If you know the problem of dough sticking to the sides and bottom of the bowl when you are mixing then you may like to know about how to fix that depending on the type of mixer you have. This is known as beater to bowl clearance and can make a huge difference as when you get it right you do not have to keep stopping to clear the dough from the sides of the bowl and you will not end up with a lot of wastage.
When your mixer is straight from the factory it will be set to just clear the bowl when mixing. It is a delicate balance between touching the sides and scraping the bowl with the blades, however, it can be done.
The best way forward is to check your manual for beater to bowl clearance; if you do not have the instructions here they are;
Beater to Bowl clearance on Tilt-head model mixers
This type of mixer has a screw just below the area where the head is attached to the stand. You will need to unplug your mixer and tilt the head to locate the screw. If you turn it very slightly to the right (clockwise) it will lower the beater, a slight turn to the left (anti-clockwise) it will raise the beater.
Beater to Bowl clearance on Bowl-lift models
This type of mixer has an adjustment screw on the lower portion of the stand. You will need to put the lift handle down to locate the screw. The same method is used as above, turn to the right for lowering and turn to the left for raising the beater.
You may have to make slight adjustments if you can hear the beater touching the sides. Just adjust it gradually for the best results.
N.B You will need to be very careful not to touch the bowl with the beater as it can cause damage.
N.B It can also damage the motor.
N.B If you are unsure of how to do this and do not have instructions on how to do this in your product manual, check with your manufacturers help line. A good branded product will have assistance and will be able to help you make the adjustments rather than trying to adjust it yourself.
If you are in the market for a new stand mixer take a look at Mixer Picks for honest reviews of the latest products on the market.
It is not easy to go into a store and testing a food mixer, you can’t really expect to be able to make a dough mix right there, that is where straight talking reviews can be very useful.
The good news is that if you are shopping around for a new food mixer there are now two types of beater blade on the market which address this problem.
The two types are BeaterBlade and SideSwipe Spatula Mixer Blade; here we can take a look at the two for comparison.
BeaterBlade;
Looks and attaches pretty much the same as any other blade but it has food grade rubber “wings” along the edge of the paddle.
These “wings” are designed to continuously scrape the sides of the bowl so you no longer need to keep stopping and lifting the lid to manually scrape the ingredients from the side of the bowl. It is also designed to go into the dimple in the bottom of the bowl.
Whilst it is good for lighter mixing of cookie dough, cake batter, sugar frosting and nut butters it is not recommended for heavy doughs used in bread making, heavy cookie dough or frozen ingredients.
It can be safely cleaned in the dish washer (top rack).
SideSwipe Spatula Mixer Blade
The shape is similar to your usual blades but you will see that it has “fins”. They are made of silicone molded onto the edge, angled horizontally. This is designed to scrape the sides of the bowl and the ingredients in the bottom of the bowl.
Again, it is not recommended for very stiff doughs, frozen or hard chilled products.
It can also be safely cleaned in the dish washer (top rack).
Both types
The warranties are not great for these newer types of attachments, perhaps the manufacturers anticipate misuse!
The BeaterBlade is guaranteed for 1 year.
The SwideSwipe Spatula is guaranteed for 90 days (from date of purchase).
At the time of writing it is difficult to know which brands have which attachment available. You have the link in this article offering up to date information on food mixers to help you choose.
Whether you want the “wings” of the bird or the “fins” of a fish to help you scrape the sides is another consideration!