"It's dead, Jim."

[vakkotaur]

A day or so ago I made 'peanut butter blossom' cookies (the peanut butter cookies with a Hershey's Kiss stuck in the middle while still hot) and bogged the mixer down quite a bit. Last night I made some devil's food cookies with a cake mix and really bogged the mixer down. While the mixer was several years old, I almost certainly was asking too much of (that is, abusing) it. The result was that last night the mixer died. As in "let the smoke out." I've taken the thing apart and I suspect a shorted winding in the motor since that's about all there is to the thing.

Thus I need a replacement. I'd put a handheld mixer on my Christmas list but I'm not about to wait that long, even if we move at least part of Christmas up to about Thanksgiving.

I went to Wal-mart (the only place that [A] was open by the time I went out and [B] had mixers) and looked at what they had.

What I had, and burned out, was a 200W Black & Decker mixer with the typical beaters and five speeds and a 'burst' for highest speed.

What Wal-mart has is:

1. Rival, 125W, 5-speed, for $6.36.

2. Hamilton Beach, 250W, 6-speed (burst), for $15.88.

3. Black & Decker, 250W, 6-speed, for 19.88.

4. GE, 300W, 6-speed, for $29.00.

1 and 2 looked like they had the usual beaters. 3 had wire beaters of a couple types and a little case for everything, while 4 has wire beaters of a few types, a little case for everything, and in what seems complete overkill, digital display and membrane keys. Actually the membrane keys or buttons make some sense: they keep things sealed and won't let flour/dust/dirt/whatever in that way.

While the Rival is cheap, I suspect that it is just that: cheap rather than merely inexpensive. And considering what I've been asking of my mixer a mere 125W seems inadequate. Both the Hamilton Beach and the Black & Decker should have more oomph than what I had and I'm not sure there's all that much difference between them. The 300W GE is tempting but I don't know if I want or even need that much - or want to spend that much.

The other choice, a standing mixer, is out due to lack of room in the kitchen and funds for something that fancy. No matter how nice such a thing might be, it just isn't going to happen. I don't have to stick to Wal-mart, but really the only other place in town is Shopko. Target or K-Mart would mean a trip to Mankato. There is a Sears in town, but it's a small place that concentrates on larger items - and I'm not exactly thrilled with the idea of dealing with Sears for various reasons.

So I ask the the folks who bake and put some stress on their mixers, any recommendations?

Comments

[jmthane.livejournal.com]

Alas you don't have room for a standing mixer. Tarsa's KitchenAid is a wonderful thing to have.

[vakkotaur.livejournal.com]

I have no doubt. I suspect a standing mixer is the ideal answer, but I need to settle on the best non-ideal solution.

[jmthane.livejournal.com]

Non-ideal, I'd probably go with the GE. I generally like Black & Decker, but the fact that that's what burned out on you makes it slightly less appealing (although you don't say how old it was), the sealed membrane thing has a good appeal to me.

[vakkotaur.livejournal.com]

I'm not sure of the exact age, but it would have been bought new in late 1996 or sometime in 1997.

[jmthane.livejournal.com]

*sigh* They don't make 'em like they used to...

[nefaria.livejournal.com]

Not a chef myself, but I'd go with the GE model. It's more expensive but higher quality, I suspect it would not burn out like the B&D model did. Sort of like how I bought my car, I got the Honda with limited warranty instead of Hyundai with extended warranty because I'd rather have a car that doesn't break down than one that does but has a warranty.

[vakkotaur.livejournal.com]

Hopefully higher quality. GE labelled appliances haven't really been GE for some time, if I recall correctly.

And Hyundai has been quality-competitive with Honda and Toyota for a while now, but still has the earlier reputation to overcome. I did once own an '86 Hyundai Excel which was from the "Quality? What quality?" era of Hyundai - and even with that reputation and the troubles I had with it (while I needed a jump a few times, I never had to be towed - even on three cylinders and a bent valve I could still limp home), I was quite glad that I hadn't bought the Ford that was next to it on the used car lot.

[sheryl67.livejournal.com]

I'm pretty sure that you don't want my advice, as I was going to tell you to suck it up and get the one that I have. This!

(http://pics.livejournal.com/sheryl67/pic/0002wsya/)

I haven't used a hand held model in ages. Before I got the Kitchen Aid, I used a spoon. :)

[vakkotaur.livejournal.com]

While I am sure from the power and baking point of view that a standing mixer is the ideal answer, it simply isn't going to happen. The problem is even if cost was not an issue, placement is. There is simply no place for it, even if stored away when not in use.

[sheryl67.livejournal.com]

Oh, I know about not having the kitchen space. We have half of my stuff stored in the laundry room.

[vakkotaur.livejournal.com]

Even that sort of thing isn't a real option. Never mind the time and space travel, I need the Relative Dimensional Stabilizer of a TARDIS.

[sheryl67.livejournal.com]

If you figure that out, let me know. I need it too.



Is it time for Penguicon yet? I miss you. :(

[vakkotaur.livejournal.com]

Will do. Don't hold your breath.

Not yet. But that reminds me, I have another post or two to make about that. Start (or continue) scheming!

[sheryl67.livejournal.com]

Now that Construct is out of the way, I've been doing more scheming for Confusion and Penguicon.

Can't wait to see what you come up with.

[vakkotaur.livejournal.com]

One of the ACME-related posts is now up. I should post a point to that in the Penguicon group.

[paradiseforlorn.livejournal.com]

Lemmie ask you hun, since you seem to do a lot of confectionery stuffs, Do you just bake? Or do you like cooking in general?

[vakkotaur.livejournal.com]

I pretty much just bake. I should get into some cooking, but my experience is limited and it seems like things jump from 'ridiculously simple' to 'insanely complicated' without the intermediate level(s) that would make useful steps. Or maybe they exist but tend to be for things I refuse to consider edible.

[kiwihunter8.livejournal.com]

I tend to choose the choice that is somewhere in the middle whenver I buy something. I can't imagine a mixer for 6 bucks is going to get you much of anywhere.

I'd go with the GE though. It has the highest motor and is still only $30.

[vakkotaur.livejournal.com]

I suspect that is what will happen. It's not that much more, it is 300W, and the better seal becomes more appealing the more I think about it.

[vakkotaur.livejournal.com]

I also don't expect a 125W model to last very long when I just let the smoke out of a 200W model.

(Hrm, I need a poof-soot sort of icon.)

[altivo.livejournal.com]

Given the constraints you put on the question, I don't really have an answer. However, cookie dough is simply too stiff for a hand held mixer. You will burn them out with it, especially todays cheap, made-in-Asia models. Hand mixers are capable of beating cake batter, pancakes, egg whites, and cream. They lack the torque needed for stiff doughs such as cookies, pie crust, or bread.

The latter jobs call for a stand mixer. I've had a heavy duty Kitchen Aid for 20 years now, and it shows no sign of quitting. It was well worth the price, and relative to inflation, one costs less today than it did then.