A stand mixer is one of the most expensive and useful tools you will buy for your kitchen. But not all stand mixers are created equal. How do you choose one worthy of your hard earned money? To find out, I pitted three mixers against each other in 10 different cooking tests.
Disclaimer: This is NOT a sponsored post. Opinions expressed in this post are entirely mine. However, I was provided a machine to review by Bosch and WonderMix. I already owned a KitchenAid. (After writing the original post in 2018 I did become an affiliate for Bosch because I have loved it so much.)
Which specific mixers did I test?
I tested the Bosch Universal Plus 800 mixer, the KitchenAid Pro Series 600, and the WonderMix Revolution Mixer (900 watts). 25 pounds of flour and 9 pounds of butter later I have a clear winner! Read on to find out which mixer has the chops to earn a square of counter in your average home kitchen!
How were the mixers rated?
For each test the mixers were rated from 1-5 stars on how well they performed. A zero star rating means the mixer could not even complete the task. A 3 star rating means the mixer did OK but was nothing special. A 5 star is best performance possible – meaning it aced the test and would make your life easier for this cooking task.
My sad history with the KitchenAid
I’ve been cooking and baking for more than 30 years so I came to this project with some preconceived ideas. I had never used a Bosch or a WonderMix but I am a former KitchenAid lover. I grew up using a hand mixer and then eventually switched to using my grandmother’s old KitchenAid. It was a solid workhorse but the motor would get pretty hot when I was doing triple batches of buttercream for wedding cakes. I would just toss an ice pack on it and keep going.
When I got married the most important thing on my wish list was a Brand Spanking New 6 Quart Professional Series Kitchen Aid Stand Mixer with a bowl lift. Unfortunately it was not my grandmother’s mixer. Gone was the motor I could ice occasionally and have it work like a champ. Now I learned to avoid big batches of frosting AND small batches of anything. The Pro Series was so big it did poorly with small things like one batch of cookies while the motor made horrific grinding sounds when faced with big batches of frosting. Over the years I also began to notice the Kitchen Aid just didn’t do a great job at almost anything I used it for. Meanwhile I burned the motor out twice on the mixer and began to hear about other people having issues with mixers made after 1986 when Whirlpool bought the KitchenAid company.
Recently I decided it was time to put some different stand mixers to the test! I wanted to find out if there was anything better than the KitchenAid available. A quick Google search suggested Bosch had an excellent reputation with people who love to bake. WonderMix was much less well known but was a cheaper option that seemed to have some of the same design features of the Bosch. The motor was also 100 watts stronger so it seemed worth taking for a spin. As I began my tests I knew I was a little partial to the WonderMix because of price and I was prejudiced against the KitchenAid after years of frustration.
The 1o Cooking Tests: These mixers had to earn their chops!
1 Batch of Cookies: My Best Soft Chocolate Chip Cookies
1 Star – WonderMix
The Cookie Whips struggled in the creaming process even though I was creaming a full cup of butter. The beaters just were not getting contact with the entire bowl. Once I added the dry ingredients they did better but I scraped the bowl several times during the creaming process. They also struggled some to mix in the chocolate chips and chunks. In the end, the dough turned out very nicely, but it was a lot of effort / extra time in the scraping. The cookies were less impressive. They were grainy in places because the dough had been poorly mixed and powdered ingredients were not fully incorporated.
3 Stars -KitchenAid
Using the paddle some bowl scraping was necessary during the creaming and then when eggs were added. Additionally the paddle design creams the butter/sugar mixture higher in the bowl while not creaming the lower mixture. In time, the entire mixture does become creamed but I didn’t like the idea that part of the mixture was fully creamed before the other part had even started. The final results are uneven which makes a difference in baking. Bowl scraping helped but didn’t solve the problem. If you have a KitchenAid spend the $30 to pick up the Side Swipe. It will help a lot with this issue. (Not made by KitchenAid).
5 Stars – Bosch
The Bosch made excellent batter and it made it easily. It did build up on the center post a bit but one batch of scraping did the trick. The cookie paddles worked much faster than the kitchen aid to cream the butter and sugar. I was really impressed with the quality of the creaming job.
Whipped Cream: Perfect Homemade Whipped Cream
Zero Stars – Wonder Mix
The beaters were in contact with the cream and it was a two cup batch so there was plenty to work with. However the mixers could not actually whip the cream. Five minutes later the cream was still not whipping. Moved the mixture to the Bosch and it was fully whipped in 30 seconds.
4 Stars – KitchenAid
The whipped cream came together easily and well. It takes about a minute which is twice as long as the Bosch but overall no issues. It does splatter a lot even with the pour shield but you can use a large kitchen towel over the machine to help reduce the mess.
5 Stars – Bosch
The whipped cream came together in under a minute. No scraping needed and no splattering Mixer was a champ. I had no idea you could make whipped cream in 30 seconds!
Buttercream Frosting 1 Big batch (1cup of butter): Whipped Vanilla Buttercream
Zero Stars – WonderMix
The frosting got stuck on sides and in the beaters. I never successfully made a batch. The mixer bowl / French Whips are not the right set up for creaming frosting. The mixer motor sounded like it was straining and the mixer started to walk across the counter.
