Author Topic: New mixer (Read 3550 times)

Nathan · « **on:** December 12, 2005, 08:54:51 AM »

I just wanted to let you guys know that I'm an extremely proud new owner of a 20 quart Hobart. The quest will never stop and I love it.

chiguy · « **Reply #1 on:** December 12, 2005, 10:47:26 AM »

Hi Nathan,
Congradulation, what a big difference for you're operation. It sounds like there is going to be a Kitchen Aid up for sale on EBAY. Chiguy

PizzaBrewer · « **Reply #2 on:** December 12, 2005, 01:47:12 PM »

Restaurant auction? Ebay? Restaurant eqpt. supplier? Motor hp? Do tell...

Any pix??

Congratulations!!

---Guy

Nathan · « **Reply #3 on:** December 13, 2005, 08:06:27 PM »

I got it off Ebay. I'm going to go pick it up tomorrow and I'll post pics A.S.A.P. It's 1/2 horsepower. According to Hobart it can handle 20 pounds of dough @ 60% hydration.

PizzaBrewer · « **Reply #4 on:** December 13, 2005, 08:36:18 PM »

I'm guessing this one:

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=7570251343

??

If so, nice unit and great price!

Congrats!

---Guy

Nathan · « **Reply #5 on:** December 13, 2005, 08:42:42 PM »

That's the one.

chiguy · « **Reply #6 on:** December 13, 2005, 10:05:27 PM »

Hey Nathan,
Did you mean to say 20 pounds of FLOUR at 60% hydration? This would be about 32 pounds of finished dough. Next up,Pizza oven. Chiguy

Trinity · « **Reply #7 on:** December 14, 2005, 09:37:17 AM »

It's not as strong as it looks. I use one of those all the time. But at least it's a Hobart!

Nathan · « **Reply #8 on:** December 16, 2005, 03:09:11 PM »

All I know is it kicks the livin sh*t out of the Kitchenaid

And no I didn't mean 20# of flour. The chart on Hobart's site for this thing says 20# of dough at 60%AR. It's only like 10# at 50%AR (or something like that). Then it says to deduct 10% if using high gluten flour.

I'm just glad to be rid of the Kitchenaid once and for all. I'll never own one again in my life.

Nathan · « **Reply #9 on:** December 23, 2005, 12:54:22 AM »

Here's a pic of it looking down on my soon to be returned KA. I don't really agree with the guys description of it being "like new" because the bowl needs re-tinned and the cord needs to be replaced. But I'm probably gonna get a new stainless steel bowl for it eventually and for the price I cannot complain at all. He wasn't very happy about what he got out of it and I thought he was gonna renege on me. He kept saying that I "stole it"

But anyway...

robtfink · « **Reply #10 on:** December 23, 2005, 01:14:13 PM »

...something vaguely obscene about the photographs - oops, my Freud is slipping; but perhaps we might need a "Pizza Sex" topic: You know, "Kneading Gently," "Oiling Balls," "Slowly Rising," all that...

Nathan · « **Reply #11 on:** December 23, 2005, 01:21:31 PM »

(http://tinyurl.com/7ee2o)

PizzaBrewer · « **Reply #12 on:** December 23, 2005, 03:00:30 PM »

Nathan: Are you married? If so, how did you get permission from the wife to park your new mixer in the kitchen? Mine still resides in the garage...

---Guy

Nathan · « **Reply #13 on:** December 23, 2005, 03:37:33 PM »

I'm divorced. But if I wasn't I'd do it anyway. So that may be part of the reason I'm divorced??? (http://tinyurl.com/73moo)

Seriuosly though, I guess if I was still married and wasn't allowed to have it in the kitchen I'd do some sweet talking, bribing and or begging.

Bill/SFNM · « **Reply #14 on:** December 23, 2005, 04:37:44 PM »

A really good point is raised here about spousal approval/involvement regarding our pizza obsession and all that that entails. Here is some very sage advice one of my old BBQ buddies gave me that has served me very well: cater to your spouse's tastes. Find out exactly what kind of dough, sauces, toppings, etc. she likes and make sure there is at least one pizza just for her in every batch. Ask her to critique the pie so that she looks forward to the next batch to see if it comes out even better.

Bill/SFNM - blissfully married for 29 years!

KAidVerne · « **Reply #15 on:** December 28, 2005, 12:49:31 PM »

Nathan, just curious, but what about the KitchenAid is it that didn't meet your needs? Did it not do what you expected, or were you just looking for a much heftier, bigger mixer for pizza?

PizzaBrewer · « **Reply #16 on:** December 28, 2005, 05:02:37 PM »

KAidVerne: Many of us on this site have found the KA mixers to be wholly inadequate to the task of making pizza dough. Tales of breakage and overloaded motors are common.

Those with much older KA mixers report that they are much sturdier than the newer models. Can you shed any light on this?

---Guy

KAidVerne · « **Reply #17 on:** December 28, 2005, 06:13:02 PM »

PizzaBrewer,

I have been involved with this product at KitchenAid for the last 3 years. I work with several individuals left over from the original Hobart days. I can very honestly tell you that there has not been a "philosophy" of cheapening the product by Whirlpool Corporation that was any different than when Hobart owned the brand. What I CAN tell you is that our newer 6 quart mixers (launched 4-5 years ago) have gone through growing pains, much like the original classic mixer did from 1937 through 1946. THAT model underwent FOUR model iterations in just 9 years. So yes, there have been a few issues, but we have been continuously improving our model over the past 4 years. These improvements include an upgrade to a resettable thermal motor protection, spiral dough hook, and hobbed worm gear (instead of rolled). I also believe we are fighting a "legendary" image that may have grown to mythic proportions. We will continue to beef up this mixer early next year when we begin manufacturing our Pro 600 with an ALL-METAL gear case cover. Less than 0.5% of our customers ever have a problem with the gear case durability, but for those that do, this cover will GREATLY increase the durability under heavy loads, both in the bowl and through the attachment hub.

PizzaBrewer · « **Reply #18 on:** December 29, 2005, 09:37:36 AM »

KAVerne: Thanks for the input, I'm glad to hear that KA has heard the complaints and is working on beefing up the mixers.

Personally, I got fed up with my KA straining and groaning, only to end up with the dough climbing the hook and spinning around with no kneading action. My solution was to buy a real mixer:

http://www.pizzamaking.com/forum/index.php/topic,1832.0.html

I hope you'll stick around this forum as there are many people still using KAs. Do you make much pizza yourself?

---Guy

KAidVerne · « **Reply #19 on:** December 29, 2005, 06:37:31 PM »

PizzaBrewer,

Certainly a KitchenAid mixer cannot (and never could) beat the performance of the mixer you finally purchased. I suspect there really aren't that many people out there who ever DID use a KitchenAid for heavy, daily kneading of tough breads and pizza doughs. Our mixers just aren't built to handle that type of usage. The dificulty for us is figuring out where to draw the line, and how to manage our customer's expectations. Before Whirlpool bought KitchenAid, Hobart had only made 3 million household mixers TOTAL, and even fewer than that as heavy duty as our current models. In the last 20 years, we have sold over TEN million mixers. Everyone just assumes that everything is made cheaper today, and every time a company (or brand) is sold, the product suffers. As far as pizza making, no I don't make much pizza. I rely on our home economists and engineers (as well as customers like you) to give us insights into how our products are performing.