Overheard a baker say you need a $600 KitchenAid to make good sourdough and I totally disagree

I've been getting perfect loaves for two years using a $20 thrift store hand mixer, so why do people act like expensive gear is the secret to good baking when it's really just practice and patience?

3 comments

3 Comments

mary_west26d ago

Honestly if your bread tastes good and has the texture you want, who cares what kind of mixer made it? Feels like some people just need to feel superior about their expensive stuff.

ellioth3726d ago

My friend Anna spent a year making sourdough with a wobbly secondhand mixer that barely held together. Her crust was always crackly and her crumb was perfectly open, even when the mixer sounded like it might explode. She finally upgraded last month and said the loaf came out exactly the same, just a little quieter.

patricia_gonzalez26d agoTop Commenter

I know three different home bakers who got their start with a $30 garage sale bread machine and still make better sourdough than people with $600 stand mixers. The whole argument feels like gatekeeping dressed up as advice when really it's just about learning how your dough feels and responds. If someone is that worried about the mixer making or breaking their bread, maybe they need to focus more on their starter and technique.