Kitchenaid mixer

[Nik's Mom]

Hi,
I'm thinking about getting a kitchenaid mixer. It seems like it can really do a lot. But there are so many models/attachments. I'm lost on what to buy. Which one do you recommend? What do you usually make with your mixers? And while we are on the budget board, please tell me where I can get the best deal?

Thanks!

 

[sydneysmom]

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.

It's the greatest mixer though. I've got the Kitchen Aid 5 qt Artisan in Bisque. It comes w/ a bread dough hook, a flat beater, wire whip, and a flour shield. (not sure if that's what it's called). They're usually about the same price anywhere you go, but sometimes you can get lucky when Macy's does their extra % off or Williams Sonoma will put off season colors on sale. Even Bed Bath and Beyond, if you can get a 20% off coupon from signing up for email, you can use it on that.

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 !)

I'd say buy your mixer first, then see what your needs are. Then you'll know what attachments you might use. I use our mixer for everything.....cookie batter, cake mix, mashed potatoes, whipped cream....pretty much anything. I leave mine right out on the counter because it's so pretty. ( and WAY too heavy to lug around !)

You won't be disappointed though!!!

 

[3girlsfun]

Walmart---Black Friday. Always the best deal.

Otherwisw, QVC when they are doing bundle deals where you get attachments for free.

My 1st Kirchenaid was my grandmother's, it was avocado green, the only reason I have a new one is bc it was a gift. The old one still works!

 

[mickey grandmom]

I have the largest capacity mixer kitchenaid makes. In the past I made alot of wedding cakes. I could make about four cakes in one batch. I still double up on most things I make and it handles anything with ease. I do not have any of the add on things for the kitchenaid,but I did for my old mixer. I very rarely used the attachments. I would like a pasta maker for this mixer,but it is pretty expensive so I just roll my noodles out by hand. Hope this info helps.

 

[Nik's Mom]

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!

 

[buckler]

Periodically check Amazon because they sometimes have deals, but it might be one one color and not the rest.

If you have a Kohls you can sometimes get a good deal by combining a sale with a 30% off coupon.

My favorite attachment is the ice cream maker.

 

[dawson5]

I have the Professional 6. Mine has the drop down bowl as opposed to the tilt top. It came with the flour shield, whip, bread hook and the blade-like beater, think they are stainless steel. I asked for it for Xmas probably 10 years ago. I wanted a bigger motor to handle breads and stiffer doughs. My grandmother has had hers at least since the early to mid-80's. They bought a DQ and were using it daily for the whipped cream icings on cakes. This was why I wanted the larger motor, I knew it could stand up to anything. My mother has my great grandmother's, it is still going strong. I don't know the age or model of that one. She has been gone for over 25 years and was in a nursing home for a number of years prior. I would think it's safe to estimate it being over 30 yrs old.

I did have issues, but the KA warranty is top notch. Mine was actually sent back twice, replaced twice, all within the first two years. It's been running like a champ since. First time it made an odd noise and then stopped. Second time it just wouldn't turn on, I hadn't used it in at least a month and with no problems before that.

No attachments, but have been watching (not consistently) for one of the pasta attachments.

 

[SnowWtch]

Make sure you have the room for it before you get it. I got one as a wedding present almost 5 years ago and it's never been opened. I just don't have the room for it. I had to resort to using a hand mixer for everything.

 

[Smiling Cheshire Cat]

I have the stand mixer and the 7 speed hand mixer by KA. I use the hand mixer 10 times more than my stand mixer. If you're on a budget I recommend checking out the hand mixer. It comes with the beaters and then the whisks and dough hooks. I ordered mine both of mine from QVC. I like the easy pay option they often have and you can get almost any color you want.

 

[Sadie22]

I bought my KA mixer off Amazon during a special deal which made it half price. I have never seen it that cheap anywhere else since. It's a five quart. I have since purchased two plastic bowl covers, an extra stainless steel bowl and the ice cream attachment for it so I can make frozen desserts. It stays out on the counter all the time with the plastic bowl cover on and the beater in the bowl. I have made double and triple batches of oatmeal raisin cookies with it.

I also own a blender and a food processor but the mixer gets more use now.

The older Kitchen Aid appliances all had metal gears. Some of the newer consumer models have plastic gears which do not hold up to a lot of use or abuse.

I still have the Sunbeam Mixmaster my mother got free with S&H Green Stamps in the 1960s. My son uses it to whip potatoes.

