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!
I am looking for a new bread recipe: I have owned my Bosch for 30 plus years an got a Kitchen Aid for Christmas Lime Green! I totally agree with your article. As there is only my husband and I now the Bausch is almost too big for everyday things! I love the KitchenAid for cookies, cakes etc. It’s also easier to clean. I also agree about adding flour. After the Bosch it is more difficult. I think I might try your smaller recipe in my Bosch as I have a part for smaller bread batches. I will see how it works. If I decide l want to make your bigger batch would I just double it?
Thanks for help and amazing article!
Yes, you can double that recipe!
After general conference a few weeks ago there was an ad for a Bosch sale and I jumped on it! It was delivered yesterday and I’m so excited to try it! I got a kitchen aid for our wedding 11 years ago and it’s worked well but I’ve never loved it like many do. Maybe because my mom has an old school Braun stand mixer that I grew up using and I think it’s the best. I think and hope the Bosch will come close to that. Braun doesn’t make mixers anymore and hasn’t for YEARS. Only place to get one is on EBay. Anyway! Off I go to make bread! But which one?!?
Thanks much for your comparison review! I’ve yet to purchase my first stand mixer but have ruled out KA, leaving Bosh & Ankarsrum to choose from. KA is hokey for making motors that overheat after 20 minutes, how ridiculous! I think I’m going with the Ank, as they’re beautiful, well made & with lots of torque, & have been going strong since 1940. The Bosh seems noisy & is unattractive with that unneeded & unappealing looking blender attached to it. Plus it’s made of plastic… The Ank is only a couple hundred more but has a 7 yr warranty, plus it gets rave reviews for best developed gluten. Beauty, quality, strength, endurance & quiet operation = Ankarsrum.
Today, I bought a KitchenAid 600 professional to replace my Bosch Universal after almost 20 years. I have some very specific complaints about the Bosch, but I’m not sure the KitchenAid won’t have other equally significant problems. First, the mixer bowl couldn’t really handle bread dough with even 12 cups of flour. It would warp and twist as the dough hooks tried to work through thick dough. You say “overfloured,” but it wasn’t. My mother even broke her bowl on heavy dough–not just my problem. Second, the think was way too noisy–compared to my grandmother’s old KitchenAid of the 600’s size. Third, the Bosch doesn’t clean bowl sides well. Fourth, I only had the Family Grain Mill wheat grinder attachment, and flipping the mixer up on the side (and creating your own cutom-made wood block support) was ludicrous. And finally, ABSOLUTELY don’t try to add liquid to a heavy dough in the BOSCH. It merely greases the lump so that it spins at high frequency and walks the mixer off the cupboard! That having been said, I hope the KitchenAid doesn’t present its own set of issues.
Proud Bosch owner here! My grandma has had her Bosch Universal Mixer for probably 30 years. She tried a Kitchen Aid, but hated it and resold it. She makes stuff with her Bosch daily, whether that be cookies, smoothies, cakes, bread dough, etc. She bought me the older UM3 model with attachments for around $40 at an auction and it was an incredibly powerful machine. Unfortunately, I kept it in a storage closet in a box. My dad thought it wasn’t being used and not worth anything and threw it out! I literally used it weekly! Honestly, one of the saddest days ever when I couldn’t find it and found out what he did with it. Very traumatic tbh. It makes me sick to my stomach just thinking about it. Then I bought the next model up (MUM6) at an auction with not only the regular mixing attachments and bowl but also the stainless steel bowl and food processor. And it was only $100 or $150. Anyway, I love it to death. I make a double batch of cookies in it regularly and the dough comes out amazing. I don’t have the cookie paddles, only the dough hook and whisks, so I just use the whisks for the dough and it seems to handle it just fine as long as you use a higher speed. I think I might invest in the scaper attachment. Overall I swear by them like my gram. Ya, it’s tempting to get a Kitchen Aid because they look beautiful with all their colors, but at the end of the day I need a functional, powerful workhorse to get the job done (mostly cookie dough), and for that, I’ll take a Bosch over a KA any day.
Thanks for comparing the two– very usable information. I have a Kitchen Aid stand mixer and a very powerful hand mixer. Since I do not have a lot of counter space, I tend to use the hand mixer more often. It handles cookie dough and comes with dough hooks though I haven’t tried it on heavy bread dough. During Christmas cookie production, the stand mixer is a stand out. I wind up making bread by hand if it includes whole grain flours that don’t take well to over handling. I understand the Bosch Universal is somewhat gentler with the bread dough– doesn’t generate as much heat as other stand mixers when kneading bread dough. I’m considering adding a Bosch Universal to my kitchen tools. I’ve been baking more bread lately, especially sourdough. I prefer wheat that remain close to its original gene pool such as Einkorn flours though they can be more temperamental to handle. Perhaps the Bosch Universal will help with that.
Great blog post! I have the KA 5-quart Artisan tilt-head and the Bosch Universal Plus. I love them both and use them both regularly.
