KitchenAid vs. Bosch {Which Mixer Do You Really Need?}
It’s KitchenAid vs. Bosch! In this ultimate showdown between two of the most popular stand mixers on the market, learn the ins and outs of each mixer, and find out which stand mixer is right for you!
Disclaimer: this is an unsponsored post (i.e. I haven’t been paid to talk about these mixers); this post contains a few affiliate links which means that, at no additional cost to you, I may earn a small commission if you make a purchase. Thanks so much for your support in this way!. As always, feel free to shop around for the best price!
In my extremely scientific (read: not scientific at all) research analysis, I’ve found that out of all my readers that own a stand mixer, most of you have either a KitchenAid or a Bosch mixer.
There are other brands on the market, but today, I want to focus on these two mixers.
It’s a battle of KitchenAid vs. Bosch!
My Experience Using Both Mixers
They are vastly different mixers. You can see this immediately in terms of shape, color, size, and design.
And because of that, each have good points…and some not so good points.
I’ve been a loyal Bosch Universal fan for years. I received one in the first years of my marriage and have been using it since (not the original mixer – I gave that one to a friend when I upgraded to the new model design a couple of years ago, but the 14-year old Bosch is going strong for my pal, Katie).
As for using a KitchenAid, many years ago, Costco was running a huge rebate on KitchenAid mixers, and I took the plunge and snagged one during the sale.
I never thought I would be a KitchenAid owner (or fan), but after hearing several friends rave about their KitchenAid’s strengths, I decided I wanted to try one out for myself.
She’s definitely a beauty, no doubt about that.
In all honesty, I was tempted to return the KitchenAid mixer within the first few weeks I had it (mostly because it felt, and still feels sometimes, excessive to have two stand mixers), but I stuck out the learning curve of a new mixer, and I’m glad I did, because it’s given me time to figure out which mixer really is the best.
Comparing KitchenAid to Bosch Universal
The KitchenAid I bought at Costco is unique to Costco stores and is a bit different than KitchenAid mixers you can buy online or at other stores, but it is very similar to this KitchenAid mixer.
This is the Bosch Universal mixer I have.
The Bosch stand mixer is also offered in a compact version (400 watts, 4-quart bowl capacity, about $189). And the KitchenAid mixers come in many different variations of motor power and bowl capacity (such as this 5-quart, 325 watt mixer, about $299).
For the purpose of today’s KitchenAid vs. Bosch post, I want to compare similar models between brands (so that it wouldn’t be an unfair contest, like comparing a Ferrari to a Nissan Sentra).
Below, you can see some of the basic specs for each of the mixers.
Fairly similar in price and bowl capacity, the Bosch shines in it’s higher powered motor at 800 watts (and let’s be serious, the KitchenAid can’t be beat when it comes to color options).
This makes a big difference when it comes to making things like bread. If I had a dollar for every time I heard that someone’s KitchenAid mixer burned up making bread…
It seems to be a common issue with KitchenAid mixers, although less so with higher powered KitchenAid’s (500 watts and above).
However, I have never heard anyone say their Bosch mixer motor burned out, especially not while making bread, which brings me to my first comparison point.
The Bosch Shines at Bread-Making
The Bosch Universal is hands down the best mixer for making bread.
Because of the bowl design (the mixing shaft comes up from the bottom rather than the top, like the KitchenAid), and because of the higher power, the Bosch can easily hold upwards of 22 cups of ingredients in the bowl and will mix bread like a boss.
I always make large batches of bread in my Bosch, including my go-to whole wheat bread recipe that makes 5-6 loaves.
I think the Bosch handles small batches of dough just fine, also, although I will say that this is a common complaint with the Bosch: small batches of anything don’t fare well.
The secret I’ve learned is to add the flour very gradually for small batches of bread in the Bosch, otherwise, you’re left with dry patches as the dough just spins aimlessly in the mixer unable to incorporate all the ingredients.
The KitchenAid and Bread-Making
Now let’s talk about the KitchenAid and bread.
I have turned to my KitchenAid a time or two to make smaller batches of bread (like these divine breadsticks).
It works fine, but I find it’s much easier to overflour the dough in the KitchenAid in order to get all the ingredients mixed based on how the dough hook moves around the bowl.
Making large batches of bread dough is out when it comes to the KitchenAid, in my opinion, but small batches seem to work ok. I’ve found I often have to scrape the sides of the bowl down to help incorporate flour – a difference between KitchenAid and Bosch as I never have to scrape down the sides of the Bosch bowl when making bread.
I’m going to detail a few more side-by-side comparisons below, but if you want to jump right to an overview, here’s a little chart for an at-a-glance picture at how these mixers measure up against each other.
Cookie Making in a KitchenAid and Bosch Universal
Both the Bosch and the KitchenAid are awesome for cookie making.
I made the exact same chocolate chip cookie recipe side-by-side in each mixer.
You can see that initially, the Bosch does a slightly better job at incorporating the butter and sugar together. The butter doesn’t get as hung up on the cookie paddles in the Bosch like it does in the KitchenAid.
As a sidenote, the cookie paddles are not included with the Bosch mixer, but are totally worth the extra $20 purchase; I use the dough hook or cookie paddles for everything I make in the Bosch.
