Wow, I didn’t know that existed. Thanks!
How does the Ankarsrum handle things like heavier cookie doughs with, say, chocolate chips or nuts?
I’ve always had KA mixers and recently had the motor replaced after it konked out. I’ll be shopping around after this one dies, however. Kitchen Aid recently released a statement saying that you should only knead bread on level 2 for no more than 2 minutes at a time, max of 4-6 minutes. So basically you’re kneading bread at your own risk and may burn out the motor ( what happened to me).
ATK did rate the Ankarsum as their best pic, fwiw.
@Desert-Dan
Agree 100%.
I have an Ultra Power (KSM90) from around 1996. A few years back I opened her up, replaced a gear and repacked the grease. Still running well.
@jammy I don’t think you can go wrong with a KA commercial for home use, but these machines are easy to repair if you are even the slightest bit handy, and there are many good tutorials available if you are so inclined.
I did a lot of research before deciding on my KA Artisan mixer…
1.) I’m handy. And the age old analog design of the KA means parts are available all over the place, and online tutorials show how simple it is to adjust and repair.
2.) KA’s vast experience in the industry means bowl and paddle, whisk, dough hook design/clearances are among the best available, making for less scraping (especially with small quantities - which I luv my 3 qt bowl for that I use most often).
3.) Accessories: the pasta roller is a game changer! Luv the meat grinder for doing my own burgers and sausage, and the falafel it grinds is superior to using a FP. Juicer works pretty well too.
4.) Price: I got mine from Everything Kitchens with the meat grinder thrown in for a little over $200 on a holiday sale quite a few years ago. I still see sales like this crop up from time to time.
So it seemed like a no-brainer based on the value, performance, versatility, and not being dependent on the manufacturer to solve any issues that may develop (luckily I have had none).
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was that the lift bowl or tilt head style?
the tilt heads are recommended for light duty.
I don’t do things like cookie doughs. But my bread is mostly 50% whole wheat flour, which makes for a heavy dough. The Ankarsrum handles it extremely well, although the dough tends to climb up on the beater, so you have to push it down with a spatula. The Ankarsrum also comes with a smaller plastic bowl with various beaters for egg whites and things.
I’ve had an Ankarsrum for about 10 years and it’s going strong. I use the whisk-shaped beaters and plastic bowl for cookies, whipping cream, making frosting, etc most often. Only in the last couple of years have I gotten confident in letting it knead doughs (vs. by hand), and it indeed does a great job. Sometimes the dough climbs up the hook and has to be frequently pushed down and sometimes not. I haven’t figured out yet what causes this, as it both happens and doesn’t happen with the exact same dough.
The Ankarsrum is very sturdy and will not walk or rock when you’re you’re making even a stiff dough.
As much as I use it, I have to say I don’t always love it for cookie dough. I have to stop the machine frequently and scrape down both the outer and the inner sides (see an image for what I mean with the plastic bowl). Removing the centrally-placed beaters to do this is a bit messy. Sometimes I have to pick up and put back the beaters several times if I’m mixing very low, like adding the final flour to a cookie dough. If I don’t the majority of the mixture just stays inside the beaters and rotates around. I always mix in chocolate chips, nuts, etc. by hand after removing the beaters.
I would not trade my Ankarsrum for a Kitchen Aid, but I do sometimes wish I had both. Years ago my grandmother’s excellent-condition “vintage” Kitchen Aid was donated to a second-hand store by a thoughtless aunt. That’s the lost-family-heirloom story that bugs me in the middle of the night. I would have put it to so much more use than whoever scored it at that store.
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Fwiw-
I have a KA Artisan (a birthday gift in 2018). I use it extensively for cookie doughs (including a NYT Choc Chip variety that DEFINITELY pushes the motor towards it limits when mixing in the final load of chips. I knead a (fairly well hydrated) milk bread dough for a solid 7-10 minutes at a time (though I’m aware this behavior is no longer endorsed by KA).
I’ve toyed with the idea of upgrading to a ‘pro’ model with the bowl lift, but I think the typical tasks I do (single batches of cookies, a cale, one or two loaves of bread) will likely be less suited to a bigger machine.
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Amazon is having a sale on Kitchen Aid products, including mixers
Was your last one an 8qt. I have read that if you want to make meringue with 4 egg whites might be a problem beating them up. Do consider the KA professional line. I think the gears are metal in them.
I have a 5 qt proline that’s 30 years old. It is a good machine and I will take it in for service, but I think I need something with a bit more capacity and strength, that’s why I’m researching my options now.
Thats what i have too. Mine is also about 30 years old. I brought for service about 2 years ago. The serviceman said to me. Boy do you ever use it(I thought he meant it was all worn out) but then what he said its like brand new inside. I’ve used it almost weekly all that time. But these days Im baking more breads and sometimes it runs for 15 minutes
Costco is selling a 6-quart bowl lift KA for $100 off starting April 10. The online price will be $299 (plus $10 delivery). It’ll probably be somewhat cheaper in the store.
This has been the case for many years now. I have a professional 600 lift type. I have had it for a long time. KitchenAid sent it to me (for free) when my older one was having an issue and there was no service center near me. At the time I was into making bagels and quickly stripped the gear. When I called them, they informed me of the two-minute rule My bagel recipe calls for 10min by machine. It was in the manual which I had not read because I thought that I was familiar with the product. I replaced the gear and the housing with metal ones and have not had any problems. I am careful not to push the machine too hard but go past two minutes and past speed level 2 frequently. I mostly stick to level two but will kick it up a few for seconds at a time. It should be built better.
Anyone wanting a true Hobart sized for home usage ought to pull out their credit cards and check the N50.
That’s pretty nice.
Yes, but pretty ridiculously priced. For that price you could get a KA lift bowl, a Magimix, a Bamix, and a pretty nice stove. M
Good Lord, I have rheumatoid arthritis and I can still make a meringue with my right arm and a decent whisk.
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Whenever egg whites need to be whipped, the whisk is always the best choice. I remember my mother making puffy omelettes. She would crack eggs into a bowl and start beating with one of those hand crank whirlybird beaters until the eggs, whites and yolks, stood in stiff pale yellow peaks. She would pour the eggs into a small iron skillet with butter in it, let them cook a bit on the stove, finish them under the broiler, and serve them with strawberry jam. They were so wonderful.
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