The $30 Amazon Find That No KitchenAid Stand Mixer Owner Should Be Without
If there was one bit of constructive criticism I received while working in restaurant kitchens, it was that I was too messy. I was speedy, creative, and willing to work odd hours, but my station was almost never neat and tidy. It wasn’t until I left the professional restaurant world and actually had time to bake in my own kitchen that I discovered the merit in keeping things streamlined and clean. If you’ve ever tried baking anything at all (even a simple layer cake) in a small kitchen, you’ll likely find that every surface is suddenly strewn with measuring cups and spatulas, and covered in a fine dusting of sugar … or is that flour?
I started cleaning up as I baked, as well as setting up a mise en place station for prep. Changes in my routine helped a lot, but it wasn’t until I made the upgrade to a game-changing KitchenAid mixer attachment that I was able to keep my countertops flour-free.
What’s So Great About the KitchenAid Secure Fit Pouring Shield?
I’m a firm believer in pouring shields. I have the one that’s made for a KitchenAid tilt-head stand mixer, but there’s one for a bowl lift, too. These simple add-ons make a huge difference in properly incorporating dry ingredients into your dough or batter. They also prevent milk or browned butter from dancing up around the rim of the mixing bowl and covering the machine, your countertops, and yourself with tiny droplets. But a pour shield’s most redeeming quality is its ability to contain clouds of flour and sugar inside of the bowl instead of all over your kitchen.
With other shields I’ve used, there was always a gap where the shield snaps onto the bowl, and confectioners’ sugar would seep its way out when I’d whip buttercream. But with the KitchenAid Secure Fit Pouring Shield, the three latches around the shield make for a, well, secure fit to prevent runaway ingredients. There’s a very visible difference in the state of my countertops (and apron!) after getting the KitchenAid shield.
That factor alone would be enough of a reason for me to keep the pouring shield on my KitchenAid stand mixer at all times. But because I like to test the capacity of my machine (and because I’m impatient), I’ll double a batch of cookies and just hope that all the dough stays inside the bowl.
More often than not, though, I’ll start to see chunks of butter and oats dance their way above the rim of the mixing bowl and threaten to fall right out onto the countertop below. The KitchenAid pouring shield solves that problem, too; acting like a seal so batters, butters, and doughs stay contained and mix thoroughly every time.
Bottom line, for just $30, this simple pouring shield keeps my entire kitchen clean and makes baking hassle-free. I wish I had this back when I had my donut company — it’s a revelation for enriched doughs as well!
Buy: KitchenAid Secure Fit Pouring Shield, $29.99