Mixers and more mixers

[nissanneill]

Well, it's decision making time again!
Last week I bid on ebay on a Hobart A-200 dough mixer with problems, (electrical and a broken casting), went up into the hills to check it out, asked the seller if he had a 'Buy Now' price and bought it home with me for Aus$50.
It took less than a half hour to rewire the cut off plug and solve the electrical problem, 3/4 hour to weld the broken carriage and all day today to strip the very chipped paintwork and repaint it.
Now I need to decide which one to keep, my original 2 speed 10 litre Chinese mixer with 3 beaters or the new (refurbished) 3 speed Hobart 20 litre with a single dough hook. The Hobart is much bigger in capacity but better suited to mixing dough I feel, and I wouldn't have the need for a whisk or beater.

Neill

[heliman]

Re: Mixers and more mixers

Ha - decision time for you Neill!!

I see the Hobart in the pic appears to have a C hook. I bought a Hobart 20 QT beater and spiral dough hook on eBay for about $140 AUD last week. Definitely worth getting those two if you intend keeping the Hobart! Whisker not so necessary for dough making.

Rossco

[nissanneill]

Re: Mixers and more mixers

Rossco,
The dough hook is not a C hook but a spiral dough hook. It fits the bowl with around 5mm clearance.
A much bigger bowl but more useable (I feel) speeds #1 and #2 (still trying to get the speeds as there is no compliance plate on the machine). Speed #3 is quite fast for whisking.

Neill

[heliman]

Re: Mixers and more mixers

OK - sounds good - couldn't quite see the hook in the pic.

The new machine looks amazing with the new coat of paint!!!!

Rossco

[ThisOldGarageNJ]

Re: Mixers and more mixers

Keep The HOBART.... I bet you it will outlast the chinese one 10-1

Nice job fixing it up

Cheers
Mark

[cynon767]

Re: Mixers and more mixers

I'm with Mark on this one- you went to the trouble of fixing up the Hobart; it will give you years of pride of ownership and reliable service, along with the satisfaction of having resurrected it.

[egalecki]

Re: Mixers and more mixers

I must confess, Neill, that I always wondered about the really small clearance between the opening of the bowl and the hook on your Chinese mixer. It looks as though it's hard to add things without spilling, to me. The Hobart's got a lot more room there, even though it's bigger than you need it to be.

You probably have about the same amount of time invested in each (after making a new hook for the other one), right? So make a batch of dough in the Hobart and see if it works like you need. Does it mix adequately for the amounts you commonly use? Or is it better suited to much larger amounts?

Keep the one that does what you need it to do, does it well, and is easier to deal with. Whichever that may be.

[heliman]

Re: Mixers and more mixers

I concur with Elizabeth's assessment of the situation. Very sound advice!

Don't be in a hurry to offload one - just take your time to learn the intricacies of each. Have you made a batch of dough with the new Hobart yet??

Rossco

[70chevelle]

Re: Mixers and more mixers

Boy the Hobart looks nice! I think mixers are like garages, they can never bee too big! After this weekend, I'd love to have the Hobart. Not that my mixer didn't do it's job with flying colors, I just had to break it up over 2 days with a 12# batch each day. Nice work refurbing!

[Frances]

Re: Mixers and more mixers

Well, I'd just love to have either one!

No that that's very helpful... but its certainly a nice problem to have.

[nissanneill]

Re: Mixers and more mixers

Thanks for the feedback crew!
I have no problems with either unit but I am tending to go with the Hobart.
I am awaiting a reply from the States for the extra beater and whisk for it. I am amazed how many US ebayers will not post outside of their own country, even when you ask them nicely and prepared to pay all costs!
I also can't believe that that model, the A-200 is still bringing up to US$1900 in the States, and that is not refurbished.
I will try the Hobart out probably Christmas day, and if it performs as well as my other, then that's the one I'll keep.

Elizabeth

I must confess, Neill, that I always wondered about the really small clearance between the opening of the bowl and the hook on your Chinese mixer. It looks as though it's hard to add things without spilling, to me. The Hobart's got a lot more room there, even though it's bigger than you need it to be.

That is the first thing that I noticed as well. The chinese unit is a little slim around the bowl top when installed into the mixer, but the liquids are not a problem adding when mixing, only when you are trying to put in a few kg of flour at the start of the mix.

Frances

Well, I'd just love to have either one!

It's like everything in life. I tried with what I had, (the wifes pride and joy from her 21st Kenwood Chef) but that was getting knoched around too much but I didn't want a huge mixer, so the smallest that I could find was this 10 litre model. Quite happy with it's performance but when a bargain is pushed in my face, I can't say NO! I guess it is that natural progression from good to better to ideal (and much cheaper to boot!).

70chevelle

Boy the Hobart looks nice! I think mixers are like garages, they can never bee too big!

I know what you mean. I have a good sized garage but it has 2 kit clubman's in there with a host of other equipment.
I won a Nissan SR20 turbo for the second one (which I plan on keeping as MY toy) and expecting a call from the transport company, so I need to make room and then get rid of the low km Mazda 13B turbo that I bought 5 years ago for the same car, but I was told that I wouldn't get it through the authorities over here due to their high emissions, so a late 90's injected turbo with 169kW in a 700kg car should prove fun to drive.

Cheers.

Neill

[heliman]

Re: Mixers and more mixers

I battled a bit finding an eBay seller who would ship attachments to Oz , but eventually found an excellent one. The parts that I ordered for my Thunderbird are interchangeable with the Hobart A-200. They ones I bought were actually sold for the A-200.

I paid $142 AUD for beater and spiral hook on eBay delivered to my door. I am happy to send the seller's details to you if you need.

Rossco

[nissanneill]

Re: Mixers and more mixers

Rossco,
can you send me a personal email with your contact so I can check them out. I have one ready to send a spiral dough hook but another I am trying to get them to address the parcel to Oz rather than a lower 48 state!

Neill

[heliman]

Re: Mixers and more mixers

PM sent Neill...

Rossco