UPDATE: I’ve started using the cookie paddles to cream the soft ingredients and then switch to the dough hook when adding the dry ingredients (I had a couple sets of cookie paddles break on me). And often, I just use the dough hook start to finish.
This dough hook that is sold separately is a game changer for the Bosch – it helps with dough climbing up the center column and overall just does a better job mixing any and all ingredients. I wish this was the dough hook shipped with the Bosch!
After a little pause for scraping the butter off the paddle, the KitchenAid works great.
Interestingly both mixers struggled a bit to incorporate the eggs into the cookie dough without some excessive scraping action, as well.
Which brings me to a pretty major point that BOTH mixers have issues with ingredients getting stuck to the bottom of the bowl, especially with wet batters or doughs, and based on design (and even after manipulating the screw on the KitchenAid to bring the paddle closer to the bottom of the bowl), it requires some scraping to get everything incorporated.
This is NOT an issue when doubling a standard cookie dough recipe in the Bosch, FYI (beautiful double batch of cookie dough pictured just below).
The larger quantities of everything seem to help the paddles pick up all necessary bits, but doing the same and doubling a cookie dough recipe in the KitchenAid, I still had to dig in there to scrape lingering bits of butter and sugar off the bottom (but not necessarily the sides).
After the egg/vanilla point in cookie making, both mixers handle the cookie dough like the professionals they are.
Since I already touched on it above, let’s talk about the issues of making smaller batches of recipes in each mixer.
Small Batches/Thinner Batters
No offense to my Bosch, but it stinks when making small batches of anything. Even though the description will say it can whip even one egg white to stiff peaks (and it may, I’ve never tried it), when it comes to small, or more particularly, thinner/wetter recipes, I have to do a lot of scraping, especially on the bottom of the bowl, to help incorporate the ingredients.
There IS a bowl scraper available, but I don’t have it and can’t attest to whether it helps this issue out or not, and it certainly wouldn’t help with all the goodness that gets stuck on the center shaft of the mixer and the bottom of the bowl.
The solution in the Bosch is usually to double the recipe (not always possible, I know). A batch of frosting that might need a lot of scraping usually does great when doubled.
Even though the KitchenAid does require some initial scraping to get ingredients off the bottom of the bowl, it really shines when mixing wet batters, like cake recipes or frosting, or for whipping cream or egg whites.
There is also a scraper attachment for KitchenAid mixers. Again, I don’t have this, but it may be a help, although my issue with the KitchenAid is the ingredients that hang out on the bottom of the bowl even after adjusting the height of the mixer.
Despite having to still pull up ingredients from the bottom of the bowl, the KitchenAid is hands down the best mixer for standard-size recipes of thinner/wetter ingredients.
And I love having it for this perfect yellow cake recipe (although keep in mind when I made that dang recipe 17 times to get it perfect, I didn’t have a stand mixer, so my handheld mixer – more details below – did the job).
Ease of Use
I’m not going to lie, I’ve wanted to kind of scream in my pillow sometimes at trying to add ingredients to the KitchenAid while it is mixing.
My measuring cups hit the side of the mixer when adding flour and other dry ingredients; it’s hard to get all the flour added without banging the measuring cup against the side of the bowl like a madwoman to expel the last specks of flour.
If you have the flexibility to stop the mixer and lower the bowl, it’s much easier, but in small batch bread dough recipes or any recipe where you need to add ingredients gradually, it’s a pain.
However, adding liquid/wet ingredients, like eggs or milk, seems to be much easier.
I don’t know if it’s the measuring cups I’m using or not, but clearly, adding ingredients to the KitchenAid is kind of a love/hate thing for me.
The Bosch, on the other hand, is easier for adding ingredients while the mixer is running thanks to the open top design.
However, after adding dry ingredients, some light sweeping is usually necessary to get the excess flour (or whatever) off the metal driver.
And take care to avoid the plumes of whispy flour (or powdered sugar) that puff out of the mixer and may cause minor coughing fits (which is mainly caused by one sticking their face too close to the mixer during the dry ingredient adding procedure – not that I would ever do that).
Cookie maker beware.
Where Does This Leave Us?
You can probably already see (if you made it this far, and if so, you deserve a cookie), that instead of proclaiming a true winner, it’s clear that each mixer has it’s strengths and weaknesses.
And much of the decision about which mixer to buy really depends on what you predominantly plan to make with it.
For serious bread makers and avid bakers of many types, the Bosch is a strong contender.
For those that see themselves making average-sized batches of cookies and cakes more than bread, the KitchenAid might be the best option.
And just to muddy the waters a bit, I have to say that in addition to my two stand mixers, I rely heavily on my everyday hand mixer, too.
For the longest time (over a decade), it was just me, my Bosch, and my trusty hand mixer that I used to make smaller batches of frosting, thin cake batters, etc.
Maybe it’s just because I’m a creature of habit, but I like having it around.
And since I’m clearly having a good time putting together charts, here’s a recap of which mixer I use..and for what.
It’s probably really obvious from this post that I’m a huge fan of the almighty Bosch. I can’t help it. She’s been by my side for over a decade.
If I had to choose between mixers, I’d definitely go with a Bosch Universal.
For me, a Bosch + hand mixer (for those thinner batters) is everything I would need for day-to-day cooking and baking operations in my kitchen.
