Why does everyone say you have to use a stand mixer for bread?

I made a loaf by hand last week, just kneading it on my counter for about 8 minutes. The crumb was tight and the crust was perfect. I think people rely on the machine too much and lose the feel for the dough. Has anyone else had better results just using their hands?

3 comments

3 Comments

dianawilson8d ago

Have you ever tried making a large batch of dough? When you're doing two or three loaves at once, kneading by hand becomes a real chore. A stand mixer takes the hard work out of it and gives you a more even mix every single time. It's not about losing the feel, it's about saving your energy and getting a reliable result, especially for people who bake a lot. For a single loaf, sure, go ahead, but the machine is a huge help for anything more than that.

kim_davis8d ago

My grandma did five loaves by hand every week... guess we're just soft now.

parker_webb8d ago

Two or three loaves is a large batch? That's just a normal weekend bake for me, honestly. My arms would fall off if I thought that needed a machine.