2 Stars – KitchenAid
This mixer did fine but takes awhile and lots of scraping. The bottom cakes with butter and sugar, and once you finally manage to get it all incorporated it takes quite a long time to whip it. I actually usually whip buttercream for 5-10 minutes (depending on what I’m doing) in a KitchenAid to get it really fluffy! The Bosch worked SO much better that I actually took the frosting out of the Kitchen Aid and it was done in a minute. Even having to wash both mixers I saved time over the Kitchen Aid
5 Stars – Bosch
I had whipped the Buttercream in less than 2 minutes, beautifully fluffy, no scraping needed. Almost every time I used the Bosch it felt hard not to just proclaim it Queen of the kitchen!
Cake Mix: 1 Box
4 Stars – KitchenAid
The KitchenAid did a great job but I had to do a lot of bowl scraping. I used the regular batter paddle. This is another place where using a Side Swipe would have helped.
5 Stars – WonderMix
The WonderMix did a great job with the cake batter. It was fast but not quite as fast as Bosch. I used the French Whips that are included in the basic package and I didn’t need the lid.
5 Stars – Bosch
The mixer made the batter FAST (In general it made most things faster in tests than the other mixers.) I used the cake whips included in the baking package to beat the cake. This was one of the times I forgot to put the lid on and when I added the chocolate chips they were launched all over the kitchen. You have to at least put the outer plastic ring lid on or you will be chasing chocolate chips in a 10’ radius. To be fair Bosch tells you to use both the ring and the center lid when the mixer is on. Had I followed directions my toddler would have missed out on chocolate chip patrol.
Bread Small Batch: Better than Cinnabon Cinnamon Rolls (4 cups of flour)
Zero Stars – Bosch
I did this test in the Bosch three times. Each time I used the dough hook extender which is intended for small batches of dough. The first batch I realized afterwords I had not followed the instructions quite right. On the 2nd batch and third batch I made sure the follow the instructions exactly but the mixer could not get the flour to mix into a dough. The Bosch has a reputation for struggling with small batches of dough and needing the flour to be added very slowly. My best guess is that with practice I could learn how to get the machine to do small batches but this is the thing about the Bosch I was most disappointed in.
1 Star – WonderMix
I ended up doing this test twice in the WonderMix. The first batch never come together and I had to throw out the dough. The next couldn’t quite come together but I was able to remove the dough and kneed by hand for success. It seemed the hooks just could not quite manage to kneed such a small batch. I left the lid off and nothing puffed out but ingredients did build up on the middle post and required scraping.
5 Stars – KitchenAid
This was one of the few places where the KitchenAid really shone. It made great dough and I didn’t have to do any scraping or other manipulation to keep things moving correctly.
Bread Large Batch: 6 loaves (12-15 cups of flour)
Zero Stars – KitchenAid
Initially the kitchen aid did very well. Once I added the full amount of flour and started to knead the mixer began to bog down. I could smell the motor burning up and the dough climbed up the hook and into the top of the stand mixer. I ended up cutting the mixer off before the kneading was done to protect the motor. It was messy to remove the dough that had climbed up. Caution: Don’t try this at home! You may lose your motor.
2 Stars – WonderMix
I expected the WonderMix to shine at bread making because that is what it seems to have been designed for. However, the bowl is tall and narrow which makes it harder to add flower too. It also warps and bends while kneading and the dough builds up over the top of the dough hook. The dough did get needed well in the end. However, I had to dig the hook out from the dough and it was hard to get it out which had to be done to lift the bowl off. It was something of a wrestling match. Bottom line using the WonderMix made it harder than making bread by hand.
5 Stars – Bosch
I’ve been baking bread for more than 20 years. You learn fast that really great dough makes really great bread. The dough that came out of this mixer the first time I did it was perfect. It was some of the best bread dough I have ever made and the bread was incredible! I was really impressed with how well the machine kneaded the dough and for the first time saw the case for using a machine to kneed over hand kneading. Before I thought it was just a convenience but now I believe that the mixer can actually do a better job than a person with little to moderate bread baking experience. In other words, if you want to learn to bake amazing bread try buying an amazing mixer!
The One Egg White Test: Could the mixer whip just one egg white?
I’ve never in my life whipped just one egg white but I saw the Bosch mixer do it in videos and I got curious. Could I replicate the test at home? If so could all of the mixers do it? A stand mixer is my go to for beating egg whites in general and it would be nice to have the flexibility to do a small or large batch of whites depending on what I was making.
Zero Stars – WonderMix
The beaters could not make contact so that didn’t work.
Zero Stars – Kitchen Aid
It took more than 4 minutes to whip an egg white and it was not well whipped. I’m calling it a fail.
5 Stars – Bosch
The one egg white whipped perfectly in under a minute. Go figure!
Egg Whites Big Batch: Angel Food Cake
Zero Stars – WonderMix
After five minutes the mixer had not managed to whip the egg whites. In this case I felt like the French whip assembly was just not able to contact the egg whites correctly for whipping.
