When should you consider buying a stainless steel stand mixer?
A stainless steel stand mixer suits you if the machine will live on your worktop and work several times a week. Steel housings shrug off knocks, heat from a nearby hob and the scrubbing that leaves plastic shells dull after 3–5 years. In an open kitchen, a brushed steel body also matches steel appliances and sinks.
It is also the better choice for regular dough work. A steel body adds stiffness and mass, so a 1600 W machine like the Bosch Series 6 MUMS6ZS19D stays steady while it kneads. Lighter plastic mixers at the same power rock more and pass vibration to the worktop.
Steel makes less sense if you store the mixer in a cupboard or bake twice a month. A heavy metal body is awkward to lift out each time. A plastic mixer with the same 900–1000 W motor does the same occasional baking for less money.
