Robust and versatile for tough kitchen jobs- and I say whip it, whip it good!
Written: Jul 23 '08
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Pros: Robust, versatile with lots of attachments, great for bread and whipping
Cons: big, loud, not the best for cake mixes and other batters
The Bottom Line: Great for everything except batter. This is a machine for big jobs and is quite versatile with its huge selection of attachments.
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| randomroyalty's Full Review: Bosch MUM6610 Universal Series 700 Watts Stand Mix... |
Like some of the other reviews here, I had also lusted after a KitchenAid stand lift mixer. A few years ago a "Heavy Duty" stand mixer came on sale at the local Costco, and I bought one.
I was never so disappointed in a product. I burnt out the motor the first time I used it. A call to Kitchenaid resulted in a CSR telling me that it was not designed to knead 6 lbs of dough (standard 4 loaf recipe), which was LESS than the capacity of the bowl. Basically this was a cheapo unit with an underpowered 325w motor. The CSR recommended I return it and buy a PROFESSIONAL 525w stand mixer from somewhere else.
Well THAT KitchenAid was $700 at the only specialty store in our area.
Since I was really buying a mixer for developing unique sourdough breads, I did some research on the net, and found a lot of people happy with both the Bosch Universal and the Electrolux. This was a no-brainer: the Bosch had been around for over 20 years and had attained legendary status for its durability. It also was a bit more versatile with a myriad of "professional" attachments, such as a slicer, blender, and even a grain mill!
This mixer was not available in Canada so I ordered one online from luvtocook.com (excellent customer service) with an additional stainless steel bowl, the blender and the grain mill.
I was not disappointed in the performance of this mixer in mixing dough, but it has taken a while to figure out the optimum technique for kneading. Basically this machine will overknead if you leave it too long. The manual says 4 minutes and they are absolutely right. (kneading is a bit of a fallacy, especially in long fermentation, bread dough will form its own gluten on its own). It also seems to give better results if all ingredients and flour are added simultaneously, instead of the cup-by-cup method, and with larger quantities. This machine can handle a lot of dough, enough for 6 1-1/2 pound loaves.
The replacement stainless steel bowl was not up to task, however and the plastic bits on the drive shaft promptly broke after only a couple of uses. Also the pressure during mixing would distort the bowl to the point that the lid would pop off - not good. I personally think the standard "Makrilon" polycarbonate bowl, while looking rather low-rent, is quite durable and performs better.
While this machine is great for bread, it is also performs quite well for other mixing jobs for stiff doughs like cookies. Like some of the other reviews I agree it is not so good for batters and other thin liquids. However this machine is absolutely the best for whipping liquids. Even though the bowl is huge, you can whip a single egg white to perfection! However the machine is big and usually it is overkill for simpler jobs when a hand mixer will do the trick.
We frequently use the blender attachment, and even though it is made out of what appears to be lexan, is really tough and has remained scratch-free after 5 years regardless of what we throw in it. It can crush ice all day no problem.
The grain mill attachment works well but it is not the best for grinding wheat berries for bread. We also brew 100% grain beer, and it is perfect for the coarse grinding that is required.
I have noticed that Bosch has recently introduced an improved machine (Universal Plus) with an 800 w motor and a lower speed setting. The new machine is somewhat more compact in appearance.
Ideally I would rather have a Hobart N-50 but these cost nearly $2000!
Recommended:
Yes
Amount Paid (US$): 329
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Epinions.com ID:
randomroyalty
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Member: Raymond Taylor
Location: Brossard, QC, Canada
Reviews written: 20
Trusted by: 2 members
About Me:
I am an author and learning consultant located in Montreal Canada.
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