Kitchenaid Beater/Scraper

[pastameshugana]

Over in FG's Kitchenaid confessions thread, peterm2 mentioned the beater/scraper attachments for the KA mixers:

Especially when you fit it with one of those after-market beaters with the silicone scraping...

I love this idea, and popped over to Amazon to look for one. Which one do you use/recommend?

The kitchenaid brand has complaints of flinging ingredients:

KitchenAid Flex Edge Beater

But the Metro line has complaints of breakage...

Metro

Then there's the even fancier looking 'sideswipe' blades with complaints of being hard to clean:

SideSwipe

I know there's no perfect product, but steer me in the right direction!

Thanks in advance...

[peterm2]

Re-reading my comment I see I certainly could have been clearer! I have the metro one. It's made of plastic and definitely doesn't feel as solid as the metal one standard with the Kitchenaid. But it's held up fine and hasn't shown any sign of breaking.

Whatever you're beating does accumulate along the silicone scraper parts. With the metro, you can just scrape a finger or something along the entire length of each side to drop the batter back into the bowl and incorporate it. With that side swipe blade, it looks like you'd have to do that with each individual scraper piece.

[David A. Goldfarb]

I have the Sideswipe. If you use a brush, it's not hard to clean.

When I saw the Metro with the long blades, having already bought a Sideswipe when it was the only such option, I thought the grass might be greener on that side of the fence, but my Sideswipe has held up well for a few years now, and I think the pattern of silicone blades makes for good blending.

[baroness]

I have, and like, the BeaterBlade.

[Norm Matthews]

I believe KitchenAid is now making one too. I'd go with that one because I am afraid an aftermarket, off-brand version might void any warranty you have on the mixer.

[Chris Hennes]

I have, and like, the BeaterBlade.

Same here.

[andiesenji]

I have both, the Beater Blade and the Sideswipe and use both in my 6qt KA 600 "Pro"

For regular cake batter, that isn't so thick, I find the Beater Blade works fine but with slightly stickier stuff my experience has been that the Sideswipe will drive the mixture down into the center of the bowl instead of it clumping around the structure of the beater.

When I first got the Sideswipe and wrote about it there were dire warnings about the blade material coming off in chunks into whatever was being mixed.

Like David, mine has gotten a pretty good workout and there has been no breakdown of the material.

I clean the batter off it with a silicone brush so as to lose at little as possible and it goes straight into the sink and is rinsed with hot water - most stuff doesn't stick to it so it is easy to clean.

I have purchased backups for both, just in case one decides to fail at some ungodly hour when there is no chance of getting another on short notice. I mean, just sayin...

[runwestierun]

I have a Beater Blade and I love it. I made some stiff dough once and used it by mistake (I should have used the dough hook). It developed a small crack in the center of the shaft that runs perpendicular to the floor if the Beater Blade is installed on the KA. The crack has been there a year and hasn't grown.

I would like to say I have seen a marked improvement in the quality of my cakes since using the Beater Blade. Like Andiesenji, I've also purchased a backup.

[Boilerfood]

+1 for the Beater Blade. I have never had a problem with it.

[flourgirl]

I did have the KA version and eventually returned it. My batter was never ejected from the bowl as some commenters described but the batter was plastered toward the top of the bowl and was not being incorporated. I called KA and told them about my experience. I plan to purchase the Beater Blade this June when Rose Levy Beranbaum's Line is released.

[lindag]

I have the Beater Blade as well. I am not a big user of if as I seldom make cakes.

The times that I have used it I found that it worked exceptionally better than the standard beater in clearing the bowl. It is considerably harder to clean however but still worth the extra effort.

[flourgirl]

I am concerned as to whether the Beater Blade will over-beat my batters. I bake a lot of quick breads and French recipes which require a gentle blending of the flour after other ingredients have been incorporated. I expressed my concern on Rose's blog and was assured the Beater Blade can be used, without making adjustments, in Rose's recipes.

[Chris Hennes]

If anything I'd expect the BeaterBlade to be gentler on your batters, by reducing the mixing time required: the continuous bowl-scraping action means not having to stop to scrape the bowl and then mix longer to incorporate, it happens in one smooth, continuous action.

[andiesenji]

I have not had a problem with overbeating with either the Beater Blade or the Sideswipe. I am very picky about the tenderness of my quick breads and cakes and in my opinion, both incorporate the ingredients more rapidly so cut down on the mixing time.

I find that I use the Sideswipe more often than the Beater Blade but either does an excellent job, much superior to the original equipment.

[David A. Goldfarb]

I haven't had any problems with overbeating with the Sideswipe beater either. If I want just to incorporate ingredients without further beating, I use a slower speed and turn it off when it's ready, just like I'd do with the standard beater.

[flourgirl]

Thank you Chris, andlesenji and David. What you say makes a lot of sense. I am anxious to give them a try. I am waiting for Rose Levy Beranbaum's Beater Blade, by New Metro, to be released some time this month and the Side Swip will go on my wish list.

[JeanneCake]

I also have a Beater Blade (two, one for constant use and the other for backup), and love it; I want them to make it for my 7 qt KA, though.

[flourgirl]

Jeanne, which model BB do you have?

Edited June 6, 2012 by flourgirl (log)

[JeanneCake]

It's the regular one (not the Pro) - it's the one for the 6 qt KA; I got it at Home Goods about 3 months ago for $19.99; we love it so much at work that I called the company and they make one for a 20 qt Hobart (but it's really expensive). The more we use this little one, the more I think the money would be well spent on the one for the Hobart....

Here's a link to it:http://www.beaterblade.com/categories/beaterblade_1/beaterblade_.htm

[flourgirl]

Thanks for the link. I like the regular one too. I think Rose's is the regular one but the rubber blades are red. It is packaged with a cute characature of her. I'm anxious to get it.