The Fresh Loaf

A Community of Amateur Bakers and Artisan Bread Enthusiasts.

Bosch Compact Mixer

alabubba's picture
alabubba

Bosch Compact Mixer

Just got an email from Pleasant Hill Grain confirming that the Bosch Compact is available again.

http://www.pleasanthillgrain.com/bosch_compact_mixers.aspx

And in stock.

As someone who has owned and used one I can tell you that for the money they cant be beat.

If you need a strong, compact machine for up to 2 loaves I would strongly recommend checking this little unit out. Plus, It doesn't take up your whole counter.

 

plevee's picture
plevee

I mix 5-6# of dough in mine every weekend & it doesn't even get warm! Very highly recommended. Patsy

swtgran's picture
swtgran

I love mine so much that when I heard they were no longer making them, I kept an extra one I had purchased as a gift.  I knew if mine broke I would want to replace it.  Now, I am just glad I have it because I got it for $150 less than they are selling them for, some places.

alabubba's picture
alabubba

149.99 at pleasant hill! I finally managed to kill mine a few months back, and as I was unable to find a replacement I got a hobart/KA, All in all i would rather have the Bosch.

 

LindyD's picture
LindyD

...all of our discussions and wishful thinking and searches through cyberspace.  What a great company!   That's wonderful for anyone looking for a compact high quality mixer.

I'll confirm every positive statement made here - I love mine because it's such a great little workhorse and I can pick it up and easily carry it with one hand.  

Niashi's picture
Niashi

Or at least my Universal Mixer is. That was a big driving decision in my purchase of the Bosch myself. I can actually order most of the parts at my local Bosch Authorized reseller auto store.

 

 

berryblondeboys's picture
berryblondeboys

I'm wondering if this is what I need/want instead of a big beefy Hobart. I basically want a mixer to knead bread without me having to constantly babysit it. I want to turn it on, let it knead while I play with my son, prepare somethng else, or whatever. I could buy 15 of these for the price of one hobart N-50. I just have to trust it would do the job!!!

 

How does it do with batters? cookie dough? pizza dough? typical whole wheat dough?

belle's picture
belle

My KA mixer just went bust on me while I was making pizza dough...I had 5.5 cups of flour and kneaded it for 4 minutes..I stopped the machine, let it rest and then went to knead it on number 2 again for two minutes and the bowl popped out of position on me...would this happen with the Bosch?

 

Thanks so much...

LindyD's picture
LindyD

If you have the Artisan model, perhaps the bowl wasn't set in tightly?  Only reason I mention that is because I used to mix bagel dough in my Artisan.  Two pounds ( 7 1/2 cups) of high gluten flour and 1 pound 2.6 ounces (2 3/8 cups) of water.  A three minute mix at speed 1 and six minutes at speed 2.

Never had the bowl pop, although I did keep an ice pack on the motor head to keep it cool.  For the record, the KA mixer did a good job mixing that dough just about weekly for over a year - and still runs fine.  

I did get a Bosh compact because I knew that mixing such a stiff dough with the KA was pushing the motor more than I wanted to, so I use the Bosch compact now.  The way the bowl sets into the base, it's impossible to pop it out.  The mixer head and hook have to be lifted up in order to release the bowl (after you put it in "park" - the "P" is on the dial.  German engineering, I guess - which is pretty darn good engineering).

rhomp2002's picture
rhomp2002

I cannot imagine this happening with the Bosch.   If you use the Compact it is tightly clamped and if the Bosch Universal Plus it is mounted at the bottom and very tight ly hooked in.   Would not happen.   And you can mix the doughs for far longer with no problems.

swtgran's picture
swtgran

I have to agree with LindyD about your speeds.  If you are using 3 to incorporate your ingredients, it is probably difficult to tell how much final flour to add. 

I always hold some of the final flour called for back, to add "as needed", to get the dough to clean the bowl.  I always add my flour on 1 and actually never use speed 3 for bread dough.

Reserving some of the flour from the recipe until you are sure it is necessary, is a good way to make sure your dough is hydrated enough.  Terry R.