Kitchenaid mixer

[rhpools]

Funny!! I just got finished making banana crumb cake in mine.
I love it - can't live without it
Mine stays on the counter all the time

 

[Halbleib1]

Thanks for sharing, guys. I didn't think about measuring. I will make sure to measure the counter area to see which one would fit. I definitely want it to sit on my counter rather than be hidden away somewhere.

All kitchenaid mixers sold in retail will fit on the counter under a standard cabinet with no problems. As I said I have the 6 quart pro and it fits under no problem. This is the tallest counter top model they make. And my cabinets are not at the ceiling but are down so that I can place things on top of them. It is heavy so you would def. want to keep it on the counter at all times. If you are planning on buying a cover for yours you should know that the cover that kitchenaid sells does not reach all the way to the bottom on the 6 quart models and they do not make any bigger at this time.

If you go to kitchenaid.com they have message boards and you can get a lot of info about their mixers from people that own many different models. Also many of the owners of the 6 quart models are professional bakers.

 

[Halbleib1]

I love mine too. Just used it tonight to make zucchini bread. I have a hand mixer too, and don't always bring out the big boy, but I love it nonetheless. I got mine from qvc, the big one, 6qt I think with the drop down bowl. You should check out kitchenaid's refurbished ones on their website. Since their warranty is so good, and the product is fabulous, I would buy a refurb from them in a heartbeat. I don't have any fancy attachments, and don't think I would use them if I did. But this thing can go through a double batch of buckeye dough....nothing else has come close! Have fun shopping!

If you look for a sale you can get a new one for the same price or less than a refurb. though. You just have to be willing to wait and do the research.

 

[AlbertZeroK]

I hated our lift bowl mixer, and prefer the tilt head mixer. Check out Kitchen Aid's shop online, they often have referb units cheap.

 

[Halbleib1]

Thanks, everyone! I guess I will be paying close attention to the Black Friday adds! And I'll keep checking with QVC too. I really want one of these. I currently have a little hand mixer and it is driving me nuts! I need something better!

Just know that walmart only sells the artisian and it only comes in white. QVC usually does a todays special on them in November. Watch out for their now your cooking day as well. I believe the next one is in October. Sometimes the mixer is the todays special than as well. They have a large variety of colors to choose from as well.

Also the ones sold on qvc are all metal construction. The kitchenaid rep. always makes sure to point that out. The big thing in todays models are that they are not 100% made in the usa any more. Most the time they are only assembled here but the parts come from china. Same with the beaters etc. they are all made in china.

 

[kleubanks]

I'll add my two cents...

We toured the Kitchenaid factory a couple years ago (Greenville, Ohio). The lady that led the tour explained their refurbished products. Once a product leaves a store shelf, if it is returned for ANY reason, it has to go back to the factory and is then sold as refurbished. She gave the example of wedding duplicates. Even though the box may never have been opened.....refurbished. So even though you are buying a refurbished product...you may in fact be getting a brand new product.

 

[Nik's Mom]

Just know that walmart only sells the artisian and it only comes in white. QVC usually does a todays special on them in November. Watch out for their now your cooking day as well. I believe the next one is in October. Sometimes the mixer is the todays special than as well. They have a large variety of colors to choose from as well.

Also the ones sold on qvc are all metal construction. The kitchenaid rep. always makes sure to point that out. The big thing in todays models are that they are not 100% made in the usa any more. Most the time they are only assembled here but the parts come from china. Same with the beaters etc. they are all made in china.

Looks like QVC might be the best place for me then. I definitely want all metal construction. I will keep my eyes open for the shows on QVC.

I'm off to check out the Kitchenaid website now! Thanks, everyone!

 

[MrsPete]

I got mine about 6 years ago and LOVE it !! And I don't have any attachments for it at all. I thought about getting stuff, but I have a food processor and a blender, so I honestly didn't think there was anything I couldn't live without.

I could've written this! I use my mixer several times each week, and it is a wonderful product.

I have the food processor and other things -- I mean, I have those items as free-standing products -- but I'd like to add some attachments to my Kitchen Aid Mixer because it'd just be a space saver. I think I'll put them on my Christmas list. I think the ice cream maker is the one I'd most like to have. I have a Cuisinart ice cream maker, but this would do the very same thing without taking up space in my cabinet. But that's completely and totally NOT a need.

