From everything I read when I was buying, the Professional has metal pieces in the inner workings, where the Artisan has plastic. From experience, I do love my Professional, but I have not used an Artisan.
I had the Artisan for 10 years and loved it but always wished the bowl was just a little bit bigger. Doubling a batch of cookies was always a bit of a challenge for it. I got the Professional for Christmas this year. The bowl is bigger, but frankly I miss the other one. It was just a bit easier to use! However if you regularly cook for a crowd I would go with the bigger one!
I have the Artisan & it's perfect! I can even make a huge double batch of Swiss meringue buttercream (barely though, but it's an unsightly amount of frosting goodness!) I've had it about 8 or 9 years. Use it all the time & sits so pretty on the counter. It's all white.
Have you seen the new ones at Williams Sonoma? They now have glass bowls. When I was there the other day it was 20% off any one item, not sure if that is available at your store.
I'm not sure what model mine is as it is several years old. However, there was a big to do about which models had the inner working gears that were metal vs. non-metal.
I believe we went ahead through QVC because they had the one with metal gears. But I could swear mine is an Artisan.
lol my Kitchenaid Pro Mixer was the one thing on my wedding registry I wanted and the one thing I didn't get when I got married in September 2000. Hubby bought it for me two months later for Christmas - BEST CHRISTMAS GIFT EVER!!! (just don't tell him I said that, he still thinks my engagement ring is at the top of the list- but I'm a practical gal and I use the mixer a lot more than I wear the diamond lol)
Professional! Definitely! I have it and thanks to sales and an amazing discount through a family member, I got it for CHEAPER then the Artisan normally is!!