However, the lovely KitchenAid cannot be discounted in terms of all-purpose use, especially if there isn’t going to be much bread or large-batch baking.
And, I will definitely say that if you are into looks, the KitchenAid has much more of an ooh-la-la factor. They are shiny and purty, no doubt about that.
The Bosch, on the other hand, isn’t fancy and doesn’t come in a million colors – it is definitely more on the humble, hard-working side of things.
And guess what? I also believe you can live your life fully and with lots of joy without even owning a stand mixer!
So, now it’s YOUR turn! If you are a stand mixer owner, which one do you have? And why do you love it?
Thanks for sticking with me for this detailed post (assuming you did, ha!). Feel free to ask any additional follow-up questions or clarification in the comments. Later, skaters!
Sorry, but I did not like my Bosch at all! Maybe I got a dud but it did not mix dough well and I do make large batches of bread! I also did not enjoy the cleanup so I sold my fairly new Bosch and am still wondering what to replace it with. I have the older version of the Braun mixer and feel it is the best machine ever. Sadly they no longer make them. Had it for 30 years and although it’s a little louder than it used to be, and only 400 watts, it’s still going strong.
I know this is supposed to be Bosch vs KA and later I comment that I would buy a Bosch if I bought anything …. but that was mostly conforming to spirit of the discussion. In my research for ciabatta making (I have no stand mixer), I saw the Kenwood mixer. It is $$$ more than either Bosch or KA but I liked what I saw in videos and their site. Made in UK I think. I am kind of wondering if it is the best of both worlds.
I had a Kenwood for over 20 years, and used it daily for everything. Bread, cookies, cakes you name it. The beater broke and I haven’t been able to find a replacement. So I bought a LA. Really don t love it even though they look so much alike. The Kenwood never left stuff on the bottom, and was better at kneading. None of the disadvantages of the KA and all of the strengths . I’ve heard the Cuisinart is very similar to the Kenwood.
Interesting, Liz! I need to look into the Kenmore mixer, too. Not that I need another mixer (ha! definitely not) but I like to at least know what’s on the market. I’ll probably try to find someone locally that has one and try to see it in action.
I’m from the UK and was given a Kenwood Chefette stand mixer, a junior model and not one of the large Kenwood Chefs, it was great. Years later I upgraded to the Kitchen Aid – I love it except for the clouds of flour or icing sugar that erupt even when using the plastic collar and more importantly the bowl can lock on to the stand which evidently is a common fault. My husband came home to find me wrestling with it on the floor banging the bowl handle with a rubber mallet and using language from Saxon times while trying to watch a YouTube video on the iPad beside me.
I’m quite intrigued by the Bosch and have never seen it in the UK but it certainly looks interesting so i shall have to do some trawling the net to find out more.
If it’s any help a friend who cooks professionally and makes bread every day for her family splashed out on the huge Kenwood Chef and loves it – she says it purrs like the engine of a Rolls Royce and is just a wonderful workhorse.
That’s ok, Sara! I don’t think the Bosch is for everyone.
I am considering a Kitchen Aid, definitely the larger one. The tilt heads don’t have enough watts to tempt me. I do have a Bravetti hand held 300 watt mixer I bought from one of the shopping networks years ago that handles most things. I definitely want more watts than that in a stand mixer. I know I have read recommendations that the tilt head isn’t really powerful enough to use when baking bread. My real delay in getting a stand mixer is giving up the counter space for it, but I’m getting closer to having one.
Thanks for the time and effort you put into this comparison.
I hear you on the counter space.
I really love the kitchenaid mixer I have. It was a gift from Mom and a complete surprise. I loved her thoughtful act. I could never have bought one for myself. I received it about 20 years ago and it still works just fine without having any repairs done. There are only 3 in my family. The kitchenaid is perfect for us.
That is so sweet, Carm. I loved hearing that your mom gave you a KA as a gift. No wonder it is special.
My mom bought her first Bosch 35+ years ago while we lived in Europe. She bought a new one about 10 years ago but still uses the other one when they go to their 2nd home. I don’t know if they ever die. I’ve had mine for about 12 years and I LOVE it! I use it daily ….sometimes multiple times.
I married into a kitchenAid family but over the years many of them have converted. : )
Totally agree about saving the Bosch & wheat grinder in case of a fire. Thanks for ALL the great recipes and other info!
Thanks, Jen! There could be a whole study done about how people were raised in homes with different mixers. It’s loyalty that runs deep (and can sometimes get emotional!). 🙂
I’ve always had a Kitchenaid and I REALLY LOVE IT for everything…except for bread. My MIL gave me her 30 year old Bosch a few years ago and it’s the only thing I use for bread. It’s a workhorse even 30 years later. But I still prefer my Kitchenaid for everything else.
And my Kitchenaid is so much easier to clean.
Thanks for your comments, Danielle!
With the KitchenAid scraper, it is awesome at getting stuff off the sides, but makes a huge mess when you add more then 1/2 a cup of either flour/powdered sugar or wet ingredients. And it doesn’t get stuff off the bottom, so I’m a natural paddle girl myself! Thanks for the advice! I’ve had my mixer for about 10 years and even though it runs great, I’m already researching what to replace it with! Your opinion is quite important though, because I love your cooking style so much… So yeah, I’m pretty excited that you posted this!