I have heard that you should skip the grinder because the motor just isn't strong enough for that particular task, and the accessory can destroy your mixer. True or false? I don't know, but I don't think I want a grinder badly enough to risk my mixer.


By the way, I also have the Kitchen Aid hand mixer. I bought it years ago when I WANTED the stand mixer but simply couldn't afford it. It is an excellent hand mixer, and if that's what you want, you couldn't do any better than the Kitchen Aid . . . but since the day I got my stand mixer, it's seen little use. It's a poor comparison for the stand mixer. It won't be too many years 'til my girls are ready for their first apartments, and that hand mixer is the kind of thing I'll give them as hand-me-downs.

It's a fantastic investment though. My mom has had hers for about 12 years and like I said, I have had mine about 6. It'll probably be the only one you will ever need. (so pick a color carefully !)

My mom's had hers since before my dad left . . . so that has to be more than 30 years, and it's still in perfect condition.

I also agree completely that you should pick your color carefully! You may not love that trendy orange or lime green in 30 years. Mine's black, by the way. Fits in well with my dark green countertops/burgundy accents right now, and will also look good in the house we plan to build: White cabinets and either black or butcherblock countertops.

 

[MrsPete]

Other than the attachments that came with mine I love my mixer. My favorite thing to make in mine is meatloaf. No more mixing by hand and it mixes it all up nice and evenly.

It never occured to me to use the mixer for this job. I HATE mixing meatloaf by hand! I wish I had meatloaf materials in my house right this minute!

 

[MrsPete]

I'll add my two cents...

We toured the Kitchenaid factory a couple years ago (Greenville, Ohio). The lady that led the tour explained their refurbished products. Once a product leaves a store shelf, if it is returned for ANY reason, it has to go back to the factory and is then sold as refurbished. She gave the example of wedding duplicates. Even though the box may never have been opened.....refurbished. So even though you are buying a refurbished product...you may in fact be getting a brand new product.

Wow. Lots of things I didn't know here.

 

[dawson5]

Looks like QVC might be the best place for me then. I definitely want all metal construction. I will keep my eyes open for the shows on QVC.

I'm off to check out the Kitchenaid website now! Thanks, everyone!

I think the poster meant to say that KA's are all metal construction, not that QVC is the only place to buy all metal constructed KA mixers. Hubby bought mine from LS Ayres (I guess they are now Macy's?). I know mine is all metal construction--just took it apart to check. It struck me as odd that KA would make two different mixers, possibly special colors or attachments, but not different motors.

 

[JCMHutch]

I love my KA mixer. I bought mine about 10 years ago at Target in the basic white. I paid $169 for it (which was a great price at the time!). I use it for cakes, brownies, mashed potatoes, cupcakes & cookies. I did get the pasta attachements at my wedding shower a couple of years ago and can honestly say I have used it once. It is big and very heavy.

They do have a lifetime warranty too.

 

[Halbleib1]

I think the poster meant to say that KA's are all metal construction, not that QVC is the only place to buy all metal constructed KA mixers. Hubby bought mine from LS Ayres (I guess they are now Macy's?). I know mine is all metal construction--just took it apart to check. It struck me as odd that KA would make two different mixers, possibly special colors or attachments, but not different motors.

Actually there is a post over on the KA message board website discussing this and yes some mixers are apparantly not made with all metal construction any more. I was not trying to insinuate that no place else sells all metal KA mixers just that the rep. on qvc always points this out so that you know for sure that it is. Those sold elsewhere I do not know if there is a way to tell on the box or not. I know on the KA message boards they do discuss the models that are all metal construction but like anything this can change and unless it says so on the box somewhere you would have no way of knowing for sure.

The best thing the op can do once she picks one out is to research that model online. Check out the reviews on various websites etc.

 

[Halbleib1]

It never occured to me to use the mixer for this job. I HATE mixing meatloaf by hand! I wish I had meatloaf materials in my house right this minute!

