KitchenAid stand mixers

[RCinMempho]

Cookies, cakes, bread, whipped cream, icing - lots of stuff is just easier with one. My wife uses it all the time. Same Artisan mixer for decades. Two bowls. Three or four mixing attachments. Meat grinder for sausage, meatballs, and occasionally ground beef.

During this time I have learned how to take it out from under the counter and put it on the counter AND how to take from the top of the counter and put it back under the counter.

 

[Hodgo88]

My wife has two at home, a smaller tilthead model she was gifted with an AC motor and commercial bowl-lift 8qt model with the DC motor she uses as a baker. The latter is an absolute monster but it never overheats and can knead even the lowest hydration dough with no problem.

We don't buy store bought bread in my house so they definitely get used, but not for pulling pork. For that I prefer wearing a layer of cotton gloves under a layer of nitrile gloves and pulling by hand.

 

[W.L.Weller]

I've used the sausage stuffing attachment to make dozens of pounds of sausage over the years. Pros can obviously run sausage stuffers by themselves, but since I do it so infrequently I like to team up with someone else because getting an even feed rate is key to making sausages that will stay together. And if you're not practiced you'll want both hands to deal with the sausage, leaving 0 hands to keep feeding the filling into the machine.

 

[Jim_in_PA]

We've had the "big one" for many years. It doesn't get a lot of use, but when it's the right tool for the job, it's a pleasure to use. And yes, we have a bunch of attachments. Some ended up being "one time use" just by circumstance, but others are handy, again, when they are the right tool for the job.

 

[Killing Floor]

I have one. Have several mix attachments. Use it frequently.

I keep it in a floor level cabinet and my biggest fear in life is dropping it on my foot.

 

[RCinMempho]

I have one. Have several mix attachments. Use it frequently.

I keep it in a floor level cabinet and my biggest fear in life is dropping it on my foot.

Ours is stored like that too.

Thank you for the likely permanent paranoia you just instilled in me. Such a lovely gift.

 

[archetype]

I see the classic is about 250$ at Walmart and then the next one the artisan? Is 350$. I think the more pricey one has a bigger motor, wasn’t sure if it would be worth the extra money or not.

Edit: Something to remember is that kitchen appliances sold in big box stores may be special orders spec'd for those stores. These are usually spec'd in order to meet a price point. I'm not saying that KitchenAid provides these special models, but if you're buying any specific model be sure to compare the KitchenAid part number to the part number on the KitchenAid Web site. If KitchenAid doesn't list it on their own site, you're getting a non-standard model. If I were me, I'd buy only a standard model.

Spend the $350. It will last for your lifetiime. After that, your heirs and assigns will scratch their heads, puzzling over what it might be, because a kitchen is just a place where the refrigerator is kept.

A KitchenAid mixer is just a little tractor with a power takeoff for accessories.

 

[Killing Floor]

Ours is stored like that too.

Thank you for the likely permanent paranoia you just instilled in me. Such a lovely gift.

Not for any reason, I rarely wear shoes inside my house. But I go upstairs and lace up when I know I’m going to use the mixer. It’s a real concern. Good luck. Use both hands to lift it.

 

[jvin248]

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The key is needs assessment. If you are going to use it a lot then get one. Otherwise an alternative may be just as good (hand cranked meat grinder and sausage stuffer). Most of the mixers sit on people's counters taking up a lot of space for occasional use that could be done with hand-held ten dollar mixers. If you are doing a lot of meat grinding then get a specific use machine. I grew up on a farm and we had an electric meat grinder for when we processed our cows and pigs.

These mixers are good and well built overall. There are cautions about using the dough hook on some of the machine models since it puts a lot of vertical load on the thrust bushing inside the unit. Check the specifications. I think they added a paddle style instead of the hook that works but not as well as the hook does for bread. If you want it to make a lot of bread ... may be better off buying 'three' bread machines for the price of the mixer.

If this is your first foray into these mixers then buy a used one off craigslist/FBMP/etc. If you are patiently watching you'll find them for 1/4 the new price. They are available because people have them sitting around unused -- which may give you insight too...

Don't rely on price alone to give you the most durability -- many of them are priced higher due to fashion colors and trim, not the internal hardware capabilities.

My mother has the 'tilt-back' model from the 1960s she used all the time baking and we have the 'bowl-lifting' model I bought used off Craigslist maybe a decade ago. I almost bought a broken one later on to repair because it was extra cheap but I ended up skipping that one due to time and I already had one. Mine gets used less these days because I've switched bread making method -- the magic is in the $30 dutch oven, not the kneading.

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[Preacher]

I have had two. Wore out the first one, it just stopped working.

Wife got me a second one a few months after I tore the old one apart trying to fix it.

I have a couple of the attachments.

The pasta maker is my favorite, it really is not that hard to make egg noodles but I do find I only do it on special occasions. Spaghetti, fettucine, angel hair and lasagna pieces, it will do them all.

I also have the grind and minces attachment. I only used it once to grind up some pork and steak meat for meatballs (they were delicious by the way). But it did take a little more to clean than the pasta maker, little chunks of meat everywhere. But I do like that option.

 

[MisterZ]

If you need one, you'll use it. My wife is the one with the baking gene in our family and she uses hers All. The. Time.

As noted above, though, storage will be the issue. I use the Cuisinart and blender a lot too but those don't take up a lot of cabinet space as they can be taken apart. The KitchenAid, though, is always on the counter 'cause it's a big mother.