Thanks, Ashlee! I’m super bummed I bought my KA at Costco (heads up about this) because the scraper attachments don’t fit the Costco models. It makes me irritated enough, I’ll probably write a letter to someone (who will probably never read it). 🙂
I paid the extra few dollars for the Kitchen Aid brand scraper blade as I was told there have been issues with other brands…could this be your problem? I am completely shocked that Kitchen Aid would create a blade that doesn’t fit every model!:(
Ordered Kitchenaid stand mixer last night. It is highly recommended by my friend. I haven’t received it yet. But I am looking forward to seeing how it works Thanks for the sharing!
How fun, Kit!
Thanks for doing this! Not trying to be negative, and I didn’t quite read every word of your post, but I didn’t notice any mention of the ease of cleanup. A huge factor for me, so I just thought I’d chime in that I kind of avoid using my Bosch because it is a pain to clean. I pretty much only pull it out if I am doing a big batch of bread dough. I don’t have a Kitchenaid, so I suppose I’m not sure that it is easier to clean, but anyway, that’s my two cents. I usually just go with my handheld mixer…
Others have mentioned the same thing. I didn’t talk about it in the post because honestly, cleaning the Bosch isn’t a big deal to me. Maybe it’s because I’ve dealt with it for a lot of years, but I don’t think it’s any harder to clean up than a bowl, however, others will say hands down the KA is easier to clean. Sorry for not touching on that in the post!
I started my married life with an old Sunbeam stand mixer (I still have the old one from my mom– it’s probably 50 years old.. it will make a small batch of cookies or whip frosting.. but I also have a cheap walmart hand mixer that I use much more often for that sort of things) I have never owned a kitchen aid, but about the Bosch, 13 years ago I bought a Bosch and I have never looked back and I have the “food processor type” bowl and attachments and the blender.. I honestly use my Bosch every single day, and most of the time multiple times a day!! I would have never become someone who makes bread, rolls and cookies weekly… sometimes daily.. if it were not for the Bosch. It has been worth every cent and has payed for itself over and over again. The only gift… besides the wedding… that I gave my daughter when she got married a couple of years ago is a Bosch I knew it was the one item she couldn’t live without… and so did she. This was a fun post to read, and it confirmed what I already believed, I, Like you, just need a Bosch and a hand mixer and I’m good to go for all my baking needs!!!!
Sunbeam was my starter also, Helen! My mom gave me hers. This was nearly 43 years ago and the mixer was 20 years old. The mixer is long gone but I still have the white mixing bowls: a large bowl and a smaller one with a pour spout. So, they have been through 63 years of use 🙂 Fun memory, thank you!
Thanks Liz! My mom passed away recently and as I have gone thru things in her kitchen I feel really attached to that Sunbeam, and especially the great bowls that came with it!! I have been known to use them with my little hand mixer… just because that are great bowls … Wonderful memories tied up in that old Sunbeam mixer, that’s how I learned to make cookies. Thanks for enjoying the memory with me 🙂
Now I am nearly in happy tears … my paternal grandmother was Helen.
The Sunbeam is a great memory for me Bowls and all!! That’s where my cookie making days started … thanks for sharing the memory with me.. it’s a great one!!
Ah, loved reading the back and forth, Liz. Two of my favorite “virtual” friends. Glad you connected over your Sunbeam memories. 🙂
I grew up in a KitchenAid family and was so excited to get a beautiful red one as a wedding present from my mom. I never understood why anyone would want a Bosch, so reading this was enlightening! It sounds like almost everything I use my mixer for is what the KitchenAid does best, so I’m glad I landed in the right camp by accident! 🙂 Although last week for Easter I made a double batch of your French bread rolls (so easy and delicious!!!) and was afraid for the first time that the motor was going to die…after reading people’s comments about motors breaking I’ll stick with single batches in the future!
Isn’t it interesting how it really is individual to each person – and what they cook/bake the most? Glad you are happy with the KA! And super happy you didn’t burn up the motor with the rolls!
I bought my first Bosch over 35 years ago. When I upgraded to a newer model about five years ago, I gave the old one to my daughter. It’s still a workhorse. I have always wondered about the Kitchenaid, and I’m glad to know that I have the right stand mixer for me. Thank you for your informative comparison.
I love hearing so many people say their Bosch mixers are going on 30+ years!
I started my marriage with a kitchen-aid mixer. I used it for the first 10 or so years of marriage, making bread sometimes regularly, until I killed the motor on a 4 loaf batch of bread. When that happened, I was considering getting a Bosch to replace it, but in the end Costco won me over with a deal they were running on the KitchenAid (I believe it’s the same one you are reviewing here!) and it was a week before thanksgiving, so I pretty much gave in, and got a new kitchen-aid. Well, I killed that one too, but much quicker this time! I have hung on to it, because I have heard that they are easy to fix, but in the mean time, I got a Bosch. You’ll probably remember me pestering you when I first got my Bosch, because my trusty 2 loaf recipe tripled did not translate well in the Bosch. After some help and experimentation, I now love my Bosch! I make 6 loaves almost weekly, and I can’t imagine life without it! But I miss my KitchenAid for frostings, whipped cream, and all those smaller, wet batches of things. I have borrowed a neighbors hand mixer on occasion for such things, or even tried to make my immersion blender work, but I think I will be repairing my kitchen-aid mixer soon, just so I can use it for all those things you mentioned above. I had the scraper attachment for the kitchen-aid, and that does help quite a bit, even minimizing the unmixed parts in the very bottom (from what I remember, it has been a while…)
Love your thorough comment, Mollie! I hope you can get your KA repaired soon!
