Home |
Search |
Today's Posts |
|
Sourdough (rec.food.sourdough) Discussing the hobby or craft of baking with sourdough. We are not just a recipe group, Our charter is to discuss the care, feeding, and breeding of yeasts and lactobacilli that make up sourdough cultures. |
Reply |
|
LinkBack | Thread Tools | Display Modes |
Posted to rec.food.sourdough
|
|||
|
|||
Mixer Recommendation
Can anyone recommend a heavy-duty mixer? This morning when I was
mixing a new SD recipe, I must have overtaxed my KA - I had to divide the dough in half when the motor started to smell. Years ago, I only kneaded by hand, but now I have bilateral epicondilytis (aka tennis elbow albeit I never played tennis). The stores around here only carry Kitchen Aid Mixers. Thanks, Diane |
Posted to rec.food.sourdough
|
|||
|
|||
Mixer Recommendation
On 1 Apr 2006 11:28:01 -0800, BestBread > wrote:
> > Can anyone recommend a heavy-duty mixer? This morning when I was > mixing a new SD recipe, I must have overtaxed my KA - I had to divide > the dough in half when the motor started to smell. Years ago, I only > kneaded by hand, but now I have bilateral epicondilytis (aka tennis > elbow albeit I never played tennis). The stores around here only carry > Kitchen Aid Mixers. There are lots of on-line vendors who carry a variety of mixers. Check out bizrate.com or google. However, a few thoughts. KitchenAid mixers will do a decent job on bread doughs IF you read the manual and stay within their guidelines. Each mixer has a maximum amount of flour it is rated for. However, that is white flour. If you are using whole wheat or rye, you need to cut that in half. Next, the KA's have a limited duty cycle. They suggest you not knead too long (check your manual for the limits here), and most also suggest no more than 2 batches back to back, followed by a 45 minute or so cool-down period (again, check your manual). I don't know why the call some of their machines "professional" or "commercial" when they clearly aren't, but they are adequate for most home mixing purposes. Also, despite your elbow issues, I think that making bread by hand isn't out of the question. I have two suggestions. One is, don't use your arms to knead. In a martial arts class, my son was taught the arm is weak, but the body is strong. So, don't hit with your arm, hit with your body, letting your arm transmit the force. Similarly, you can knead by moving your body, but not flexing - or putting strain on - your elbows. This will probably work for you, but may not. The second suggestion is, don't knead. It really isn't necessary. Instead of kneading, use a stretch and fold technique. Mix your dough just enough that the flour is hydrated (wet) and there are no puddles of unincorporated water. It's OK if the dough is ugly and under-mixed. Really. It's OK if your starter isn't mixed into the dough completely - even if it is still a mass of gross strands through your dough. Once the flour is all wet, transfer the dough to a bowl (if you didn't mix it in a bowl), cover it, and let it sit for about 45 minutes. Then remove the dough from the bowl and gently stretch it until it is about 3x as large as it started out in each direction. Try stretching it from the underside, gently, teasing it, not forcing it. Fold the dough in from each side like a letter, and place the fold side down in the bowl, cover and let rest another 45 minutes. Repeat the stretch and fold two more times. Each time you stretch and fold, the dough is more developed. After the 3 stretch and folds, you'll be a amazed to see it's as well developed as if you'd kneaded it - perhaps better. Let the dough rise until doubled, and then handle it as you normally would. With practice, you may decide to do more, or less, stretch and folds. Pay attention to your dough, it will tell you when it's ready. (That's a metaphor, not an attempt to give human characteristics to something that is not human....) Again, if you use poolishes, starters, autolyse, bigas or other preferments, don't worry about mixing them in completely at the first step. Even if they are gloppy gross strands through your dough after the first rough mix, they'll mix in nicely as you stretch and fold. If you have a dough with seeds, nuts, grains, raisins or other stuff you'd normally add at the end of kneading, add them at the start. Because you are using a gentle non-kneading dough development, these ingredients won't interfere with your dough development. You may be surprised to find that your bread is better without kneading than with it. I've used this technique to make over 160 loaves of bread in a day pretty much by myself. No mixer. My wife helps me for about an hour and a half at the start by measuring ingredients while I do the first rough mixes. How does this work? Many things can develop the gluten. In this case, the simple act of wetting the flour does a lot of the work. More work is done by the yeast's gas stretching the dough. More is done by the gentle stretching and folding. Together these actions work very effectively to gently develop the dough. Good luck, Mike |