I absolutely love the Bosch for bread dough and larger batches of cookie dough (especially thicker doughs). Love the Bosch’s open bowl, which allows you to add ingredients really easily as well as its cover, which prevents flour from flying all over the place.
I use my KitchenAid for smaller batches of muffins and cookies, single loaves of bread and small cakes, and I think it’s wonderful for that.
Two things bother me about the Bosch design: first, I had high hopes for using it to make sponge and angel food cakes because of its larger bowl capacity (compared to the the KA Artisan) powerful motor and ability to aerate batter and whip egg whites. The Bosch definitely passes those tests with flying colors, but scraping batter out of the bowl with its center post (and no handle) is a pain in the neck. I really find it cumbersome – like it’s extra work to get all the batter out. And, for angel food cake, I can’t fold flour into the beaten egg white in a bowl with a center post. I end up scraping the egg white into a conventional mixing bowl to fold in the flour (when a large KA bowl would have made it a one-bowl process).
All in all, I feel like to have both mixers so I can use whatever is optimal for what I happen to be making. For people who bake lots of bread, I’d go with the Bosch.
I know bosch’s are pretty awesome–but I love my kitchen aid because of its versatility! There are so many attachments you can add. I have a pasta roller attachment and it’s so relaxing to make fast, fresh homemade pasta! I have a pasta press, too, and that’s not so fast but still so fun to make your own bucatini or fusilli. I also have the ice cream bowl addition and we love it in the summer time. We are also thinking about getting the meat grinder attachment. Lots of options for one little machine!
I have had a Bosch for over 25 years. And yes, it is great for bread and large batches of cookies. I have a scraper for small batches but it only works with the dough hook.
The big drawback is in mixing candy – divinity or nugget – where you add the hot syrup while mixing. The Bosch throws the syrup to the side where it hardens so does not mix in. One of my daughters has a Kitchen Aid and she makes nugget for the family (when the weather is right, if she is in the mood). I too, have a hand mixer for frostings, but I use the Bosch when mixing cakes.
I got a USED Bosch the first year of my marriage, 35 years ago, and have been using that dear old Bosch for all these years. I do make bread, cookies, whip the cream for pie, and….well…. anything that needs to be mixed goes in the Bosch. I did finally wear my bowl out and had to go on eBay to find another as the company doesn’t even make them any more. I have been unfaithful and looked and the pretty colors of the Kitchenaid in Costco. But you, my dear, have brought me back to my senses. My dear ol’ Bosch and I, I dare say, will expire together!
Thanks so much for this very even and reasoned comparison. I am on my third Kitchen Aide and have loved them all. They have been my trainer wheels through hundreds of loaves of bread. My current KA stand mixer will be lucky to survive Christmas 2019. I hear that old familiar grinding sound from my mixer. It may sound silly to most readers but my biggest complaint with the KA stand mixer is the size. I have to do an awkward tilt to get it to fit on my kitchen counter but under my cabinets. At almost six pounds, I really don’t like this tilt and store method. I’d rather have a tool that fits comfortably on my counter. Especially one that I use more than once a week. Your information has helped me decide to spend a little more on the Bosch because it really seems more suited to my bread making.. Thanks!
The bigger question for some will be; Which is lead free? With news having come out about some attachments being lead heavy for the Kitchen Aid…
Kenwood is my favorite stand mixer. It is more powerful, larger, and very well made. It is pricer than both Kitchenaid and Bosch, but it has been worth it to me. I make pizza dough weekly, cookies, and cakes in my mixer. I don’t make a lot of breads though.
Also, my Kitchenaid mixing attachment kept flaking off (the white ceramic/paint). This was very frustrating to me and I had to replace it a couple of times a year (no, I didn’t put it in the dishwasher). The Kenwood is all stainless steel and all parts are dishwasher safe.
.
Which Kenwood do you have? We recently moved to the UK and I keep seeing these but am not sure which to get. I make a lot of food from scratch and really want something that is going to last.
I have two Kitchen Aid mixers and love them both. I tend to be a pastry maker rather than a savory baker, so they work very well for me. Your comment about bread dough is topical though. I usually only make rolls on holidays and I have to be careful because the mixer will overheat. However, Kitchen Aid gives victory !. Thanks for your sharing
I do own the Kitchen artisan series 5 quart and i do love it. I have it in the color Cranberry. I often look at buying a bosch but its just something about the trusty kitchen with its beautiful aesthetics that keeps me there. Who’s to say I won’t get a Bosch ? Right now I’m so happy with my kitchenaid.
Ive had a Bosch for years and I just purchased a Kitchen Aid and I was disappointed. The Bosch wins hands down.
1) The Kitchen Aid is very heavy and difficult to maneuver
2) Adding ingredients to the Kitchen Aid while mixing is very awkward and ingredients spill all over the counter
3) While mixing the beaters on the Kitchen Aid did not reach the bottom of the bowl
4) The Bosch is very sleek and tightly sealed. After use, all it needs is a quick wipe down and it is sparkly clean. The Kitchen Aid has much more nooks and crannies where flour etc get lodged. Clean up was much more involved and took much more time. Even after all the time, there may be bits stuck here and there that were missed.
