Bosch vs. KitchenAid

For the past couple of weeks, well, actually the past 14 months, I've been pondering on the respective merits of the Bosch and KitchenAid. This hasn't been a full-time pondering, and I certainly haven't lost any sleep over it, but when I'm making something that requires mixing or kneading, which happens fairly regularly, I do think about the equipment.

I brought the Bosch mixer with me to New York and still have the KitchenAid in Utah. The Bosch gets used a lot more in NY than it ever did in Utah, simply because it's all I have. But this also means I've used it for a lot more than making bread (which was its sole use in Utah), so I have more experience with it on which to base my ramblings.

In a nutshell, I LOVE the Bosch for making bread. I can make a batch of 6 loaves of whole wheat bread at one time, and it turns out perfectly. It's fast and efficient. It kneads without stressing the motor It's easy to use. I can make multiple recipes after each other and the motor doesn't seem to get hot. It's a workhorse, no question about it. My Bosch also came with a blender attachment (the blender attaches to a different part of the base). The blender works really well, too. In fact, I think it's the best blender I've ever used.

BUT. . . I miss my KitchenAid. I LOVE the KitchenAid for virtually everything else like cookies, frosting, whipping cream, etc. The KitchenAid is incredibly easy to use and has a limited number of parts to clean. It doesn't hold the capacity that the Bosch holds, but that's not a problem for anything but bread (at least that I've noticed so far). The motor does seem to get warm, but the mixer keeps working. My mom's KitchenAid is over 50 years old, and it's still working (it has had the motor replaced, however). That original design has stood the test of time - my KitchenAid and attachments look almost just like my moms (and mine is only 20+ years old).

So the question I get asked is this: If you could have only one - either the Bosch or the KitchenAid - which would you choose? Based on what I know and how I cook, I would probably choose the KitchenAid, but I'm really glad that I don't have to make that decision. And I'll be really glad when I can get my KitchenAid to my NY kitchen. But what do you think? Is one better than another? Any preferences? Let me know.

Now. . . the piece of equipment I would love to have in my kitchen but probably never will because it's completely impractical, not to mention expensive and BIG, is an industrial size Hobart mixer. Think of it as the KitchenAid on steroids. It is one BIG, BAD mixer, but I fell in love with it at Seneca Lake Camp. It does have a few drawbacks for use in the normal home kitchen (like it's size and the fact that it takes two people to lift the mixer bowl when it's full), but think of the possibilities of being able to make 12 - 16 loaves of bread at once, or 10 dozen cookies, or a full sheet cake pan of brownie mix. Hmmm - with only two people most of the time to cook for, it may be a bit of overkill. But a girl can dream. . .