Breadmaker or stand-up mixer?

[arcas]

Anybody have a breadmaker? Do you like it? If you had it to do over, would you still buy one?

I'm in the market for either a breadmaker or a stand-up mixer (like KitchenAid). The mixer is probably more flexible but I'm not sure if I'd use it enough to justify the $200-$300 price.

Opinions? Experiences?

 

[Specop 007]

If it were me I'd get a mixer. I'd have more uses for a mixer. The wife wants a bread maker but you can make bread by hand fairly simply, and honestly what would you use more? A bread maker or a mixer. me? A mixer, by FAR. A good Kithcen Aid is FAR more then JUSt a mixer my man. It also comes with nifty attachments to make ground beef and a few other neat-o little things I believe as well.

Forgot to add, it depends on how much you cook. I like to cook, espcially desserts. So in my case a mixer would see FAR more use, to make cookies and cakes and frostings and whipped toppings, ground beef for sandwiches etc etc. vs a bread machine that, well, makes bread.

If your not much of a cook I'd probably get a bread machine. Its quick and more importantly its EASY. But, if you like to cook, even just as a "weekend warrior", I'd say get the KitchenAid. Aside from having more uses, its the type of thing you buy ONCE. My grandmother STILL has her KitchenAid mixer and that damned thing has GOT to be well over 20 years old and still runs like a Swiss watch.

 

[Squisher]

Another vote for stand-up mixer.

Once you're good at making bread you'll come to realize that getting the same consistency of dough you'll need to vary the ingredients slightly depending on the flour, humidity, etc. It's all in the feel.

I'm getting this info from my wife the Master Baker.

 

[flot]

Either way you go, keep an eye on Amazon.

During their friday sales, the ONE thing you can actually get a good deal on almost every week is one of the good kitchenaid mixers.

As for the attachments - don't buy the kitchenaid for that - the mixer itself will set you back anywhere from 150-300, but some of the attachments are like $75-100 apiece.

I got one of the 'professional' models (refurbished) from amazon for I think about $150 (these are the ones that sell in kitchen stores for more like $350) and I'm very happy with it. The thing is built like a tank... or maybe a high end drill press. hahaha.