 

[mk_716]

Use mine every week! I bake something (cookies, muffins, bread) at least once a week.

The only attachment I have is the pasta machine, it does get used and it works very well.

m.

 

[Twofingerlou]

I've used the sausage stuffing attachment to make dozens of pounds of sausage over the years. Pros can obviously run sausage stuffers by themselves, but since I do it so infrequently I like to team up with someone else because getting an even feed rate is key to making sausages that will stay together. And if you're not practiced you'll want both hands to deal with the sausage, leaving 0 hands to keep feeding the filling into the machine.

A sausage maker, haven’t seen that one yet. I’m afraid this thing could bring another hobby I don’t need

 

[Twofingerlou]

Spend the $350. It will last for your lifetiime. After that, your heirs and assigns will scratch their heads, puzzling over what it might be, because a kitchen is just a place where the refrigerator is kept.

A KitchenAid mixer is just a little tractor with a power takeoff for accessories.

I see they have a “commercial” one but I’m sure that’s way overkill.

 

[0SubSeanik0]

All I can say is that it’s a very well made piece of hardware. Expensive, but will likely outlast every other appliance in your kitchen.

One bit of advice: don't shortcut/pinch pennies and buy an off-brand version, even if the specs (on paper) appear to be similar or "good enough." Get the real thing. Nothing really even comes close to the KitchenAids. It will probably be the last appliance that performs those functions that you will ever need to buy in your lifetime.

* Another year or two of using our "thought-it-was-good-enough-and-it-seemed-like-a-great-value" mixer, and I will be resolved of my guilty desire to donate it or pass it along to a friend who has a wealth of cabinet space... and I will then take the appropriate corrective measure.

 

[Nightclub Dwight]

One bonus of the Kitchen Aid is the dough hook. We keep our mixer in the basement, so I usually go and bring it upstairs when my partner needs it. Every single time, I hold the dough hook in my right hand and pull my sleeve down over my hand so it looks like I am carrying the mixer with a hook hand. Its one of those jokes that never gets old for me, but was probably only mildly funny for her the first time.

Well, one day the doorbell rang just as I was bringing the mixer into the kitchen. I went and answered the door, still with the dough-hook hand. It was one of my partner's old friends who I had never met before. I shook her hand and showed her in. I stayed in character the whole time, and I thought it was obvious that I was just screwing around. When I met her a second time, this time without the dough-hook hand, she broke down laughing, because only then did she realize that I didn't have a dough hook for a hand. She kept saying "but.....but...I shook the hook!" That kind of reaction only serves to encourage my comedy routine, to the consternation of my long-suffering partner.

 

[Lawdawg]

We've had one for almost 20 years, I think it's equivalent to the Artisan 5 qt. model, and it's been one of our best kitchen appliance purchases. Both my wife and I, and now our teenage daughter, cook and bake a lot and we have put a ton of miles on the Kitchenaid and it's still going strong. We actually bought a second Kitchenaid -- the larger 7 quart mixer -- but truth be told the 5 quart still gets more use.

In terms of attachments, I have the meat grinder/sausage attachment which I've only used a few times and the 3 piece pasta roller/cutter set which I use a lot. Both work very well and I love making fresh pasta with the pasta roller/cutters.

If you regularly use a mixer and can afford it, don't think about it and just get a Kitchenaid.

One bit of advice: don't shortcut/pinch pennies and buy an off-brand version, even if the specs (on paper) appear to be similar or "good enough." Get the real thing.

I've found that to be especially true with kitchen appliances like mixers, food processors and blenders. We used to go through these like crazy just buying cheap knockoffs of everything until we figured out that it ends up being cheaper in the long run to spend more on the front end getting the real deal like the Kitchenaid mixer, a Blendtec blender and a Magicmix food processor. The extra money you spend typically goes into a more powerful motor which not only improves the performance of the appliance, but reduces the wear and tear on the motor itself since it's not working as hard each time you use it.

 

[MickM]

All I can say is that it’s a very well made piece of hardware. Expensive, but will likely outlast every other appliance in your kitchen.

We’ve only used ours to make cakes and cookies, but I imagine it would be useful for many other things

I see the classic is about 250$ at Walmart and then the next one the artisan? Is 350$. I think the more pricey one has a bigger motor, wasn’t sure if it would be worth the extra money or not.

My mom bought one on a TV shopping network 15 yrs ago because it was a "Bargain". She soon found out that it bogged down when she used it for normal baking needs and gave it away.(bottom of the line)
About 5 years ago I heard her talking about it/them and bought her a Pro-Line model for Christmas that she uses a bunch and it doesn't falter under heavy mixing loads etc. I can't remember exactly how much it cost then but like most things, I got what I paid for and considering that I have 6-7 guitars that cost me as much as 5 mixers would cost, the decision to upgrade for Mom was a no brainer.

 

[archetype]

I see they have a “commercial” one but I’m sure that’s way overkill.

It's overkill, unless you use your kitchen for commerce.

 

[archetype]

If you need one, you'll use it. My wife is the one with the baking gene in our family and she uses hers All. The. Time.

As noted above, though, storage will be the issue. I use the Cuisinart and blender a lot too but those don't take up a lot of cabinet space as they can be taken apart. The KitchenAid, though, is always on the counter 'cause it's a big mother.

Counter space vs how often you use it is the main issue. If you use one once every week or two, then counter space is a must. You won't enjoy moving one back and forth from the pantry or closet: a proper KitchenAid weighs like an anvil