular mixing blade, it does not seem that things get
> incorporated as well as with the mixers that have the 2 separate blades
> that intermesh.
>
> I also find that with the tall narrow Kitchen Aid bowls, it is difficult
> to add ingredients - especially things like flour - while the machine is
> on. There just isn't much room between the blade and the side of the bowl.
> Mine came with a plastic bowl cover that has a chute for adding
> ingredients, but it does not seem to do much better than just putting
> things in with out it on the bowl.
>
> Any advice would be appreciated with regard to these matters. Am I doing
> something wrong that things don't get mixed in properly that are at the
> bottom of the narrow bowl? I do scrape down the bowl several times during
> mixing. I admit that is a little annoying to have to stop mixing a couple
> of times and scrape the bowl down, but that seems to be something that is
> necessary. Is there some trick to being able to add things to the mixer
> while it is running? There just does not seem to be enough room do to so
> in an efficient manner. Thanks for any help.

No tool, a mixer in this case, can do it all. Some jobs work better with a
hand held mixer. In the case of the cheesecake you could have used the wire
whisk at a slow speed. I've done that before for cakes and it turned out
fine.

You can stop the mixer, lower the bowl and add your ingredients. The chute
works fine for most things though.

Paul

"Taria" > wrote in message
news:Bl_qj.405$Wr4.79@trnddc05...
>I wore a tilt back KA out over 20 years. I used it a LOT. Until it
> ground its way to a halt one day I never had one complaint. I replaced
> it with bowl-lift type that has a much stronger motor. I hate the new
> one. It has taken several bowl height adjustments to get it right.
> That is probably your problem. The book gives all the info on making
> the adjustment it is just sort of finicky on the new machines getting
> it just right. Adding ingredients in the bowl-lift machine always
> has me ending up with stuff all over the counter, even if I use the
> cumbersome pouring shield. Mine is 2 years old and every time I use
> it I gripe, and I avoid using it when I can. The thing has a feature
> that makes it hesitate when it starts. That is ok but sometimes now
> it doesn't start at all unless I turn it off and on again. I miss my
> little old, less power tilt back KA.
> Are there other brands that folks would recommend?


KA still makes the tilt back model, it is called the Artisan.

Paul

"Taria" > wrote in message
news:Bl_qj.405$Wr4.79@trnddc05...
>I wore a tilt back KA out over 20 years. I used it a LOT. Until it
> ground its way to a halt one day I never had one complaint. I replaced
> it with bowl-lift type that has a much stronger motor. I hate the new
> one. It has taken several bowl height adjustments to get it right.
> That is probably your problem. The book gives all the info on making
> the adjustment it is just sort of finicky on the new machines getting
> it just right. Adding ingredients in the bowl-lift machine always
> has me ending up with stuff all over the counter, even if I use the
> cumbersome pouring shield. Mine is 2 years old and every time I use
> it I gripe, and I avoid using it when I can. The thing has a feature
> that makes it hesitate when it starts. That is ok but sometimes now
> it doesn't start at all unless I turn it off and on again. I miss my
> little old, less power tilt back KA.
> Are there other brands that folks would recommend?


One more thing, the hesitation is by design - they call it soft start. It
is so that if you crank it up from 0 to 10 you won't get the ingedients
flying all over the place.

Paul

Paul M. Cook said...

> No tool, a mixer in this case, can do it all. Some jobs work better
> with a hand held mixer. In the case of the cheesecake you could have
> used the wire whisk at a slow speed. I've done that before for cakes
> and it turned out fine.
>
> You can stop the mixer, lower the bowl and add your ingredients. The
> chute works fine for most things though.
>
> Paul


My thoughts too! That and mixing room-temperature cream cheese might be a
advisable. The OP didn't indicate.

Andy

I understand that is why I said it is ok. A good feature when it
works properly. The problem is that sometimes the hesitation goes from
hesitation to nothing! I just haven't been able to justify getting
another new machine when this one is so new. I didn't realize I
could get the stronger motor with the tilt when I bought this one.
That was my fault.
Taria



Paul M. Cook wrote:


>
> One more thing, the hesitation is by design - they call it soft start. It
> is so that if you crank it up from 0 to 10 you won't get the ingedients
> flying all over the place.
>
> Paul
>
>

"Andy" wrote:
> Paul M. Cook wrote:
>
> > No tool, a mixer in this case, can do it all. �Some jobs work better
> > with a hand held mixer. �In the case of the cheesecake you could have
> > used the wire whisk at a slow speed. �I've done that before for cakes
> > and it turned out fine.
>
> > You can stop the mixer, lower the bowl and add your ingredients. �The
> > chute works fine for most things though.
>
> My thoughts too! That and mixing room-temperature cream cheese might be a
> advisable. The OP didn't indicate.


Andy is BACK!

(_!_)

No, I didn't mean it that way. hehe

Sheldon said...

> "Andy" wrote:
>> Paul M. Cook wrote:
>>
>> > No tool, a mixer in this case, can do it all. �Some jobs work be
> tter
>> > with a hand held mixer. �In the case of the cheesecake you could
> have
>> > used the wire whisk at a slow speed. �I've done that before for
> cakes
>> > and it turned out fine.
>>
>> > You can stop the mixer, lower the bowl and add your ingredients. ï¿
> ½The
>> > chute works fine for most things though.
>>
>> My thoughts too! That and mixing room-temperature cream cheese might be
a
>> advisable. The OP didn't indicate.
>
>
> Andy is BACK!
>
> (_!_)
>
> No, I didn't mean it that way. hehe


Hi Sheldon!