Posted to rec.food.sourdough
|
|||
|
|||
Mixer Recommendation
G'day all;
What Mike sez! For years I lusted after a mixer. Kept reading here and other places that "the real bakers" all had 'em and used 'em. Then I got one. Then I discovered "stretch & fold" and "flatten & fold". Now my poor neglected mixer gathers dust waiting for me to make whipped cream or something...(:-o)! L8r all, Dusty "Mike Avery" > wrote in message news:mailman.0.1143932505.92866.rec.food.sourdough @mail.otherwhen.com... ... The second suggestion is, don't knead. It really isn't necessary. Instead of kneading, use a stretch and fold technique. Mix your dough just enough that the flour is hydrated (wet) and there are no puddles of unincorporated water. It's OK if the dough is ugly and under-mixed. Really. It's OK if your starter isn't mixed into the dough completely - even if it is still a mass of gross strands through your dough. Once the flour is all wet, transfer the dough to a bowl (if you didn't mix it in a bowl), cover it, and let it sit for about 45 minutes. ... |
Posted to rec.food.sourdough
|
|||
|
|||
Mixer Recommendation
Hi Mike,
Thank you so much for your detailed instructions! I will carefully try your technique this week - unfortunately, my tendonitis is compounded by a compressed nerve - in fact, I've learned to voice on the computer and not shake hands (each of which I can't do without consequence), so what may seem like a logical solution, may not work in my case. I am most appreciative. Diane |
Posted to rec.food.sourdough
|
|||
|
|||
Mixer Recommendation
Hello Diane,
I started with a Kitchen Aid mixer but then got a Magic Mill mixer (It's from Electrolux and is now called "Assistant"). The Kitchenaid is a planetary mixer which drives it's dough hook through the dough in a stationary bowl and needs a lot of power to do that. My Kitchenaid started to smoke as well. There is a table of flour weights dependent on hydration for making bread in the manual for the Kitchenaid and if one goes over the amounts, the machine gets overloaded. I think that Kitchenaid mixers can be good for making smaller amounts of bread dough. The Magic Mill (and others) spin the bowl and the friction between bowl and dough moves the dough around a dough hook. This requires much less power and when comparing the Kitchenaid and Magic Mill, the Magic Mill is much smoother on the dough, does more stretching/pressing whereas the Kitchenaid cuts with it's dough hook through the dough. With the Magic Mill, I can mix 3500 - 4000 g dough, something which could never be achieve with the Kitchenaid I had - I think it was a 600 W mixer. Another comparative Mixer I know about would be the Bosch, but this mixer hat a stud in the middle of the bowl which I did not like. There are other, more heavy duty mixers, like spiral mixers for small lab quantities - but they are much more expensive (I think, over $ 1000,-). Samartha With your tennis elbow - I had one and it got healed. You can email me by removing the "-nospam" from the above email, maybe I can tell you a few things. BestBread wrote: > Can anyone recommend a heavy-duty mixer? This morning when I was > mixing a new SD recipe, I must have overtaxed my KA - I had to divide > the dough in half when the motor started to smell. Years ago, I only > kneaded by hand, but now I have bilateral epicondilytis (aka tennis > elbow albeit I never played tennis). The stores around here only carry > Kitchen Aid Mixers. Thanks, > Diane > > > |
Posted to rec.food.sourdough
|
|||
|
|||
Mixer Recommendation
On Sun, 02 Apr 2006 08:06:12 -0600, Samartha Deva
> wrote: >Hello Diane, > >I started with a Kitchen Aid mixer but then got a Magic Mill mixer (It's >from Electrolux and is now called "Assistant"). > I, too, have a Magic Mill and find it quite remarkable. I have arthritis which can sometimes make the simplest bread-making tasks seem insurmountable. The Magic Mill has made a favorable difference, but lifting the bowl filled with dough to scrape it out can be a challenge and the mixer itself is heavy. Granted, the removal of dough and the moving around of the mixer are not too different from KA to MM to my Kenwood, but it should be noted. Before investing in a MM, it would be great if the OP could find out exactly what body movements are required for set up and use. They may be ones that are easily accomplished or particularly difficult for her. Boron |
