Thread Number: 40092
Planetary vs Dual Beater Mixers |
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Post# 593478   5/1/2012 at 17:16 (4,349 days old) by Launderess (Quiet Please, There´s a Lady on Stage)   |   | |
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Post# 593493 , Reply# 2   5/1/2012 at 19:19 (4,348 days old) by dynaflow (rockingham nc)   |   | |
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Post# 593497 , Reply# 4   5/1/2012 at 19:35 (4,348 days old) by gansky1 (Omaha, The Home of the TV Dinner!)   |   | |
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Post# 593501 , Reply# 6   5/1/2012 at 20:01 (4,348 days old) by xraytech (Rural southwest Pennsylvania )   |   | |
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I've tried both vintage and new KitchenAids and have never been satisfied with them, for me it is the Sunbeam MixMaster with bowl fit beaters I find I much prefer is mixing abilities and it seems to handle cookie dough well, I have used the dough hooks in the past when making nut rolls but I like doing bread dough by hand |
Post# 593509 , Reply# 7   5/1/2012 at 20:22 (4,348 days old) by Launderess (Quiet Please, There´s a Lady on Stage)   |   | |
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Find using my Kenwood (or any other planetary mixer) that the paddle beaters are good for creaming, but so so for adding air to the batter. Hence one's query. Cakes come out "ok" with the K but feel they could benefit from more oooophf.
Older KA mixers came with a rather substantial wisk beater that could cream and mix quite well, but the one with my Kenwood is more a wire wisk than beater, it simply won't do for inital creaming of butter. Mixfinder's idea of switching between the two is a good one, will have to give it a whirl. Have toyed with the idea of nabbing a vintage mixer (KA, HB, or Sunbeam) but trying to find a single good opinion of any is a hard job. Have spent hours reading posts over on WACM and one's eyes glossed over after awhile. There was a nice "vintage" NIB Sunbeam on eBay that just ended. Had one's trigger finger on the ready to snipe, but at the last minute pulled away. Just couldn't make up one's mind and trying to figure out the maddeningly changing model numbers threw me. |
Post# 593510 , Reply# 8   5/1/2012 at 20:22 (4,348 days old) by Launderess (Quiet Please, There´s a Lady on Stage)   |   | |
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Post# 593513 , Reply# 9   5/1/2012 at 20:23 (4,348 days old) by Launderess (Quiet Please, There´s a Lady on Stage)   |   | |
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Post# 593519 , Reply# 10   5/1/2012 at 20:39 (4,348 days old) by whirlykenmore78 (Prior Lake MN (GMT-0500 CDT.))   |   | |
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I definitely prefer planetary(Hobart) mixing action. Most of the bakery and kitchen recipes we use in the industries are written for the Hobart mixer speeds. I use KA machines at home. I find the planetary action much more effetive. As far as cake and other thinner batters I have found the Hobart action mixes them perfectly as well. Nick WK78 |
Post# 593521 , Reply# 12   5/1/2012 at 21:07 (4,348 days old) by turquoisedude (.)   |   | |
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You know, I have never used or owned one of the planetary-style mixers...
I do swear by certain machines for particular recipes, though. My favourite cheesecake recipe is one I like to make with a GE Triple-Whip, Lady Baltimore cake is made with a Dormeyer 3000, and I swear that the Sunbeam Model 9 makes a better Angel Food cake than a model 10, 11 or 12. |
Post# 593529 , Reply# 13   5/2/2012 at 00:22 (4,348 days old) by sudsmaster (SF Bay Area, California)   |   | |
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Post# 593534 , Reply# 14   5/2/2012 at 01:06 (4,348 days old) by WaterWitch (Pomona, Calif.)   |   | |
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Post# 593536 , Reply# 15   5/2/2012 at 01:10 (4,348 days old) by WaterWitch (Pomona, Calif.)   |   | |
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Post# 593538 , Reply# 16   5/2/2012 at 01:23 (4,348 days old) by sudsmaster (SF Bay Area, California)   |   | |
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Dual beater mixers tend to leave stagnant batter at their periphery, recycling the same stuff over and over between the beaters but leaving an ample amount outside. Offset beaters and a rotating bowl helps a bit, but there still seems to be an uneven distribution of mixing action.