I completely agree! All I need in the kitchen are my Bosch and hand mixer (love my Vitamin too)!
Thanks, Sarah!
Amen…Amen to everything! I have had a stand model KitchenAid mixer for 15 years, and it’s still going strong. I love it for so many things! But, the Bosch is so amazing for bread and bigger cookie recipes. I love both! 🙂 (My Bosch and my grain mill came from Pleasant Hill Grain as well…they’re great!) Great post!
I love Pleasant Hill Grain!
Up until Christmas,(when my beloved finally got me a KA from Costco) my only mixer was a Hamilton Beach hand mixer, 10 years strong! I got it because it had that handy dandy caddy that attaches to the bottom to store all the attachments with it. The one that if you wind the cord up nice and neat and shove it in on top of the attachments, it might stay… lol truth be told- it all gets shoved in a drawer or a cabinet.
That said- I still find myself using it for things I could do in my KA. But it’s just easier to clean up, sometimes. I think a good hand mixer is a welcome addition to any kitchen.
I love my KA. I’ve named her Bowlivia Newton John, jokingly because if I was going to do more recipes I was going to have adapt to “Let’s Get Physical” mentality. Then my husband reminded me that THAT song is NOT about going to the gym. Then I was like- why is she always in spandex? Then I listened to the song… oh my… ROFL… Anyhow.
I remembered you always spoke highly of the Bosch and I looked at them and just felt it was not a good fit for my low to average usage. But it was definitely good to have something to compare to all the KAs out there and truth be told- if the KA didn’t work out- I would have a brand to upgrade to. Luckily Costco eliminated the massive color choices and after verifying with KA there were in fact compatible whisks and accessories and mostly easy found bowls (apparently at one point they had a glass bowl version that was too exclusive and had quality control issues with the bowl).But I have no regrets, so far.
This made me laugh out loud! Bowlivia Newton John. You are hilarious. Seriously, I nearly snorted water out of my nose. Thanks for the laugh.
I have all three- Bosch, Kitchen Aid, and a hand mixer. I grew up with a Ktichen Aid and never thought I’d use a Bosch, but my husband surprised me with a Bosch a few years ago for making bread. I use all three regularly and love them all. I agree with all your pros and cons, but I do have another couple more cons to add! I hate, hate, hate trying to get dough/batter out of the Bosch. Maybe I just have weak wrists, but it is so cumbersome and heavy when filled with bread dough. The Bundt-style design of the bowl also makes it challenging when I make massive quantities of cake batter that I need to measure out as I am filling cake pans (cake decorating is a hobby of mine). I also hate washing it almost as much as I hate washing my food processor! The Kitchen Aid gets splattered on a lot as it mixes, and that’s annoying. But I still wouldn’t trade away any of them and don’t care that they all take up precious real estate in my tiny kitchen!
So helpful, thanks, Angenette! I can understand all of your additional cons (I swear, I think I’m the only living human who doesn’t mind washing the Bosch after reading through these comments). 🙂
Just wanted to chime in about the cleaning of the Bosch. I have never even thought about the “work” of cleaning the Bosch, until this post… over the years it has become a “habit” and I use it so often that I wash it without even thinking about it… I always fill it with soapy water and let it sit in the sink as soon as I clean the dough out of it…..plus I think I remember a post you did awhile back about doing dishes by hand, where “we” concluded that having our hands in warm soapy water was one of those luxuries… like a warm bubble bath… ok it’s a stretch, but I get some relaxation out of loosing myself in doing dishes by hands. So …. maybe you are not as alone in this as you thought … 🙂
I have owned a KitchenAid for 30 years. I’m a retired executive chef and pastry chef and I’ve lugged that thing around all over the country when I was catering movie sets. I love my machine but would definately love to try the Bosch!
Do it! Do it! I’ve had my Bosch for my whole married life (30 years in July) and I don’t know how I’d function without it!
I hope you can at least try one someday, Lindsey (even just borrowing a friends!).
Bosch, forever and always. Mine is 20+ years old and still going strong! Only thing I don’t like about it is the blender attachment.
I agree! I’ve never been too impressed with the blender!
Yeah, me either.
I love when posts like this one. I have had a Kitchenaid for almost 20 years and have loved it but……I have tried many of the bread recipes from this blog (and others) and it always rides up on the paddle and is close to disaster most of the time. I want a Bosch and I want one right now! Mother’s day is coming……:)
Haha, I want you to have one right now, too! 🙂
Mel,
Thanks for this discussion. I started out our marriage with a Bosch. Loved it for making bread. Later bought a Kitchen-aid and love it for baking sweets (cookies, frosting plus whipping cream and egg whites etc.) I don’t make bread much now that kids are grown.
Our extended family LOVES your “Famous Gloria’s Cinnamon Rolls”. But when I make them in my large Kitchen Aid, it ends up being a little too much dough. (Dough creeps up into where dough hook is secured to mixer.)