Posted to rec.food.sourdough
|
|||
|
|||
Mixer Recommendation
On 4/2/06, Samartha Deva > wrote:
> > Hello Diane, > > I started with a Kitchen Aid mixer but then got a Magic Mill mixer (It's > from Electrolux and is now called "Assistant"). Actually, the Swede's can't spell and it's "Assistent". Who knows why? The Magic Mill (and others) spin the bowl and the friction between bowl > and dough moves the dough around a dough hook. > > This requires much less power and when comparing the Kitchenaid and > Magic Mill, the Magic Mill is much smoother on the dough, does more > stretching/pressing whereas the Kitchenaid cuts with it's dough hook > through the dough. > > With the Magic Mill, I can mix 3500 - 4000 g dough, something which > could never be achieve with the Kitchenaid I had - I think it was a 600 > W mixer. Thanks for your comments on the Assistent/Magic Mill. I'll have to keep an eye out for one for a friend. Have you ever made very low hydration doughs with it - such as bagels or Challah which hover around 50 - 55% hydration? If so, how did it go? If you feel like experimenting, I can send you my sourdough bagel recipe. Another comparative Mixer I know about would be the Bosch, but this > mixer hat a stud in the middle of the bowl which I did not like. I had a Bosch, and sold it on eBay. It heated the dough excessively, and didn't develop the dough very well. I also didn't like how the plastic bowl flexed, so I bought a stainless steel bowl, only to find that parts of the center post were made with bakelite, which shattered the first time an employee put the bowl back together incorrectly and used it. Also, the whisk beaters can not cope with any but the softest butter without self-destructing. All in all, I was not at all impressed with the Bosch and do not recommend them to anyone. Mike |
Posted to rec.food.sourdough
|
|||
|
|||
Mixer Recommendation
>Can anyone recommend a heavy-duty mixer? This morning when I was
>mixing a new SD recipe, I have a K-Tech mixer and I use it almost every day. It mixes up six pounds of dough without any problem. It probably will do more, but I leave my dough in the bowl to rise so I have it half empty for that purpose. I make three 2 pound loaves each time I use it. I never take more than five minutes to mix. I love my mixer, and would rather use that then knead by hand.It is so quick and easy for me. I have directions for using the mixer with sourdough breads at: http://www.northwestsourdough.com/techniques.html if you would like to see what I do for mixing sourdoughs. Have a great day, Teresa |
Posted to rec.food.sourdough
|
|||
|
|||
Mixer Recommendation
Wow. That's a huge amount of dough. How easily does it clean?
Thanks, Diane |
Posted to rec.food.sourdough
|
|||
|
|||
Mixer Recommendation
northwestsourdough.com wrote:
>> Can anyone recommend a heavy-duty mixer? This morning when I was >> mixing a new SD recipe, > > I have a K-Tech mixer and I use it almost every day. It mixes up six > pounds of dough without any problem. If that's the one advertised on the bottom of the page you give below, that looks just like the one Mike Avery was talking about - the one with the plastic bowl bending and the post in the middle.... Just out of interest - aren't you making a buck (or a fraction of it) every time someone clicks on one of your links to Amazon, or is it if somebody actually buys something? I always wonder about those things. S. > It probably will do more, but I > leave my dough in the bowl to rise so I have it half empty for that > purpose. I make three 2 pound loaves each time I use it. I never take > more than five minutes to mix. I love my mixer, and would rather use > that then knead by hand.It is so quick and easy for me. I have > directions for using the mixer with sourdough breads at: > http://www.northwestsourdough.com/techniques.html if you would like to > see what I do for mixing sourdoughs. > Have a great day, > Teresa > > > |
Posted to rec.food.sourdough
|
|||
|
|||
Mixer Recommendation
Oh, I can't seem to figure out how to send you an email. I thought I