This is very useful information. I have had two KitchenAid Pro 6 machines. The gears finally went out on the first one. The last few times I make bread I could hear the gears whining on the Pro 6 I use now. I used to make divinity and marshmallows and the whip attachment on the KitchenAid was essential. I haven’t made those in a long time and bread making is now my primary focus. Your analysis has really helped me plan for my next stand mixer. I’m not sure the KitchenAid will make it through the holiday season. One other thing that is a big factor in my decision is that I really don’t like the overall size of the KitchenAid. Too heavy and tall. It doesn’t fit well on my counter because there isn’t enough clearance under the cabinets above the counter. Anyway, thanks a million for your help.
Have owned a Bosch for over 30 years. Still using original machine. Bought the scrapper attachment and found it helpful. Also have a Kitchen Aide. Feel the same way you do. Good for smaller batches. (Not bread) and it is a pretty dark blue. Thought of upgrading to newer Bosch but couldn’ t justify it.
Bosch all the way! I started using my mom’s Bosch when I was about 10. She taught me how to make whole wheat bread and I sold it to my neighbors all summer long – I made hundreds of loaves of bread and hundreds of dollars – not bad for a 10 year old in the 70’s. Then my mom gave me a Bosch as a wedding present. I’d be lost without it! I’m definitely in the lots of bread and big batches of cookies camp, so that’s my bias. Thanks for the analysis, Mel!
Hello!!!! And what great article. I had a Classic KA Mixer that is still working well, but I bought a new KA Pro 5 Plus hoping to make larger batches of bread. I unfortunately gave away my original KA Classic. It was a workhorse. My new KA Pro 5 Plus could never handle more than 6 cups of flour, and was extremely noisy. One month after the 1 year warranty expired, it started making grinding noises, and smoked a bit and smelled like burning plastic. It also had tendency to occasionally leave little drops grease in the bread dough. Well I had heard that once Whirlpool bought out KA, they started outsourcing plastic parts from China. I thought I was buying an American made product, but if you read the shipping box correctly, it states, “Assembled In The USA”, not made or manufactured there. Disappointing. There are lots of complaints regarding the new KA’s with the same problems I had. For an almost $600.00 machine (CDN) I was not going to buy another KA.
I contacted KA with no help or solution. I gave the Pro 5 to my sister in law, and it still grinds away but she uses it for light duty use only. Now what was I going to do? I bake breads at least two times a week making 3-8 loaf batches.
I researched Bosch, bit the bullet and bought the Universal Plus! I’ve had it over a year now and it is a workhorse!!! I’ve made tons of bread, cookies, cakes, and with the dough extender, have made smaller batches of bread doughs. It is amazing. I have not yet broken the cookie paddles, but after creaming sugar and butter, I switch to the dough hook. I’ve also had no problems whisking small batches of egg whites.
A few months ago I bought the Bosch Compact mixer for the portability, and for small mixing jobs. It does everything well, and is strong enough to handle 6 cups of flour for 3 loaves of bread. The little thing is a monster!!!!! No more KA for me which is a shame, because they are beautiful!!!!
I’m found this article because my bosch seems to have broken again. I’m frustrated and wondering if I need a kitchen aid instead. The handle on the bosch has broken twice in the last decade. (The first time the bosch died, it was my fault. I didn’t seal the blender blade well enough and smoothie seaped down into the motor.) But on two different bosches I’ve owned in the last decade, the handle has not with stood normal use. I bake bread weekly and sometimes use it for cookies or other recipes. I use the food processor from time to time.
From your article, it seems like the kitchen aid would not really help me with my bread baking. I also make 5-6 loaves at a time. I emailed bosch but no response. I hear about people having bosches for forever, but that has not been my experience. Wondering what to do…?
Hey Sara – what do you mean when you refer to the handle? Do you mean the raised part for the blender?
If you haven’t purchased the side scrapers for the Bosch they are a total game changer! It scrapes the outside as well as the inside shaft. I don’t make anything liquidy without it!!
I actually came here today because I just burned out my second KitchenAid making pizza dough (which I make every Friday with 8 cups of high gluten flour). I think it’s time I invest in a Bosch! (I finished the dough by hand today, but this dough really needs to be done by machine because of the specialty flour.) Thank you for your through breakdown comparison. It was perfect.
I just recently got a Bosch after my 17-year-old 6 qt KitchenAid starting dropping black grease and fine metal shavings into my dough one day. My husband bundled it off to the repair shop while I did an admirable job of remaining calm. Later that day I found him secretly looking at mixers on Amazon. He didn’t have high hopes that the mixer could be repaired and he wanted to have a plan already in place when the repair shop called with the bad news. He was looking at the Bosch, which I would have just passed over because frankly it doesn’t look like any kind of mixer I am familiar with. Thankfully he was more open minded. We started watching videos together, and when we got to the one with the green dye test, I was completely sold, secretly crossing my fingers that the KitchenAid was dead. Alas, the resurrection of the KitchenAid was not only possible, it was fast and cheap.
