Bosch MUM 86 Stand mixer vs Kitchenaid Heavy duty

Hi Chris,

So glad you posted! Welcome to the conversation here at TFL. :)

From everything I have read and experienced, I'd say go with the Bosch. The KitchenAid's strength is not kneading bread dough, and all the Bosches I know of excel at this. KAs are terrific for cakes, etc., etc., but tend to burn out when kneading dough -- especially whole wheat dough -- and even the biggest KAs are only rated to handle a couple of whole wheat loaves at a time. We have a Bosch Universal Plus as well as a KA 600 Pro (which was the biggest KA prior to the 7 qt.)  Thankfully we heard the horror stories about the newer KAs failing while kneading dough before we tried it, so it's still in great shape.

The MUM86 isn't available where I live (to my knowledge), but looks like a more powerful version of the Bosch Compact, which is. I know that most folks who have the Compact love it, so I can only imagine that the MUM86 would be similarly well-liked. Hopefully some folks in countries where the MUM86 is available will chime in with their thoughts and experiences.

All the best! <><

Marguerite

Hi Christine,

The question you have asked has come up a great many times on this forum and the answer is always the same; don't buy a Kitchenaid to make bread.  You can search the forum archives and find all the various discussions.

Jeff

While I own and use a KA (6qt, 20 years old), I've used the newer ones in other's homes many times and just hate them.  You cannot make all the dough you want without the machine stopping to cool down for 10-15 minutes.   You cannot add ingredients without special techniques and equipment to limit spillage.  They cannot be left alone while kneading the dough because they walk.

I never heard such bad things about the Bosch, though I don't own one.  I do use an Electrolux DLX, which I think is marvelous.  It's expensive new but I bought mine on the cheap at an estate sale.  It was nearly new and now, almost a decade later, still appears so.  I like it because it's strong, stable, never walks, and, because of its design, adding ingredients rarely results in the mess I make when I use my KA.

Hi Christine,

I Googled the Bosch MUM 86 and it looks just like my own Bosch Compact - except the 86 has that nice stainless steel bowl.  The bowl that came with mine is plastic, but someday I'll replace it with stainless.

I also have a KA Artisan stand mixer.  I bought the Bosch because the KA just cannot handle stiff dough, such as the 58% hydration bagel dough I regularly mix.  I would have to put an ice pack on the motor head to keep it cool.  Now, I've used the KA to mix higher hydration doughs with no issues such as overheating, or the mixer walking.  Nor have I ever had any problems adding ingredients to the bowl.  

However, since getting the Bosch stand mixer, I now use it exclusively because it mixes the dough more thoroughly than the KA, has a smaller footprint, and I can carry it with one hand (try that with any KA).   I mix my bagel dough at speed two for six minutes in the Bosch.  It doesn't even get warm.  

In my experience, the Bosch is definitely the better mixer of the two.  Only reason I haven't sold my KA is because I have the meat grinder and grain mill attachments, so that's what it's used for now.

I don't think you'll be disappointed with the Bosch.  Can't say the same for any new KA, regardless of model.

Hi, I have a cheap clone of the Bosch compact, and although overall I like it I have to report that the implements (in particular the hook, that i used most) are extrenely thin, so thin that I broke my hook twice.I don't know if the PRO line has a more solid hook, but judging from the pictures I've seen they are identical to the ones I have.