knew what I was doing, but the email I sent got bounced back. My husband is working on taxes, so I'll have to wait to get his techie assistance. Thanks for your offer of help. I have read just about every book on the subject and have seen scores of OTs and PTs. Using Kineseotape has been quite helpful - it's made in Japan, but most American MDs and therapists don't know about this simple technique. |
Posted to rec.food.sourdough
|
|||
|
|||
Mixer Recommendation
On 4/2/06, Samartha Deva > wrote:
> > northwestsourdough.com wrote: > >> Can anyone recommend a heavy-duty mixer? This morning when I was > >> mixing a new SD recipe, > > > > I have a K-Tech mixer and I use it almost every day. It mixes up six > > pounds of dough without any problem. > > If that's the one advertised on the bottom of the page you give below, > that looks just like the one Mike Avery was talking about - the one with > the plastic bowl bending and the post in the middle.... The one she is using is not the same as the one Amazon is advertising on her page. The one Amazon is advertizing, at least when I visited the page, is the same model Bosch that I used and sold on eBay because I really didn't like it. Just out of interest - aren't you making a buck (or a fraction of it) > every time someone clicks on one of your links to Amazon, or is it if > somebody actually buys something? I have some links to half.com for book sales on books I recommend. If anyone ever uses one of those links and buys a book, I'll get a few pennies (so far, in 3 or 4 years, no one has followed my book links and bought a book). I'm also using google ads - it brings in a few bucks a day (please click the links and make me rich!), enough to cover my dsl costs and a little bit more. I only found one company who wanted to support my web page, and when their ownership changed, they stopped advertising. Actually, they stopped paying me. After I asked them for clarification and received neither payment nor clarification, I dropped their ads.... Anyway, someone has to pay for web pages, whether it's the hosts out of the goodness of their hearts, advertisers, or sales..... in the end, I decided my page has to at least pay for itself. All of this goes to say that I personally don't have a problem with Teresa selling things or running advertising on her page. We're all free to either visit her page or not, to buy her poroducts or not.... Mike |
Posted to rec.food.sourdough
|
|||
|
|||
Mixer Recommendation
This is getting confusing. Teresa recommends a KTec, but it turns out
it looks like a Bosch, but isn't. Teresa gave us a link for KTec on a website which I think belongs to either Teresa or Mike. I'm not sure because there is no name, but there is a photograph of a female. The Magic Mill is highly rated as well. I checked out Bakers Catalogue and they state that the Viking is their "mixer of choice" but also recommend the Electrolux Assistent (with the non-English spelling) if you "can't afford a Hobart". I think I'm going to work on writing this week's grammar test where only pronouns can be ambiguous. ;-) |
Posted to rec.food.sourdough
|
|||
|
|||
Mixer Recommendation
Not sure if this is the exact mixer you are looking at, but Breadbeckers.com
has it for sale and has some detailed info on it. "BestBread" > wrote in message oups.com... > Wow. That's a huge amount of dough. How easily does it clean? > Thanks, > Diane > |
Posted to rec.food.sourdough
|
|||
|
|||
Mixer Recommendation
<If that's the one advertised on the bottom of the page you give below,
<that looks just like the one Mike Avery was talking about - the one with <the plastic bowl bending and the post in the middle.... <Just out of interest - aren't you making a buck (or a fraction of it) <every time someone clicks on one of your links to Amazon, or is it if <somebody actually buys something? Hi The one advertised by Amazon on my website is a Bosch, I tried to find a company to advertise a K-Tec but so far I haven't been able to. I have never had a Bosch, so the reviews given here are the ones I would go by. The K-Tec works great , and I just soak it in warm water and use a kitchen brush to get the dough off. I got mine off of Ebay years ago and it has never once given me any problems. So if you can find one somewhere, I certainly would give it a go. (If you find a source, drop me an email and I would be happy to see if the company wanted to advertise on my site). As for making money on Amazon, I have made 18.33 dollars since I set up my site in January,and sold 22 items which helps pay for Domanin Name fees,Ebay/Paypal fees for me to be able to list my sourdough starter.It isn't much but it helps out. Teresa So it isn't much, but |