5 Stars – Bosch
The Bosch had excellent beating action and made really wonderful egg whites. The result was the best angel food cake I’ve made to date! Generally plastic is not recommended for whipping egg whites. In this case, the plastic bowl is a durable plastic and less likely to retain fat than some other plastics but I still don’t like using a plastic bowl for this process. You can pick up a metal bowl for your mixer for $115. The only issue I had with the process is that you can’t fold the dry ingredients into the egg whites in the mixer’s bowl. They have to be removed to another bowl before the flour can be folded in which adds to the dish pile.
5 Stars – KitchenAid
The KitchenAid works great for angel food cake. The advantage here over the Bosch is that you can use the bowl you whipped the egg whites in to fold the flour into the whites. Also, the bowl is metal so there is no concern about transferred fat.
Shredding Chicken: 2 Poached Chicken Breasts in Each Mixer
Zero Stars – WonderMix
I used the cookie whips as they were the strongest but they were not up to the task. The chicken breasts were cut a few times but not shredded.
3 Stars – KitchenAid
The paddle attachment took some time to shred the chicken. By the time the big pieces were all done the smallest pieces were almost powdery. I would have liked a more consistent texture.
5 Stars – Bosch
The Bosch was quick and easy and the chicken was nicely shredded after a few pulses. The whips were so strong they literally cut the chicken. It was very effective.
5 lbs Batch of Mashed Potatoes: Holiday Mashed Potatoes
Zero Stars – WonderMix
I beat the potatoes as long as I could but the texture was still more chunky than creamy. Beating them any longer would have made them gluey. To save the batch I transferred to the Bosch and was able to get perfect whipped potatoes before they turned into glue.
4 Stars – Kitchen Aid
The kitchen Aid whip does a good job on the potatoes but it takes some time. You have to be careful to whip them long enough to get the chunks out without whipping them so long they get gluey.
5 Stars – Bosch
The Bosch was my hands down favorite. The potatoes were whipped in under a minute, no scraping, perfect texture.
How easy is the mixer to use and wash day to day?
1 Star – WonderMix: Hard to use and hard to wash.
- The bowl and attachments are hand wash only.
- The mixer is lightweight and easy to move around. However, it will sometimes walk around the counter if you put a big batch of dough in it.
- If you don’t pick up the bowl correctly the drive shaft will fall on the floor.
- The drive shaft is easy to set up but it is plastic which concerned me as to durability.
- Mixer is so loud you can’t hear the kitchen timer ringing in the same room. This was the only mixer that actually woke up my sleeping infant in the next room over.
- The bowl warps as it is going around on speed #2 which made me feel like it was going to go flying off at some point.
- Mixer has three speeds and a pulse function. All of the speeds are quite fast.
2 Stars – KitchenAid: Easy to use and easy to wash but messy in general.
- The bowl and attachments are dish washer safe.
- The machine is crazy heavy (20-30 pounds depending on the model) and is a bad choice for people who need to limit lifting. It is also famous for walking off the counter when it is running. Personally I don’t want to leave the kitchen for a minute to deal with my kids only to come back to a $300 kitchen appliance crash!
- When adding ingredients to this mixer be prepared for dry ingredients to puff out into a big cloud – even when you use the pour shield. The best way I’ve found to keep the mess down is to cover the machine with a oversized kitchen towel. Either way expect to have to wipe down the entire mixer every time you use it.
- Ingredients tend to end up stuck above the bowl in the mixing arm. It is not easy to clean that area but it should be done frequently to avoid build up that can drop into future batches of food.
- The attachments are easy to put in and take out. However, the paddle design is not great (see sections on individual uses for more information).
- Mixer has 10 speeds including some that are quite slow which is helpful.
4 Stars – Bosch: Easy to use and mess free but washing depends on your dishwasher.
- The bowl and most attachments are top rack dishwasher safe. However, the bowl barely fits in the top rack of my Bosch dish washer (which is really good sized) and we have our hot water turned up very high. I had my bowl edges warp a tiny bit the one time I put the bowl through the dishwasher – probably because of my water temperature. Now I only hand wash it. The drive shaft should only be hand washed. You can buy a metal bowl for this mixer which I plan to do and then use it on the bottom rack of my washer.
- The machine is just 12.3 pounds (almost 60% less than the KitchenAid!) and is easy to lift and move around even for somebody with less physical strength. One you set it in place the suction cup feet hold it there and it won’t walk off the counter no matter what you put into it.
- If you use the pour shield there is almost never any mess. I found that the pour shield is only necessary once in awhile and I didn’t even have to use the center cover generally. The machine kept the ingredients in the bowl without puffing out most of the time!
- The attachments are easy to put in and take out. They all worked really well. The one thing I didn’t like was using the cake paddles for frosting as instructed. It worked much better to use the whips to make buttercream.
- Mixer has 4 speeds and a pulse function. There was a speed for everything I was trying to do.
How hard is it to learn how each stand mixer works?
1 Star – WonderMix: This was definitely the most confusing of the three mixers.
- The mixer included a user manual and a single sheet of orange paper with additional information. To set it up I had to reference the user manual and the orange sheet only to then realize the recipes in the user manual conflicted with instructions given in their online videos.
- The bowl is released from the mixer using a small lever that is not intuitive and the bowl is hard to attach to the mixer when you are setting it up.
- There are “French Whips” and “Cookie Whips” that look similar so I found myself referencing the manual over and over during the week to make sure I had the right whips.