Do you use your Bosch when you make them? If so, what size is the Bosch you use? (Not sure how many sizes they make now-a-days.) if a Bosch works well, I may have to get one for Cinnamon Roll!! Thanks for all your great recipes!!
Yes, I use my Bosch for Gloria’s Cinnamon Roll. I just have the Bosch Universal which has a 6.5-quart bowl. I think the Bosch compact would be too small for that recipe.
Thanks!
I agree with you 100% Mel!! I’ve owned a Bosch and Cuisinart hand mixer for years. I think it’s the way to go. Thanks for the post.
Thanks, Michele!
I have had my 5 qt Heavy Duty Green KA for over 25 years. It is lift head rather than
the tilt head variety. It seems to be sturdier. I love it. Use it a lot. I got one of the scraper blades and it works beautifully. When moving across country, the movers put the mixer on the side. Naturally oil was all over the place. The repair person said my mixer was one
of the good ones, the new 7 qt were causing all kinds of difficulty. So. Sometimes I do things twice. Really helps with severe arthritis.
Glad you have one of the old durable KAs, Carole!
I LOVE my bosch! It is the best! Also, I hardly have to scrape when making cookie dough with the scraper attachment. They are worth it to me 🙂 Love your stuff Mel!
That’s good to know, Rebekah! Gotta get me a scraper attachment.
I own both. Hands down … I’d choose to keep my Bosch. Just wish it looked as pretty as the kitchenAid sitting on my counter. I have the bigges KitchenAid and it can’t handle large batches of anything that has to mix over 6 min.
Thanks, Jan! It’s interesting to read people’s comments – someone on the FB thread of this post said they have a “professional KA” that can handle six loaves of bread, but I hear a lot of other people say “no way.”
I had a 5.5 qt KitchenAid for years (although I didn’t use it a ton), and then decided I needed a bigger one when I started making bread more frequently. I debated for a long time but found a KitchenAid at a great price, so I went with that. And after about 2 weeks regretted my decision :(. Then I found a used Bosch at an incredible price so I sold the KitchenAid and bought the Bosch and I’m kicking myself for not just going that route to begin with! I LOVE the Bosch!!! So much better for everything I use it for.
Fun to read a side by side comparison from someone I trust :). Should have just taken all your raves about the Bosch more seriously when I first made the change ;).
So happy you eventually ended up with the right mixer for you, Joni!
Bosch! Bosch!
Bosch! And a hand mixer… 😉
Oh! And YAY NORWEX! 😀
🙂
I have a smaller KitchenAid and I like it because it was a gift from my parents for my first Christmas after I was married. I can work with it, but it has a small bowl, so cant handle bread dough recipes with more than 6 cups of flour. I would love to have a Bosch for bigger recipes since I have 6 kids and all my recipes are doubled or tripled to feed my crew. Maybe one day!
Maybe eventually…but good for you for being happy with the mixer you DO have. Thanks, Karen!
I got my Bosch as a wedding present 18 years ago and after countless uses, it is has never let me down! I’ve often joked with my husband that we could mow the lawn with the motor in it. I’ve learned to adapt to the small batch problem with a simple 99 cent scraper so I don’t even really count that as a negative. I use a hand mixer for whipped cream or frosting so I really don’t see the need for a Kitchen Aid expect for the pretty factor. Great and accurate comparison on your part:)
Haha, that’s funny about the lawn!
I grew up with the old sunbeam and later on ma got a kitchenaid. Thats what i got and i make bread, rolls, cookies, bars, cakes, frosting, etc. It has never given me any problems and i have the smaller one! Although it is frustrating having to bang the measuring cup against the mixer to get all of it out! In the end, I’ll stand by my trusty kitchenaid! (I also have the kitchen aid hand mixer that I love)
Thanks for your comment!
I bought a used Kitchen-Aid off a friend over 8 years ago and it still works just fine. I only pull it out for large batches of cookie dough, royal icing, or some bread recipes, and use my hand mixer for the rest. I learned to cook with only a hand mixer so I feel most comfortable with that still. I laughed when you mentioned trying to add ingredients to the Kitchen-Aid while it’s running. I couldn’t stand the plastic shield it comes with and it was one more thing to clean, so I usually have a round circle of flour surrounding the Kitchen-Aid when I’m done. The open top of the Bosch does look nice. Maybe someday…
I can’t stand the plastic shield either. Thanks for not making me feel awful about that. 🙂
How have I never ever heard of a Bosch mixer?! I even have all Bosch appliances in my kitchen. Feeling totally clueless!
You aren’t alone, Sonia! They are really popular in the West (Utah/Idaho) but when we lived in the Midwest, not many people knew about them either.
Mel, I am a long time reader of your blog. I actually went from my Kitchen Aid to a Bosch after reading your blog on your favorite appliances. I do have the side scrapper and LOVE it. I’m with you I have the same hand mixer as you and my Bosch and that is all I need to keep my family happy and fed. Thank you for all your yummy recipes. Many of them have become go to recipes when I need ideas for something different,
That makes me happy, Pam! I’m glad you love your Bosch!