Posted to rec.food.sourdough
|
|||
|
|||
Mixer Recommendation
I added a Blendtec to my site on the Techniques page. The reason I was
not finding K-tec is because the company changed it's name to Blendtec. However, the amazon one is high compared to one I found and one someone sent me at these sites: http://www.breadmachinedigest.com/st...ing/listing/11 http://kodiakhealth.com/catalog/prod...oducts_id/3499 The Blendtec is supposed to be the strongest motor for a kitchen mixer. I don't know about the newer models as I have an older model. Good luck, Teresa |
Posted to rec.food.sourdough
|
|||
|
|||
Mixer Recommendation
northwestsourdough.com wrote:
<snip> > Hi The one advertised by Amazon on my website is a Bosch, I tried to > find a company to advertise a K-Tec but so far I haven't been able to. > I have never had a Bosch, so the reviews given here are the ones I > would go by. The K-Tec works great , and I just soak it in warm water > and use a kitchen brush to get the dough off. I got mine off of Ebay > years ago and it has never once given me any problems. So if you can > find one somewhere, I certainly would give it a go. (If you find a <snip> I too use the K-TEC bread mixer, and can highly recommend it; I have used mine for almost fifteen years without the slightest problem. My normal size batch of bread is 1050 CCs water and 1600 grams bread flour, and it handles that fine. I bought mine from their distributer in Orem, Utah. Their address is: 1206 South 1680 West Orem, Utah 84058 Phone 801-222-0888 Ask for Ext. 707 for home users Norm And no, I do not receive a recommenders fee :<) *** Free account sponsored by SecureIX.com *** *** Encrypt your Internet usage with a free VPN account from http://www.SecureIX.com *** |
Posted to rec.food.sourdough
|
|||
|
|||
Mixer Recommendation
On Mon, 3 Apr 2006, Norm Hansen wrote:
> I too use the K-TEC bread mixer, and can highly recommend it; I have > used mine for almost fifteen years without the slightest problem. My > normal size batch of bread is 1050 CCs water and 1600 grams bread flour, > and it handles that fine. > > Norm Is this the K-TEC K2, 1.8 HP model, or is it an older, perhaps more durable version? (Sadly, almost everything is changing for the worse) Dave |
Posted to rec.food.sourdough
|
|||
|
|||
Mixer Recommendation
I don't know what happened to my previous post, I tried to provide some
links I had found but it never posted, I tried to do a preview, so there wouldn't be a strange ending again (like on my last post), and then posted, but it never showed up. Anyway, I found out that the reason I couldn't find much on K-Tec is because the company changed it's name to Blendtec. I did put a link to an Amazon version on my website, but there were other sites out there with a lot cheaper prices plus free shipping. I asked one of them if they wanted to advertise on my site. Here are the links to the best prices I could find and one was sent to me by someone from this group: http://www.breadmachinedigest.com/st...ing/listing/11 http://kodiakhealth.com/catalog/prod...oducts_id/3499 It is supposed to be the most powerful home mixer made at 1400 Watts. Anyway, I also don't know what the quality is like on the newer models as mine is an older one. I hope this helps, Teresa |
Posted to rec.food.sourdough
|
|||
|
|||
Mixer Recommendation
|
Posted to rec.food.sourdough
|
|||
|
|||
Mixer Recommendation
"Mike Avery" > wrote:
>What is important is the construction and design quality and design >appropriateness. Bingo! My 500+-watt KA was a gutless wonder before a kitchen fire murdered it and a lot of _good_ stuff. The first one arrived with some bearing not lubed and squealed like a pig; they replaced it promptly enough but I should have been warned. Just barely enough balls to knead the 1 batch of the Poilane recipe from here. I've been lurking in this thread, getting ideas for a decent replacement when the time comes. Gary Woods AKA K2AHC- PGP key on request, or at home.earthlink.net/~garygarlic Zone 5/6 in upstate New York, 1420' elevation. NY WO G |
Posted to rec.food.sourdough
|
|||
|
|||
Mixer Recommendation
"Gary Woods" > wrote in message ... > My 500+-watt KA was a gutless wonder ... Just barely enough > balls to knead the 1 batch of the Poilane recipe... > I've been lurking in this thread, getting ideas for a > decent replacement when the time comes. Here's another idea: You'll probably need to lay in a Humvee or 6x6 for when it comes time to go to the supermarket for a sack of bread flour. -- Dicky |