2 Stars – Bosch: Initially the Bosch seemed complicated but it got easy fast.
- The Bosch has a lot of attachments which I thought was going to be frustrating. Instead it turned out to be simple. The information included with the packaging is clear and easy to follow.
- The drive shaft and bowl are easy to put together with the mixer. You can tell by looking at the system how it works.
- There is a small adjustment period but in the long run the mixer is easy to use.
3 Stars – KitchenAid: This was the easiest of the mixers partly because of design and partly because they are so commonly used.
- The attachments slide in and out easily.
- The bowl clicks in and out easily.
- Most people have used or seen a Kitchen Aid mixer in action so there is almost no learning curve.
How does the price and warranty of each mixer compare?
- $455 on Amazon
- 800 watt motor
- 6.5 quart plastic bowl (Six quart stainless steel bowl available for additional $145)
- Comes with everything you need for baking.
- 8 additional attachments such as an ice cream maker are available.
- 3 year warranty on motor and transmission, 1 year warranty on attachments and other parts.
KitchenAid Professional 600 Bowl Lift
- $329 on Amazon
- 525 watt motor
- 6 quart stainless steel bowl
- Comes with everything you need for baking.
- Over 15 additional attachments are available.
- 2 year full warranty from date of purchase: Your choice of replacement or parts and labor.
- $219.95 on Amazon
- 900 watt motor
- 5.5 quart plastic bowl
- Comes with everything you need for baking and a decent blender.
- Four additional attachments are available.
- Limited lifetime warranty.
What kind of stand mixer is right for YOUR kitchen???
This is the kind of investment you should only make once in your life. Before you buy this kind of mixer you should make sure it will do what you want it to do and hold up for many, many years in your kitchen!
The Holiday Baker: If you are somebody who makes a few birthday cakes, some cookies around the holidays and a batch of mashed potatoes at Thanksgiving just buy a $50 hand held mixer like this. You don’t need to spend the money or counter space on a stand mixer.
The Average Home Baker & The Serious Home Baker: If you bake cookies, bread, or cakes, and make mashed potatoes, whipped cream, frostings etc on a regular basis the Bosch is an excellent investment. It is a workhorse that will stand up over the years in your kitchen and flex with you through all your projects.
The Exclusive Cake Baker: I don’t do a ton of from scratch cake baking but those that do feel KitchenAid mixers come out a bit ahead of the Bosch in cake batter preparation. If you bake a LOT of cake you may want to look further into the difference of mixers. I didn’t have any issues making cake batter in the Bosch and it made amazing buttercream. The downfall of buying the KitchenAid would be that bigger batches of buttercream are going to stress the motor and potentially shorten the life of the mixer by quite a bit.
The Interior Design Enthusiast: If the aesthetic appearance of the mixer is the most important than you can’t beat the iconic look of a tilt head KitchenAid mixer in every color of the rainbow. It makes the counter look beautiful and polished. While it might not be a great kitchen appliance it does make a beautiful decoration!
So what mixer won my counter space?
I’m sticking with the Bosch. I actually enjoy it SO much I’ve been baking more, especially bread! The quality of dough that it makes has impressed me to the point that I’ve been thinking of getting rid of my bread machine! I know, a bit of a surprise but I have been incredibly impressed with what this machine can do. All of the attachments are on my shopping list to try out. The KitchenAid is going on my shelf for storage for now. The only reason I’m keeping it around for the moment is to have it for work testing. If I were just cooking for my family it would already be gone. The WonderMix is sitting in a lonely corner of my office. I like the blender on it but that is about it and it is such a turkey to use I don’t know if I even want to give it to a friend!
Do you have a story about your stand mixer? I would love to hear it. Please leave me your stories and questions below in the comments!
This post was originally published in October of 2018. It was updated with new information in February of 2024.
Rick says
Thank you. Thus was the exact review I was looking for. On the way to purchase Bosch for the GF, hmmmmmm just bought KA 6qt pro, to upgrade her Artisan. It’s still sealed in a box, guess I’ll gift it to someone else.
Mirlandra says
I’m so glad to hear that, Rick! I hope she loves it as much as I do!
Mary J. Nicholson says
Hey Mirlandra, such an informative article you had shared. You described the differences of the mixers clearly.thanks for sharing this.your tips helps me to choose the best mixer as my need. Keep posting this type of helpful articles.. 🙂
Mirlandra says
I’m glad you enjoyed it and that it helped you! Finding great kitchen equipment is so important 🙂
Peter says
awesome. i don’t even bake or have a stand mixer but still enjoyed reading this and all the notes and photos you took.
Mirlandra says
I’m so glad you enjoyed it! I had a lot of fun comparing things and looking at the details of what worked well.
JonC says
Several years ago, I went through a similar, but much less rigorous, selection process for the same reason that my 5qt lift-bowl KSM? KitchenAid mixer kept having transmission issues when mixing bread dough (repaired twice). I also ended up with a Bosch Universal and have been happy using it for large bread recipes. Recently, I have heard KitchenAid has gone back to metal gears for their mixers, which has helped with reliability/performance under heavy loads. They also now make the monster 7qt bowl models with higher wattage motors than the Bosch. Maybe one of these ‘new’ metal gear mixers would do better in tests.
