I bought a used KA mixer but it only came with the paddle mixer. It is a Professional series 600 6qt bowl lifter mixer, if that matters.
I started looking to buy the replacement accessories and I see that bread hooks come in different types. Does it matter which style and is there an advantage of the coated (white) ones over the metal? I was using a borrowed KA mixer that has the one that is more like a C instead of the S style but I am very new to making bread.
by Due-Cryptographer744
30 Comments
I think (hopefully I will be corrected if I’m mistaken) that the spiral hooks mix the dough against the bottom of the bowl, whereas the C hooks mix against the sides. So if you have a “lift” style KA mixer you should get the spiral hook, since the lift style mixers can handle pressure from the dough being worked along the “up-and-down” axis but not so much along the “side-to-side” axis. This is the opposite of the tilt style mixers, which is why they use the C style hook to work the dough up against the sides rather than up and down (which would strain the tilt hinge).
I‘d take the metal one over the other any day. Our original (white) one broke after about 30 times using it. The metal one is much sturdier and fits tighter on the machine. Our white one loosened itself while kneading… Now we have an off-brand, metal one (one third the price) that‘s been going for at least a hundred bakes 🙂
If you have a bowl-lift, take a spiral hook (which is made for bowl lift anyway). It does a way better job at kneading, compared to C-shaped hook (which is made for tilt-head)
The spiral does a great job with 2 loaf bread amounts. More than that, it bogges down and heats up my 5 quart Kitchenaide Professional.
I have used both on my bowl lift mixer. The bread dough just climbs onto the hook and rides around in a circle, not moving. I don’t understand how that can be considered kneading. I stop the mixer and push it back down, but it very quickly climbs right back up. I would use the spiral one. ETA: notwithstanding what another poster said about the spiral being the correct hook for the bowl lift mixer, the hook was what was supplied with the mixer.
I have an 43YO KA that came with the C hook so that’s what I used for years but I always hated it. Then I found a spiral hook that fit my machine. Absolutely life changing. I threw away the C hook and never looked back.
Each of those is for a different model of KA mixer.
get the stainless spiral for your mixer but you must take the measures and make sure it is right for your model machine. Amazon has lots of sellers listing incorrect models and or incorrect measurements on their products.
Look up the specs on your machine and its attachment on the kitchen aid site. Last time I looked they were not selling a stainless dough hook, so get the specs of the coated one and use that to make sure you get the correct one if ordering elsewherre.
I have the artisan mixer and it came with the stock dough hook. It didn’t seem to knead pizza dough well for me so I bought a spiral type hook like the one you pictured. That thing works fantastic. Ended up buying the Bosch all in one mixer later to mix a lot of dough cause the kitchen aid has trouble.
I prefer the metal. The paint on my white paddle attachment started pealing off and I don’t want paint chips in my dough.
Others have already mentioned you’ll need to order based on whether you have the bowl that lifts or not.
In addition to that, if you’re interested in using it long-term, consider buying a stainless steel dough hook. The enamel-coated hooks and paddles I’ve seen flake off, exposing the aluminum that discolors, ending up with stuff in your food that shouldn’t be eaten.
I have the K5 which comes with the C shape hook, and it served me well for 20+ years. At my work we have the 6 quart Pro, which have the spiral. After working with those for a bit, I bought a spiral that fits my home machine because it kneads the dough more evenly and takes less time to get results. I’ve never seen a c-shape hook for a 6qt.
I would recommend that you NOT substitute a spiral dough hook for a C-style hook if your machine was not originally supplied with one from the manufacturer. The spiral type of dough hook applies a significant upward force into the bearings of the mixer when kneading doughs. Mixers that were originally supplied with spiral hooks (such as the ProLine, the Commercial, etc) have bearings that are designed to withstand this upward force. Mixers that originally came with the C-style dough hooks do not have the same bearings since their design did not require them, as the majority of the force presented with the C-style hook is lateral and not vertical.
In my opinion, whether a mixer is a bowl-lift model or a tilt model (such as the Artisan) is not the most reliable way of determining whether your mixer bearings can withstand the upward forces imparted by a spiral dough hook. There are indeed bowl lift models that were originally supplied with C-style hooks and do not have bearings that are intended to withstand the upward forces I described. Retrofitting such mixers with a spiral dough would be a mistake. Instead, a much more reliable way is to examine what type of dough hook your machine was supplied with from the manufacturer.
If you still are confused as to whether your mixer was designed to be used with a spiral dough hook, a quick call to KitchenAid technical support can confirm which dough hook is designed to be used with your mixer.
Have them both, get the stainless but not the KA brand, get the after market. My machine is a tilt and works better for doughs with the spiral non-c hook.
https://a.co/d/0AzNdEW
I’m new to making bread but I’ve made pizza dough for years now and the spiral is way better for kneading than the J hook shape.
The J hook just smacks the outside of the dough off the sides whereas the spiral really kneads in inside of the dough as well as the outside. Much better gluten development as a result and seems a bit faster overall too.
1st one The stainless steel
I have both, the left one works soooo much better.
It also works much better with smaller recipes as it nearly touches the bottom of the bowl.
A could be ok, B is useless. And your leaf mixer is probably even better, especially if you are a beginner
Left fits with that model and is the better one overall. The right one fits the smaller classic and artisan models
Spiral all the way. Had an older off brand with a C hook, the shield broke and the dough climbed into the gears. Got a KA 600 Pro with a spiral and it’s been reliable for nearly 20 years.
I had the plastic-covered one for many years, but the plastic eventually came off and it ended up breaking in half. I don’t recommend it. There is a stainless steel version with the same shape (not the spiral one above) and my plastic-covered one was replaced with this. It will likely last forever.
Type of metal doesn’t matter. Shape does, though. The spiral one (on the left) is better.
Best hook resides at the end of your arm
Your hands. Thats the best bread hook
Buy the original
LEFT LEFT LEFT !!!!! I absolutely hate the right one, the dough literally travels up the hook over the flared section
As others have said – they’re for different models. However, you can buy.a s/steel c- hook one and I would recommend that over the coated as it is dishwashable and you don’t have to worry about the coating coming off.
The white one. That silver one is awful.
I can’t speak for the other, but I own the one on the right. It works really well I have had zero issues with it.
White one
The left one…it pushes the dough back down into the bowl. The j hook on the right allows the dough to climb up and cause a mess.