The planetary action is more thorough - whether it's for cake batter, cookies, bread, or whipping egg whites. Just my non-expert opinion, mind you. What the dual beater mixers have going for them is that they are generally less powerful, lighter weight, and hence easier to store and retrieve and operate than a big planetary model. And either technology beats mixing things with a spoon by hand. |
Post# 593539 , Reply# 17   5/2/2012 at 01:23 (4,348 days old) by sudsmaster (SF Bay Area, California)   |   | |
This post has been removed by the member who posted it. |
Post# 593542 , Reply# 18   5/2/2012 at 01:39 (4,348 days old) by tolivac (greenville nc)   |   | |
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I like both types.Use the Sunbeams and HB for batters,Kenwood planetary for cookie doughs. |
Post# 593548 , Reply# 19   5/2/2012 at 02:31 (4,348 days old) by rp2813 (Sannazay)   |   | |
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Is that modern cord on the C-10 keeping you awake at night?
I don't bake a lot, but my mom sure did. Once she got a Hobart/KA K45SS she never looked back, even though the mixer it replaced was a smokin' (but not literally -- that was the '49 Sunbeam) 1950 Westinghouse with infinite speed settings.
I never had a stand mixer of any kind in my kitchen until I met Dave. He bought a KA KSM90 Ultra Power in the late 80's and ever since, planetary is the only type of stand mixer we've used.
I keep a few vintage dual beater hand mixers around for smaller jobs, and I particularly like using my compact yet weighty 3-speed Oster "Knee Action" model shown here.
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Post# 593555 , Reply# 20   5/2/2012 at 05:17 (4,348 days old) by WaterWitch (Pomona, Calif.)   |   | |
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Post# 593558 , Reply# 21   5/2/2012 at 05:56 (4,348 days old) by ronhic (Canberra, Australia)   |   | |
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Having both vintage and retro mixmasters with and without (model 9) bowl fit beaters and a kenwood chef electronic, and having used mixmasters and chefs since I was 10 (33 years), I prefer a mixmaster with bowl fit beaters for anything other than doughs.
Kelly did a creaming exercise with kitchen aid v's mixmaster not that long ago and the mixmaster beat it blades down! On the issue of pavs and meringues, nothing beats egg whites up like a mixmaster...and cakes have a much finer texture. |
Post# 593648 , Reply# 22   5/2/2012 at 11:38 (4,348 days old) by norgeway (mocksville n c )   |   | |
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MANY different mixers, im using a model 11 Sunbeam now, but if I had to choose just one....hands down, my 1956 Kenmore,no comparison!! |
Post# 593695 , Reply# 23   5/2/2012 at 14:24 (4,348 days old) by petek (Ontari ari ari O )   |   | |
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Anything to do with 1956 was simply the best
Myself I use either a KA or Rival handmixer for the small stuff like cake and pancake batter. I use the big Sunbeam as a handmixer for mashing potatoes right in the pot and I use my Bosch Universal for heavy stuff like bread and cookie dough, loves my Bosch, wouldn't trade it for anything except another one. |
Post# 593787 , Reply# 25   5/2/2012 at 23:39 (4,347 days old) by Mixguy (St. Martinville, Louisiana)   |   | |
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The Kenmore mixer pictured by norgeway was rated best by CU back in 1956. |
Post# 593809 , Reply# 27   5/3/2012 at 02:31 (4,347 days old) by tolivac (greenville nc)   |   | |
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Guess we need to look for 1956 KN mixers!!Never used one-always were exposed to Sunbeam MM-then KA.My Mom,Stepmom,and Grandmother had MM.What sort of attachments did the KN 1956 mixer have-the extra parts were always fun! |
Post# 593820 , Reply# 28   5/3/2012 at 05:27 (4,347 days old) by Launderess (Quiet Please, There´s a Lady on Stage)   |   | |
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Later though research found out the Sunbeam shown in snaps one posted above (sold on fleaPay) was one of the last "MM" (IIRC) models Sunbeam sold of the Mixmasters, commonly and often referred to by collectors as "PlasticMasters"