Turns out, I got the Bosch anyway. I have only had it for 10 days, but have made two separate batches of garlic knots, focaccia, ciabatta, whole wheat bread, beignets, lemon brownies, and a double batch of chocolate chip cookies. My freezer is pretty full. I am still in the new convert phase, but I think I will remain happy with it.
With the dough hook extender, I was able to make a batch of bread dough that only uses 2 cups of flour and it kneaded very well. It took a little longer than the dough recipes that are larger, but it still made a great dough. All of my friends and family keep getting pictures of everything I make: “look at this amazing dough”, “isn’t this dough gorgeous?” Thank god they love me.
I was able to make a high hydration dough (my ciabatta is 94% hydration) by holding back some of the water and letting it knead, then adding the remaining water in slowly. It worked just fine, but I may just haul the KitchenAid out with its paddle to do those doughs. But the KitchenAid weighs 32 pounds and the Bosch weighs 12 pounds, so then again I may not.
The only two things I don’t love are washing the bowl and trying to get batter out of the bowl. I just put my KitchenAid bowl in the dishwasher. It takes up about ¼ of the bottom rack, but I can deal with it. The Bosch bowl is much wider. It would take up almost the entire top rack of the dishwasher, so I wash it by hand. Its awkwardly big for my sink, but I have figured out how to make it work. When I did the whole wheat bread, dough got into the center shaft and I thought I was going to go nuts getting it out. But then I discovered the cap on the center post comes off. A couple of good, firm taps with the handle of a wooden spoon from the bottom and that piece pops right out. That at least makes cleaning easier.
I think most of us have been scraping regular bowls for many years. By now the motion is muscle memory and we do it without thinking. But that center shaft in the bowl really changes things. And the lack of a handle. I end up wrapping my entire arm around the bowl trying to hold it up so I can scrape it out and that makes it hard to see into the bowl to see what I am doing. Has anyone found a good hand scraper for the bowl or developed a good method for cleaning it out?
For everyone who hates trying to add ingredients to their mixer, do yourself a favor and get a set of silicone bowls. It was pretty life changing for me. You can squeeze the bowls to be as narrow as you need when pouring and easily get everything into the mixer bowl without banging, spilling, or screaming into the freezer.
Super interesting! I had no idea that KitchenAids were known to blow their engines… I’ve had the most basic model ever for our whole marriage (almost 8 years) and am a fairly regular bread maker. Never had any issues yet! Now watch… next time I make pizza dough… BAM
I also feel so annoyed whenever I have to add dry ingredients while the KA is running… defo a major design flaw!
TLDR… Last year I decided to replace my mixer. I have always had a kitchen aid. I know lots of people with Boschs and they all seem to swear by them so I wanted to give them a try. A year later, I have a kitchen aid on the way and a sale post online selling my Bosch. It does hold a larger capacity which I like but for some reason I have a tendency to add my ingredients to the bowl without all the attachments so it’s more portable always forgetting that once there’s ingredients in there, the beaters won’t go on. So I make a huge mess dumping things out and putting the attachments on adding all my ingredients back in. Then when I attach the bowl to the base, it pops the beaters/hook back off. I’m a creature of habit and after years of being about to add my ingredients to a portable bowl, I forget I can’t do that every time. I also have broken the plastic Bosch frosting beater and plastic driver from the powerful motor. And have had larger and more frequent flour explosions from the high powered motor. Many times when I’m using the Bosch it just scoots the blob of dough/thick batters around in a circle over and over again without mixing it. So I’m frustrated with mine especially after the price tag. I imagine if someone had always used a Bosch and that’s what they were used to, they wouldn’t have any problems and would love it but I don’t usually have that hard of a time adjusting to new products but this time I was really surprised at how unimpressed I was. I wondered if I was crazy because I don’t know anyone else with one that doesn’t love it. Thanks for such a thorough post Mel, I love your site!
Interesting. So your normal procedure is to put all ingredients in the workbowl and THEN put it on the base and slide on which ever attachment? With either style mixer, it seems normal (to me) to put the bowl on the machine, put on which ever mixing attachment you’re going to use, then start adding ingredients. Hmmm…
Anyway, I used to own a KitchenAid 5qt lift bowl mixer until I had to repair it a second time for a bad transmission (Brioche dough is too hard on the thing). My Bosch has handled almost everything I’ve thrown at it, including triple batches of brioche dough and a 8lb sourdough miche. This past Christmas cookie season, I finally ran into a recipe that the Bosch couldn’t handle: chocolate peanutbutter crinkles. A quadruple batch actually made the connection between the base and bowl slip. The motor didn’t stall, but the base/bowl connection couldn’t handle the extraordinarily stiff dough.
Finally, I too have had the little plastic nibs on the cookie paddles (that click onto the arms of the metal or plastic drive thingy) break off, but the paddles still are seated firmly and don’t wobble. So they still work even if not perfect.
Sorry you found the Bosch so frustrating, and the KitchenAid-to-Bosch learning curve is not trivial. But the Bosch has handled tasks with aplomb that would have turned the KitchenAid to toast. (Maybe the new KitchenAids with metal gears — like of old — will do better on reliability. Comments?)