Andy

"Andy" wrote:
> Sheldon writes:
> > �"Andy" wrote:
> >> Paul M. Cook wrote:
>
> >> > No tool, a mixer in this case, can do it all. �Some jobs work be
> > tter
> >> > with a hand held mixer. �In the case of the cheesecake you could
> > �have
> >> > used the wire whisk at a slow speed. �I've done that before for
> > cakes
> >> > and it turned out fine.
>
> >> > You can stop the mixer, lower the bowl and add your ingredients. �
> > �The
> >> > chute works fine for most things though.
>
> >> My thoughts too! That and mixing room-temperature cream cheese might be
> a
> >> advisable. The OP didn't indicate.
>
> > Andy is BACK!
>
> > (_!_)
>
> > No, I didn't mean it that way. hehe
>
> Hi Sheldon!

Hiya, Andy!

Sheldon wrote:
>
> On Feb 8, 9:44�am, "LB" > wrote:
> > Hi all -
> >
> > For most of my 40+ years of cooking, I used a hand held mixer. �I have had
> > various brands of handhelds and all have used the normal 2 mixer blades that
> > were made up of 4 pronged beaters that intermeshed with each other. �I
> > finally decided to get a stand mixer.
> >
> > When I was looking for a stand mixer, I was first drawn to the Sunbeam type
> > that used the same kind of beater blades as the handheld ones. �This type
> > also came with a wide bottomed bowl and the mixer blades were positioned at
> > the side of the bowl. �Being at the side of the bowl would enable
> > ingredients to be added easily. �There was also a switch that allowed the
> > bowl to be moved from side to side so that the beaters covered all parts of
> > the bowl. �When I used my handheld mixer, I tried to used wide bottom bowls
> > as things mixed up better using them.
> >
> > After reading reviews, I decided that Kitchen Aid stand mixers had the best
> > rating. �So that is what I purchased over a year ago. �I do like the fact
> > that with stand mixers you can leave the mixture alone while it is beating
> > and do other things. �That was a big pain with the handhelds - that you had
> > to hold it for the entire mixing time.
> >
> > However, maybe it is just me and that I have not adjusted to the Kitchen Aid
> > yet, but there are things that I do not like about it. �I am not fond of the
> > big, deep narrow bowl that came with the mixer. �Today I was making a
> > cheesecake. �I had to cream 3 large packages of cream cheese. �I blended
> > them for a few minutes, stopped and cleaned the sides of the bowl several
> > times during the mixing. �When I was done mixing, I could tell by feel that
> > there were areas at the bottom of the bowl where the cream cheese was not
> > mixed properly. �I used a spatula to reach into the bottom of the bowl and
> > stir it some more. �When I poured the mixture into the pan, there were still
> > areas that had unmixed cream cheese! �It seems like there are parts of the
> > bottom of the bowl that the mixer blade just does not get to.
> >
> > I find that basically no matter how much I scrape down the bowl or how long
> > I mix things, with this deep narrow bowl there are always areas at the
> > bottom of the bowl that do not get mixed. �A wider bowl would be so much
> > better to get things properly blended together. �Also, with the Kitchen Aid
> > regular mixing blade, it does not seem that things get incorporated as well
> > as with the mixers that have the 2 separate blades that intermesh.
> >
> > I also find that with the tall narrow Kitchen Aid bowls, it is difficult to
> > add ingredients - �especially things like flour - while the machine is on.
> > There just isn't much room between the blade and the side of the bowl.
> > Mine came with a plastic bowl cover that has a chute for adding ingredients,
> > but it does not seem to do much better than just putting things in with out
> > it on the bowl.
> >
> > Any advice would be appreciated with regard to these matters. �Am I doing
> > something wrong that things don't get mixed in properly that are at the
> > bottom of the narrow bowl? �I do scrape down the bowl several times during
> > mixing. �I admit that is a little annoying to have to stop mixing a couple
> > of times and scrape the bowl down, but that seems to be something that is
> > necessary. �Is there some trick to being able to add things to the mixer
> > while it is running? �There just does not seem to be enough room do to so in
> > an efficient manner. �Thanks for any help.
>
> You're obviously using a machine that is way to large for the job...
> for the small volume cheesecake recipe you describe a handheld mixer
> is the best choice.

Yep. When I make one cheesecake I just mix by hand. I break out the
Hobart for two cheesecakes where the batch size fills most of the 5qt
bowl.

"Taria" > wrote in message
news:7N1rj.169$qV2.72@trnddc04...
>
> I understand that is why I said it is ok. A good feature when it
> works properly. The problem is that sometimes the hesitation goes from
> hesitation to nothing! I just haven't been able to justify getting
> another new machine when this one is so new. I didn't realize I
> could get the stronger motor with the tilt when I bought this one.
> That was my fault.
> Taria


I bought a factory refurbed Pro 6 off eBay and it has worked perfectly for
me. I paid less than 1/2 the cost of a new one.

Paul

"Paul M. Cook" > wrote in message
news:n81rj.110$gg1.3@trnddc01...


>
> KA still makes the tilt back model, it is called the Artisan.


Actually I'm pretty sure the Artisan is the tilt version with a more
powerful 325 watt motor vs. 275 in a standard KitchenAid.

Hasta,
Curt Nelson