Kitchen Aid stand mixer

[Anonymous]

Do you have one? Do you use it a lot? Do you really like it? I cook a lot and I'm trying to figure out if it's worth dedicating the counter space to one of these.

[Anonymous]

I love mine but don't use it a whole lot (2x/month, maybe). I have the storage space for it though, so it doesn't sit on the counter.

[Anonymous]

I don't know how this mixer became a 'must have' item. It's $300! Would you buy a $300 cork screw? I imagine you will use a cork screw more than the stand mixer.

They sell really adorable stand mixers on QVC I think: I don't know if they're Emiril Lagasi, or who designed them, but it was about $100 for something very colorful and exactly the same as a Kitchenaid mixer. I refuse to give Kitchenaid $300 for their prestige good. I know it's a good mixer and I bet originally it did cost a lot to produce. But it's 10 years later and that price has never come down.

[Anonymous]

Have one -- use it may be once a month, but it is so worth the counter space if you make bread or like to bake.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I don't know how this mixer became a 'must have' item. It's $300! Would you buy a $300 cork screw? I imagine you will use a cork screw more than the stand mixer.

They sell really adorable stand mixers on QVC I think: I don't know if they're Emiril Lagasi, or who designed them, but it was about $100 for something very colorful and exactly the same as a Kitchenaid mixer. I refuse to give Kitchenaid $300 for their prestige good. I know it's a good mixer and I bet originally it did cost a lot to produce. But it's 10 years later and that price has never come down.

OP here. I didn't say it's a "must-have" item. I do have a corkscrew that I use just about every day, so I'm sure I'd use my corkscrew more often! But I bake bread several times a week and I need a new mixer anyway, so I'm considering a stand mixer. I don't have TV so I'm not familiar with the mixer you mentioned on QVC. However, I do appreciate your feedback and I'd love to hear from others who have them -- KitchenAid or other brands.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I don't know how this mixer became a 'must have' item. It's $300! Would you buy a $300 cork screw? I imagine you will use a cork screw more than the stand mixer.

They sell really adorable stand mixers on QVC I think: I don't know if they're Emiril Lagasi, or who designed them, but it was about $100 for something very colorful and exactly the same as a Kitchenaid mixer. I refuse to give Kitchenaid $300 for their prestige good. I know it's a good mixer and I bet originally it did cost a lot to produce. But it's 10 years later and that price has never come down.

It's obvious you don't have or use one of these. Or bake a lot. So why reply? Stand mixers are a category where you get what you pay for. No way is something that costs $100 exactly the same. Who cares if it's "adorable" or Emeril Lagasse put his picture on the box? And KitchenAid has been around a lot longer than ten years.

Anyway, to OP, it sounds like it's definitely worth the investment and counter space for you. I have a deLonghi stand mixer that I purchased at Sur La Table several years ago and am very happy with--when I bought it I was impressed with the motor and reviews that I read. It was also less expensive than the comparable (power, capacity) KitchenAid. It was supposed to handle a larger amount of flour for bread baking, but then babies arrived and I haven't really used it for bread. But for cakes, cookies, etc, it definitely does work better than my (really good) Cuisinart hand mixer. And I can use it one handed, while holding a baby

The Bakers Catalogue has some other brands as well, you may want to check them out.

Cook's Illustrated rated the new Cuisinart stand mixer higher in their most recent--2008--reviews, especially for yeasted bread dough--its dough hook was non-stick. Here are their ratings from last year:

HIGHLY RECOMMENDED
Cuisinart 5.5 Quart Stand Mixer
In addition to acing its way through heavy tasks like kneading bread and pizza dough and churning cookie batter full of oats, nuts, and dried fruit, this machine offers a host of modern updates—a digital timer with automatic shut-off, a fold function for incorporating ingredients delicately, and a splash guard attachment with a built-in feed tube. It also features a spiral dough hook, which worked more efficiently than most other models to knead dough.