I enjoyed reading your post. I agree with it everything you said. I have owned/used both KitchenAid and Bosch mixers. Back when our kids were home and, before I started working full-time, I used my Bosch at least 2-3 times a week for bread and/or cookies; but, now that the kids are gone and I’m not making homemade bread every week, I have a KitchenAid. My ONLY complaint with the Bosch is that I had to replace the cookie paddles (plastic) several times because they cracked. And, as you said, the KitchenAid doesn’t scrape everything off the bottom of the bowl. As you said, they both have their strong (and weak) points. Thanks for such an interesting post.
Thanks, Jo!
My in laws bought us a Bosch the second year we were married. I have absolutely loved it!! BUT, we also had the blender attachment which I would never recommend anyone use. The blender cracked, leaked into the motor (which is under where the blender goes) and now my Bosch motor is going. It sounds like a freight train whenever I use it. I have to take it into the bathroom and close the door whenever I mix anything to preserve the family’s hearing. To repair the motor is almost as much as buying a new Bosch so I’ll just use it until it dies. I was really hoping you would have more positive things to say about the kitchenaid so that I could get one of those next. But sounds like I would be disappointed after having a Bosch.
I had a pretty bad experience with the blender, too. I don’t have it anymore and only use the Bosch for mixing. I’m sad the motor is going out! 🙁
The howl scraper on the bosch is LIFE CHANGING. I never have to scape the sides of the bowl. Best accessory ever. My mom gave me her bosch about 10 years back. It was her wedding present. And at the rate it is going. I plan on handing it down to my daughter for her wedding!
That would be awesome. The Bosch for ALL generations! 🙂
I love my Bosch! It’s definitely not as pretty as a kitchen aid, so I don’t leave it on display on my counter top, but it always does everything I ask it to! It did crash off the counter while kneading a large batch of bread once, but it survived and is still going strong. I have also had the plastic tops of my cookie paddles and whisks break when using cold butter (#impatient), but they weren’t too expensive to replace. I’ve found that the dough hook extender makes the Bosch able to knead smaller batches of bread. Thanks for all the good info!
Haha, mine did that, too! And amazingly, nothing broke. I need to look into that dough hook extender.
I grew up with a kitchen aid that my mom had forever and got my own tilt head small one just after I got married. I loved it for nine years until I had four kids and it wasn’t big enough. I also got the Costco special as an upgrade and, between bread and big batches of buttercream frosting, I burned up the motor in about 3 years. I had it fixed and it’s been another 3 years but I think it’s on its way out again. I am dreaming about the professional version from King Arthur if/when it dies again, but the costco price tag is a lot better so we’ll see.
Also, I have this paddle attachment and it’s life changing, almost never anything unmixed at the bottom and never need to scrape.
Thanks, Sheri!
I’ll just drop my two cents in here and say I have both mixers as well. I wholeheartedly agree with your assessments—I use both mixers (and handheld!) for the same projects. I do find, however, that if I use the Bosch for cookies they generally get overmixed and tough. No bueno.
My fix on the trouble of getting dry ingredients in the KitchenAid is to use the plastic guard (awesome to help powdery things from puffing out everywhere!) with the pour spout and drop it through that. I’m sure that’s the manufacturer’s purpose—and it works! I only put the guard on to dump dry ingredients in and get it past the “puff phase” then take it off. I’ve also sifted on a piece of parchment and used that as a funnel.
All mixers have their own party to be invited to. As long as they don’t have feelings we’re all good.
Thanks, Laura! So helpful to hear from people who have both.
Definitely the Bosch! But… We are blood relatives and the Bosch has been ingrained in us since birth as you stated in your post. I owned a KitchenAid for a few years but sold the dang thing because it was frustrating me so bad (for the reasons you mentioned). Now I just used my Bosch and handmixer for everything I make. I make macarons all the time and the Bosch actually mixes up three or four egg whites just fine. I was surprised… But it can be done.
Amen to the the family thing. That’s awesome about the egg whites…thanks for mentioning that.
I’d wanted a Kitchenaid for quite a while (didn’t know about Bosch) and got one when my trusty old Sunbeam mixer began to slow down. I’ve been so disappointed in it and finally lugged it to the pantry. It was so much easier to add ingredients to the Sunbeam with the mixer running and to scrape the sides and bottom. I might just bring out the Sunbeam and see if it has any life left in it or buy a good hand mixer. I see that yours is Cuisinart. Is that what you would recommend?
Yes! I love that Cuisinart hand mixer. It’s the HM-70 model.
I grew up in a Bosch exclusive household but I asked for a KitchenAid when I got married (because that’s what Martha Stewart used, haha). 1 year later I sold my KitchenAid and bought my beloved Bosch. No regrets! Except now after reading this post I wish I had kept the KitchenAid for standby! Great post! I read every word 🙂
I knew you would, Marci! Love you for that. 🙂
My dad got me a Kitchen-Aid mixer for Christmas one year. I had grown up using a Bosch and loved it. I think he saw the sale sign on the Kitchen-Aid that you just don’t see very often on the Bosch, and that convinced him. I think he was quite proud of his purchase, because he told me all about the sale and the big rebate and such. I just couldn’t bring myself to keep it, though, so I secretly took it back to the store and bought myself a Bosch instead. It’s probably been 10 years or so, and I’m pretty sure he is still clueless about the switch!
That’s a great story, Angela!
Mel – The comparison of Bosch and Kitchenaid was wonderful, informative, balanced and I love it when I learn something new, so thank you, thank you. As a “newbie” to Bosch I am reading all I can about the machine. I can now stop searching and reading as your blog post covers everything I need to know.
