We see a lot of people online asking the question, how important is stand mixer wattage?
The answer to that question is a little more complicated than simply saying “it’s very important”. It really depends on how you intend to use your stand mixer. If you use your mixer occasionally and you make small batches with things that are not too thick or heavy then a lower wattage model will be fine. On the other hand, if you are constantly baking bread, making cookies, or making large batches of things with thick heavy doughs then a higher wattage motor may be a necessity.
Power measurement
The wattage is a measurement of how much power is moving through your machine. Most stand mixers on the market will have a range of somewhere between 200 watts to 1000 watts. A stand mixer that has a wattage in the range of 600 to 700 watts is considered a commercial grade mixer. Some of the most popular models on the market today have motors that are in the 450 to 600 watt range.
So what is the verdict, how important is stand mixer wattage? A lower wattage motor is going to be a lot more energy efficient. A lower wattage motor will also be considerably less expensive. As an example, KitchenAid offers an Artisan mixer with a 325 watt motor and a Professional model with a 525 watt motor. Both are excellent mixers but the Professional model costs about $125 more than the Artisan model.
Of course there are benefits to having a higher wattage motor. A more powerful motor will be able to get through more material with a lot less effort. This will not only make it faster and easier to make large batches of thick doughs but because a more powerful motor can mix these kinds of things more easily there will actually be less strain and wear and tear on the motor.
Choose the right wattage
If you’re asking yourself, how important is stand mixer wattage the things we discussed above are what you need to keep in mind. A commercial grade mixer with a motor that has more than 700 watts of power is probably overkill for most people. Think about how often you are going to use your mixer and what type of materials you are going to be mixing. If a light-duty mixer will suit your needs then there is no need to spend a lot of money on a mixer with a more powerful motor.
On the other hand if you do a lot of baking and you are baking large batches with heavy ingredients a higher wattage motor should be used because mixing will be easier and the motor itself will last longer. There is a reason that the most popular models are in the 450 to 600 watt range. These mixers have motors that are powerful and long-lasting but are not the expensive energy hogs that the 800 to 1000 watt motors are.
