I can't help you with a sunbeam, but if you can find a vintage Kitchenaid, one made by Hobart, go for it. I've had mine for almost 31 years and it is still going strong. If it ever breaks down I'll be looking for another one.

Ann

I have an old Sunbeam (my mom's) but can't advise as I don't do dough with mine. However I'm the same - don't need or want a big, heavy, robust KA. Sometimes I'm afraid my old Sunbeam might die. I have looked at new mixers and the non-big, heavy, robust ones are junky in comparison to the old Sunbeam. I've already been looking on ebay for a replacement and was delighted to find all kinds of them in wonderful vintage colors. I'll be interested to see if you find a good model for dough. Juicing must have been the thing back then - alot of them have juicer attachments.

I'm no expert on vintage mixers (except to the degree that I'm "vintage" myself!) but I doubt any old Sunbeam will be good for dough. Those old mixers were mainly used for cake batters and cookies. Bread was kneaded by hand.

Carol

I have to agree with Carol. I'm using a 47 year old Kitchen Aid which is also still going strong, but it wasn't designed for bread dough. It will mix a nice batch of cookie dough however! Funny, I found another just like it years ago, and it's residing in my basement for the time when the other one burns up. I hesitate to replace it since I have four bowls/beaters for it, which lets me do all kinds of things like whip egg whites, make a cake or beat frosting, without having to wash the bowls or the beaters.

One nice thing about going vintage is the mixers themselves aren't so gigantic you can't put them under the upper cabinets in an old (also vintage) kitchen.

I just use my bread machine for bread dough and use the old mixer for what it was intended.

I have one of the 6 qt KA's that's about 6 years old. We've just purchased a nearly new Hobart N50 and the KA will go on Ebay I think. This KA has been great but I'm not excited to purchase a new one .... haven't heard good things.

Claire, I'm surprised that your kitchenaide doesn't do bread. The old hobart kitchenaids are the best. I've kneaded many a batch of bread dough in mine over the years.

Ann

Yeah I agree with Ann T on that because that's one of the big issues with the new KAs is they just aren't cutting it with the heavy things(like dough) and are burning up. I'm thinking that the old KAs are well capable of kneading dough. Maybe keep the batches small. I've checked out the old Hobart KAs and they aren't cheap! Over a $100 plus pretty big shipping. Of course that's still way cheaper than a new KA!

FWIW, my KA is labeled Ultra Power and is a model from the 1980's. I make bread in mine just about every week and I've been selling my bread at a Saturday farmers' market for the past two seasons, May to November. So, the KA does get a workout - we're talking 100% whole wheat bread.

My opinion, if you want a vintage Sunbeam for mixing cookie dough, cakes, whatever - get one, but don't expect it to mix bread dough. I've never seen the double dough hooks that were as strong as the single hook on my KA. If you don't want to make bread by hand (which I think you should learn to do first to get the whole experience) then get a used bread machine at a thrift store. You might not want to set aside the kitchen counter space for a bread machine, so think twice.

Teresa

Ann, your model is positively modern compared to mine! Here's what mine looks like. It's much smaller, there's no dough hook and it's really OLD. That's the beater, the grinder and I also have the ice cream freezer that would attach to the place where the grinder goes. I have two glass bowls and two stainless bowls, none of which have handles. (circa 1963/64) It's still working well, but tends to blow smoke on the lower settings, so I make sure to run it at the mid-range or above. It's exactly like the one in my mom's kitchen while I was growing up, so I'm sentimental.

Here is a link that might be useful: Kitchen Aid 3C model

My old Kitchenaid is a K45. Before getting the breadmaker I made many a batch of bread in it. The only limit seemed to be the capacity of the bowl. The only breads I made by hand were the old 4-loaf country recipes.

Carol

I should have mentioned if it's an old KitchenAid-Hobart (the best vintage choice for bread) you'll probably pay about as much for an old one on ebay as a new Kitchenaid.

For bread alone you might have better luck checking thrift stores for a breadmaker. They show up quite frequently dirt-cheap and are excellent for mixing dough. (You don't have to bake in them.)

Carol

My large Kitchenaid mixer with the stationary head kneads dough. It is 36 years old and still going strong, but it certainly is one heavy sucker!

I've had my old Hobart Kitchenaid for 30 years and it was old when I got it from a commercial situation. Apparently that model was made between 1944 and 1962, which sounds about right. I found one on Ebay that only has 2 days left to bid on it and it's only $43 now. No saying how high it will go I guess but might be worth checking out. Shipping for me would be about $16 for the cheap shipping rate, so that's great shipping on such a heavy machine.. lol. The seller has a great satisfaction rating.

Here is a link that might be useful: Vintage Hobart Kitchenaid

Arkansas girl, you said "Recently I've been thinking I need a stand mixer. I will seldom use it but I'd still like to have one for when I need it." That was my exact thought several years ago when I bought my kitchenaid. I too couldn't justify spending so much on an appliance I would rarely use. (it is just me and I have backed off on cooking so much :) ) While I can't speak of sunbeam mixers this is what I did.
I went to Amazon found a re-furbished Artisan for I think a couple hundred dollars, there was a sale going on, and I applied for the amazon credit card which knocked off some $$$ can't remember how much.....bottom line I paid about $100 for my mixer and it does all I ask it to do. Never had a moments problem with it. My suggestion is to look up re-furbished mixers and see what they have to offer. Both at the Amazon and Kitchen-aid sites. My mixer came with a 6 month warranty instead of the 1 year offered on new mixers. It came with the usual attachments flat beater, whisk, and dough hook as well as SS bowl with handle. I am lusting after the new glass bowl but that is another thread for another day. LOL
As you said, I seldom use it but when I need a mixer it is really nice to know I have one!! And an excellent mixer too!
Just a thought.
Murphy

Thanks coconut for that link, I'll keep an eye on it. I'd still have to buy some beaters but they seem pretty plentiful on ebay! I've seen most of the old ones are selling for well over $100 that I've tracked! :(

I have been looking and looking at flea markets and thrift shops and there is just NOTHING! The only mixers I've seen are some worn out old off brand junk and they are still wanting like $30 for them!

Coconut - I viewed the used KA you are thinking of getting. It looks like it only has the one beater. Do you know if other KA attachements are compatible with it OR are you only planning on using it for cakes, etc.?

Not coconut but I'm under the impression that the attachments fit all KA mixers. They are interchangable. Am I right...anyone know?

The attachments on the head do fit basically all KitchenAids (there may be some mixers out there I'm not aware of) so my old meat grinder and shredder do fit my old KitchenAid and my new one. But my colander strainer fits only my K45.

You might want to visit the KitchenAid mixer forum and post a question regarding beaters for that model before you bid. KitchenAid employees as well as owners post, so you'll likely get an answer.

The Kitchenaid forum has just moved to Facebook, so hopefully you're signed up for access. Sadly, I don't find it as useful as the original forum on their site but go to the discussions tab and you can post your question.

Carol

Here is a link that might be useful: KitchenAid Forum on Facebook

About a year ago, I bought a KA Ultra Power on Craig's List for $75. Yesterday, an old friend gave me her mother's KA 3C.
Which would you keep?
Both only have one bowl and one beater
Thanks