Bosch mixer - whats the steel bowl good for? whats the cost?

I know that people use the stainless steel bowl for doughs, but is it really necessary, or just an extra? whats the real difference between using the steel or plastic bowl?
Can dough be made in the plastic bowl, or cake batters in the steel?
I'd like to get a bosch, but dont want to spend extra if I dont have to.. I was thinking maybe I'd get ONLY the steel bowl, does that make sense?

Also, does anyone know what a good price for the bosch mixer is? Ive looked around a bit, but want to know what's considered a good price for it.

Using the plastic bowl for doughs kills the motor (I learned the hard way) and the metal bowl doesn't have the whisk for batters, only the dough hook.
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Liba, mommy to Zlata Tova 5/6/98, Tziporah Faiga 1/12/01, Esther Rivka 7/13/04 and Avraham Chaim 7/2/2006

Posted: Mon, Mar 22 2010, 5:39 am Post subject:

Metal is better "all around". It's stronger. It's hardier. Whipped cream (even pareve) whips better in a chilled bowl...and you can't chill a plastic bowl. Dough is better in a metal bowl. (Especially a yeast dough, in the winter, when you can sit it over a pot with hot water to help it rise.)
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Emmanuel Tzvi: 26 Shevat 5766
Shai Michael: 8 Cheshvan 5768
Yitzchak Meir: 19 Iyar 5770
Dvir Aharon: 10 Tammuz 5772

Posted: Mon, Mar 22 2010, 7:19 am Post subject:

Posted: Mon, Mar 22 2010, 7:22 am Post subject:

I'm not familiar specifically with the Bosch. I said GENERALLY metal is much better than plastic. You can't use a dough hook for anything besides dough (except maybe fondant...which is also dough in a manner of speaking). I don't understand when you say the bowl only came with a certain attachment?

Posted: Mon, Mar 22 2010, 7:29 am Post subject:

Posted: Mon, Mar 22 2010, 7:30 am Post subject:

That sounds more like a food processor bowl than a mixer bowl. It would drive me nuts! It also sounds impractical...how much of the ingredients get wasted because they don't mix well upside down? (I'm picturing gaps between wherever the attachment "plugs in" and the bowl sides/bottom.)

Diamond Member Joined: Aug 07 2006 Posts: 2556

There are a few different Bosch mixer models. I have the Universal Kitchen Machine (now discontinued, the new one is the Universal Plus). Mine came with a plastic bowl with center post (donut shaped bowl), dough hook and metal whisks. The attachments (hook, whisks, etc) attach to the top of the center post. I use the plastic bowl to make bread all the time - no problem! I don't make cake batter frequently, but when I do I use the metal whisks. If you make cookies, the cookie paddles will work better than the whisks - the whisks are too flexible.

I just looked at a vendor's website (I got mine from Pleasant Hill Grain) and it seems that the new stainless steel bowl has the center post, and uses the standard attachments. The bowl without the center post appears to have been discontinued. The new stainess steel bowls are sold without dough hook/whisks (at least from this vendor). I received excellent customer service from Pleasant Hill Grain (no affiliation, etc). They quickly answered all my questions about selecting and using the products.

Platinum Member Joined: Mar 24 2008 Posts: 6528

I bought my bosch from a frum store in NY. The metal bowl was included free.

(I also bought the blender and food processor attachments. The blender is great. The food processor is not.)

Platinum Member Joined: May 15 2008 Posts: 5033

All the Jewish Brooklyn stores include the metal bowl at no additional charge.

Diamond Member Joined: Aug 07 2006 Posts: 2556

Wow! The Bosch mixers are sold in stores in Brooklyn? Around here, they are sold through private dealers only (not in stores). I didn't realize they were off-the-shelf anywhere - you ladies are lucky!

Gold Member Joined: Apr 16 2005 Posts: 1943

Gold Member Joined: Feb 14 2007 Posts: 1164 Location: NY

Posted: Mon, Mar 22 2010, 8:05 pm Post subject:

I used the plastic bowl for four years and blew out the motor. I was told by the repair person, once he opened up my machine, without me telling him what bowl I had been using, that this happened because I was using the plastic bowl.

At that point I only had the plastic bowl, and the repair was twice the cost of the metal bowl. I bought the metal bowl and it holds a lot more, mixes better and works really well for dough, but nothing else.

Posted: Mon, Mar 22 2010, 9:20 pm Post subject:

Diamond Member Joined: Nov 10 2005 Posts: 3401

I think I want to order from Pleasant Hill Grain -

Is this the one that would be good for 5 lbs of Challah?

http://www.pleasanthillgrain.com/Bosch_Universal_Plus_Mixer_MUM6N10UC.aspx

and which stainless steel bowl?

Stainless Steel Bowl (MUZ6ER2)

or

The Original Style Stainless Steel Bowl

Thank you!!!

Silver Member Joined: Feb 16 2010 Posts: 671

Usually the Jewish stores have it on discounted prices closer to Chanaka. So if you can wait another few weeks--it might save you some $$.

Posted: Wed, Nov 03 2010, 11:37 am Post subject:

Diamond Member Joined: Nov 10 2005 Posts: 3401

Posted: Wed, Nov 03 2010, 11:49 am Post subject: