Bosch Mixer Full Review: Is It Worth The Dough?

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A powerful mixer makes a huge difference in a busy kitchen. Whether you bake for enjoyment or frequently, baking to replace store-bought food with healthier options, the right tools make the job easier and more efficient. When it comes to purchasing a new mixer, it truly is an investment. After decades of using a Kitchen Aid, I upgraded my mixer to a Bosch Universal Plus Mixer. Having used this powerful mixer for several years, I can confidently say my Bosch mixer is a true workhorse in my homestead kitchen. In this Bosch Universal Plus mixer review, I will share what I love, plus I’ll share what I think could be better and whether I really think it’s worth spending your hard-earned dough! 

What Makes the Bosch Universal Plus Mixer Different?

One of the defining features that makes the Bosch Universal Plus mixer unique is the bottom drive motor. Most mixers have the motor in the head above the bowl. Putting the motor below the bowl puts the power of the machine right where you want it, in the bowl!  Additionally, it makes the top of the bowl unobstructed by the motor. This makes it easy to add additional ingredients even while the motor is running. The high torque drive has 500 watts of power, making this mixer powerful enough to handle up to 14 pounds of dough! As a fresh-milled flour baker, the powerful motor of the Bosch is a game-changer and one of the reasons I chose to upgrade my mixer! While I used my Kitchen Aid to knead bread dough, I could hear the motor struggling. We choose to upgrade before completely burning out the motor.

The Bosch mixer has 4 variable speeds in addition to a pulse feature. I use the pulse feature frequently; it’s nice for mixing in quick bursts to avoid overmixing. It’s also nice when mixing in ingredients like chocolate chips that you only want to fold into the dough. I use speeds one and two most frequently, rarely using speeds three and four. I find that the moderate speed meets most of my mixing needs. The motor itself is not excessively loud; while it’s not quiet, the noise levels are not louder than you would expect from any of the best stand mixers. 

​Three Bowl Options

My bosch mixer is the White Universal Plus Mixer. It has a 6.5-quart plastic bowl with a center column. This is the most affordable and has the largest capacity of the standard bowl options. It handles up to 14 pounds of dough with ease. That translates into 34 dozen cookies! 

The second standard option is the Black Universal Plus Mixer. This mixer features a 6.5-quart stainless steel bowl with a plastic center post. While it still handles a respectable 10 pounds of dough, the capacity is more limited than the white version and comes in at a higher price tag. However, the sleek look of this mixer is impressive for those looking for a mixer that sits out on the counter. 

The third bowl option is an optional accessory that can be purchased. The bottom drive bowl is compatible with both the White and Black Bosch mixer, but also their smaller cousin, the Artiste. This bowl is designed for the bread maker who prefers a bowl without the center post. It has a specialized European dough hook that can handle dense, heavy breads and lots of it! It comes with its own splash guard and lid. However, it is not compatible with the additional paddles we’ll talk about soon. This bowl can NOT be purchased with the mixer itself, but only as an additional accessory. 

The dough hook is the standard mixing hook for all types of dough. Unique among most dough hooks, it has three sections that work the dough. One thick metal fin that is nearest the center post. Additionally, it has two other hooks that extend opposite each other. They are designed to mimic hand kneading, which stretches and folds the dough. The dough extender is best used with small batches of dough. It extends the reach of the center fin and helps prevent batter from climbing up the center post. While it’s designed for small batches, I use it in my mixer every time I use the dough hook. The dough hook should always be used with stiff doughs.

The wire whips are used with the plastic whip drive. They create a triple whipping action. The plastic whip drive is what attaches the whips to the drive shaft. It turns the entire unit. Additionally, the two wire whips turn independently, creating a triple whipping action. This makes mixing fast! It’s great for creaming softened butter and makes beautiful meringue from egg whites. These whips are perfect for mixing light batters such as pancakes, brownies, cake mixes, and quick breads. The one caution of all paddles outside of the dough hook is that they are not designed for cold butter. If you forget to soften your butter, you will need to start mixing with the dough hook. 

​What I Love Most About My Bosch Mixer

My absolute favorite feature of the Bosch Universal Plus mixer is the cover!  Yes, a cover! I don’t know why other popular mixers don’t include a cover. If you are comparing models side by side, this feature alone gives the Bosch a leg up as a must-have feature! You won’t know how you lived without it! The cover is a must when incorporating flour, and especially powdered sugar. Unlike other mixers, where you have to pulse to avoid a tornado of flour, the Bosch lets me start mixing at my desired speed. The cover keeps everything contained, so there’s no mess. The cover makes the Bosch my go-to for making butter. When the buttermilk and butter separate, the mess is completely contained.  

Be aware: When kneading bread, the cover needs to be removed.  The splash guard is left in place to help keep the dough from trying to escape the bowl, but the cover needs to be opened to allow heat to escape. 

Bosch Really Nailed the Details

Some of the other features that I really like are the frosting on the cake. Simple features like suction cup feet. My old Kitchen Aid would get to rocking with the head bumping and would literally dance the machine across the counter. This simple upgrade eliminates that annoying problem. No need to worry about your mixer falling if you turn your back to get additional ingredients! 

Another perk is the electrical cord storage. While I do wish this worked a bit easier, I love that the cord can be fed inside the machine. Whether you want to keep your counters tidy or you stow the mixer into a cabinet, keeping the cord “under wraps” is such a nice touch. 