I almost always add my ingredients to my kitchenaid bowl before putting it on the machine? Especially when using a scale… so easy!
A little late to the party. I have seen no one address the fact the Bosch has a great big motor but then uses plastic gears which break off. I had to replace paddles once and would never mix anything bumpy again with them. And what a mess to pull the paddles off. I regretted giving my KA to my daughter when I bought the Bosch. I have just purchased a new KA. Not sure what I will do with Bosch.
Yes!!! So glad it’s not just me!!! I’ve gone through two sets of cookies paddles in the Bosch!! That’s $60 extra cost! All it takes is a brown sugar lump!!!
I’m struggling with this as well. The Bosch I grew up with had a metal driver, but the one I received for a wedding present 8 years ago came with a plastic driver, which surprised me. It’s gears wore out making oatmeal choc chip cookies recently. Also, I know that the website says that the wire whisks shouldn’t be used for heavy cookie doughs, but growing up we only ever had the whisks and the dough hook, so we always used the whisks for cookies with no issue.
I’m glad you wrote this comparison though Mel, because after my driver issue last year, and last month having the blender crack while making smoothies (A frozen strawberry hit the side a bit too hard I guess) I’ve been really frustrated with my Bosch and considering switching. However seeing this all written out reminds me of all the reasons I do like the Bosch more. So I’ll put the money into getting the metal driver and maybe the cookie paddles and cross my fingers. Not sure yet if I’ll buy the blender again though… I’m still annoyed about it all.
I have owned a KA for about twenty years. The switch doesn’t stay in the lower speeds unless I hold it. I have been happy for the most part with the exception of bread dough mixing. It chokes on pizza dough and my cinnamon roll dough. These aren’t large batches and the dough creeps up the hook and can fly out of the bowl. The mixer also “walks” on the counter when kneading dough. Super exciting!
I do not store my KA on my counter. This was not an issue until last Friday when I was sliding the cabinet closed and the shelf broke. All 26lbs of KA fell out crushing my foot and breaking my toe. Ouch! Thankfully my toddler and pup were not in their usual place under my foot in the kitchen. Oh…and the KA is still working!
Between the broken toe and flying flour and dough if I forget to unplug my KA, perhaps it is time to jump ships and try another brand of stand mixer. Your post has given me some great points. I also like that I can get rid of some additional appliances like my blender and food processor. Christmas is coming so maybe Santa will put a Bosch under my tree.
Oh my gosh, Dina – I’m so sorry about your toe. Ouch!!
Hi Mel! So… it’s 2018 and I’m just now reading this post! I have a big decision and google lead me to you! So I bought my Kitchen Aid Pro 6 qt maybe 4 or 5 years ago. I loved it.. well I’m not a hard core baker..occasional pumpkin , banana or zucchini bread. But what I usually did with my Kitchen Aid is shred meat and make my mashed potatoes. Which of course was just fine. Until I wanted to learn to make bread . It handles white bread just fine. Only making a loaf at a time. Then…I found a recipe on a bosh website for honey whole wheat “easy” . Well in the directions the lady said to knead the dough (she’s using a Bosch) for 10-15 minutes. I’m thinking it’s only a loaf…I’ll try it. Well I killed and burned up the motor . So I found a refurbished kitchen aid in the color I always wanted.. or a new compact Bosch -for $159!! And the refurbished kitchen aid is $179! This is so hard!!! I loved reading all these reviews..feels like when your talking with your girlfriends . Thanks!!
Good luck with your decision, Cindy! I’ll be interested to hear what you decide!
Well after reading all of those comments..I made the jump!! To Bosch !! I got me the compact mixer, I also watched a few videos on how well it handles dough!! Now..a relative has since said she uses her kitchenaid all the time to make bread and no problems. But I didn’t want a repeat with another kitchenaid if I attempt bread. And honestly I don’t need to make five dozen cookies or nine loaves of bread. If it can whip things beat my potatoes, and shred my chicken and let me make some bread…then I will be ecstatic!!
I’m so excited for you, Cindy!
I have had my Bosch mixer for 38 years, I have replaced the beaters several times. I love my Bosch mixer I bake a lot of cookies and I double some of the recipes. I love that it handles big quantities. I recently used my sisters Kitchen Aid for my Chocolate Chip Cookie recipe that has 10 cups of dry ingredients including 3cups of chocolate chips and it couldn’t handle it. My old Bosch does a awesome job but sometimes it sounds like it is pushing too hard to work. I have had more than my money’s worth. I am going to buy a new Bosch they are a lot more compact then my old one with a blender attached. I to use my hand held Cooks brand mixer I really love for cakes and other small stuff.
