Stand Mixer

You can use a standing mixer to create dense foams, marshmallows, and other great modernist dishes. For modernist cooking it's imperative the stand mixer has an effective whisk attachment. You can also use a stand mixer for many traditional applications.

At first glance most stand mixers look fairly similar, but there are actually quite a few differences when you take a closer look. When searching for a good stand mixer here are some things you should consider.

Look for a mixer with beaters that don't have the solid center post since they are harder to clean. Multiple speeds are important but more than a handful is probably overkill. It is nice to have a really slow speed so you can start the mixer without blowing or splattering ingredients all over your kitchen.

When selecting a stand mixer you need think about how you will be using it for. If you enjoy baking then you'll need a unit with a dough hook and enough power to mix heavy cookie dough. The quantity that your are normally cooking for may also impact the size of mixing bowl and motor you require.

Finally, what accessories might you want to use down the road? Will you have use for a food grinder, pasta roller, ice cream maker, fruit and vegetable strainer, or sausage stuffer?

Where To Buy a Stand Mixer

From our experience we highly recommend the KitchenAid KSM150PSBL Artisan Series 5-Qt. Stand Mixer with Pouring Shield, it's the best and will last for ever. They have half a dozen models including both tilt-head and bowl-lift types. They come in more than 20 colors. All support the large number of attachments that are available. It's no wonder that KitchenAid owns about half of the stand mixer market. I'm sure you can find one perfectly suited to your needs.

---

This article is by me, Jason Logsdon. I'm an adventurous home cook and professional blogger who loves to try new things, especially when it comes to cooking. I've explored everything from sous vide and whipping siphons to pressure cookers and blow torches; created foams, gels and spheres; made barrel aged cocktails and brewed beer. I have also written 10 cookbooks on modernist cooking and sous vide and I run the AmazingFoodMadeEasy.com website.

---