Buying Kitchenaid Stand Mixers

Why buy a Kitchenaid stand mixer?

When I first got into serious baking and I heard this mentioned on a few blogs, I was surprised – but since then I have come to realize what makes Kitchenaid stand mixers so special.

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In this post I will go into some details behind the Kitchenaid stand mixers. If you are looking for reviews of the different Kitchenaid mixer models, then you will enjoy these posts which review each model in details and provide links to the cheapest price on those models available:

The Kitchenaid Stand Mixer

Kitchen Aid stand mixers have been featured everywhere, from cooking shows to magazines to blogs. These are one of the most popular kitchen accessories, and every baking enthusiast would love to own one. Why? Because it makes life so much easier, it lasts for ever and it’s easy to clean.

The KitchenAid Professional 600 Stand Mixer is one of the most popular models of this brand and has become the iconic stand mixer.

KitchenAid have built an amazing amount of brand recognition, and their mixers continue to set the standard for everyone else. More than a million of these mixers are sold each year!

The History of The KitchenAid Stand Mixer

KitchenAid has been in existence for over 100 years! The very first time such a mixer was made was in 1915, although the company has been around for longer.

In 1908, the originator of Hogart Manufacturing (now known as KitchenAid) observed a baker making dough by hand. Most of us baking enthusiasts know of this painstaking process – trying to make dough using a bowl and a wooden spoon, or kneading with your hands. We all know how laborious that is!

Herbert Johnson observed the kneading in action and decided to automate the process. The time from conceptualization to actuality was a while, and in 1915 the first 80-quart model was unveiled. It contained the “planetary motion” whereby the whisk moved in one direction while the bowl moved in another.

Like many things that were introduced in the beginning of the last century, the first KitchenAid stand mixers came in only one colour and that was white. Today you can choose from more than 40 colors! However, the inner workings are still the same – a pea shucker connection from 1919 will still work perfectly in one of today’s contemporary models!

In 1919, some models were given to executives to use at home, in order to come up with a catchy name for them – one executive’s wife mentioned that she thought it was a wonder “kitchen aide” and that name has stuck since!

KitchenAid Stand Mixers For Home Use

The initial models of the stand mixer were much larger and meant for industrial use. In 1936, a smaller model was manufactured so that it could be used for homes. The design was also modified to make it more appealing for home use. The model was patented giving the Hogart company exclusive rights to manufacturing it.

Progression and Innovation

In 1986, KitchenAid sold their properties to Whirlpool corporation which has since been promoting these machines. An estimated 308 million Kitchenaid stand mixers have been sold since 1986!

These days the simple stand mixer performs multiple functions. It comes with accessories which help people use it as a food grinder, ice cream maker, juicer, pasta maker, sausage stuffer and more!

KitchenAid Stand Mixer Buyer’s Guide: How To Pick Your KitchenAid Stand Mixer

There are so many different kinds of kitchenaid stand mixers that it can get confusing at times! There are different models, and each model has different characteristics, however there are also some similarities between them all. For instance, all models have exactly the same motor in them which has 10 different speeds, and all of them have exactly the same attachment hub. 10 different speeds means you have greater control over the process and can use the motor for different things as well. The same attachment hub means you can attach the different Kitchenaid accessories as well. Finally, all Kitchenaid mixers come with a 1 year warranty.

The kitchenaid stand mixer models can be broadly categorized into the home use models and the professional models. The Professional models are a bit larger and meant to be suitable for commercial use, however depending on your needs and baking preferences you can also use them at home.

KitchenAid Tilt Head Mixers

The Kitchenaid Tilt Head mixers are the home-use models. The head of this type of stand mixer rests at a 45-degree angle. This means that you can get quick and easy access to the bowl which is at the base and also the beater attachment.

Among the Tilt Head Mixer models, the smallest is the Kitchenaid classic series. This comes in an 8-cup model and is only available in white. The larger stand mixer models are the Artisan and the Custom Metallic series. These are available with a 9 cup bowl. The artisan series are painted, while the metallic series are made with metal, which leads to a sleek and shiny appearance. Personally I love the way the metallic series looks – I think it’s quite Art Deco-ish. However a lot of people prefer the painted look which enables them to pick a nice color to go with their kitchen decor.

The Artisan series also has a “Cook for the Cure” model, which is painted pink and promotes the fight against breast cancer. Every $50 from the sale of one of these pink mixers goes towards breast cancer research.

Video Reviews

Here are some great video reviews that let you take a better look at this popular mixer:

KitchenAid Professional Series

The Professional series of stand mixers is larger and have bigger motors. These are ideal for commercial use, but if you like to bake in large batches then these Professional models may be more appropriate for you.

The Professional series models are also known as Bowl Lifting mixers because a lever is used to put the bowl into a mixing spot. The bowls accommodate larger batches of dough and the smallest is the Commercial 5 series that have 11-cup bowls and a special hook for mixing dough. The Profession 5 Plus Series is similar to the Commercial 5 series, other than the fact that the Commercial series mixers have bigger bowls and different beaters and whips. The largest KitchenAid stand mixer model is the Professional 600 Series. These mixers can accomodate upto 14 cups in the bowl. The usual “shield” for pouring flour is also included in these series.

