Mixer for Bread Dough

[trek]

Can anyone reccommend a mixer that will handle bread dough? I have been considering the Bosch Universal.

 

I won't need it for large batches. I would use it for cake batters and cookie dough as well.

 

Thanks

[Bealadybug]

I have two Kitchen aid mixers. The one that has a 5 qt capacity, works the best for making homemade bread dough.

[Andrea]

Well, if you're short on cash, just pick up a bread machine at any Goodwill/Thrift store. They average about $5.00 here. I use my bread machine almost exclusively for the dough feature. I toss the ingredients in and it does all the work, including the first rise. Then, whether it's hamburger buns, rolls, or sandwich bread I place the dough in the appropriate pan or shape and let it rise again and just bake in the oven.

 

Unless of course I'm seriously stressed out, then I skip the bread machine and just knead the heck out of it myself! But in any event, if you're on a budget, the dough feature on any bread machine is a great buy!

[Campy]

As Andrea said, you can pick up a bread machine at yard sales, Good Will, etc. The only downside to a bread machine is the size and shape of the loaves of bread (MOST loaves are about 2/3 - 3/4 the size of a regular loaf of bread and some of the machines only make cylinder type loaves of bread.

 

For a mixer, KitchenAid is a good brand, however, what you want to look at is HOW MANY WATTS OF POWER does the mixer have. The more watts of power, the better it is going to be able handle the heavier bread dough AND the longer the mixer is going to last.

[BiscuitMaker]

I have a Bosch, and I make 4 loaves at a time and it handles it just great. The motor will run fast and then slow down and fast again. This allows the dough to come down to the bottom of the bowl. I have a Kitchen Aid that is 30 years old so the gears are not plastic, but it never did bread dough to my satisfaction. I love my KA but not for bread.

I love to make four loaves and put it in the freezer.

[trek]

I appreciate the input. I have limited counter space and can only get one appliance. My main focus will be for the bread dough.

Thanks BiscuitMaker, it helps hearing from someone who has both.

[Andrea]

Campy - I know, the shape of the loaves out of a bread machine are lousy, which is why I only use the "dough" setting and use my own bread pans for the final rise and baking. Obviously, the Kitchen Aid rocks, but I don't have $ in the budget for that, so, the bread machine does a great job for me considering the budget I have. If I had a larger family, I'd probably just get a second $5.00 machine so I could bake more than one loaf at a time.

[Darlene]

I burned out the motors on 2 Kitchen Aid professional mixers...no lie. I gave up on them...but then again, I do hard core baking.

 

I looked at the Bosch and the Electrolux and ended up going with the Electrolux for 2 reasons. The gears in the electrolux are better made and are positioned closer together which puts less wear and tear on the motor. The second reason is that the tool that mixes whatever you put in the mixing bowl, mimicks fingers, as if kneading dough.

 

I wanted a mixer that could handle ME and the way I cook. It took me a while (because I kept waiting to push it too far) but the Electrolux has far exceeded any hopes I had and I have repsect that it's handled all I've thrown at it and more. I knead bread in it, make cookies and other bakery items. I grind meats with it, flake my oat groats into oatmeal in it (with attachments). It's a different looking machine but it's a beaut.

 

The Bosch is an awesome mixer too.