I'd like to buy a good mixer for making pasta and pastries at home. I'm torn between a KitchenAid and a Kenwood, but prices have really shot up over the last few months. Is it really worth investing in one of those or are there cheaper brands that do just as well?
If you're really torn between splurging or looking for something cheaper, first check whether you actually need a proper stand mixer or just a regular blender - loads of people buy the heavy-duty stuff and end up using only 20% of what it can do 😅 Lesser-known brands (Clatronic, Bomann, some Philips models) do the job fine for basics, but here's what nobody mentions: after a few years of heavy use, the smaller mixers start having motor problems or parts breaking, while Kitchenaid and Kenwood really last forever.
Honestly, if your budget's tight, better to wait or look for refurbished than buy something cheap and regret it - you'll just end up spending twice as much in the end.
Do you use it a lot or is it more for testing out new recipes? Honestly the KitchenAid and Kenwood are clearly ahead in terms of durability and power, but if you're just starting out and don't want to break the bank, brands like Moulinex or even some Bosch models do the job fine for basic baking!
The thing with stand mixers is you're really not gonna use all the functions, so don't let the prices impress you. KitchenAid and Kenwood are solid, sure, but hold off before shelling out that much - check out Bosch or Philips instead, they do decent work for way less money and last a good while. The real trap is thinking you need a premium brand to make good dough, when really it's mostly your technique that matters and how often you actually use it. If you're doing it regularly, yeah invest a bit, but if it's just every now and then, a mid-range machine is more than enough and you'll save yourself a decent chunk of change.
Before you decide, it's important to know how often you're actually going to use it and especially what kind of baking you're aiming for. Are you mostly doing simple cakes, bread, puff pastry? Because honestly, a basic mixer does the job really well for 80% of people, but if you really want to master advanced techniques, the power and stability of a KitchenAid or Kenwood make a real difference.
That said, prices are insane right now, and I get the hesitation. KitchenAids have a crazy reputation for durability, but that comes with a cost. If you want something solid without paying top dollar, check out Bosch or Philips - they offer really good value for money and will easily last 10 years. One thing nobody mentions: buy it secondhand or from a year before the new models come out in stores. The old models do exactly the same thing and you can really negotiate.
Before you pull out your wallet, what's your actual budget? And do you have access to a store where you can test them? Because feeling how stable the bowl is in action is really what makes the decision.
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