Need a mixer

[Drac]

Hi all,

Amy started up the mixer to do up some cookies.  Well she tried.  I have a 9-10 year old Kitchenaid 5qt mixer.  Well looks like the gears are gone.  Not surprising since it does doughs, candy (you will never strain a mixer until you do divinity) and sausage.

So Looks like I will be dropping some cash in the future for a new one.  When I got this last one it only had to handle the doughs.  Since than I have added sausage to the line-up.  The older mixer had an issue to handling the five pounds that is pretty standard, kept coming over the edge.

Going to the Cooks Illustrated site for their reviews.  This one took first -

http://www.amazon.com/Cuisinart-SM-55BC-2-Quart-12-Speed-Brushed/dp/B000MTIUSS/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1324255878&sr=8-1

This took next -

http://www.amazon.com/KitchenAid-KP26M1XNP-Professional-6-Quart-Nickel/dp/B0002Y5X9W/ref=sr_1_1?s=home-garden&ie=UTF8&qid=1324255926&sr=1-1

Both are a bit bigger than the broke one, one 5.5 and the other 6.

Any opinions?

Jim

[devo]

My opinion is buy a meat mixer for meat. The hand mixers do well for mixing meat. I have a 20 lb one that I have used when I first started sausage making but lately I just mix by hand.

[viper125]

Seen were a lot of people just replace gears. I believe you can get metal for the ones that have plastic. I bought the biggest when I did because of the bigger motor and metal gears.

[Smokin Soon]

I have the 7 qt Cuisinart and it seems to chomp through anything I can throw at it. I gotta say I was impressed with the improvements Bosh has made with there stand mixers also. The large capacity mixers have more HP, but also take up more space. I saw a vid on the Bosch where it handled a 20 cup flour mix. Just gotta read some reviews and see which one fits your needs best.

[GusRobin]

After burning out 2 of my wife's mixers I bought a mixer from Kirby for the sausage -you won't regret it

[cgaengineer]

I'd replace the gears if it were me.

[cgaengineer]

Kirby mixer...looks heavy enough!!! :)

http://kirbymfg.com/vertical_mixers.htm

[Habanero Smoker]

CI does give the Cuisinart a slight edge, but I bought the KitchenAid 6 quart just prior to CI releasing there comparison.

Either one is good, for the digital features and extra size the Cuisinart would have probably been my choice.

As for the plastic gears in the KitchenAid, that seemed to have been a problem when the first came out with the 6 quart model. They no longer use the nylon gears. I can't recall when I purchased mine, it may have been September, 2010. When mine arrived, the first thing I did was to remove the cover and check my gears, and they were metal. One Amazon.com reviewer posted a series of pictures, showing the metal gears and housing in the KitchenAid, which I reviewd prior to purchasing mine.

I mix my sausage in my KitchenAid, and it works well. I had a 5 quart professional; that has the same motor as the 6 quart. The only problem I had was the bowl was slightly too small for 5 pounds of sausage, so I went and purchased a 6 quart. If you don't make that much sausage, and will be using it mainly for mixing baked goods, either mixer is a good choice. When I mix my meat I start at position #1, then will move to position #2, and mix until sticky. I would not recommend a speed greater then 2.

[beefmann]

http://www.amazon.com/Bosch-Universal-Plus-Kitchen-Machine/dp/B0016KU16G/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1324306449&sr=8-1

bought this unit and did 8 loafs of bread in it and it  kept going.

if you  are going to be doing cookies get the cookie blades.

[Drac]

Thanks all.

I will check on getting some replacement gears first.  I found a couple places online that seem to have them.  Depending on what went could run around $50.

If not will probably go with the Cuisinart as for the bigger bowl and more HP.  Not to mention it is about $100 cheaper :D

Jim

[Drac]

Looks like it isn't the worm gear -



Found this http://www.goodmans.net/d/10/kitchenaid-stand-mixer-gears.htm

Figured I would replace the worm gear and brushes.  Both are showing some wear.  Also the seal and grease.  Looks like the seal went when the teeth went.  Leaking grease everywhere.

