The Fresh Loaf

A Community of Amateur Bakers and Artisan Bread Enthusiasts.

versatile heavy duty mixer

dadakrengel's picture
dadakrengel

versatile heavy duty mixer

My KA Professional line broke again. Those mixers don't last long. I am looking for a mixer that is versatile (egg whites, cookies, quick bread, frosting, and at lot of bread) that can take the load of bread I make. I usually make at least 5 pounds of dough ( about f 4 loaves) at a time. Any recommendations on what I can use that can last me longer than the KA, I am willing to pay up to $900. Thank you!!

gary.turner's picture
gary.turner

Go with the Ankarsrum. I've had mine for 3+ years now and haven't found a thing it can't do, and do well. Search here for Ankarsrum and its many aliases, DLX, Assistent, Magic Mill and Verona. There are a potload of threads on this mixer. I don't recall any bad reviews.

//edit: I should mention the dealer I bought from; good people. http://www.pleasanthillgrain.com/magic_mill_dlx_mixer.aspx ~gt

cheers,

gary

proth5's picture
proth5

Let me add my voice to the Ankarsrum (DLX, Assistant, whatever..) I've worked with mixers big, small, commercial and home type, and I love this one for general purpose mixing. Does it all...

Good luck with your choice!

 

marshalbear's picture
marshalbear

I echo the comments about the Ankarsrum and also Pleasant Hill Grain. I have had my mixer about 2 years now. It replaced a KA Pro, which broke down under the strain of bread-making. I make sacramental bread for a couple of large Protestant Churches so when I do a batch, it equals at least 5 loaves. I quite easily will make 3 batches (on average) each week. The Ankarsrum has handled it with ease and proficiency. All that being said, the KA, in my opinion, will do a better job at the lighter workload of cookies, where you are creaming butter, whipping egg whites, etc. So, I guess it depends on what you need for the jobs you are doing. The Ankarsrum works well for this, but not quite as well as the KA did. Hope this helps you out.  -Marsh-

dadakrengel's picture
dadakrengel

I looked into the Ankarsrum and it looks like it can definitely take the load. Has anyone had any experience with the KA Commercial line?

MichaelH's picture
MichaelH

Three speed transmission with all steel drive gears. 58 lbs, built like a tank. I regularly do 7-8 lbs of dough.

SLKIRK's picture
SLKIRK

I HAVE AN ANKARSRUM MIXER AND HAVE USED IT FOR ABOUT THREE OR MORE MONTHS AND I LOVE IT ---IT DOES NOT WORK WELL ON SMALL AMOUNTS OF DOUGH BUT IF YOU GIVE IT ANY WHERE FROM THREE POUNDS TO 10 POUNDS OF DOUGH IT WILL HANDLE IT --- IT TAKE A BIT OF TIME TO LEARN TO USE IT --- IF YOU WANT TO MAKE 6 -- 10 POUNDS OF DOUGH IT IS BETTER TO PUT THE LEVAIN AND WATER IN THE MIXING BOWL START MIXING AND ADD THE FLOUR SLOWLY --- THIS WAY THE MIXER HAS TIME TO GET ALL BLENDED AND NOT OVERFLOW --- I USE THE DOUGH HOOK AND SCRAPER --- 

 

SLKIRK