I don’t know WHAT it is with me and kitchen appliances! They hate me! It doesn’t help that I *tend* to get the cheapo stuff– but I am getting better at that! Well, my one-year old bread machine broke, in same area as the last one- with the seal ring that holds the paddle at the bottom; it came out. I knew it was acting up when the last batch of dough had a ton of lubricating grease in it, from the paddle area. YUK. Will someone please tell me why bread machines have paddles at the bottom of the dough bucket?! They wear out so quickly, and the dirty, greasy spindle is in direct contact with the bread dough. My daughter brought up an interesting point: Why don’t they make bread machines with the paddle at the top? That way, the rotating mechanism won’t touch the dough; only the paddle will touch the dough.
Yeah, why don’t they?!
I responded, “Well, honey, what you’d have then is a stand mixer.”
And then I thought: HEYY!!! Maybe that’s what I should get! I checked out the sales going on at Buy.com, and whittled it down to two choices (I think): either get a heftier bread machine, or try a stand mixer for making dough. Both look good, and I can’t decide.
So I’m asking your advice. I need a bread machine to make dough– I don’t make bread with the machine, only dough. But do mixers make good dough? Do they perform well? I’ve also heard of horizontal bread machines; do they make good dough, are the paddles at the bottom?
Buy.com has some marvelous prices on both bread machines and stand mixers. I saw that the Horizontal Loaf Bread machine is only $59.99 (basic, barebones bread machines are $50 or more at my local store, with tax it would be $55) and includes free shipping. If it works well, the 59.99 price is a STEAL!
Stand mixers are another matter– holy cow, the Kitchen Aid are upwards of $200, 300 bucks! I found a nice Sunbeam Stand Mixer at Buy.com for $135 and free shipping. (I love Buy.com!!!) If the mixer is a better appliance (I can do more things with it besides making dough), the money spent would be worth it.
If you have any opinion on either bread machines or mixers, please leave me a comment. I need to get something soon, before Thanksgiving. Thanks!!
P.S. Remember, if you need stuff– anything– for home or school or work, check out Buy.com. They are the best!
17. September 2009 at 4:47 pm
If you use your bread maker frequently, I’d get the breadmaker. The stand mixer can mix the dough, but doesn’t do the rest of the work and doesn’t bake it.
I do have a stand mixer, and can use it for many, many things, I just don’t use it too often! I think I’d use the breadmaker more often.