Mixer Tips to Help You Stay on the Beaten Path

Food mixers can handle baking jobs as light and easy as whipping cream or egg whites or as heavy-duty as kneading dough for bread.

Two kinds of mixers are popular: portable hand-held units and heavier stand-alone models with a pedestal base.

Hand mixers are lighter in weight and have smaller motors and housings. If you use a mixer mostly for light chores, a hand-held unit is fine. For more demanding tasks, a more powerful pedestal model--preferably with a set of metal bowls--is best.

Here are some tips about the use and care of your food mixer:

* The bowl on your pedestal-type mixer should rotate slowly when in operation. If it does not, check the height of the beaters and the turntable.

* The beaters should just clear the bowl. Or if one beater has a plastic disc on the bottom, the disc should touch the bowl.

* To adjust the beaters, remove the mixer from the stand and lift up the hinge to find the adjustment screw. Adjust the beater height by turning the screw, which may be on either the top of the pedestal base or the bottom of the mixer. If in doubt, check your owner’s manual.

* If the turntable does not rotate, clean and lubricate the table’s pivot and the hole in which it sits. Clean with detergent and fine steel wool. Lubricate with two or three drops of mineral oil.

* For maximum safety, turn the speed control to “off” and unplug a mixer whenever you remove the beaters or take a pedestal-type mixer off the stand or place it on the stand.

* Also make sure a mixer is unplugged when you clean it. Wipe the housing with a damp cloth. A mild, non-abrasive cleaner can be used for stubborn spots. The beaters and bowl can be cleaned in a dishwasher or by hand.

CAUTION: Never immerse the mixer itself in water. If air vents on the housing become clogged--which can cause the mixer to overheat--clean out the dirt with a pipe cleaner.

* If you need to scrape the sides of the mixing bowl during operation to help the mixing process, use a rubber spatula. Don’t use metal or wooden implements. Be sure to keep your hands away from the beaters while the mixer is running.

* To straighten a bent beater blade, put the damaged portion on a cutting board and press on it with the bottom of a teaspoon.

* If the beaters on your mixer are difficult to remove, try putting just one drop of light household oil into each beater’s sleeve.

* If the motor does not run, check the wall outlet with a lamp you know is working.

* If there is no power, check for a blown fuse or tripped circuit breaker in the main power panel of your home.

* If the power cord on your pedestal-type mixer is badly frayed and seems to be the cause of the problem, have an authorized repair shop replace it. The power cord on a hand-held mixer is usually detachable. If it must be replaced, get an exact copy from the manufacturer.

* If the motor runs sluggishly, the food mixture may be too thick. Use a higher speed and thin out the mixture.

CAUTION: If the motor hums but does not run, shut the mixer off immediately to prevent motor damage.