Question for those with Kitchen Aid mixers.

[floridafam]

The Pro series looks like they all have easier access to the bowl while it is on the mixer.

Do you have one?

Do you find it difficult to add ingredients to the bowl if you do not have one of the professional ones?

Do you love yours or hate it?

Thanks in advance.

 

[ducklite]

I have an Artisan (the Pink Breast Cancer one). I love it. The bowl is wide enough that you can add things without too much hassle. I can't wait to make Christmas cookies with it next weekend!

Anne

 

[Castlebound]

I have an Artisan (the Pink Breast Cancer one). I love it. The bowl is wide enough that you can add things without too much hassle. I can't wait to make Christmas cookies with it next weekend!

Anne

I also have an Artisan but mine is bright red. I LOVE it! It is the perfect size for me and I have never had a problem with it. I've had mine for about 5 years.

 

[floridafam]

So, let's say you have wet ingredients in the bowl. You have had no problem adding flour, etc? I'm just afraid that is going to bug me (I'm kind of picky about that.)

I do a ton of baking so I want to make sure I get the one I want.

Thanks for the info.

 

[Rex Rules]

My good friend has one - the professional kind and she has this "ramp" thing that attaches to the side of the bowl - it is plastic and helps helps with adding ingredients. Looks easy. And she should be a professional baker - she is the BEST cook I know!

 

[ducklite]

So, let's say you have wet ingredients in the bowl. You have had no problem adding flour, etc? I'm just afraid that is going to bug me (I'm kind of picky about that.)

I do a ton of baking so I want to make sure I get the one I want.

Thanks for the info.

Can you dump five pounds of flour in all at once? No. Can you fold in dry ingredients, absolutely.

Anne

 

[ducklite]

My good friend has one - the professional kind and she has this "ramp" thing that attaches to the side of the bowl - it is plastic and helps helps with adding ingredients. Looks easy. And she should be a professional baker - she is the BEST cook I know!

Now that I think of it, I think I have one as well...have to figure out where I put it...

Anne

 

[Castlebound]

I have the plastic ramp thing that Rex talked about and it helps a lot. As long as your remember to add flour slowly there shouldn't be a problem.

 

[helenabear]

I too have one of the plastic things to go around the bowl. It does help a little, but I find I have no problems in general adding ingredients in w/o it even.

I actually love the mixer! I have never had any problems with mine at all. I've not seen a mixer swallow about 8 pound of potatoes like that! And it does great with bread and cakes.

I love baking so it is my "best friend" when it comes to certain thngs I make)

 

[floridafam]

Well, here are the ones I am looking at.

I have a special American Express incentive card that I can use at Williams-Sonoma, Linens N' Things and at the Kitchen Aid.com website.

There is one on the back of the Linens n' Things add. I can get 20% off plus free shipping. They don't have the professional one in the color I want.

They have the professional one at Williams Sonoma but it ends up costing twice the price as the one above.

The Kitchen Aid website has the professional one for $329.

I have to admit, I'm leaning toward the professional one. I like to see my stuff when I'm cooking it so I can see how moist the batter is and if it's mixing correctly.

I'm not sure that's worth twice the price, though.

I'll probably end up doing nothing. I hate buying stuff for my kitchen. I can never decide.

 

[LvsTnk]

I have the Epicurean from Williams and Sonoma Love Love Love It!

 

[hercamore]

Sorry, don't have a Kitcen Aid mixer at all, but wanted to tell you Consumer Reports (two issues ago, I think) had a report on mixers.

Might want to check it out. It was a good article.


herc.

 

[Jennifer S]

Love mine - it's 13 years old and still going strong. I'd def. get it - but not at twice the price. The basic one is great enough.

 

[hiwaygal]

I've wanted one of the Kitchen Aid mixers for years...

Then we saw the Wolfgang Puck one at Sam's Club! It is slightly less expensive than the Kitchen Aids (about $10-$20) but it is about 3 times more powerful!!! I was shocked! Nothing wrong with the Kitchen Aids...they are tried and true, but it seems like the Wolfgang Puck one is a bit more bang for the buck!

DH got it for me just after Thanksgiving so I could make all those Christmas cookies....and let me tell you, I am LOVING IT!!!

 

[Christine]

I have one of the lower end models of Kitchen Aid so my bowl is kind of small. Sometimes I do have a problem adding flour in--there's not much space, but I don't find it to be too bad. I think if you buy one of the higher end ones with a bigger bowl you will be fine.

 

[Towncrier]

I wish that I had purchased the version with the 5 quart mixing bowl that attaches more firmly to the base of mixer. I think that two or three years of bread making have taken their toll on ours. Next time I'll go for the beefier model.

 

[JuliaEeyore]

I have the Pro. I've had it for three years. I love it!

However, at first, I hated it. I wished I had just gotten the Artisan because at the time, I didn't realize that the motor didn't tip up like it does on the Artisan (and my mom's old Sunbeam mixer I used to use ). I hated how the bowl went up and down instead.

Now I love it. I've gotten used to it and man is it powerful.

The ONLY thing I've ever had trouble with is, sometimes certain recipes are a little too... small... Sometimes I have to double them because the bowl is just too big and the beater can't whip the ingredients!!! But my husband certainly doesn't care that I have to make a double batch. Hee hee!!!

If I had it to do over again, in hindsight, I probably would go for the Artisan, just because I'm not a professional baker. Life would have been fine with the smaller one.

 

[Nicolepa]

I have had both. I had the regular KA for years. There was nothing wrong with it per say, but dh upgraded me to the pro about 3 years ago. I LOVE having the bigger bowl. I also prefer being able to raise and lower the bowl, athough sometimes it's harder to get the ingredients in. The biggest thing the the Pro has a bigger motor, there isn't much that baby can't mix!

 

[tiggerlover]

I bought the KitchenAid Artisan (5 qt.) a couple of weeks ago and I am still getting acquainted with it. I made about 20 dozen cookies yesterday and did so in record time. I am still learning how to add the ingredients without making a mess, but for the most part I am very happy with it. I think it is going to take a little bit of experimenting on my part to get comfortable with it, but I am so glad that I finally spent the money and bought one.

 

[Poohnatic]

I have the Professional 5 qt that DH bought me for Christmas 9 years ago. I absolutely LOVE it! I have the bowl guard and that was the best 20 bucks I spent. Since he bought it, I've purchased the meat grinder/sausage attachment and the pasta maker-both work like a charm. It's white, kinda boring, but I don't mind.

An Alton Brown pointer if you're having difficulty pouring dry ingredients in is to use a Silpat (found at any cooking supply). Make it into a funnel and pour through it.

Check out Costco, if you're a member. They always have it for less than everyone else, but you're usually limited to black, white and red.

DH said it was a selfish gift (he wanted more cookies), and since it's soooo much easier to mix cookie dough, I do end up making a lot more of them. Check out the recipe book that comes with the mixer-you MUST make the peanut butter cookies.

Suzanne