I just bought the dough hook extender for the Bosch and recently made a single batch of sweet roll dough with it; it did help knead the dough thoroughly and I was satisfied.
One issue with the Bosch is that, on both of the batter paddles, one or two of the little nibs that click in place around the drive arms have broken off. The paddles still click into place and they don’t seem to be loose on the drive arm, but I wonder where those little plastic bits went…
And after years of trying, I finally ran into a cookie recipe that the Bosch can NOT handle more than a double recipe: chocolate peanut butter crinkles. I had a quadruple recipe (Christmas cookie time) in there, and rather than stalling the motor, I think the drive connection between the base and the bowl was actually slipping (like when you can’t turn a stuck screw, the head of the screwdriver rotates, but the screw doesn’t move). Wow! That was some noise!
Thanks for the excellent/thorough/well written review.
Mirlandra says
Thanks for sharing that! It is great to hear that KitchenAid may be trying to up their game. I feel like they still have design issues to address but I would love to see them bringing a better product back to market. (Now you KNOW I want to open up my Kitchen Aid and see what is inside! LOL.) I have wondered how long my Bosch paddles will hold up with all the plastic bits. So far so good but plastic has a shelf life in general… This is one of those things that only years of use will really tell me but I sure look forward to those years!
sue says
I had the same experience – Great review btw, Miranda and thank you! I actually spent hours reading reviews, including yours, last year. I had a 30 year old white Classic KA that’s still running but wasn’t able to handle big batches. It started to make weird sounds but when I realized it was just a loose screw on the casing, it was all good to go so I felt a little indulgent trying a new mixer. But, it would crawl across the counter with big batches, so I got the Bosch Universal Plus and it was less than love at first sight…..My family hated its looks but i tried to convince them it was a beast of a machine. Sadly, a paddle cracked in two spots leaving hard, plastic bits in my cookie batter. If I hadn’t found them, someone could have easily cracked a tooth. I hadn’t really started making bread, however, which is where the Bosch shines! I returned the Bosch (OMG Everything Kitchens is a fantastic place with amazing staff!) I decided to get a red KA 5 Quart Pro – OMG – it was LOUD! I returned it right away and purchased a red KA 7 pro with DC motor. It is sooo quiet and works fantastic. I have made dozens of loaves of bread and they are spectacular. I can make double batches of cookies easily and whipping anything is a breeze. I am partial to the KA and although i still have and love my classic in white, I have always wanted a red KA! Looks aren’t everything, however, and I still want to give the Bosch another try now that I am back to bread making – someone did a video review with KA and Bosch for bread and there was no contest – the Bosch created dough that was so elastic and smooth and stretchy….the KA was acceptable but the dough couldn’t be stretched more than a few inches without tearing.
Anyway, I was glad to see JonC’s review, sad he had the same experience but glad it wasn’t just me who had the top of the paddles crack so quickly. That is the only reservation I have at going back to the Bosch!
Mirlandra says
Hi Sue! So glad to hear about all of your experiences! I have only run into a broken paddle situation with the lighter weight Bosch – not the universal Plus. I’ve been running my Bosch as the only mixer while the KA gather’s dust for almost 3 years now and I’m still really happy with it! I love the way KA looks but it hasn’t been a good experience at all which is such a bummer. You are right though that for bread the Bosch SHINES and then some! I’ve been making big batches of pizza dough in it recently (I freeze them so I have dough at hand) and it has been a champ. Loving it! Keep me posted if you try the Bosch again!
Jackie says
Pizza dough? I see a recipe I need Mirlandra. Great review. My kitchen aid is from your elementary days. It walks the counter but I use plastic mesh pads under it and the only other problem is the metal bar/screw on the back of the mixer head juts out on large loads. I have to be careful it doesn’t walk all the way out and drop the mixer off. Surprised how easily it moves in and out. Since day one.
Thanks for the review.
Mirlandra says
Hi Jackie! I don’t have a recipe myself for pizza dough. I’ve been playing with some different things to develop a dough that works great for a family with a normal oven. Pregnancy life has slowed down my recipe development this year. Maybe it will be up next year! I’m so glad you have an older KA. Those do tend to work better and last a lot longer! Sadly once KA made the switch to having motor parts made in China the quality really went downhill 🙁 And the walking thing has always been so annoying. I have heard some crazy stories from people with small counters!
Cheryl Nason says
I had a tilt head Kitchen Aid for years and changed to the other type Kitchen Aid. I have been very disappointed and have experienced all of the issues you addressed. My bread does not have the quality it should have and aside from having to stop and scrape the bowl, the bread quality is my biggest disappointment. I so wish I had seen your article before purchasing the Kitchen Aid!
Mirlandra says
Awe, Cheryl – I’m sorry! I’m so disappointed in the failure of Kitchen Aid to live up to their reputation! I hope at some point you are able to get something you like better!
M S says
I’ve had 2 Kitchen Aid Pro Mixers but, last year bought the Bosch. Love it! Now I’m making great bread, every time. I would like to find recipes specifically, just for this mixer, stating the speeds and particular directions. The included recipes have all came out, perfect, however!