Though still incorporating the bowl hugging beater design in many models, these last of the series were mainly all plastic or metal upper housing with plastic underneath for mixer, all plastic base. Some models did not have the bowl shifter lever either. Port for attachments was removed and the area became the spot for beater ejector button. Sunbeam featured an "American Classic" series of mixers all these lines that came out in the 1980's or 1970's (cannot remember). This entire style is referred to as the "Brady Bunch" since Alice had such a Sunbeam in the kitchen. Would love to say "Mrs. Brady's kitchen" but don't think she spent much time cooking.... All and all plastic aside these later mixers aren't all that bad according to some. Certianly are better than the China built stuff that came later (Sunbeam switched production from the USA to Mexico, then later to China). Underneath the housing these mixers are pretty much the same as the "V" and Mixmaster series that preceeded them, and IIRC the 12 series as well. What is different in some respects (again this is from reading comments, cannot be sure) is that certain tweaks were made to give these units more power for the watts. Oh another good thing is that the plastic housed units are lighter. This makes them easier to use when detached from the base as portables. Sunbeam is one company that has been raped and pillaged by corporate raiders for the past 40 years or so. This accounts for the often cheapening of the brand and attempts to simply trade on the fame rather than produce a quality product. Sunbeam in it's early years never pulled a "Dormeyer" that is having several flavors of mixer on the shelf at the same time. But later as the company changed hands like a cheap tart at a prison rodeo that changed. In general methinks other stand mixer makers suffered from Sunbeam being the "Bendix" of mixers. That is having patented the bowl hugging beater system others had to find other ways. Hobart went one way when introducing the Kitchenaid mixers to housewives, HB, Dormeyer, and the rest did so as well. Really is some what of a shame Sunbeam didn't decide to keep the "Power Master" series. Bet if they had worked out the bugs those units would have been the rival to KA mixers as intended. |
Post# 593821 , Reply# 29   5/3/2012 at 05:35 (4,347 days old) by Launderess (Quiet Please, There´s a Lady on Stage)   |   | |
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Ever since one was allowed to bake in Mother Dear's kitchen used the creaming method for cakes where required. Then several years ago picked up/came upon Rose Levy's "Cake Bible" and thought, sweet mystery of life at last I've found you.
Or so one thought. While Ms. Levy does have unique approach to making "shortened" or butter cakes, did not know it was simply a variation upon the old "one bowl" method that had been around for ages. It really only dawned upon me when reading through my vintage (circa 1970's) Better Homes and Gardens cookbook last week. Further confirmation came later that day when hitting my again vintage "Joy of Cooking" . Am going to try baking a pound cake soon using my old creaming method to see what one has been missing. IIRC the one bowl methods gives up some volume for the sake of producing a more tender "melt in your mouth" cake. |
Post# 593891 , Reply# 31   5/3/2012 at 11:07 (4,347 days old) by kenwashesmonday (Carlstadt, NJ)   |   | |
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We use the old Sunbeam Mixmaster model 5 for regular cakes mainly because it's so easy to scrape the bowl while it's mixing. The Kitchenaid 600 comes out for cookies and bread.
Ken D. |
Post# 593901 , Reply# 32   5/3/2012 at 12:00 (4,347 days old) by MattL (Flushing, MI)   |   | |
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I guess the question that comes to mind is is there a "holy grail" of Sunbeam Mixmasters? Had Sunbeams growing up, switched to Ronson in the early 70's then on to KA. If I were to add one more Mixmaster to my collection what should it be? |
Post# 593909 , Reply# 33   5/3/2012 at 12:43 (4,347 days old) by norgeway (mocksville n c )   |   | |
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I wish I could find one of those Ronson built in units! |
Post# 594000 , Reply# 35   5/3/2012 at 17:11 (4,347 days old) by petek (Ontari ari ari O )   |   | |
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Post# 594091 , Reply# 36   5/4/2012 at 04:04 (4,346 days old) by Launderess (Quiet Please, There´s a Lady on Stage)   |   | |
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Try Rose Levy's "Cake Bible" cheesecake,it is divine.
