Food Processor or stand mixer?

[jozirk]

I'm considering buying either a new food processor or a stand mixer. I make alot of noodles and pasta so I want something that will work with dough. Any suggestions out there?
Thanks for your help. Jo

[dazaga]

A food processor and mixer do two different things. The processor does well in cutting and chopping veggies, whereas the mixer is more for mixing dough, etc. I don't make my own pasta, so I can't answer as to that part of it, but if you want something to help with baking, go with the mixer (I love my KitchenAid.....my Mom loves her Bosch:-).

[KarenB]

I use my Kitchenaid mixer before my processor. I find it easier. Less mess. I have the accessory kit to grate, strain, and grind. Yes they are a lot of money but worth it. I've gone through 3 food processors in the same amount of time as the Kitchenaid and use the mixer much more.

[CM]

Food processors are good for making pasta and noodles, pie crusts and quick breads and cookies. They're also good for making pizza doughs and yeast breads. They're good for making bread crumbs, slicing and chopping veggies, and making purees for sauces and soups.

Stand mixers allow you to mix batters that are well aerated for making light cakes. You can whip egg whites with a mixer, but a food processor just cuts through eggs instead of whipping them. A mixer with a dough hook lets you knead breads to develop a good amount of elasticity for a chewy texture. A stand mixer is a good choice if you make lots of bread, too. Kitchen-Aid has pasta roller and extruder attachments you can use for making pasta.

While you can make pasta and noodle dough with a stand mixer, it can put a good deal of strain on the motor, especially for the newer models. I've actually cracked the housing of one of my Kitchen-Aids by mixing and kneading heavy batters (and that was one of the older models).

When making bread, pizza dough and pasta, I usually finish off the kneading by hand for best results, even when using a heavy duty mixer or food processor.

[extaca]

I don't know about one vs. the other but what I do know is Lidia Bastianich AND Mario Batali both use food processors to make pasta. Good enough for me. I would like both but I don't do enough baking to justify spending $250 for a stand mixer when a hand mixer would suffice.

[sarah1213]

To make pasta go with the processor.

[Auntymimi]

My husband just bought me a KitchenAid for a late Christmas present. I'm so excited to use it! It was actually from the Dogs because they were home alone on New Years Eve and ate the cord on my hand mixer, and a toaster and a bunch of jellybeans then got sick, they made a royal mess!!! Lifes little blessings. lol

I own a food processor but one of the blades broke so i may pitch it now. I haven't used it since my favorite blade broke.

[Kookie]

I use my Kitchen Aid much more often than my food processor. One of those reasons is I also have many attachments for it. Pasta, grinding,and want the next to be the ice cream maker! My food processor is a huge machine and bulky......great for big jobs such as grating large amounts of cheese and such. My mixer stays on the counter top also.......If my boyfriend ever tried putting it away, I would smack him....LOL

[KarenB]

You are so right. On the counter just moves to clean the counter. I don't have many attachments but use it a lot. Only reason I cook more then before ownership.

[Big Daddy's House]

Go here and scroll down near the bottom of the page to see pics of my 2 K'Aid Stand Mixers;


http://netcookingtalk.com/forums/showthread.php?t=20102

The 4.5-qt almond one, I've had for a whopping 26 years, and it is STILL going strong after all those years!1 Wouldn't trade it for the world!!

The slightly larger 5-qt machine handles larger mixing jobs and also suppliments the smaller one.