So happens I made Darcy’s wholewheat bread today in my Bosch. I cut the recipe in half and it is the best bread I have ever made, prior to my Bosch I used a bread machine to make the dough and then would bake it in the oven.
Everything I have made from your blog ends up going to the top of our “family fave ” list.
A fan from Canada – Midge
Thank you so much, Midge! I’m glad this was helpful AND that you are loving your Bosch. Thank you!
I purchased a KitchenAid in 2010 after my sister had had one for years and literally carried it around with her to all family gatherings. I absolutely LOVED it.
Fast forward about 2 years and I decided to start making more bread and my beloved KitchenAid just wasn’t cutting it. So I SOLD it so I could put the money towards my Bosch. Well the Bosch was awesome for my bread making, but I didn’t care for it for much else. And one of the things I missed the most about my KitchenAid…shredding chicken in it! So, after about another year I finally saved all my birthday and Christmas money and bought myself another KitchenAid. I have both and love both for all the different reasons you have specified above. I think they both have their strengths and weaknesses and are both worth having if you can afford to have them.
So true about each of them having their high and low points! Glad you don’t have to choose now. 🙂
I will be honest, I didn’t know bosch made a nice big mixer! I was given a kitchen aid 14 yrs ago and upgraded (7 people is a bit much for the 4qt) I use my kitchenaid for everything except the small things and then the hand mixer gets pulled out , which I use a lot.
So happy you love your KA!
Thanks for the informative post! I grew up using a KitchenAid. I got one after I married. After going through 4 of them in 5 years because they burned up making bread, I gave up. My professional heavy duty one even burned up. I finally decided to buy a Bosch 3 years ago and haven’t regretted it once. It does so much better for bread dough and all the other things I did in my KA work just as well in my Bosch. I did buy the cookie paddles and the bowl scraper you can attach that scrapes your bowl while it mixes things like cookies. I won’t ever go back to a KA. Thanks for all your great recipes! This is my go-to site for cooking!
Such a helpful review, Bethany – thank you!
So I am the Liz without a stand mixer … by choice :). As I’ve said to Mel, I do NOT need an easy way to cream butter and sugar!
I do make all of my bread, rolls, crackers, buns by hand but I am not making huge quantities and have no physical issues that prevent me from working by hand. There may come a day…
Bread – I have been making exclusively wild yeast (sourdough) and maintaining starter by hand for a little over a year and prior was making commercial yeast traditional kneaded as well as high moisture (no knead). All doable by hand and I happen to enjoy the by hand process. Again – am probably working with 1/4-1/3 the quantity that Mel regularly works with.
I do have a hand mixer of fairly recent vintage after making marshmallows with my 10 year old hand mixer… The new hand mixer came with dough hooks which I pressed into use to make ciabatta. Ciabatta is a 100% hydration dough so extremely slack. Every recipe starts with “in your stand mixer”. But, making a smaller quantity and using the hand mixer with dough hooks and a traditional long drawn out rise, stretch and fold, rise (the Tartine method for sourdoughs), I get excellent results.
All is doable, but if I was making larger quantities and/or having difficulty in hands/wrists, I would be at Pleasant Hill grains pulling the trigger on a Bosch!
Thanks for starting the discussion, Mel. Interesting to read and also other’s experiences.
I had a feeling these comments would interest you as much as they do me, Liz! I saw your comment above, too…about the Kenmore. Lots to think about!
Maybe Kenwood would give you one for a comparison 🙂 …would love that, but I did find this KA vs Kenwood comparison from a UK food blogger/author: http://www.charlotteskitchendiary.com/2012/04/16/granary-bread-kenwood-vs-kitchen-aid/
It is 5 years old but interesting.
http://www.kenwoodworld.com/en-us/products/kitchen-machines/chef-and-major is the Kenwood site and specifically the models I am looking at. They do make a model that has many colors kind of ala KA but I’m thinking they are only available in UK.
Hi Mel,
Really a great post. I also have a Kitchen Aid, which I have had for 20 some years. Last year I purchased the Bosch Universal. Thank God I did. Never experienced the best baking bread experience. I also bake over 500 cookies for Christmas. The Bosch is the BEST, especially when you make large batches. Thanks again for the wonderful column.
So happy you are loving the Bosch, Ann! It really is unsurpassed for bread and large batches.
If you use a shield with the KitchenAid, it makes it easier to add ingredients with less mess and hassle.
Thanks, John! I haven’t had great luck with the shield, but MANY people are commenting that it helps, so I’ll keep trying!
Hey Mel,
Thanks for the writing this comparison piece.
First of all, I do like Bosch products but the plastic bowl is a big turn off for me.
I’ve been using a Kitchenaid for 25 years – Kelly green with the optional glass bowl. I make your flat bread recipe twice a week & pizza every two weeks & haven’t had any issues… knock wood. The pouring shield makes it easy to add ingredients while mixing.
However, I’ve read a lot about the quality of Kitchenaid products taking a downward spiral over the last several years – motors burning out & gears stripping. It seems that most appliances aren’t made as well as they used to be.
I think you are right, Timothy – it seems like the older KitchenAid mixers are stellar in quality and durability but the newer models aren’t the same. Thanks for your comment!