KitchenAid stand mixers are among the best that your money can buy. Durable, strong, and versatile, the KitchenAid stand mixer has long been a favorite kitchen appliance for cooks who need that extra helping hand around the room.
The KitchenAid stand mixer is capable of helping you prepare pizza crust, fresh bread, cookies, pastries, and a lot more. While the result is due, in part, to the techniques used by the cook, an even greater factor that determines how the finished product is going to look and taste is the speed setting that you’ve chosen.
Most KitchenAid mixers have a minimum of 10 speed settings. Let’s take a better look at those speeds and help you determine which speed is right and when to use it.
Stir: The Stir setting is the first setting on the KitchenAid stand mixer. Use this speed when you want to mash, stir, or combine foods without it spattering all over the kitchen countertop. You will use this speed setting when you are adding items into the mixture, including dry ingredients being added to a batter and when adding liquids to dry mixtures. This speed setting is also good for mixing heavy mixtures.
Some KitchenAid stand mixers have only 10 settings while others have as many as 12.
Speed 2:
The number 2 speed setting on your KitchenAid mixer still provides slow operation but is a bit faster than the stir speed. There are many different obstacles that you can overcome while using this setting. First, you can add butter or grease to a batter or dry mix using this speed. Second, you can use speed two to stir heavy batters. Other uses for the second-speed setting include whipping mashed potatoes and making some types of candy.
Speed 4:
Speed setting number four is used when mixing medium to heavy batters. You will use the number four speed setting when you want to add sugar or butter to your batter, egg whites, etc.
Speed 6:
Speed six is for beating and churning foods. This special setting should be used when creaming or whipping foods. If you need to use the juicer attachment that comes with your KitchenAid stand mixer, this is also the speed that you want to choose when juicing.
Speed 8:
The KitchenAid speed 8 settings is used when you wish to whip or need your food beaten at a fast speed. Use it for egg whites, heavy creams, and frosting.
Speed 10:
The 10-speed setting is typically the highest on many KitchenAid stand mixers. This speed setting is unable to maintain its speeds when using heavy mixes, so keep this in mind. The 10-speed setting works best when you want to whip food items together. You can also use it with the Pasta Maker attachment that comes with many of the KitchenAid stand mixers available for purchase.
This list is only partial. All KitchenAid mixers have numbers in between those listed above. Each provides just a little bit more power than the next. You must be familiar with each of the speed settings offered with a KitchenAid mixer, as well as the proper method of choosing the speed to use each time you’re using your mixer.
Here are a few tips that will better assist you in choosing the right speed setting when using your KitchenAid stand mixer.
When creating doughs, use stir or speed one or two. Using a speed past the 2nd speed is going to cause you a headache and potentially a big mess. Just don’t do it, and you will save yourself plenty of hassle.
Never start your mixer on the highest setting. This is a good way to cause spatter to cover your clothing and your counter! Just don’t do it and you won’t have anything to worry about.
Always adjust speeds as necessary when using the accessories and/or attachments with the KitchenAid stand mixer.
Choose the stand mixer you want to purchase based on the speeds that are offered with the appliance. Some KitchenAid stand mixers have only 10 settings, and some have 12. Remember, this varies according to the exact model of a stand mixer that you own.