Sue G in PA Posted January 24, 2011 Share Posted January 24, 2011 With our tax refund, I'd like to purchase a good quality mixer and grain mill so we can start making our own bread/grinding our own wheat. I cannot spend a fortune so I need something that will do the job efficiently but doesn't break my bank, so to speak. A friend recommended the Electrolux DLX mixer for mixing the bread dough. It is EXPENSIVE. What else can you recommend? We have a large family so it is quite possible we will be making quite a few loaves of bread each week. Thanks. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nukeswife Posted January 24, 2011 Share Posted January 24, 2011 (edited) I have a Bosch Universal Plus and love it. I have never used a DLX though, but heard there is a learning curve to using them. I actually had an old Bosch Universal and sold it to get a Kitchenaid and then kicked myself every time I used it, so this past xmas I sold the Kitchenaid and used the proceeds plus some xmas money my inlaws gave me to buy the Universal Plus. I LOVE it. I got the blender attachment too and I've never had a better blender. I have used a Nutrimill grain mill, although I don't own one (I'm saving up for it) and was very happy with the results. It is loud, but doesn't take long to grind a lot of wheat berries into really nice fine flour. I'll be watching this to see what others have to say on the grain mill front. ETA: We're a family of 5 and the recipe I use makes 4 1lb loaves and a about 8 rolls from that batch, and that's with 8-11 cups total flour. My mixer can handle making up to 15lbs of dough at one time. Edited January 24, 2011 by nukeswife Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
meena Posted January 24, 2011 Share Posted January 24, 2011 I have a Bosch Universal Plus and really like it for making bread. It can mix several wheat loaves at a time. It's not cheap, but I think it's less expensive than the DLX. There is a mill attachment for it here that I've been thinking about buying. I'm not sure how well it would work compared to a stand-alone grain mill. If money was no object, I would go for one of the KoMo mills as seen here. The WonderMill is another alternative; I have friends who use this brand and while they say the WM can be somewhat messy and loud, overall they are satisfied with it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kewb Posted January 24, 2011 Share Posted January 24, 2011 I love my nutrimill. I have also been very happy with my Kitchenaid Stand Mixer. I have the 6qt professional series one. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted January 24, 2011 Share Posted January 24, 2011 I love my nutrimill. I have also been very happy with my Kitchenaid Stand Mixer. I have the 6qt professional series one. I did not realize Kitchenaid had an attachment! I am just looking into these things and can't believe how pricey they are. The Kitchenaid is still a lot $100+, but doable come a birthday or Christmas. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cseitter Posted January 24, 2011 Share Posted January 24, 2011 I would go with the Bosch if you can afford it. Great product and I use it for everything. I have vitalmill (made by the same company that make nutrimill) and bought it because it was the cheapest on the market at the time. It works well just not very convienent. I am dying to have a nutrimill. I have used my friends nutrimill and LOVE it! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kalanamak Posted January 24, 2011 Share Posted January 24, 2011 I did not realize Kitchenaid had an attachment! I am just looking into these things and can't believe how pricey they are. The Kitchenaid is still a lot $100+, but doable come a birthday or Christmas. I have used their nice, old-fashioned looking grinder for YEARS, grinding everything from mung beans to coriander to wheat. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Denisemomof4 Posted January 24, 2011 Share Posted January 24, 2011 grain mills are pretty cheap, so go with which one you desire. I had researched a ton when I bought mine YEARS ago and went with one type first, which had THE highest reviews but spit wheat dust all over my house. I got my money back for it and went with a Whispermill that I love. Only thing I'm not crazy about is that it sounds like a jet engine. No whisper about it. ;) For mixers, the only one I can recommend is a Bosch. Hands down. It is a WONDERFUL machine. I also have a Kitchen Aid but that was a present and it's more ornamental than anything. I do use it but NEVER would for bread. A Bosch is so heavy duty and it has a chainsaw motor if I remember right. Mine worked like a dog making bread a few years back and it fell off my counter! The casing separated and I thought surely it was broken. Nope! Runs as if nothing ever happened. You can get many attachments for it. I have an attachment which allows me to roll oats. Doing so will keep all the nutrients intact. The oats take longer to cook that way but it would be best to soak them anyway, as that's the proper way to cook any grain. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BeckyFL Posted January 24, 2011 Share Posted January 24, 2011 I have a Whispermill and a Bosch and I love both. I've had them for at least 8-10 years and they are going strong. The only thing that has gone wrong is that I have a part broken on the blender. It was going to be over $30 to replace it so I bought a new blender instead. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shifra Posted January 24, 2011 Share Posted January 24, 2011 I did not realize Kitchenaid had an attachment! I am just looking into these things and can't believe how pricey they are. The Kitchenaid is still a lot $100+, but doable come a birthday or Christmas. I have the Kitchenaid and the grain mill attachment (although I have not used them for years). Just as a caution, you can only grind up to 10 cups of grain at a time with the grain mill attachment (and then you cannot use the mixer immediately afterwards or it will overheat and break down). Now many grain mills have a 10 cup limit, so Kitchenaid is not unique, but if you are planning to grind mass quantities of grain and then mix up the dough in you mixer immediately afterwards, you will not be able to do so. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted January 24, 2011 Share Posted January 24, 2011 The KA attachment had a lot of negative reviews about it overheating. I only have an artisan mixer, not the pro, so I am a little nervous about that. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marylou Posted January 24, 2011 Share Posted January 24, 2011 I bought a Nutramill and a Bosch Universal Plus a few months ago, and I can't say enough how happy I am with both, especially the Bosch. I can't picture myself hand-kneading dough ever again! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MeaganS Posted January 24, 2011 Share Posted January 24, 2011 If I had the money I would buy a Nutrimill and a Zojirushi Bread Machine. It mixes and cooks the bread for you! I want one so bad. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sue G in PA Posted January 24, 2011 Author Share Posted January 24, 2011 We had a Zorijushi...until my dh decided that since I hadn't used it in a long time (a few months) it needed to go. So he donated it to Good Will. :glare: Without asking me. Without telling me. Until one day I went to pull it out and couldn't find it. :glare: Can't tell you how furious I was (and still am). Oh well. I looked at the Bosch and with all the rave reviews...think I will go with that. And probably the Nutrimill. Maybe. A bread machine would be great, but I need to make multiple loaves at one time, kwim? Thanks everyone! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
prairiewindmomma Posted January 24, 2011 Share Posted January 24, 2011 I borrowed a Kitchenaid grain grinder attachment and nearly burned the motor out of my Kitchenaid. Ugh. I bought a Nutrimill, and dh gave me a Kitchenaid as a present. When it dies, I'm going to replace it with a Bosch....with a Bosch you can mix six loaves of bread at once; with a KA you can only do 2-3. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nukeswife Posted January 24, 2011 Share Posted January 24, 2011 We had a Zorijushi...until my dh decided that since I hadn't used it in a long time (a few months) it needed to go. So he donated it to Good Will. :glare: Without asking me. Without telling me. Until one day I went to pull it out and couldn't find it. :glare: Can't tell you how furious I was (and still am). Oh well. I looked at the Bosch and with all the rave reviews...think I will go with that. And probably the Nutrimill. Maybe. A bread machine would be great, but I need to make multiple loaves at one time, kwim? Thanks everyone! I don't think you'll regret getting a Bosch. If you make a lot of cookies or things that use that consistency of batter/dough I'd get the cookie paddles and metal base for them. I really like them. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Delighted3 Posted January 24, 2011 Share Posted January 24, 2011 I have owned a kitchen aid in the past and I currently own a bosch. IMO, the bosch is much better. Really no comparison when it comes to making bread. I also have a nutrimill for grinding my wheat and I have been very happy with it. Joy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jewellsmommy Posted January 24, 2011 Share Posted January 24, 2011 I have a nutrimill and have never had a problem. I use a panasonic bread machine. I use the 1 hr 55 min setting even though it is not a whole wheat setting. I have never had a problem. I grind the wheat and put the bread pan on a postal scale. I put all my ingredients in by weight and get perfect bread ever single time in about 2 hrs. I love it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mom4him Posted January 24, 2011 Share Posted January 24, 2011 With our tax refund, I'd like to purchase a good quality mixer and grain mill so we can start making our own bread/grinding our own wheat. I cannot spend a fortune so I need something that will do the job efficiently but doesn't break my bank, so to speak. A friend recommended the Electrolux DLX mixer for mixing the bread dough. It is EXPENSIVE. What else can you recommend? We have a large family so it is quite possible we will be making quite a few loaves of bread each week. Thanks. I have a Electrolux DLX and love it. Whisper Mill for grain mill? Have you looked at this web site? http://www.pleasanthillgrain.com/ They have the best prices I have found. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sue G in PA Posted January 24, 2011 Author Share Posted January 24, 2011 I have a Electrolux DLX and love it. Whisper Mill for grain mill?Have you looked at this web site? http://www.pleasanthillgrain.com/ They have the best prices I have found. I have looked at that site. Thank you. I plan to purchase from them in next week or so before the prices go up again. I don't think dh will go for the Electrolux until I "prove" that I will use it consistently. He's not really on board with this whole bread-making thing and doesn't quite believe that I'll stick with it. But, he will let me purchase a mixer...and perhaps a grain mill if I can convince him of the health benefits of grinding our own wheat. It will save money in the long run. Right? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cseitter Posted January 24, 2011 Share Posted January 24, 2011 Also the best recipe book for making things with freshly milled wheat is the Breadbeckers recipe book. Its $6 and well worth it. They also will send you a cd on the benefits of freshly milled wheat in your diet if your DH would listen to it. :) http://www.breadbeckers.com/store/pc/home.asp Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KS_ Posted January 24, 2011 Share Posted January 24, 2011 I grind and then immediately mix my dough with my KA and have for over 15 years. It's never overheated. It doesn't make the finest flour, but my family can't handle straight ww anyway. I would recommend the Nutrimill over the KA grinder attachment. I had the KA grinder for a number of years and used it quite a bit, but it really doesn't grind the wheat fine enough (at least for us). I couldn't make a bread with it that worked well for sandwiches or toast because of the coarser grind. I bought a Nutrimill and *love* it. I also purchased a Bosch for making bread because although I do like the KA quite well, it just couldn't handle the larger batches of bread like a Bosch does. So if you can afford it, I think the Nutrimill and Bosch is the way to go. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kalanamak Posted January 26, 2011 Share Posted January 26, 2011 I have the Kitchenaid and the grain mill attachment (although I have not used them for years). Just as a caution, you can only grind up to 10 cups of grain at a time with the grain mill attachment (and then you cannot use the mixer immediately afterwards or it will overheat and break down). Now many grain mills have a 10 cup limit, so Kitchenaid is not unique, but if you are planning to grind mass quantities of grain and then mix up the dough in you mixer immediately afterwards, you will not be able to do so. A cloth dipped in ice water and applied regularly, like to the forehead of a sick child, speeds up the process. :) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Forget-Me-Not Posted January 26, 2011 Share Posted January 26, 2011 I have a NutriMill which I love. My SIL has a WhisperMill so I borrowed hers to play with and compare. I'd still buy the NutriMill, hands down. I too looked into the KA grain mill attachment and it had A LOT of negative reviews. I have one of the professional line of Kitchen-Aid mixers. It's not the 600. . . I think it's the 475. It was a model sold exclusively at Costco last year and they are selling a different one now (a more powerful one. . . for the same price :glare:). I can make 3 loaves at a time in it, and I think I could push it to 4, but my family can barely go through 2 or 3 before it goes stale, so I never have :D Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Colleen in NS Posted January 26, 2011 Share Posted January 26, 2011 ETA: We're a family of 5 and the recipe I use makes 4 1lb loaves and a about 8 rolls from that batch, and that's with 8-11 cups total flour. My mixer can handle making up to 15lbs of dough at one time. I looked at the Bosch and with all the rave reviews...think I will go with that. And probably the Nutrimill. I put about 12 c. of whole wheat kernels in my Nutrimill, and it produces about 20 c. flour in about five minutes. And you can do coarse grind or fine grind or anything in between. Which means you can also buy other grains to use for other things. My bread recipe that I mix with my Bosch Universal Plus uses 16 c. freshly milled whole wheat flour. About four huge loaves of bread, more more smaller loaves. I just bought these in December, and I LOVE them!!!!!!! Just to give you an idea of how much better the motor is than on the top of the line KitchenAids - you can buy a bigger bowl for the Bosch, that has a capacity for 23 c. whole wheat flour - the motor handles the load just fine. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LostSurprise Posted January 26, 2011 Share Posted January 26, 2011 I had the KitchenAid artisan for 2 years. It was fine, better than the Sunbeam my husband got several years ago (which burned out), but I was always worried about it and it barely made 3 loaves. My husband got me the Bosch Universal for my birthday. Its incredible! The motor is so powerful and the bowl so big I can make several loaves at a time with all wheat flour. I also have the food processor which works on the blender base. The motor is so powerful it chips ice and frozen fruit very quickly. I've never had a blender that powerful before. I'm very happy. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ann.without.an.e Posted January 27, 2011 Share Posted January 27, 2011 My KA mixer couldn't handle the density for very long and it gave up. I have the Bosch, an old one off ebay actually, and it works so much better. I love my Nutrimill and I love www.pleasanthillgrain.com The long Noropro pans are wonderful too :tongue_smilie: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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