As a family, we like doing things together because every minute spent in each other’s company is a blessing in this hurried world. Sometimes we like to go on sustainable camping adventures, other times we like to soak up in the hot tub over a chat. But it doesn’t matter what we do as long as we’re together.

There are of course days when we don’t feel like going out that much or relaxing for that matter, which is what I call the perfect time for baking. As some of you might recall, I’ve mentioned I like to teach my sons responsibility so I can’t miss out on the opportunity to prepare them for life by letting them help around the kitchen. 

Besides helping me around with the cleaning, we have the time of our lives baking. As much as we like to taste ready-made sweet delights like cakes and doughnuts, we also like to prepare our own.

Mixer, and the Baking is Easy

Since our home production (if I may call it so) has increased lately as we like to keep ourselves busy during the pandemic and lockdowns, we figured we’d benefit from the investment in an easy-to-operate cake mixer with modern technology. I have to point out it’s a stand design, so you might as well guess it considerably reduces the effort and speeds up the baking process. I can’t wait to use it for the Christmas holidays and surprise relatives and friends with freshly baked gifts!

Working with my two boys meant we require a design that offers flexibility for the three of us with the tools and their height, which is exactly what we get from our adjustable mixer. Same as any mum, the safety of my kids is my priority, and this is a reason more I’ve picked the Tekno Stamp Dive out of a wide range as it’s equipped with PED-accident prevention guards.

Besides this, one of the other reasons we all got to love our new kitchen addition is the fact it’s suitable for dough used to make classic French croissants, French bread, panettone, toasting loaves, breadsticks and pizza. Oh, and before I forget, Uno reminded me to tell you he got his own batch of tasty homemade dog biscuits too by coming over my laptop with a full mouth!

I’m sure you’d agree this kind of cake mixer machine is perfect for a family that’s into making a variety of baked goods and loves experimenting with the recipes! It was a slight initial investment, as it costs more than a hand mixer, but it was totally worth it.

Buying a Stand Mixer? Here’s What to Know

Unlike the hand mixer, this one offers greater flexibility and more productivity. And these two aspects alone are enough to want to buy one. Even if you don’t plan on baking that much for yourself, it pays off. Still, it’s easy to make a mistake when choosing from the various options, so before you set out to shop, make sure you know exactly what you’re looking for.

Performance and Capacity

It’s okay if you base your decision on the wattage, however, be aware that this isn’t necessarily an indicator of the performance of the cake mixer since some models require more power to operate than others. The best way to go about it is to consider the capacity.

The bigger your baking needs, the bigger the capacity you require. Also, I’d suggest making the decision by having in mind the dough type, since some mixers might not have the capacity needed to handle denser dough.

Features

This refers to everything, from the materials the cake or bread dough mixer is made from, to the speeds it’s got, protection from accidents and spills, as well as hubs for attaching accessories.

In terms of materials, it’s best to buy one made from metals like stainless steel and cast aluminium because they’re stronger and as a result more durable. With speeds, variable speed models are better since they provide you with more flexibility. And as for the protection and spills, it’s good to get one like mine with plunging arms with PED accident-prevention and splash guards.

If you don’t know how to tell when the dough is ready, you’d also benefit from a timer. Now, when it comes to accessories, there’s no doubt they’d cost you additionally but they can further diversify your mixer and recipes since there are those attachments good for meat grinding, and those for making pasta among others. If you plan on using any, look for a mixer with suitable hubs.

Price and Size

Lastly, don’t overlook the price and size. Sometimes the price is higher because of a certain feature you don’t need, or the spiral and rotating action, so you might look for a simpler design instead that has fewer features and a single mixing action. Warranty can also have a say in the price so be sure to check this out as well. 

As for the size, it’s good to have the kitchen in mind, along with the available storage before the purchase so you’d know with how much big of a mixer you can work with.