$299.00
RECOMMENDED
KitchenAid Professional 600 Stand Mixer
2009 update: Still a true kitchen workhorse, this cookware standard is strong enough for the thickest cookie batter and the tackiest bread dough. Newer models feature a "spiral" dough hook, which is more efficient at kneading than the previous "C-shape" dough hook, bringing this model back on par with the Cuisinart and negating the single gripe we had with the mixer when we last reviewed it. Please note: the new hook does not work on older models that feature a "C-shape" dough hook because of its vertical kneading motion, which puts a strain on the motor of older models designed to work with the horizontal motion of the C-shape hook. Original 2005 review: With 18 models tested, a KitchenAid still came out on top—though just barely edging out the DeLonghi. With 575 watts (the median of the group), it plowed through 4 cups of dough almost two minutes faster than most "super-wattage" models.

$399.99
RECOMMENDED
DeLonghi DSM5 Stand Mixer
Watching this compact mixer expertly cream butter and sugar into a uniform consistency was a thing of beauty. Flared bowl and well-sized attachments kept ingredients "low in the bowl" and minimized scraping. A bit more composure during heavy workloads might have broken the near-tie with the KitchenAid in its favor.

RECOMMENDED
Hobart N50 Stand Mixer
"Purrs like a kitten," said testers about this industrial-strength lion, as it calmly processed rustic dough, oatmeal cookies, and anything else we threw its way. Narrow bowl mouth (the narrowest) made it awkward to add ingredients, and turning off power to change speeds was a pain—but not as much as transporting the 55-pound beast.

$1850.31
RECOMMENDED WITH RESERVATIONS
Wolfgang Puck Bistro Stand Mixer
Whipped stiff peaks into cream in under a minute and a half and breezed through chunky oatmeal cookie batter, but machine rattled on heavy yeasted bread dough. Suction counter-grips were almost too strong at first and then weakened too much after just one day of use.

$249.90
RECOMMENDED WITH RESERVATIONS
Viking VSM500 Stand Mixer
If Viking ever figures out the "locking" concept, this 5-quart model might be the mixer to beat. Shaft-arm lock required ridiculous force to slam shut, but the real tragedy was how often attachments plummeted from the poorly designed socket during scraping breaks.

$384.88
RECOMMENDED WITH RESERVATIONS
DeLonghi DSM7 Stand Mixer
The DSM7 suffered the plight of tall, cavernous bowls—difficulty whipping small amounts and awkward scraping of sides. ("The hardest part is keeping yourself clean," noted one tester.) Despite huge-sounding wattage, more shaking and screeching with heavy loads than many other models.

$383.95
RECOMMENDED WITH RESERVATIONS
KitchenAid Artisan Stand Mixer
Kneading caused audible strain on the motor, as did adding heavy dry ingredients (oats) to cookie dough. Creamed and whipped like a pro—an economical choice for infrequent breadmakers. Narrow bowl mouth hindered tidy addition of dry ingredients.

$249.99
RECOMMENDED WITH RESERVATIONS
KitchenAid Accolade 400 Stand Mixer
More wattage (more money) than the Artisan, but consistently performed at a lower level. This "deluxe" motor sounded weaker, and attachments seemed ill designed for the slightly tweaked bowl shape. Some hated the "delayed start" feature, preferring the KitchenAid Artisan's immediate response.

$239.99
RECOMMENDED WITH RESERVATIONS
Viking VSM700 Stand Mixer
Same problems as the VSM500 (plummeting attachments, "slam lock" shaft design), and the two egg whites we'd hidden at the bottom of the cavernous bowl remained safe from agitation, no matter how far down we adjusted the whip attachment. This "1,000-watt" machine did seem powerful, but not more so than more modestly labeled motors.

$524.95
RECOMMENDED WITH RESERVATIONS
Hamilton Beach CPM700 Stand Mixer
The CPM700's 5-quart sibling stalled permanently during the elimination round, and this one stalled twice before finishing the task. Separate on/off switch is awkward, and mixer arm lurched violently. Large bowl presented usual problems for small amounts.

