Do I Really Need A Stand Mixer?

Whether you are a home baker that bakes all of the time, or you’re just starting to get into a new hobby, you are bound to run into this one question.  Do I need a stand mixer?  Like, really?  Is this giant piece of expensive equipment worth my counter space and my hard earned money?  I’ve been an avid home baker for years.  Let me give you the skinny.

 

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Do I Need A Stand Mixer?

 

To quote my uncle, “Well, what do you want to do with it?”  There is no hard and fast answer to this question because it depends on your baking goals, your budget, and your counter space.  But I can go over all of this with you to help you decide if this investment is worth it for you.

Before I dive into it, let’s take a quick quiz:

• Are you flush with cash?
• Do you bake regularly?
• Do you have storage space for a stand mixer?

If you answered YES to all of these questions, congratulations!  I can save you some time reading this post.  Go buy one!  But, I’m pretty sure you didn’t shout “Yes!” to each of these questions.  No problem.  Let’s chat.

 

 

5 Times I Use A Stand Mixer

 

1. Meringue

 

You can, more or less, make French meringue with a small hand mixer, although I don’t.  But for Italian or Swiss meringue, you’ll be needing to whip that for 10, 15, or even 20 minutes!  A little hand mixer just ain’t gonna cut it.  You can use meringues to make frosting, macarons, cookies, and more!

 

2. Bread

 

This is actually the number one reason I bought my KitchenAid.  That dough hook.  While I do love kneading bread by hand, using a stand mixer is soooo helpful when making a wet dough like this saffranskrans or these conchas.  Otherwise you may add too much flour to prevent sticking and end up with a hard bread instead of soft pillowy bites of heaven.

 

 

3. Frosting

 

Okay, this kinda ties back to the meringue one, but it covers sooo much more than just meringue based frostings.  When I make my classic vanilla frosting, I’m beating together a pound of butter and two pounds of sugar.  There is no way I could do this without my stand mixer.  Even when I make a small batch with my hand mixer, it struggles.

 

4. Pastry

 

When I applied to The Great American Baking Show, I had to do a month of pastry recipes to get that skill under my belt.  My stand mixer was essential for this!  From choux pastry, to croissants, to rough puff pastry.  My mixer made the recipes easier, quicker, and less prone to blunders.

 

Related Reading: Top 10 Basic Baking Tools

 

5. Marshmallows

 

I’ve made homemade marshmallows a few times now and I would never have even tried it without my stand mixer.  You have to whip the mixture for over 10 minutes and drizzle in a hot sugar syrup.  This means you definitely need a stand mixer to try this recipe.

 

When You DON’T Need A Stand Mixer

 

I have used mine a lot, but I don’t take it out for every single recipe.  It’s heavy, I have to hand wash the accessories, and it’s just not necessary for some recipes.  Here are some recipes that I’ve skipped the stand mixer completely:

• Any biscotti recipe
• Cranberry Orange Scones
• Almond Pecan Spice Muffins
• Banana Chocolate Chip Muffins
• Sourdough Bread

See what these have in common?  Quick breads, simple desserts, pie, custard.  If you only ever bake recipes that your hand mixer or a big ole spoon can handle, you do not need a stand mixer.  

 

 

But It’s Expensive

 

Okay, if you’ve made it this far and feel like you do need a stand mixer, I bet that price tag is a big hang up.  I totes get that.  But a stand mixer can help you improve your skills as a baker and it is a generally useful tool to have in your kitchen.  

So how can you afford one?  My sweet husband let me get my stand mixer with part of our tax refund years ago.  KitchenAid seems to frequently have Black Friday deals on their mixers at Target, Best Buy, or other retailers.  Keep an eye out for a hot sale!

 

Yeah, But It’s BIG!

 

Can’t argue with you there.  Personally, I do not recommend buying their mini stand mixer.  It’s still expensive and it could limit what recipes you can try.  I mean, if you’re shelling out big bucks, you don’t want a 3.5 quart bowl to cramp your style!

I like to keep my 6 quart stand mixer on a kitchen towel.  When I’ve stored it on my counter top, this makes it easy to slide around.  Just keep an eye on it when you’re mixing heavy dough because it will not be as stable!  Now I keep mine in a cute little side table to maximize my counter space.  You can make it work!

 

 

So, Do YOU Need A Stand Mixer?

 

I’m curious, has this helped you make up your mind either way?  If you are still confused about this, hit me up!  I’m serious!  Leave a comment or message me on Facebook or Instagram and tell me your specific situation and I’ll give you my advice.  

Honestly, it’s the most expensive piece of baking equipment I’ve bought, but I’m so glad I did.  For me, it was the right choice because I bake every week and it has helped me tackle bigger, more exciting recipes.