I use the beater paddle for this and not the dough hook. This is what the book recommended be used for whatever reason. Also if you still have your book the directions for meatloaf should be in that and if so look up the correct setting to put it on. I believe it is number 3 but it might vary with different models. You do not want to use too high of a setting for it.

 

[Halbleib1]

I'll add my two cents...

We toured the Kitchenaid factory a couple years ago (Greenville, Ohio). The lady that led the tour explained their refurbished products. Once a product leaves a store shelf, if it is returned for ANY reason, it has to go back to the factory and is then sold as refurbished. She gave the example of wedding duplicates. Even though the box may never have been opened.....refurbished. So even though you are buying a refurbished product...you may in fact be getting a brand new product.

That would only be the case if the store actually abides and sends it back. Many retail stores do not send things back that are supposed to be. There have been many times when we have clearly bought something that was a return and had pieces missing etc. I have also returned things many times and have explained that there was a problem and or piece missing and they just threw it in the cart to go back on the shelf. No tagging it to be sent back etc.

We bought a desktop pc at a greatly reduced price once because it was a return and clearly should have been sent back to the manufacturer due to the fact that the previous purchaser had left personal info. on it and had already registered it. We had no problems and got the full warranty after explaining the situation. But clearly when you have something like that with personal info. it should be sent back to be cleaned off etc.

 

[Halbleib1]

For those considering a refurb vs. buying new you should know that the refurb apparantly only comes with a 6 month warranty vs a 12 month on a new one. This from the kitchenaid forums.

After doing further research for the OP I found that if you look at the mixers for sale on the kitchenaid website: http://www.shopkitchenaid.com/index.asp if you click on the mixers you will find that only the professional mixers list all metal construction etc. under features about the product the others do not say anything about it. I would think if they were than they would point this out on all of them and not just on the professional mixers. Also the professional mixers are the only ones that list the slow start feature. So if you are planning on doing a lot of doughs or heavier items you may want to consider one of these vs. the other models. The slow start feature is to prevent the mixer from overheating and burning out the motor.

Also after further research I have found that the beaters etc. are not stainless steel. They are burnished aluminum which is why they change color when put into the dishwasher or when left in water for too long. A chemical reaction causes them to oxidize. The bowl however is stainless steel and thus dishwasher safe.

Hope this helped.

 

[Nik's Mom]

For those considering a refurb vs. buying new you should know that the refurb apparantly only comes with a 6 month warranty vs a 12 month on a new one. This from the kitchenaid forums.

After doing further research for the OP I found that if you look at the mixers for sale on the kitchenaid website: http://www.shopkitchenaid.com/index.asp if you click on the mixers you will find that only the professional mixers list all metal construction etc. under features about the product the others do not say anything about it. I would think if they were than they would point this out on all of them and not just on the professional mixers. Also the professional mixers are the only ones that list the slow start feature. So if you are planning on doing a lot of doughs or heavier items you may want to consider one of these vs. the other models. The slow start feature is to prevent the mixer from overheating and burning out the motor.

Also after further research I have found that the beaters etc. are not stainless steel. They are burnished aluminum which is why they change color when put into the dishwasher or when left in water for too long. A chemical reaction causes them to oxidize. The bowl however is stainless steel and thus dishwasher safe.

Hope this helped.

Thanks alot for researching. That does help.

 

[Halbleib1]

Thanks alot for researching. That does help.

Glad I could help. The more informed you are the easier it will be to make a decision based on your needs/wants.

 

[Taja]

I have a 25-year-old Kitchen Aid--hmmmm...I thinks it's a 5-qt (has drop-down bowl)--that still works beautifully. Mine was pretty standard, but I purchased the grinder attachment for it--my mother wanted to use it! *LOL*

I use mine primarily for baking--bread, cookies, cakes. I don't make pies, or I probably would use it for that, too! *LOL*

 

[Belle5]

I have not read the other replies...

I have one. My kids use it to make cookie dough. Love those dough attachments! I have looked at all the attachments and really am not interested...

I use my Kitchenaid constantly! Mashed potatoes, pancake and waffle batter, brownies, icings, on and on ...

The only thing I use a lot more is my Kitchenaid food processor. I could not live without it!