Posted to rec.food.sourdough
|
|||
|
|||
Mixer Recommendation
Gary Woods wrote: > I've been lurking in this thread, getting ideas for a > decent replacement when the time comes. I suspect some of KA's problems are marketing ones. The watts thing is confusing. I read over at one of the tech groups that KA now measures power when the machine is running full bore. In the past, power was pegged to mid-point in the "curve". For sure, my older KA, one of the small Hobart models, is a more sturdy, more powerful machine than my newer (and larger) one from the recent Whirlpool era. Mike Avery offers two really decent pieces of advice. One is to look into a single speed model. I don't know what that is though I know Hobart still makes a small 3 speed, model. The other, and to my thinking, more useful advice... is to learn to develop good dough without mechanical kneading. This is surprisingly easy. Of course, it goes against the modern technological paradigm: that one must deploy a machine to get something done. But it does work, and, from my experience over a good bit of time, it works better. It takes a big bowl, a stout spoon, and the mental fortitude to "leave something alone". So while you're lurking... give the no-knead process a trial. Give it a month or two. It may be that the best replacement is no replacement. My KA's have retired to milling flour, rolling pasta, and beating cream. I expect them to last forever. |
Posted to rec.food.sourdough
|
|||
|
|||
Mixer Recommendation
Mike Avery wrote Sun, Apr 2 2006 10:44 am:
I had a Bosch, and sold it on eBay. It heated the dough excessively, and didn't develop the dough very well. I also didn't like how the plastic bowl flexed, so I bought a stainless steel bowl, only to find that parts of the center post were made with bakelite, which shattered the first time an employee put the bowl back together incorrectly and used it. Also, the whisk beaters can not cope with any but the softest butter without self-destructing. All in all, I was not at all impressed with the Bosch and do not recommend them to anyone. Mike I disagree with Mike Avery's assessment of the Bosch mixer. He's not taking into account the amount of flour he is mixing which *IS* important in the performance of the Bosch, given the fixed size of the bowl and dough hook. Unfortunately *NOBODY* tells you this before you buy the mixer, or frequently after either. The large bowl has a "sweet spot" for dough mixing. One pound or less, and the dough has too much room and too little resistance; it just scoots rediculously around the bottom like a hockey puck, taking forever to come together. Nine or ten pounds or more, and the dough starts to have too little room, is thrashed by the dough hook, and too quickly heated as he describes. In the middle ground, between two and eight pounds of dough, say, the mixer works very well indeed. (I have to be imprecise at the upper limit, because I don't usually make such big recipes.) The dough ball has the right amount of resistance for the geometry of the bowl. It has room in the bowl to turn around three or four times as the dough hook works through it once. The mixer is well powered and will mix any recipe with whole grain flour, properly hydrated in this range. This is useful because this is a normal, family-sized bread recipe, or double batch. If any doubt that it does a good job, read Mr. Avery's comments of three years ago, where he describes making a recipe side-by-side with a KA mixer, one of a normal recipe size apparently that the Kitchenaid *could* handle: http://tinyurl.com/fzxbx I've tried long autolyse recipes recommended by Calvel, and now Mr Avery, too with good results. Long autolyse is a pleasingly apt technique for sourdough, because of the long rise times. For daily bread, it can be more convenient to give your recipe a few minutes ride in the mixer, to immediately have a workable dough, rather than doing the stretch and folds. As to the wire whips, you need some judgment. Bosch has optional heavier whips, but it's my opinion they should include the heavy ABS plastic "cookie paddles" with the mixer, as most every other mixer brand includes a wisk, a paddle and a dough hook with their mixer. I have a set of the cookie paddles and they work really well with thick batters, and, I'm told, cold butter too. I had to pay $25 mail order to get them and I think they are made by someone other than Bosch. Though frequently a dealer will combine a set when you buy the Bosch mixer. Like Mr. Avery, if you don't like your Bosch mixer, remember if you keep it together you can sell it on Ebay for nearly what you paid for it, or more, if you got a good used one. Slim |