Mirlandra says
Oh I love to hear that!!! My Bosch and I are still best friends! It is just a beast in the kitchen!!! I made amazing whipped cream with it just this weekend. It is a more powerful mixer so I feel like the settings are a bit different. Let me think about it – I might be able to come up with a sort of conversion chart to give people a good idea of what to use on the Bosch instead of a Kitchen Aid! That would be super useful.
Gaylene says
Hi Miranda, loved your mixer face off! As a Bosch mixer owner I was thrilled to hear how well it did, I did the research and believed the Bosch to be the best deal. What I didn’t realize is how the recipes, directions, time frames for mixing are not the same with the Bosch mixer that they would be with any other kind of mixer. I have a very difficult time trying to figure out if something is as mixed as it should be or over mixed. As a new baker from scratch, I find I don’t know how long it takes to get stiff peaks. Did you ever figure out the conversion rate using the Bosch? I’m desperate for a little expert direction. Biggest issues with egg whites for Swiss meringue buttercream frosting and egg whites in general. How long to stiff pearls for 11 egg whites? This would be a great first step. 🙏🏼Thank you!
Mirlandra says
Gaylene! I LOVE that you are learning to bake – what fun! I’ve also found there to be a learning curve for Bosch and it is something I have thought of trying to create a chart for at some point. I don’t have an exact time to offer – though generally I have found times for Bosch to be shorter than Kitchen Aid. My suggestion is to try this You Tube video. I think it is very good at showing you how to identify stiff peaks. The video is under 4 minutes.
You are off to a great start (and have the right mixer for sure!) I hope this helps you with your baking – please let me know how it goes 🙂
Glenna says
Thank you so much for such an in-depth review! I stripped the gears on my KitchenAid 600 and have been undecided about what to replace it with. Your detailed comparison has helped me decide on a Bosch. I really appreciate you taking the time and effort to run the tests and share them with us.
Mirlandra says
Hi Glenna – this makes me SO happy! I’m so sad at how the Kitchen Aid brand is now but I love that Bosch is on point. Happy cooking – stay in touch. I want to know how you like your new machine!
Raine says
Mirlandra, you should teach others how to do reviews. LOL I’m so tired of “reviews” that just restate stats from Amazon or the manufacturer’s website. Those aren’t reviews, those are summaries. Ugh. I’ve had a KA Artisan mixer (woefully inadequate for bread) for almost 20 years. I’ve recently taken up baking with my sourdough starter (cakes, biscuits, bread, etc). For most of the time that I’ve had it, my KA Artisan has been perfectly fine (albeit a heavy sucker); however, with the new type of baking I’m doing, it’s not great. I don’t have the budget (though I’m saving) for a new mixer, but I like to check out the reviews, so that I am more informed when the time comes. I’ve already been leaning towards the Bosch (even though I do love the KA pretty colors), and your review and specific task examples helped solidify my inclination. At heart, I really am a function over form person, so it makes so much more sense to have the mixer that is a workhorse and not just a pretty pony. Note to self: beware of chocolate chips pelleting (is that a word? let’s make it one) around the kitchen. LOL Thank you! (PS. I should add that I saw the Wondermix on Amazon and considered it since it’s much less expensive–that’s how I stumbled on your review…and I’m so glad I did! Mistake averted.)
Mirlandra says
Hi Raine! Thanks for your kind comments 🙂 I LOVE this kind of review – but it is a lot of work. Those Amazon reviews you are seeing may be paid for reviews too – or reviews where they got the item for a review. It is such a bummer about the Wondermix – I met the people running the company and they are sweet guys. But it just isn’t the mixer that Bosch is! Best of luck saving up – I’m VERY excited for you to join the Bosch club 🙂
Raine says
Hi again! So, I just realized that there’s a Bosch Nutrimill Artiste. I’m guessing it is to the Universal Plus as the KA Artisan is to the KA Pro series. I’m drawn to the Bosch UP because of the powerful motor, but I don’t really need or want the accessory element for blenders, etc. and the slightly larger footprint that comes with it. (I’m going to be moving into my RV full-time in a few years, so weight and footprint matter.) Do you have any experience with the Nutrimill Artiiste? Is the motor strong enough to handle wheat bread dough? Sourdough challah dough? Thanks for any insights you might have.
Mirlandra says
Hi Raine – That is actually a great question and I should update the post with some info about it for sure! I did get to try the Artiste and it seems like a nice mixer. The only problem I had was that the attachment broke the FIRST time I used it. I was making buttercream frosting and the beaters are plastic at the top – not good. The parts are inter-mixable with the regular Bosch so I replaced the attachments with the Bosch mixer that is metal. That seemed to solve the problem.
I think if you are looking for saving space and weight this would be a good option as long as you upgrade where needed to the Bosch parts. I don’t think I ever ran bread dough in it but it should be strong enough for that. My only question would be how it would hold up over ten years. I don’t think I can really speak to that since I used it very briefly just to test it out for the Bosch company.
Erin says
The the type of thorough review I wanted!!
Mirlandra says
Thank you, Erin! I’m so glad this was helpful to you! I love looking at kitchen tools with data to decide what will be most useful.