Made the banana/sour cream version for this past Easter and it was a huge hit. Yes, will agree the CB is a great resource. Her charts regarding measurements and weights have become my go to point. Weighting out ingredients is so much easier and one can have baking day over with faster. |
Post# 594313 , Reply# 37   5/4/2012 at 23:31 (4,345 days old) by DaveAmKrayoGuy (Oak Park, MI)   |   | |
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My Kitchen Aid is a single-blade (I guess "planetary") mixer...!
I do find myself scraping unmixed batter & blending it in w/ the mixture as I pur it from the bowl to the pan... I really thought I was going to buy a cheap-o two blade hand-held design, but for most, I'm satisfied w/ my table-top model...! Just think we could have been a bit more creative on the color! -- Dave |
Post# 594364 , Reply# 38   5/5/2012 at 07:29 (4,345 days old) by Jetcone (Schenectady-Home of Calrods,Monitor Tops,Toroid Transformers)   |   | |
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Love that idea for switching beaters on the KA! Will try that as I do love the cake batter out of my Sunbeam 10 & 11 better, it seems lighter to me.
Kelly, did you make our birthday cakes with Kevin's KA or his Sunbeam?? They were moist and light all the way,well at least the piece I was able to scarf down before Gansky inhaled my devils food cake! Has anyone fooled around with that high powered Electrolux where the paddles are stationary and the bowl turns underneath?? They come up on flea bay every so often. |
Post# 594367 , Reply# 39   5/5/2012 at 08:23 (4,345 days old) by petek (Ontari ari ari O )   |   | |
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The Electrolux Assistent. I've seen them demo'd before but never used one and from some other mixer sites seems like they have a long learning curve. Here's a pretty good video demo, seems like a lot of manual intervention required for my liking. The Bosch Universal is way way easier to use and just as capable and less $
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Post# 594941 , Reply# 43   5/7/2012 at 21:17 (4,342 days old) by twintubdexter (Palm Springs)   |   | |
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Back at the last home we had in San Jose there was a Ronson Foodmatic built into the tiled kitchen counter. People thought it was a garbage shute for a can under the counter...dumb. There were about 5 accessories for it. I rarely used it but loved to show it off to guests. A few years after my partner passed away and I moved here to the Desert I started to look for another Foodmatic. I found a couple on distant Craigslist sales and a unit or accessory would pop up on ebay now and then. I mannaged to get a complete Foodmatic for less than $200 including shipping (that sucker's heavy) from a lady in Chicago. She even had the fitted storage slides, the ice cream maker and the automatic stirring cooking vessel. The only thing that was ever used was the mixer. "Petek" is right, Foodmatics and the accessories are getting harder and harder to find even on ebay. The one I bought was one of the later models with the food processor. I knew there was a problem when I unpacked it and the processor blade said "Cusinart" on it. The Ronson blade is a strange looking bird and it took over a year to find the correct one.
That was at least 2 or 3 years ago when I bought that Foodmatic and where is it?...stored away in a decorative rattan trunk in my bedroom. I've added so many built-in appliances in my kitchen (wine fridge, clear ice maker, microwave drawer) that there's little room left. I'm thinking of installing the Foodmatic in a small rolling kitchen island cart. They are a lot of fun. a Foodmatic explosion |
Post# 594943 , Reply# 44   5/7/2012 at 21:24 (4,342 days old) by Jetcone (Schenectady-Home of Calrods,Monitor Tops,Toroid Transformers)   |   | |
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Post# 594986 , Reply# 45   5/8/2012 at 02:08 (4,342 days old) by MattL (Flushing, MI)   |   | |
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I have the counter top version of the Ronson, mixer only. I really want to find the Cook 'n Stir setup but those are very rare and very pricey. |
Post# 595316 , Reply# 47   5/9/2012 at 16:06 (4,341 days old) by Launderess (Quiet Please, There´s a Lady on Stage)   |   | |
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So many people look for mixers with high wattage ratings assuming that equals better results from hand mixers, this is not always true from what one has read.
Many older mixers despite having *only* <125 watts would out beat and whip many of today's higher watt offerings, and what is more last longer. One must also consider how well a mixer runs on low speed and for how long it can keep it up. That is the speed normally used for kneading dough and or heavy batters and some mixers both stand and portable cannot do it for long wihout sustaining damage. |