# Why get a Kitchenaid stand mixer? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [May 3, 2009, 9:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-get-a-kitchenaid-stand-mixer/495212 "2009-05-03T21:17:27Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 7\ **Page:** 4
**Author:** ![kittenblue](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/ba8739/32.png) [@kittenblue](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kittenblue)\ **Post date:** [May 10, 2009, 4:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-get-a-kitchenaid-stand-mixer/495212/61 "2009-05-10T04:28:59Z")
well, I got the recipe from an elderly German Lutheran woman who believes in hard work and all that…but she loves her KA! She’s all about the technology! I only make a quarter-batch…she makes four batches! There’s enough arm muscle development in the rolling and the lifting of the pans. But be warned…a Sideswipe blade can’t handle gingerbread or peppernut dough. Don’t even try. ---
**Author:** ![Suse](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/df705f/32.png) [@Suse](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Suse)\ **Post date:** [May 10, 2009, 2:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-get-a-kitchenaid-stand-mixer/495212/62 "2009-05-10T14:22:47Z")
I have to know - what are peppernuts? Are they the type of cookies that are often called pfeffernuesse? Because I make those by hand and never even thought of needing a mixer. ---
**Author:** ![Sonnenstrahl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/82dd89/32.png) [@Sonnenstrahl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sonnenstrahl)\ **Post date:** [May 10, 2009, 3:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-get-a-kitchenaid-stand-mixer/495212/63 "2009-05-10T15:17:45Z")
That’s how I interpreted it. I call them Pfeffernuesse, too. The molasses does make them a pain to mix, I’ll say. ---
**Author:** ![Mama\_Zappa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/71e660/32.png) [@Mama\_Zappa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mama_Zappa)\ **Post date:** [May 11, 2009, 1:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-get-a-kitchenaid-stand-mixer/495212/64 "2009-05-11T01:34:53Z")
> [@Rick](#): > > Put the beater on after the bowl is in place. Yeah, that’s what I figured. What I can’t understand though, is WHY? I mean, the bowl-lift seems harder to use in nearly every respect - fumbling with a messy beater to remove the bowl, harder to reach to scrape if needed, etc. Is there some advantage to this approach that outweighs the disadvantages? Besides… with the bowl-lift model, you TOTALLY miss out on the chance to hit the on-switch while the head is tilted up, thereby redecorating the ceiling :)! ---
**Author:** ![kittenblue](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/ba8739/32.png) [@kittenblue](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kittenblue)\ **Post date:** [May 11, 2009, 1:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-get-a-kitchenaid-stand-mixer/495212/65 "2009-05-11T13:34:02Z")
> [@Suse](#): > > I have to know - what are peppernuts? Are they the type of cookies that are often called pfeffernuesse? Because I make those by hand and never even thought of needing a mixer. I believe they are the same thing. Sort of a gingerbread dough that you roll out into snakes and cut into little half-inch chunks, and bake until crunchy on the outside, soft on the inside. I would not want to mix that dough by hand…it’s way too stiff ---
**Author:** ![Ferret\_Herder](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/e47774/32.png) [@Ferret\_Herder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ferret_Herder)\ **Post date:** [May 11, 2009, 1:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-get-a-kitchenaid-stand-mixer/495212/66 "2009-05-11T13:43:58Z")
> [@Mama\_Zappa](#): > > What I can’t understand though, is WHY? I mean, the bowl-lift seems harder to use in nearly every respect - fumbling with a messy beater to remove the bowl, harder to reach to scrape if needed, etc. Is there some advantage to this approach that outweighs the disadvantages? I don’t find the handling difficult, I guess YMMV. I have a “collar” with a funnel-type ramp that fits around the bowl and lets you add ingredients easily while the mixer is running. Put bowl in place, put beater in, add collar (two-piece item). Add ingredients as needed, drop bowl if you really need to scrape and can’t manage otherwise (or use a SideSwipe), then when finished. detach beater then bowl. The bowl-lift model also allows you to use it on a counter with a cabinet over it and barely any clearance. Most of my counter space is limited in this fashion, so I find it to be a plus. ---
**Author:** ![Suse](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/df705f/32.png) [@Suse](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Suse)\ **Post date:** [May 11, 2009, 10:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-get-a-kitchenaid-stand-mixer/495212/67 "2009-05-11T22:22:16Z")
> [@kittenblue](#): > > I believe they are the same thing. Sort of a gingerbread dough that you roll out into snakes and cut into little half-inch chunks, and bake until crunchy on the outside, soft on the inside. I would not want to mix that dough by hand…it’s way too stiff Okay, thanks. Yeah, it’s not the easiest to mix by hand but I guess I never even thought of using a mixer as I don’t normally for making cookies, or pretty much anything. But I still drool over those pretty Kitchenaid colors anyway. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-get-a-kitchenaid-stand-mixer/495212.md?page=3)