Bill says
I have recently started making real whole wheat bread using a 20 year old West Bend bread machine. The paddle is getting worn out and I want to get a mixer and bake bread in the oven. I am more or less alone and do not need a large mixer like the BUP. Have you any experience w the B Compact? I probably only need about two loaves a week. I took a Biblical Healthy Living class years ago and we baked WWB at the instructor’s house and it was delicious. The bread I have been baking w the bread machine has been crummy and I’m ready to stop bread making. But I might try the Bosch Compact or even the UP before I give up. And I enjoyed your reviews. Excellent read. Oh, I have a Sunbeam Mixmaster 1-8B from my late wife and found out yesterday that it has dough thingys. Will try that mixer soon before I look into the Bosch.
Mirlandra says
Hi Bill – These are great questions! I’m so glad you asked. Let’s pop down the list here and I will give you a few thoughts that might help you make some choices!
Bread Machine: Bread that is BAKED in the bread machine is never good. However, it is a great way to make the dough with little effort! I make dough and then shape it into a loaf, let it rise again, and bake. This is my favorite recipe / method for bread machine: https://www.mirlandraskitchen.com/cast-iron-skillet-bread-2/ This recipe has some great tips for baking bread to the perfect internal temperature. I actually have some dough rising in there right now for dinner tonight! (If your paddle is getting worn out though that might be about the end of the road for that machine…)
Bosch Compact: I’ve used this machine some and think it is solid in many ways. The big issue I have is with some of the attachments. The first time out of the box I BROKE the whips because the top part was plastic – not good. I used the whips from the standard size Bosch to replace them and had no further issues. I didn’t test that machine as heavily as I did the other Bosch but I think it should do well for you as long as you are replaced to replace the whips if you want to make buttercream etc.
Sunbeam Mixmaster: I looked this machine up and if I’m looking at the right one the motor is only 325 watts. Compared to the 800 in the Bosch… I suggest you keep the loaf small and be prepared for the motor to burn out. If the motor starts getting hot but keeps working you might be able to ice pack it for awhile to get some more life out of it.
Whatever you go with best of luck! Baking your own bread has always been a comforting activity of the soul for me as well as a way to nourish my family. I hope you find a great way to keep baking!
Susan says
This is a weird question. Do you think the bosch would be able to handle blending meat? I use ground meat with a liquid supplement for my cat’s food and am always looking for things that can help me mixing! 🙂 Plus, I just made my first loaf of milk bread and am addicted. Considering a bosch that might be able to do both, but it is expensive!
Mirlandra says
Hi Susan! No such thing as a weird question 🙂 We have three cats and I actually supplement their food with cooked chicken so I completely understand! I’ve put cooked chicken in the Bosch for shredding and it has done great. In general a machine with a solid motor that can take on buttercream frosting, cookie dough, and bread dough should be able to do it all (well maybe not mix concrete!). I would expect it to perform well and last a long time in the circumstances you describe. I hope that helps – good luck with your kitty food mixer search!
Susan says
Thank you – I really appreciated the reviews. I was considering a wondermix but I’d rather put the money into a machine that is worth it than buy 2-3 crappy machines. Bosch seems to be the answer. As someone else said, it’s frustrating that sometimes “reviews” aren’t really reviews. Now that I’m addicted to hokkaido milk bread and have learned I can freeze the dough and have fresh bread easier, that’s in my future 😀
Mirlandra says
My pleasure, Susan! That is how I’m feeling about my Bosch after my rough go with Kitchen Aid. I hear you on reviews not really being reviews!!!! Lots of shady things happen in life and online is certainly not the exception to that. But I believe integrity isn’t for sale and I try very hard to make sure that shows in what I write and teach! I can’t fix an entire broken world but I can live in a way that makes my part of it good 🙂
I’m going to have to have a look at that milk bread! That sounds wonderful!
Agata Jankowska says
Very interesting and well described. May I know which Bosch model you used to test? Too much to compare and make decision, I wouldn’t be bankrupt after buying while I wish to add attachment many as possible.
Mirlandra says
I’m using the Bosch Universal Plus Mixer https://www.boschmixers.com/product/bosch-universal-plus-mixer/?gclid=Cj0KCQiA-aGCBhCwARIsAHDl5x944P3P74WXtYW0V_4JYV7ZG3PNmeEEmHWrcM8nGw1yDlYclTb1hSwaAv2TEALw_wcB
Barb C says
Hi MIrlandra,
Thank you so much for this amazing review! I bought my Bosch Universal probably over 10 years ago, and haven’t really used it much until recently. I did so much research before I bought it. One thing that put me off early on was that the drive shaft would heat up, which heated the plastic bowl, and that ruined my whipped something-or-other–can’t exactly remember what I was making. So to me that’s one negative on the Bosch–you can’t keep the plastic bowl cold. Maybe if I had a metal bowl I could have chilled it from the outside. But right now I’m using the Bosch to whip egg whites for a low carb bread I’m trying to master, and I was wondering why I was getting a dozen egg whites (even mostly from a carton) to stiff peaks in under 2 minutes! It just seemed WRONG…everyone else seems to take 8 minutes or even more to whip their egg whites. They turn on their mixer and walk away! So I did an internet search and found your review. It’s been so long I didn’t even realize I could remove the drive shaft to wash the bowl!
