The Halo Pro is quieter and the motor won’t overheat. I didn’t feel the motor kneading the dough urgently. And – sedatives, I don’t know how to describe this – violence of kneading the dough. Unlike KitchenAid, you can be left unattended. It was so easy that I did not destroy one, but destroyed it Exceed– Sewed before I realized what was going on.
Photo: Adrienne
The ability to calibrate mixing speeds with more precise use of the dial, rather than the five settings of KitchenAid helps. You can knead it much slower than with KitchenAid and treat it lighter with a dial and spiral stirrer.
I also like the flexible paddle of the Halo Pro, which is much better than the KitchenAid Flat Paddle. It fits perfectly on the sides of the bowl, which means you can even put the smallest soft butter and sugar in the bowl, and the paddles are perfectly creamy. Every few seconds you won’t stop and lift your arms and scrape the sides with a separate spatula, although you may feel the need to do so. I have only this blender since February, so I can’t guarantee the long-term durability of the paddle, but it seems to keep it good.
Finally, there is even one Light It’s inside, so you don’t have to put the mixer perfectly in the kitchen to check if the chocolate chips are spread well in the dough.
Mucho Gusto
Photo: Adrienne
As you may have guessed, getting a commercial stand mixer is mainly about volume. If you are a bread baker and want to improve your bread for your family for a week or two, then there are things you can do that are cheaper and easier, and it will produce better results before you invest in one of them. (For these tips, I recommend you to Ken Forkish’s book Flour water salt yeastmy colleague Kat Merck edited and tested the recipe.
Halo Pro’s main competitors are Ankarsrum Stand Mixer. It’s beautiful, and if you’re concerned, its aesthetic has the same retro aesthetic as KitchenAid. The Halo Pro has better specifications in some ways. For example, my Halo Pro can reach up to 345 rpm compared to Ankarsrum’s 130 rpm. The Halo Pro has an internal light and a flexible paddle that I really like.
The main drawbacks with why people buy KitchenAids: You know they will last a lifetime, even a few. No matter how great a spiral mixer is, it is hard to contradict this well-known guarantee. But if you are like me and love to entertain in a messy way – Pizza! Pretzels! Cinnamon rolls! No longer worry about making multiple batches, overheating or having to take care of your dough. In the morning, batches are also very convenient.
