Monday, October 11, 2010

Waste or Want #5: Kitchen Mixers

Featured Product: KitchenAid vs. Bosch




Description:
Standing kitchen mixers are mixing appliances that allow you to bake in your kitchen in a more hands free manner. You can use a standing mixer to make cake batter, cookie dough, bread, and more! These mixers come with their own bowl and a wisk set as well as dough hooks. You can buy more attachments to suit your needs.

Average Cost:
- Bosch: anywhere from about $250-$500 depending on the variety and attachments.
- KitchenAid: anywhere from about $200-$400 depending on the variety and attachments.


on the one hand...

Having an electric kitchen mixer is NICE! It frees up your hands to add ingredients without constantly having to turn the appliance on and off. It is also GREAT in the kitchen for letting kids help. You can make a variety of things with it - including bread! The motors are excellent and it will last you a long time.

KitchenAid pros: It's a bit cheaper than the Bosch brand overall. It doesn't have a double mixer so it's easier to pour batter out of than the Bosch. You can also buy a grating rotar attachment. It is smaller and takes up a bit less counter space.

Bosch pros: It comes with a blender and you can also buy food processor attachments. It has an extremely good reputation as a reliable appliance.

on the other hand...

These puppies are EXPENSIVE! You can always save your pennies to get one, but at the same time you could spend the money on something else. Do you really NEED an appliance to knead your bread dough or can you do it by hand? What's wrong with a $20 hand mixer for cakes and cookies? Everything the electric standing mixers can do, you can do (albiet more slowly) in another way in your kitchen. Is it worth the money?

and now, Cast Your Vote!


Electric Kitchen Mixers: Waste or Want? Which do you prefer, Kitchen Aid or Bosch?


and don't forget to tell us why!


*Also - check out the reader request below about siblings loving their baby brothers or sisters too much.

8 comments:

Jennifer said...

WANT WANT WANT!!

I grew up with my parents having a Bosch (a really old one) and I loved it! They have had that mixer for 25 years and just keep replacing the parts because we all love it. I had a roommate that had Kitchen Aid and I hated using it. It was not big enough for my bread recipe and many more things I didn't like about it.

Also a WANT (the Bosch)because it makes my life so much easier and FASTER when making bread/rolls/cookies. It cuts my prep time in half or more! And it comes with a food processor and/or blender too, so it cuts down on the amount of appliances that you have in your kitchen.

I don't have one right now, but you can bet I am saving up for one and I keep borrowing my parents.

Jennifer said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Jennifer said...

*I keep borrowing my parents mixer, not them. Ha.
ALSO I forgot the biggest reason why I like the bosch over the Kitchen Aid. The Bosch has an open lid. The mixers are in the bowl, not over the top like most of the Kitchen Aids. So it makes it way easier to add ingredients.

Erin said...

I have a kitchenaid and it was soooo worth it! I love it and actually use it a lot more than I thought I would. My time is important to me, so it's huge for me that I can whip up a batch of cookies in 5 minutes, and do something else in the kitchen while I knead bread. I love to cook so it was a worthwhile investment to me.

My grandparents had a bosch and it was a really good machine that lasted a long time. I agree that it was easier to add ingredients than a kitchenaid. But i do have the professional size where the top lifts up instead of bends back, so I can make bread in it. Plus my kitchenaid is CUTE! :)

Tannie Datwyler said...

I with the WANT as well.... I actually have a Bosch that is about 20+ years old (not sure really...) because my MIL gave it to me. I LOVE it and the motor runs like a dream even after all these years - those things are TOUGH. The only thing I don't like is getting it out... it's so big (but that is a product of my kitchen... if I had more storage space problem would be solved). I also love how my Bosch has a blender so I don't need an extra appliance. NICE.

I actually have never tried bread with my Bosch - why? Because I like to knead bread by hand - I just like to. :) It's relaxing to me.

I like how you said Jennifer that the lid is nice - I hadn't thought of that, but it is a great feature.

And I TOTALLY agree with you Erin - KitchenAids are cuter. :) I like the red ones. Bosch needs to get with the program and color theirs.

Megan said...

A total want!!! My mom gives everyone a Bosch when they get married. I grew up with a Bosch, and if you can find the small size(which is really hard because Bosch stopped making them about a year ago)it takes up less space than my MIL's Kitchen Aid. My mom bought her Bosch at a yard sale about 20 years ago and it was at least 5 years old at that point and it is still going. I really like how easy it is to make bread in and how quickly it mixes things up.

Delia said...

I have the little kitchenaid and I use it A LOT. So WANT. Mine was given to me. Someday I want to upgrade to a Bosch. They are definitely superior. :)

Kelly A. said...

I don't have one and I WANT one sooo bad!! I hope more people comment so I can get more feedback on the benefits of a Kitchenaid vs a Bosch!