​Attachments and Accessories You’ll Love

The Bosch Universal Plus mixer currently has 15 attachments and accessories available. When I purchased my White Universal Plus Mixer, I purchased a bundle that included the cookie paddles, cake paddles, the metal whip driver, bowl scraper, and the slicer/ shredder food processor attachments. Since that time, I have added the ice cream maker, which is amazing at making small batches of ice cream without needing extra appliances. 

Bosch Mixer Paddles for Every Baking Need

I love using the cake paddles and cookie paddles for mixing. These paddles were designed for their unique mixing needs.  If you watch my review video, the cookie paddles have a newer model that has been redesigned with a curved blade for improved mixing. This heavy blade performed beautifully for a double batch of chocolate chip cookie dough made with fresh-milled flour. They creamed the butter and sugar and then mixed the heavy dough and thick ingredients like a dream in just a few minutes.  

The cake paddles are a lighter plastic paddle with double whips on both sides. They are designed for lighter batters. Unlike the base model metal whips, they have fewer tines that will prevent batter from being over aerated. Both the cake paddles and the cookie paddles need to be attached to the mixer using the metal whip drive, not the included plastic whip drive. The metal driver can be purchased as a stand alone, or is included as a package with the cookie paddles.

No More Stopping to Scrape the Bowl!

The bowl scraper is another favorite attachment.  When you first get this attachment, it seems really overwhelming as it has a LOT of pieces. However, Nutrimill has got you covered! The bowl scraper comes with three main parts. It has the center scraper arm and then two sets of blades. I love that they gave you extra blades in case your tiny (or not-so-tiny) kitchen helpers misplace one.

The blades were designed in such a way that you can’t put them together wrong! The blades only fit into their correct places.  One blade is designed specifically for the center column, and the other for the outside part of the bowl. It keeps your batter in the center of the bowl so you don’t have to keep stopping the mixer and scraping the inside of the bowl yourself. Like the cookie and cake paddles, only use the bowl scraper with the metal whip drive. 

Dream Bosch Attachments for My Homestead Kitchen

I have several attachments still on my wish list: the citrus juicer, the flour sifter, the stainless steel bottom drive bowl (or a second bowl would be amazing), the french fry slicing blade, and the hand crank drive shaft. I was thrilled to see this hand crank. While I hope to never need it, my husband likes to be prepared for all scenarios, and I love that even without power, I can still use my powerful mixer to help me work quickly and efficiently in the kitchen even when the grid is down!

Bosch Universal Plus Mixer: The Drawbacks

Overall, I LOVE my mixer, I can’t reiterate that enough… but like all things…even the Bosch can’t be perfect. 

Drawback 1: Cleaning

Probably my least favorite thing about the Bosch is washing it. If you read any other number of reviews, they will tell you that it washes beautifully. I suspect that in the dishwasher, it does. However, I don’t have a dishwasher and haven’t for at least 20 years. The Bosch has a lot of crevices, slots, and connection points that can collect batter, flour, and all types of food. These areas can be fussy to clean. If you hand-wash like me, a toothbrush is really helpful to clean the mixer thoroughly.

For those of you who use a dishwasher, there are very few parts that are NOT dishwasher safe.  The dough hook, the metal whip drive, and the drive shaft all need to be hand-washed. Luckily, all of these parts fall into the “easy to clean” category, and you might find this to be a non-issue. While hand washing my Bosch Universal Plus Mixer requires more attention to detail, it is by no means a deal breaker! Frankly, it’s still worth every penny! 

Drawback 2: Parts Oh My!

The second downside to the Bosch mixer is the sheer number of parts. If you own just the base model, all of the attachments fit perfectly in the bowl and can be easily stored in the cupboard or even left on the counter. If you begin to purchase the attachments, like the specialty paddles, you will need a place to store them. A pretty basket or a crock could make for stylish storage.  I’m pretty utilitarian in my RV kitchen, and I use a simple shoebox-sized rubber-made tote. 

Drawback 3: Plastic

The final con is the plastic parts. This is the reality of the age we live in; everything, including our cars, is made with plastic. As a general rule, this has not been an issue. I have owned my mixer for almost 3 years, and in all that time, I have only had one part fail that I need to replace. The good thing about this is that the Nutrimill carries replacement parts, making repairs affordable and easy to correct. The other downside is the sheer number of parts in some of the attachments; while most are manageable, I find the most overwhelming one I own is the vegetable slicer and shredder attachment. 

Overall Impressions of the Bosch Mixer

Overall, I LOVE, love, L-O-V-E my Bosch Universal Plus Mixer! Here on the homestead, I make the majority of the foods we eat from scratch. I bake using fresh ground flour, baking all of our bread products. My mixer gets a serious workout! Whether I am kneading heavy batches of dough for sandwich bread or whipping up a batch of my favorite zucchini bread, the Bosch Universal Plus mixer performs beautifully every time! 

Yes, a Bosch Universal Plus Mixer is an investment, but it continues to pay off in time, and reliability. If you are serious about baking, or just ready to upgrade that old mixer that has seen better days, the Bosch Universal Plus mixer just might be the last mixer you ever need. It’s powerful. versatile and an absolute workhorse in the kitchen! 

So is the Bosch mixer really worth my hard-earned dough? For me, it’s absolutely worth every penny!