Jim

[deb415611]

I have the 7 qt Cuisinart and it seems to chomp through anything I can throw at it. I gotta say I was impressed with the improvements Bosh has made with there stand mixers also. The large capacity mixers have more HP, but also take up more space. I saw a vid on the Bosch where it handled a 20 cup flour mix. Just gotta read some reviews and see which one fits your needs best.

SS - how big a batch will the cuisinart handle - i just killed the KA 6 qt pro today with a triple batch of cinnamon rolls....  it sucks to hand knead that much dough.   It's been sounding unhappy and I shouldn't have pushed it. 

I need to do some research but I'm thinking either the 7 qt cuisinart or the new Bosch.    The part i'm not excited about it rebuying the accessories though I think the attachments may still work.  I seem to have thrown it out of alignment and the paddle/dough hook is very off center.   It turns, just not with the bowl on it.   I'll play with it later

[Habanero Smoker]

I have the 7 qt Cuisinart and it seems to chomp through anything I can throw at it. I gotta say I was impressed with the improvements Bosh has made with there stand mixers also. The large capacity mixers have more HP, but also take up more space. I saw a vid on the Bosch where it handled a 20 cup flour mix. Just gotta read some reviews and see which one fits your needs best.

SS - how big a batch will the cuisinart handle - i just killed the KA 6 qt pro today with a triple batch of cinnamon rolls....  it sucks to hand knead that much dough.   It's been sounding unhappy and I shouldn't have pushed it. 

I need to do some research but I'm thinking either the 7 qt cuisinart or the new Bosch.    The part i'm not excited about it rebuying the accessories though I think the attachments may still work.  I seem to have thrown it out of alignment and the paddle/dough hook is very off center.   It turns, just not with the bowl on it.   I'll play with it later

I don't know how much out of alignment, but look in the manual. If the shaft is not bent, there is a way to realign it; I had to do that with my 5 quart. Yours alignment problem sounds more severe, so the adjustment may not work. Remove the bowl, and lower the part that hold the bowl. You will see a screw, you need to turn that screw in very small increments; either to the left or right to align the bowl so the paddle will not come into contact.

Good luck.

[pikeman_95]

Jim
I have sent you a PM.

I am the Kirby that Gus was referring to.

[deb415611]

I have the 7 qt Cuisinart and it seems to chomp through anything I can throw at it. I gotta say I was impressed with the improvements Bosh has made with there stand mixers also. The large capacity mixers have more HP, but also take up more space. I saw a vid on the Bosch where it handled a 20 cup flour mix. Just gotta read some reviews and see which one fits your needs best.

SS - how big a batch will the cuisinart handle - i just killed the KA 6 qt pro today with a triple batch of cinnamon rolls....  it sucks to hand knead that much dough.   It's been sounding unhappy and I shouldn't have pushed it. 

I need to do some research but I'm thinking either the 7 qt cuisinart or the new Bosch.    The part i'm not excited about it rebuying the accessories though I think the attachments may still work.  I seem to have thrown it out of alignment and the paddle/dough hook is very off center.   It turns, just not with the bowl on it.   I'll play with it later

I don't know how much out of alignment, but look in the manual. If the shaft is not bent, there is a way to realign it; I had to do that with my 5 quart. Yours alignment problem sounds more severe, so the adjustment may not work. Remove the bowl, and lower the part that hold the bowl. You will see a screw, you need to turn that screw in very small increments; either to the left or right to align the bowl so the paddle will not come into contact.

Good luck.

Thanks Hab.

I played with that a bit.   I'm thinking that is an up-down alignment though, my problem is left to right.  I had too big a load in the bowl and I think I might have actually bent something.   

My dad will be here at christmas, he will be happy to have something to do ;)