I have had a 5 qt Kitchenaid tilt-head mixer for decades but have been thinking a lot about the Bosch. I want to make bread more and my lovely dependable KA just freaks out with all but the softest of bread doughs. And I may not cry into my pillow about dumping stuff into the KA while it’s mixing but I have screamed into the freezer more than a few times. I was thinking about moving the KA on, mostly because two mixers (plus a hand mixer) feels like an extravagance especially in a tiny kitchen but now I’m so torn because the KA really does work great for me for all but bread (and the aforementioned freezer screaming) and it’s an old friend and I think maybe I should just continue to give it a nice place to live until it dies of old age. I’ve been having this argument with myself for months now! Sigh.
Can I start a side discussion? How about the Bosch Compact vs the KitchenAid tilt head? I have a Bosch Universal but when doing smaller stuff I still pull out my KA. I’m thinking of getting a Compact unit. Any good or bad review on that?
Thanks bunches!
Great question, Sue! Maybe others will chime in. I haven’t ever used a Bosch compact mixer so I have no experience (I usually just pull out my powerful little hand mixer for super small batches).
I’m probably responding too late to do you any good, but here goes. I’ve had a Bosch Compact for 4 or 5 years, and I love it! I don’t use it terribly often, but I do bake gluten-free bread for communion at my church, and my granddaughter and I have a cookie baking marathon every year before Christmas. Anyway, it lives in my pantry but is super light and easy to move around. The dough hook is great for mixing bread (at least GF; I don’t make any other kind). It has suction cups on the bottom that keep it from moving around. Instead of having the mixer coming up from the bottom, it drops down on a movable arm. It’s fairly easy to add ingredients to and comes with a splatter lid you’re supposed to use and I rarely do. It does a good job of mixing all the ingredients and scraping the bowl, although I sometimes do have to stop it and scrape it down really well.
I’ve been very pleased with it and I’m glad I bought it rather than the KitchenAid. I did quite a bit of research before I decided on it. Hope this helps some!
I’m by no means a baker etc, I’ve made two box cakes and one cake from scratch in my entire life. I’ve made scones and puff pastry in the past by hand but I really wanted a mixer so I can start mixing dumpling dough and breads. This post was extremely helpful. I’ve always wanted a kitchen aid but now I’m thinking the Bosch maybe more compatible with my needs. Every Christmas I make pastelles in huge batches (14 dozens) and I’m really glad I came across your indepth analysis of both machines.
– Thanks
I have the large Kitchenaid mixer and the Bosch with Blender. My Bosch was bought in 1992. In 2013 we had to replace the gear/transmission, ordered online and my husband had no problem replacing it. The Kitchenaid was bought in 2002. I use it to make cookies and marshmallows. I use my Cusinart 220 watt hand mixer for mixing cake batter and whipping cream. The Kitchenaid is too much work to clean-up for those two things. If I only could keep one it would be the hand mixer. I baked bread for 30 years hand kneading so I could do it again. Also used a Corona grain hand-grinder for my wheat but bought a K-Tec at the same time I bought the Bosch. Also, have a Country Living Grain Mill in case the lights go out. Happens sometimes. Last time for 11 days. Recently I read on the internet where whipping cream with a hand whisk was the best way. I did it. I’ll stick with the hand mixer.
Sometimes hand kneading bread dough can be downright therapeutic but for getting the job done quickly and efficiently I’ll take my Bosch mixer any day. I make 5-6 loaves of 100% whole wheat bread at a time and it NEVER hesitates. I didn’t see a shield with pour slot on your kitchenaid. Mine has one and I don’t have a problem adding ingredients. I am new to your site and I really like it. Your recipes are for real people. I don’t feel like you are trying to impress me with rare, unpronounceable ingredients. I live in the country and our small Kroger is very limited. I haven’t been in a Wal-Mart in over 5 years so don’t know what they have. I need 5 dozen cookies next week for my quilt guild so I am about to choose one of your recipes. Maybe I will try my Bosch on cookies. It probably won’t know what to do.
The entire time I was reading this I was thinking “you are me!” I started with a Bosch and a hand mixer when I got married. I picked up a Kitchenaid a couple years ago and love it as much as my Bosch, just i gbn a different way. I 100% agree with your assessment of the mixers. I use my Bosch for bread dough and large batches because of the larger bowl and I use my Kitchenaid or hand mixer for everything else. I say, if you can make the investment, buy both!
I have the scraper attachment for the Kitchenaid and it cuts down on how much you have to scrape. It does pretty well scraping down into the bottom of the bowl. Oh and don’t forget the attachments for the Kitchenaid. The ice cream maker is bomb. I really want to try the pasta attachments. Filled ravioli anyone?
I’ve had the Bosch for +3 yr now and it’s starting to give me issues. Even though it’s direct drive (not belt), it sounds like there’s a grinding noise (like not enough lube and it’s metal on metal). Out of warranty naturally so take that into account (I didn’t get the 1 yr extra extended warranty but that wouldn’t help now either).
Issues:
The inside of the (plastic) bowl provides NO grip for bread dough. My batch usually consists of 1 kg of flour and 600 gm water (plus yeast and salt). Once the dough forms, it just spins and spins with no kneading/mixing action.
I have to dump it out and finish kneading by hand. That’s the over riding reason I got this. And kinda wish I hadn’t.