Mirlandra says
Hi Barb – thanks for sharing! The Bosch is a beast with egg whites – fast and amazing! I really do wish they all came with metal bowls though. I just don’t like the plastic as well. I’ve never had a problem with mine heating up the drive shaft at all but then mine is only about three years old so maybe they have updated it? You might also reach out to Bosch and see if they have a suggestion. I wonder if they might be able to help. Good luck with that bread baking! Sounds wonderful 🙂
Joe says
I just wanted to thank you for the thorough review. Over the pandemic I really came to love baking and am now looking for a stand mixer so I can expand my repertoire. This review really solidified my belief that I should go with the Bosch. Thanks again 🙂
Mirlandra says
Hi Joe! You are absolutely welcome. I love having details like this about a big purchase – it makes all the difference in finding the RIGHT tool for me!
Rachel says
Thank you for all your leg work!! I am in exactly the same spot that you described. Angry and frustrated with my KA that I received when I got married. I’m actually happy the motor died so that I can get something else!! I make big batches of bread and your reviews are so helpful! I am going with Bosch thanks to your help. One quick question. I am noticing that it the listings have changed from 800 watts to 500 watts. Any idea why? Thanks Again!
Mirlandra says
Hi Rachel,
I’m so glad this was helpful to you! (Sorry for the late reply, I have been on maternity leave.) I took a look at the Bosch website and they said that the motor hasn’t changed but how they label it has due to regulations. It sounds odd to me but I know nothing about regulations for motors. If the company says they haven’t changed the motor I would feel confident in the motor. And they did clarify that they still have the three year warranty. You can read their statement about the change here: https://www.boschmixers.com/product/bosch-universal-plus-mixer/
Karen Bennett says
I wish I had your test reviews before buying the Wonder Mix. I also have a 10 year old pro kitchaid that has problems when first starting it. It doesn’t want to start. I give it a couple trys and it takes off. The wonder Mix does a pretty good job for my four loaf bread recipe. I also have the cheese grinder attachment and it works well. I havent drug my giant food processor out for a long time. I really think the blender is crappy. I thought I wouldnt need my heavy duty Oster Blender anymore so gave it to one of my kids. Darn. Should have kept it. However, Just after have my Wondermix for one year it stopped. They said it was my fault but they would repair it. I had to pay $30. to send it to them and $40. to get it back. I am so mad at myself for not going with the Bosch. I was basically looking at the price. I will keep the Wonder Mix until it dies again and then get the Bosch. Great job on your tests. I learned alot.
Mirlandra says
Hi Karen,
I’m SO sorry to hear about your Wonder Mix. I got to meet the owners of the company and did really like them as people and I’m sorry they are not providing better customer service. It really seems that Bosch is the best available on the market these days for home cooks. I have yet to see anything better come along!
Karen Bennett says
Should have proof read Sorry
Mirlandra says
No worries! We do real life here!!!
Sally A Atkinson says
Sure wish I’d read this before I purchased the WonderMix! I’ve owned it 2.5 years and the motor has begun to smell like it’s burning out. I did purchase an extended warranty, so I hope I can get it repaired for awhile.
Mirlandra says
Oh I hope so! I’m sorry for the frustrations you have had with the mixer.
Margaret says
I absolutely love my Bosch! I have had it about 5 years. I had never heard of it before. I saw someone on a tv show using some weird looking mixer and I looked it up. I have the Universal Pro and it hasn’t given me any issues. I wish I had more time to bake!! I am a Bosch Mixer snob now!!!
Mirlandra says
You get converted quick! Hard to not love a mixer this wonderful!!! I treated myself to the metal bowl this past year and that has been fun. I should add some details to this post with information about that bowl.
Margaret says
I have had my Universal Pro for about 5 years. It is so amazing, especially for bread and huge batches of Christmas cookies. I had never heard of the mixer and saw someone using one on a tv show so I looked it up. I hated my KA and bought a Bosch right away. Haven’t had any issues at all. I really want the metal bowl, but since Covid it has really jumped in price!
Mirlandra says
The metal bowl is expensive! I’m not sure it is worth it for most people. It has plastic in the middle where the drive shaft goes!!! So it isn’t a all metal bowl which was a huge disappointment to me! So you don’t have any of the benefits of an all metal bowl. I feel like I would struggle to recommend it generally for people because of the mixture of materials.
Katie says
Just wanted to say a big THANK YOU for your incredibly thorough review! I was wondering whether the higher price of the Bosch v. the Wondermix would be justified for us and now I am convinced. This was SO helpful and the best review I’ve seen these mixers. Big thanks again from a fellow busy mom of littles who bakes like crazy. 🙂
Mirlandra says
Awe Katie, you totally made my day! Thanks! I’m so glad it was helpful! Mom life with littles is always crazy and the big purchase choices always make me nervous! I’ve been running the Bosch almost 5 years now and I am still totally in love. I finally long term loaned my KitchenAid to a friend who didn’t have a mixer because mine was looking sad and dusty! Enjoy your baking!
Ronda says
I use my Bosch for my pizza dough all the time, and it uses 3c flour. 🤷🏼♀️ I wasn’t aware of the issue with small batches until I came online and started reading these reviews. 🤔
Mirlandra says
Some people have great luck with it but it can be tricky! Whatever you are doing is working so keep it up! And homemade pizza… YUM!