The 3 main mixer attachments are the dough hook, the flat beater or paddle attachment and the wire whip or balloon whisk attachment.
Each of these 3 main mixer attachments serve their own specific purpose for your mixer, which ranges from aerating delicate liquids to kneading of heavy yeast dough's.
The dough hook mixer attachment is made and used to replicate the motion of dough kneading by hand, and the dough hook attachment for your mixer stretches and folds the dough to develop the gluten.
The mixers dough hook attachment is best for yeast doughs like pizza crust, bread, bagels and pasta dough.
When using the dough hook, you should always keep the mixer on a low speed, (often speeds 1 or 2) when using the dough hook attachment to prevent the motor from straining.
The flat beater mixer attachment also known as the paddle mixer attachment is the most versatile mixer attachment that is used for mixing of normal to heavy batters and also for combining ingredients thoroughly.
The mixers flat beater or paddle attachment is best for cake batters, cookie dough's, frostings, meatloaf and mashing of potatoes.
The flat beater or paddle attachment is also ideal for "creaming" butter and sugar together for baked goods.
And the wire whip or "Balloon Whisk" attachment for your mixer is used for incorporating air into light mixtures and creating volume.
Your mixers wire whip or balloon whisk attachment is best for whipping heavy cream, egg whites, meringues and light and airy frostings.
Just don't use the wire whip attachment of your mixer for heavy dough's or batters as the delicate wires can easily break or bend.
So make sure you use the correct mixer attachment for the specific ingredients you're mixing using your mixer for the best and proper outcome.