So, 2 strikes. Not quite sure what I’m going to do as I still have several attachments
for it 🙁
You need the dough hook extender. It will solve this problem❤️
When you wash the bowl, do you let it sit on the counter upright overnight to let all the water drain out of the centre column? If you dont, water may be getting into the drive and could be what is causing your grinding noise. There should always appear to be oil in the hole where the bowl drive locks into the base as these units are self lubricating, if there isnt, you should add some to make sure that you keep the machine lubricated and to prevent further wear of the parts. When I make a small batch of fancy bread dough, I use the dough hook extender and it works perfectly for doing just or 2 loaves, otherwise I do a full load of 14 lbs of dough and get my 6 x 2-lb loaves for the week plus a pan of dinner rolls and enough dough left to make a pizza with. This machine was designed to do big heavy loads and work hard! But, it will do small batches as well with the right tools. Once you get to know your bosch you will never want to part with it!
I’m surprised you didn’t mention my most (only?) hated thing about the Bosch. That horrid post going up the center of the bowl. Ugh. I have had my Bosch since 1982 and I really love it for many things, but I have always hated trying to clean around that center post. It gets in the way and makes the bowl difficult to scrape. I also have a KitchenAid which I got after my Bosch bowl got a crack. Currently I use my KitchenAid or my hand mixer for almost everything except bread, and I use the KitchenAid for bread if it’s a smaller recipe.
Funny, my Bosch and hand mixer have been with me since the beginning of time, just like yours, but my loyalty didn’t run quite so deep, it seems. Somehow the Bosch just seems like a bigger chore to use.
Thanks for the commentary. We’ve had a KitchanAid (the big one) for 11 years. For the most part, we have loved it. Both my mother and mother-in-law use the Bosch. They both swear that Bosch is the one to have. My wife grew up using a Bosch and thinks that we should switch over. We both get frustrated sometimes when trying to add ingredients to the KitchenAid. As you mentioned, adding dry ingredients can be a real process We did buy a scrapper paddle, which does work quite well. If you get a chance, you should invest in one. I’ve been trying to justify switching because of the cost. I’m thinking now that having both, as you do, may be a good solution. Your commentary was great for addressing the pro/cons of both.
I have a KitchenAid mixer and I have mixed feelings about it ! As you described there are faults with it !!! I do have the bowl scraper and it works great ! But like you say it’s hard to add ingredients, the head of the mixer gets in the way !!!! Wish I had the room because I would definitely get a Bosch mixer for my breads !!!! Thanks for all your tips and recipes !!! For now I’ll stick to my KitchenAid !
I have the Bosch Universal Plus and an ancient Hobart Kitchenaid 4.5 quart mixer. I use both. The bosch is excellent for large batch mixing. I use it for 6x batch pizza dough, 4x batch cc cookie dough etc. I have broken cookie paddles (I use the machine for mixing all the way through adding cc). As has been said, cleanup is not worth it for small batch stuff. Also, I do not much like the center riser in the bowl. Makes spatula work, removal of mix and cleanup a pain. I did purchase the stainless bowl and like it much better than the plastic. It seems to “grip” dough better for kneading. Haven’t used it for batter or whipping, nor have I used any of the attachments (I have the blender). I might look into the food processor attachment.
Of course the kitchenaid works great for everything else. Anything in a single batch. Quick and easy setup and cleanup.
I have both, the Bosch Universal Plus and a Kitchenaid Pro 600 and have had for several years. When I retired in 2011 I got into baking breads and was not happy with the Kitchenaid when doing more than two loaves. So, after reading reviews on the Bosch, I bought one. I’ve backed off from much of my bread baking since it’s just me and my wife, so the Bosch spends most of it’s time taking up counter space. I have never had any luck trying to do small batches (two loaves) in it. I even bought the small plastic bowl, food processor to try doing small batches and still was not happy. I’ve ended up with every attachment made for the Bosch trying to get more use out of it from the stainless bowl down, but sadly, the Kitchenaid is still my go to mixer for 95% of the things a mixer is used for. When you just want to do some small mixing job, you can be done in no time it takes to clean the Bosch. The Bosch takes 10 times the work to clean the thing over the KA. I actually use the food processor with the Bosch more than the mixer. It’s nice having the Bosch because when I make my Panettone and Pandoro’s, I do them in large batches and it beats the socks off the KA then. However, I personally would hate to know I had to use the Bosch as my only mixer. I think I would be using a hand mixer a lot more, which is something I rarely do, other than when making seven minute frosting.