 

[MomRN]

I don't bake a lot, but I make several batches of divinity every year for Christmas, and it was killing mixers annually. The Kitchenaid was the first to survive a Christmas.

 

[Deesknee]

I got mine at the old Filenes. I use it for everyday stuff, cake mixes, double batch cookies, mashing veggies (potatoes, carrots, etc.) Sometime even triple batch choco chip cookies, but I try not to do that because of the bowl size. I hesitated for years. I hated to spend the money. I had a Sunbeam stand mixer from 1982 well into the 90's. Then I bought a few hand mixers and finally realized what I'm spending on handmixers I could have bought a KA. So, I did. $199. at Filenes approximately 1997. I do agree though, it takes up alot of room and (mine anyway) is very heavy. I keep it in my pantry on the floor. I probably use it 3-4 times a month, but during the holidays much, much more, probably close to daily between mid November to Christmas.

 

[TiggerStac]

I got a 5 qt artisian about 3 weeks ago and love it. It was always something I wanted, but needed a great deal to get. I did end up getting it at Kohl's onsale and matched up with coupon. I love it! I need to keep working on making bread dough. I think I mixed it too long the first time, it didn't come out the right consistancy after it was baked. All trial and error, it was the first time I used a hook.

I've made a couple batches of tollhouse cookies, today I made choc chip banana bread with my son, both were so much easier than with the hand mixer. I made mashed potatoes the other night. I will not make boxed mashed potatoes again, it made it so easy! I need to make a batch of shortbread to really test it out. My grandmother has always told me how much easier it is to make in her kitchen aid. She still has the old avacado one too, she recently gave it to my mom and she downsized to a smaller version. She told me the other day that there is a box of all the attachments my grandfather had for it in the garage. I need to find it!!

 

[HsvTeacher]

I have a KitchenAid 5-quart Artisan stand mixer in Metallic Chrome, and I it! I've had it for a couple of years, and it's always performed beautifully.

I got mine for $120, because Lowe's had a mistake in their ad. It was advertised for $150, and I was able to get a rebate from KitchenAid for $30. Occasionally, you can find a good deal somewhere, and Bed, Bath, and Beyond will match the competitor's ad, and you can use a 20% off coupon.

 

[apnep]

My 1st Kirchenaid was my grandmother's, it was avocado green, the only reason I have a new one is bc it was a gift. The old one still works!

I inherited my Granny's too. It is white and still works but I haven't actually used it yet. My folks gave me a shiny red one for Christmas many years ago. I LOOOOOOVE it! I have the same standard equipment, the shield, paddle, whip, and hook. It sits on my counter and I used it every chance I get.

I would like a pasta maker for this mixer,but it is pretty expensive so I just roll my noodles out by hand.

I've been eyeballing that pasta maker too, but I'm with you, it's so expensive! I would also LOVE that ice cream attachment...

Ang

 

[cjnix29]

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!

 

[Nik's Mom]

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.

 

[Gigi22]

Love my Kitchen Aid--I have the old artisan model, which was the only one available in my city when I went looking for a mixer. I decided to get a KA because that was what Julia Child used on t.v., and I had seen my mom nearly ruin her old Sunbeam stand mixer trying to make fruit cake with it--so I knew that the competition sucked.
I've never regretted it. I used it to make a lovely angel food cake for DH's birthday this year--it whipped up 1 1/2 c. of egg whites so fast it was amazing. Don't use it as often as I should, but it always comes through for me!

 

[tinkermom23]

I have the Professional mixer with the drop-down bowl. I LOVE it!! It is tough and can handle a double batch of bread or cookie dough with no problems. But it is heavy and I leave it on my counter. I got mine at Sam's Club for about $270. The best deal I could find for that size motor.

Have fun!!

 

[Halbleib1]

My mother in law bought us the kitchenaid professional 6 bowl lift mixer for christmas in 04. We chose the black. She got it from qvc when it was the todays special value. It came with the wisk, beater, and dough hook. It also came with the grinder attachment and the pouring shield. All of it was under $300.00.

The only thing I did not like about this model were the beater attachments as they are not dishwasher safe. The stainless attachments- which I think are actually an aluminum mixture being that they have some sort of coating on them that comes off in the dishwasher making them unsafe to use with food. Also just leaving them soaking in water will take the coating off. It also changes the color of the metal. If it were truely all stainless the color would not change.
I have since replaced my beater-which I use the most with the white coated that can be placed in the dishwasher.

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.