Sunbeam MixMaster

An Australian planetary with a history going back to the 1930s, now made under different ownership. The current version is 4.3 L and 350 W, and the styling is the selling point rather than the specification. At 350 W it is too small for regular bread baking, and owners report the motor straining above about 1.4 kg. There is no thermal cutout, and owner reports describe burnt motors rather than a machine that slows down. Availability is limited to Australia and New Zealand.

Dough capacity: 1.4 kg
Type: Planetary
4.3 L350 W
Hydration window: Not published

Specifications

Type: Planetary
Bowl: 4.3 L
Practical batch: 1.4 kg
Friction factor: 12
Motor: 350 W

Pros

Parts have stayed available and compatible across several decades.
A very low price for a new machine.
The retro styling is the reason most owners choose it.

Cons

At 350 W the motor is too small for regular bread baking beyond small batches.
There is no thermal protection, so the motor burns instead of slowing down.
It cannot be bought outside Australia and New Zealand.

How the calculator uses this mixer

Water temperature. Its friction factor is 12. To reach 24°C dough in a 22°C kitchen, the calculator asks for water at 14°C, against 24°C when mixing by hand.
Batch size check. At 60% hydration, the calculator flags batches over 1.7 kg. For a 50% biga, the limit drops to 1.2 kg. Under 350 g, it warns that the batch is too small.