The first thing that you should take into consideration is how often you plan on using your stand mixer. If you plan on using your mixer more than a couple of times per week you should consider purchasing a mixer that has a motor built from all metal gears. Many mixers on the market today have plastic gears that will not hold up under heavy use. You will pay more for a stand mixer with metal gears but you will be getting a machine that lasts you for many years. …show more content…
People often make the mistake of equating wattage with power. More wattage does not necessarily mean that the mixer will be more powerful one with fewer watts. The best way to assess a mixers power is to find out how many cups of flour it can handle, or the weight of the dough it can mix. If you plan on using your machine to mix heavy dough's then you need to find a mixer with enough power to tackle those tasks.
Stand mixers can have as many as 16 speed settings. A mixer should have a high enough speed setting to deliver the power you need to mix heavy dough's and a slow enough speed to mix all of your delicate ingredients. The slower the lowest speed, the better, slower speeds prevent splattering. Some machines have a built in "slow start" feature which eliminates messy splatters.
Attachments are another important consideration when it comes to your purchase. Most mixers come standard with one bowl, a chef's whisk, mixing paddle, and dough hook. Many will also include a