Posted to rec.food.sourdough
|
|||
|
|||
Mixer Recommendation
I also use the Kitchenetics or K-tech. It's at least 20 years old and still
works beautifully and I have been mixing and baking bread every week for all of that time. Michelle PS The blender jar seat wore out years ago and I never replaced it but the mixer is still running like a champ. "Norm Hansen" > wrote in message ... > northwestsourdough.com wrote: > <snip> >> Hi The one advertised by Amazon on my website is a Bosch, I tried to >> find a company to advertise a K-Tec but so far I haven't been able to. >> I have never had a Bosch, so the reviews given here are the ones I >> would go by. The K-Tec works great , and I just soak it in warm water >> and use a kitchen brush to get the dough off. I got mine off of Ebay >> years ago and it has never once given me any problems. So if you can >> find one somewhere, I certainly would give it a go. (If you find a > <snip> > > > I too use the K-TEC bread mixer, and can highly recommend it; I have used > mine for almost fifteen years without the slightest problem. My normal > size batch of bread is 1050 CCs water and 1600 grams bread flour, and it > handles that fine. > > I bought mine from their distributer in Orem, Utah. Their address is: > 1206 South 1680 West > Orem, Utah 84058 > Phone 801-222-0888 Ask for Ext. 707 for home users > > Norm > > And no, I do not receive a recommenders fee :<) > *** Free account sponsored by SecureIX.com *** > *** Encrypt your Internet usage with a free VPN account from > http://www.SecureIX.com *** |
Posted to rec.food.sourdough
|
|||
|
|||
Mixer Recommendation
On 6 Apr 2006 12:01:09 -0700, Slim Langer > wrote:
> > Mike Avery wrote Sun, Apr 2 2006 10:44 am: > > I had a Bosch, and sold it on eBay. It heated the dough excessively, > and didn't develop the dough very well. I also didn't like how the > plastic > bowl flexed, so I bought a stainless steel bowl, only to find that parts > of > the center post were made with bakelite, which shattered the first time an > employee put the bowl back together incorrectly and used it. Also, the > whisk beaters can not cope with any but the softest butter without > self-destructing. All in all, I was not at all impressed with the > Bosch and do not recommend them to anyone. I disagree with Mike Avery's assessment of the Bosch mixer. He's not > taking into account the amount of flour he is mixing which *IS* > important in the performance of the Bosch, given the fixed size of the > bowl and dough hook. Unfortunately *NOBODY* tells you this before you > buy the mixer, or frequently after either. The large bowl has a "sweet > spot" for dough mixing. One pound or less, and the dough has too much > room and too little resistance; it just scoots rediculously around the > bottom like a hockey puck, taking forever to come together. Nine or ten > pounds or more, and the dough starts to have too little room, is > thrashed by the dough hook, and too quickly heated as he describes. That could be the issue, and also would explain the bowl flexing, though not the poorly made stainless steel bowl. If any doubt that it does a good job, read Mr. Avery's comments > of three years ago, where he describes making a recipe side-by-side > with a KA mixer, one of a normal recipe size apparently that the > Kitchenaid *could* handle: > > http://tinyurl.com/fzxbx I spent a number of years as a reviewer of computer network hardware and software, and one thing I became very aware of was that there is a difference between a quick look at something and making it part of your network. Or, in another setting, there is a difference between a good date, a hot weekend with someone special, and actually marrying and living with someone. The test refered to in the tinyurl above was a hot weekend. My selling it was after living with it a while. I bought the mixer for $150 used and sold it for $229 on ebay, so the deal was hardly a loss. It might be a great mixer for some folks, but when we went past small batches, it just didn't work as well as I'd hoped. Mike |
Reply |
Thread Tools | Search this Thread |
Display Modes | |
|
|
Similar Threads | ||||
Thread | Forum | |||
My next mixer. | General Cooking | |||
Mixer (here we go again) | General Cooking | |||
Need recommendation for food/dough mixer | Baking | |||
dough mixer recommendation? | Baking | |||
Mixer | Sourdough |