Of all the kitchen appliances I have in my kitchen currently, I would have to say that my stand mixer is the one I cannot live without. There are plenty of stand mixers out there, some more professional than others, but the hard core stand mixer I own cannot be stopped. In fact, it is the same stand mixer my grandmother received for her wedding. Some fifty years later, the stand mixer still works and will work circles around any contemporary mixer.



I own a Kitchenaid, and would tell anyone to research the products heavily before deciding on a mixer. Yes, the price on some stand mixers are a little steep, but as you can see, I have a fifty year old mixer, so price is relative. There are stand mixers that come with a large bowl and additional attachments, mostly a whisk, a paddle, and a dough hook, for those moments when you want fresh baked bread. The whisk will beat every potato you have in the household into submission, and create the most airy, fluffy and lump free mashed potatoes anyone could ever imagine. If you need lump free batters, then the paddle will be your best friend, and the dough hook is the most divine creation ever, particularly when you are dealing with stickier doughs, such as pizza or bread.

A nice thing about having a stand mixer in the house, whatever brand you choose, is that there are so many other attachments for your stand mixer, which can make you a one person bakery and restaurant, ready to deliver fantastic meals. If you need the best organic pasta, you have pasta roller and slicer available which can make you an Italian cuisine expert in moments. Is sausage more your style? There's an attachment for grinding and stuffing packaging so you can make your own kielbasas and andoulis. Have more of a sweet tooth? The ice cream maker attachment is for you!

There are very few drawbacks to owning a stand mixer. I know with mine, the only drawback would be weight, as some stand mixers can be hefty. However, appliance manufacturers are addressing this issue by creating an array of colors to coordinate your mixer with your kitchen, so you don't have to move it at all. Some may say that another drawback is trying to get ingredients into the bowl, but that is why there is tilt head stand mixers, which allow you lift the appliance and gain better access to the bowl.

Some manufacturers offer over twenty different colors in their stand mixers, while some go for a more vintage look of chrome and copper. While owning a brightly colored mixer may be fine now for your brightly colored kitchen, keep in mind that most stand mixers have incredible longevity, so twenty, thirty years from now, you could still be using that neon orange mixer in your very neutral colored kitchen. Do you really want a neon orange mixer on your counter thirty years from now? Color seems more of a debate to make on your mixer, rather than the price.

With someone just starting out in the domestic world of the kitchen, a more expensive stand mixer may not be the best idea. Particularly if they are unsure if they even want to be a cooking goddess. It would probably be more appropriate to give a gift of a less expensive mixer, unless you are one that swears by a certain brand and insist that everyone has that brand and model. We all have those family members and friends who are like that, so it's best to just go with it.