Choosing Between the “Professional” and “Home-Use” Series

Although the Professional series are promoted as being for commercial use and the other (Artisan, Original,  and Custom Metallic) are promoted as being for home use, you should really pick the series based on your requirements. For instance, many smaller bakeries find that the “home use” models are good enough for their purposes, while some baking enthusiasts prefer the larger “Professional” series so that they can create a larger amount of dough at one go.

Extra Attachments to Use With The KitchenAid Stand Mixers!

One of the cool things about these KitchenAid Stand Mixers is that they come with an attachment hub, which is the same across all models. This means you can use various extra attachments with your Kitchenaid stand mixer and use it for a range of different purposes! You can always purchase attachments separately, later on, but if you have some idea of what you want then it’s cheaper to buy the packs that come together with the stand mixer.

Now, let’s talk about some of the accessories you can use with the stand mixer…

Ice Cream Maker

This is by far my favorite attachment so I thought I’d start off by talking about it. Since I am a bit of a foodie and also conscious about what I eat, I love home made ice cream. Anyone who’s had a taste of the homemade stuff can never go back to eating the store-made varieties. Homemade icecream is so much more flavorfull!

Unfortunately making icecream at home is next to impossible unless you have an ice cream maker. However, the Kitchenaid stand mixer comes with an ice cream maker, so if you’ve got a Kitchenaid, you don’t need to get a seperate ice-cream maker. The attachment that comes with the mixer will have you making delicious home-made ice creams and sorbets in just 15-20 minutes! You can use the 2-quart attachment bowl that comes with this accessory and impress friends and family with your ice creams (although if you’re like me, you’ll want to eat most of it yourself!)

Grinder, Shredder and Slicer

This accessory is often compared to a Swiss Knife, in that you can use it to do so many different things. From grinding meat and spices, chopping up fruits and vegetables, slicing and dicing, shredding leafy veggies, and even making homemade butters, you can use this attachment to do it all.

Pasta Maker

If you’ve ever tastes fresh pasta, you’ll never want to go back to eating the dry mass-produced version that’s available in stores. The stand mixer’s pasta maker attachment means you can make delicious, fresh pasta in five minutes or less. I think this is my husband’s favorite attachment, since he tends to love pasta as a workday lunch!

There are two different types of pasta maker kits you can purchase for your Kitchenaid, and again it should depend on what kinds of pasta you’ll be making. The Basic Kit contains a pasta roller, linguine and fettucine cutter; you can also use it to make lasagna. The Advanced Kit comes with the same equipment the Basic Kit has, and can also be used to make thick egg noodles, angel hair pasta and ravioli.

Grain Mill

If you are a true bread enthusiast, you might consider making your own flour! This attachment will use any non-oily grain into flour. That means you can make your own wholemeal or regular flour, as well as any other kind of flour. Considering the difficult and expense of finding fresh, organic flour in some areas, you might find this attachment useful.

Cheap KitchenAid Stand Mixers

If you’re on a strict budget, then you might be looking for a lower-priced KitchenAid mixer. In general, when it comes to kitchen accessories, I recommend avoiding second-hand items since you don’t know how they’ve been used/abused and how long they will last after you purchase them.

Instead, it’s a good idea to keep an eye out for sales. Often you will find these stand mixers at a greatly reduced price. I tend to monitor the prices, and there is a link at the bottom the page to the current best prices.

In addition, if you want to spend less on a stand mixer and don’t mind giving up the range of colors that you can choose for, you can opt for the KitchenAid Classic Series. This comes with the same motor and attachment hub, but has a smaller 4.5 quart mixing bowl and only comes in white. However, it may be worthwhile for you if you are willing to forgo selecting a different color and having a larger bowl.

KitchenAid Stand Mixer Reviews

While I try my best to provide high quality reviews of KitchenAid stand mixers on my blog, you might wish to look at some other consumer reports websites as well. Consumer Reports is a website with reports of all kinds of items, and Choice magazine also reviews many things. Some websites where you can find consumer reviews and reports include epinions.com, viewpoints.com, and amazon.com. I’ve gone through different sites and looked at their reviews: most consumers and critics agree that KitchenAid stand mixers are the best value for money option out there.

However, there are some other reasons why KitchenAid wins hands-down when it comes to stand mixers. First off, the motors of KitchenAid mixers are incredibly powerful. Mixing and kneading doughs, and even churning icecream, is a cinch with this mixer. Of course you can also use this mixer for other lighter tasks such as beating eggs and whipping cream – as anyone who’s spent ages trying to beat eggs properly or whip cream into peaks knows, this mixer really makes life easier.

These stand mixers are also very easy to clean. This is important for people who cook at home, since they don’t usually have cleaners who will clean up the usual baking mess and have to do it themselves.

For those who care about interior decoration, KitchenAid mixers come in a range of colors, so you can customize your home ambiance. These mixers also come with so many customization options that you can pick and choose whatever accessories you will enjoy using.

Finally, the biggest reason why people tend to choose KitchenAid over other brands is that these machines simply last a lifetime. They hardly ever need any attention and they are incredibly durable.

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