Which mixer is best? A mixer, unlike a blender, does not have sharp knives, which is important, especially if there is a small child in the house.
A mixer is a relatively simple and lightweight household appliance that is simply indispensable in the kitchen. Many will say that it is better to buy a food processor or blender. But the combine is much more expensive. And think about it, would you want to wash a whole food processor if you only need to whip batter for pancakes or eggs for an omelet or protein cream?
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And so, choose a mixer
There are manual and stationary mixers. Each of them has its own advantages, taking into account which you will make your choice.
A hand mixer is used when you need to whip a light mixture and mix thin products. When working, you need to hold it in your hands. It also has a number of attachments (attachments) for various operations. The downside is that you won't be able to do anything else – your hands are full.
A regular mixer looks like a bowl for whipping or mixing, standing on a special support, which holds the mixer itself. While the appliance is working, you can easily do other manipulations in the kitchen. After all, you only need to follow the process, and not take a direct part in it. The disadvantage is that you will need to wash not only the nozzles, but also the bowl.
Choosing a unit: how not to miscalculate
If you are buying a stand mixer, pay attention to the volume of the bowl. Usually they have a capacity of up to 2.5 liters, but note that the volume of products will be much smaller. After all, it is necessary to exclude splashing during whipping.
General characteristics:
- Power. This is the most important indicator. After all, the speed of cooking depends on it. The more powerful the technique, the faster you will achieve the desired result.
- Nozzles.The standard set includes whisks for whipping and attachments to knead the dough. They work on the same principle for all mixers. The set may also include a special sieve, as well as a blender attachment. With their help, the hostess can prepare mashed potatoes and sauce. Some manufacturers also offer a special nozzle for making mashed potatoes. Less often, you can find universal attachments for chopping products in the kit, with which you can grind a small amount of meat or nuts (for example). Also, in some models of hand mixers, an electric knife is offered.
- "Turbo" mode - increases the speed of the attachments.This is a mode that will help you grind or homogeneize products very quickly. But it can only be turned on for a very limited amount of time, as the motor can overheat and the device will become unusable.
- Speed limit.From 3 to 5 speeds are available universally. But there are models with 12 speeds. Often, next to the switch, you can see something like a "cheat sheet" - drawings of products that can be processed at a given speed without damaging the unit.
- Impulse.Many manufacturers offer to increase speed by using this function, which is activated by simply pressing a button installed on the case. The harder you press, the stronger the effect.
- Protection.This is a much-needed feature that helps protect the appliance from overheating or clogging. If there is a threat, the mixer simply turns off.
A mixer in the kitchen will help you quickly and easily prepare breakfast or dinner, does not take up much space and is very easy to use.