I’m late to the conversation! I have a Bosch mixer I bought when I was making a lot of whole wheat bread. Now my family is gluten free 🙁 and we don’t make bread anymore. I love my Bosch for bread and how it handles anything. But I hate cleaning it, I hate scooping things out of it with the thing in the center, it is hard to hold up and scoop out, it doesn’t handle small batches well, and isn’t worth cleaning for small jobs. I really think I would like a KA so I can make a batch and put it in the fridge (I think the Bosch bowl is too big and never do that), the KA bowl is so much easier to clean and scoop out of, I think I would use it a lot more for little batches and everyday things if I had it on my counter ready to use and easy to clean. So I can’t decide if I should get the cheaper Artisan and keep my Bosch for large jobs. Or spend a little more for the Pro 600 and have it for all jobs. I like the slow start feature and would also get the 3 qt bowl for little jobs since I read it doesn’t do well with little jobs either. I like the tilt head of the Artisan and like all the cute bowls that can come with it. So what is the best choice for me? I do make some really large batches of cookies in my Bosch like dish pan cookies that I would need something to handle that in. But for the most part it will be smaller everyday things. It seems like when the pro is full with a thick cookie batter it may be really hard to get the bowl to lower and get the beater off, is that an issue? thanks for the help if anyone sees this.
I’m so stuck on what to order. My family makes Marzipan every year for Christmas. Which is made from almond paste, which is thick and tough. I burned up my Kitchenaid. I’m not sure what model I had. We did small batches. Anyone familiar with Almond Paste and have a suggestion of which mixer would be better? I just purchased a Kitchenaid 600 professional series from Costco. 590 watt. Haven’t used yet. Considering the Bosch.
We use the Bosch to make the almond paste for marzipan. It’s worked great
I completely agree with your assessments! Excellent. I own a Bosch mixer and my daughter and many of my friends own a Kitchen Aid. This is completely accurate and it’s hard to understand the difference in a stronger motor makes until you don’t have one.
I also use Bosch attached blender all of the time so I only have one unit on my counter. I bought a Bosch hand mixer 25 years ago and use it for eggs, cake mixes, frosting – small batches. The hand mixer comes with dough hooks and the little beast is so strong!
Thanks for your thorough review.
I have a Bosch compact and a Bosch universal. The compact is a dream for wet and smaller mixing. I’ve owned it for 28 years!
i just purchased a Wonder Mix and i don’t like it because it is very loud, Is the bosch universal loud? also is the compact loud?
Yes, I think the Bosch universal is pretty loud (never used the compact).
I have a Kitchenaide I bought at Target with gift cards from my wedding 18 years ago. It still runs like new. I do lots of double batch cookies, single batch cookies, heavy doughs, bread. No trouble with the motor. I’d like a little more capacity sometimes when I’m doubling cookies. I’m confused how the Kitchenaide and the Bosch can have the same capacity bowl but one can hold more? Now my mixer is white before all the colors came out. I’m surprised at all the people who say they have motor trouble- have they changed the design?
They used to be made by Hobart and now they are made by whirlpool. There was also a period when there were more plastic parts.
I’ve used my Kitchenaid stand mixer for 15+ years and I’ve decided to upgrade this year. I make lots of bread and dough based pastries so my Kitchenaid has become fairly temperamental lately. I wanted to “expand my horizons” and see what options are out there. Ive always known the Bosch brand so I started reading about the stand mixers. I’ve been reading reviews from every source I can find. I feel like I’ve been “two-timin’ my Kitchenaid lol After reading your review I’ve made up my mind; I’m going Bosch!!!!
Now I have another question for you…. what kind of grain mill do you use & why, and have you always used the same brand?
I hope you love your Bosch, Gayla! Here’s a post I did a while back all about my wheat grinder: https://www.melskitchencafe.com/wheat-grinding-101-all-about-wheat-grinders-plus-over-60-reviews-of-popular-grinders/
Mel,
Thanks for this very thorough review. I have personally burned out 2 Kitchenaids making bread. We are finally in a spot where we can purchase a Bosch, which is what I grew up with. My question is… Do you have a recommended place to buy a Bosch from? Can I trust the ones from Amazon, or should I go to a specialty kitchen store? What do you think? Thanks for all your help, and your time. Your blog is my “go to” for anything kitchen related.
That’s a great question. I’ve never bought a Bosch (or other mixer) from a specialty kitchen store. You’ll probably save a little money going the Amazon route (that’s where I bought my Bosch mixer), but if you like to shop local, I’d definitely check out any local kitchen store and see if they are running any sales or coupons. There are a few dedicated Bosch stores around (I think one in St. George, Utah and probably many other locations in Utah) but I’ve never lived close to one so I’m not familiar with the particulars. Good luck and have fun shopping!
I noticed that Mel replied with locations in Utah…
Kitchen Kneads in Ogden is where we bought our first Bosch about 15+ years ago and its still going strong!
Mel, have you seen the extender for the Bosch dough hook? Apparently my sister says it’s awesome. I’m hoping to get one soon. You may want to check it out.
https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B00MRH45T6/
Thanks for your website! Love all you do.
I got my Bosch in 1982. That means it is 35 years old. There were a few years when I made up to 70 loaves of whole wheat bread one day each week. (The kids sold it in the neighborhood.) I just used it to juice 8 gallons of grapefruit juice this morning. I grate the zucchini right in the bowl with the attachment and mix the rest of the ingredients on top for zucchini bread. (Kitchenaid can’t do either of those things.) I use it all the time. It hasn’t skipped a beat.