$484.57
RECOMMENDED WITH RESERVATIONS
Bosch Universal Kitchen Machine
Shaped like a food processor with mixer attachments, the Bosch did a commendable job when kneading bread dough. But the decentralized mixing space (a "doughnut" around a central spindle) kept less cohesive contents from meeting in the middle. Condensation from the lid affected dough moisture.

$329.00
NOT RECOMMENDED
West Bend 12-Speed Stand Mixer
A giant leap—down. Stationary (versus "planetary action") attachments prodded rather than kneaded tacky bread dough while the unanchored bowl spun erratically and almost caused the whole machine to fall off the counter.

$96.10
NOT RECOMMENDED
KitchenAid Classic Series Stand Mixer
Amid hefty contenders, KitchenAid's smallest model seemed more like a toy. The Classic did a fair job of creaming and whipping, but it wasn't cut out for kneading dough and had a chronic case of the shakes. You're better off opting for the more powerful Artisan, which costs the same.

$199.99
NOT RECOMMENDED
Electrolux DLS-2000 Assistent Stand Mixer
Wide bowl allowed easy access and capacity for nine bread loaves, but cookies, cakes, and even single loaves get lost in the abyss. The roller tool's grooves are a haven for butter, and the least intuitive user interface in the lineup had us constantly re-deciphering the manual before every task.

[Anonymous]

I use mine all the time (at least 2-3X week). I have a small kitchen and cannot imagine life without my KitchenAid on the counter.

If you plan on really using it, I would highly recommend the one that has a lever to life the bowl up and down rather than the one that flips the top backwards. I've used those at other people's homes and they are much more cumbersome. Fine if you rarely bake, but a real pain if you're using it regularly.

[Anonymous]

Love mine. Isn't Kitchen Aid the residential name for the professional mixers called Hobart? My family owns a bakery and we only use Hobart mixers - they have to be about 30 years old or more and run like brand new. I've had my KW for about 10 years and runs like a champ.

[Anonymous]

Love mine. Kitchen Aid used to be owned by the professional mixer company called Hobart. My family owns a bakery and we only use big Hobart mixers - they have to be about 30 years old or more and run like brand new. I've had my KA for about 10 years and it runs like a champ. And while I don't use it every day, I am glad I can count on it when I need it.

[Anonymous]

I have a DeLonghi (based on Cook's Illustrated rec like the PP) and I love it. I use it a few times a months and it really beats holding that hand mixer for 10 minutes! I don't even keep mine on the counter. I have a lazy susan that I keep it on to save the counter space.

[Anonymous]

I dearly love mine and use it probably six times a year. I wanted one for years and years after using one in eighth grade home ec class, and it was well worth the wait. If I had more time to bake, I'd use it much more often.

[Anonymous]

If you do a lot of baking, esp heavy things like dough, you want something that is sturdy with a good motor. I buy cheap kitchen gear but the kitchen aid is worth the money.

More baking, less drinking 11:18!

[Anonymous]

KitchenAids were originally made by Hobart (my mom's from the early 80s - which still works great - is labeled Hobart), but the KA brand was sold to Whirlpool sometime in the 80s.

If you're only going to use a stand mixer the way you'd use a hand mixer (small amounts of soft batters, whipped cream, egg whites), brand and motor probably don't matter much. However, I wouldn't expect a cheapie to survive more than a few batches of bagel dough or nougat, both of which I make in my KA.

[Anonymous]

Another Kitchen Aid fan here. Have had mine for 7-8 years and have used it on average about once a week. Use it for everything from bread dough, mashing potatoes (b/c I'm lazy), mixing meatloaf (b/c I hate mushing meat in my hands), cookie dough, etc. Well worth the loss of counter space - although I've got a corner that it fits into perfectly.

[Anonymous]

i have a kitchenaid mixer from costco. it has slightly higher wattage than the kind most widely available... at least that's what i found when i first got it a few years ago.

LOVE it

but i do use it quite often. for baking cakes, cupcakes, cookies, bread... it makes kneading so easy. if you have to whip egg whites, it's also super fast. and i have the ice cream maker attachment but have used that less often... it's very amazing though, the flavor and mouthfeel difference between store bought ice cream and homemade.