# KitchenAid mixer **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [April 29, 2007, 6:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/kitchenaid-mixer/402072 "2007-04-29T18:45:47Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![zoo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/71c47a/32.png) [@zoo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/zoo)\ **Post date:** [April 29, 2007, 6:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/kitchenaid-mixer/402072/1 "2007-04-29T18:45:47Z")
My wife has a small KitchenAid mixer she loves but she has talked about getting a bigger one. I would like to get her one for mothers day but I don’t know anything about them and I can’t talk to her about it. Can someone here point me in the right direction to find a good 5 1/2 or 6 qt mixer? It need not be a KitchenAid if a deal is to be had on another quality brand. ---
**Author:** ![Fear\_Itself](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fear_itself/32/19637_2.png) [@Fear\_Itself](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fear_Itself)\ **Post date:** [April 29, 2007, 6:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/kitchenaid-mixer/402072/2 "2007-04-29T18:52:28Z")
Most KitchenAid owners are intensely brand-loyal, so you might be taking your life in your hands by looking at others. ---
**Author:** ![WhyNot](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/c77e96/32.png) [@WhyNot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WhyNot)\ **Post date:** [April 29, 2007, 7:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/kitchenaid-mixer/402072/3 "2007-04-29T19:08:49Z")
I’d check out Consumer Reports to be sure (your library will have back issues), but I think Kitchen Aid stand mixer is still da bomb, culinarily speaking. Let me break out my copy of Alton Brown’s Gear For Your Kitchen for a moment. Ah, here we go: [QUOTE=Alton Brown] What’s important in choosing a mixer? Orbital action, power, and ease of use. Orbital action describes the motion of the beaters - they rotate around the inside of the bowl as they spin, providing greater contact with your ingredients and making fast time of your work. snip There are three levels of mixers to choose from: light duty, medium duty and heavy duty. Light- and medium-duty mixers are little more than hand mixers with stands and should be avoided as far as I’m concerned. Heavy-duty mixers offer the most power, the biggest mixing bowls (4 1/2 to 6 quarts), and the highest prices - anywhere from the low $200s to more than $400. snip Very popular now is the Artisan Series Stand Mixer by KitchenAid… . This is an excellent standard mixer with a 5-quart capacity and 325-watt motor; it runs about $250. If you don’t make more than two loaves of bread at a time this is a good model to go with. I prefer this kind of model, which has a tilt head, over those with a bowl-lift mechanism. snip As with the blender and food processor, the stand mixer should be heavy enough to rest firmly on the counter while doing its job. These are heavy machines (ranging from 19 to 30 pounds, which is good - if they were any lighter they’d walk right off the counter during use), so if you have limited counter space, this is the one to keep out and at the ready. In contrast to the blender, a stand mixer’s multiple speeds do make sense. A slow speed is necessary for adding flour or other dry ingredients without whipping yourself into a puff of the stuff. The higher speeds are the best for whipping cream or egg whites. Get a model that has at least three or five speeds, and some models go up to sixteen. [/QUOTE] That’s pretty much what I would say, if he hadn’t said it first. I can also add that I own my great-great grandmother’s Kitchen-Aid, the K5-A, sold in 1941. Still works great, although it’s the bowl-lowering style AB isn’t as fond of. I do need to get someone to replace the cord, as it’s developing a crack due to the age of the rubber, but for the moment electrical tape is keeping it safe. ---
**Author:** ![PunditLisa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/4af34b/32.png) [@PunditLisa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PunditLisa)\ **Post date:** [April 29, 2007, 7:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/kitchenaid-mixer/402072/4 "2007-04-29T19:15:34Z")
Costco has very attractive prices on KitchenAid mixers, but it looks like they only have the 5 quart one. [Costco](http://www.costco.com/Common/Search.aspx?whse=BC&topnav=&search=kitchenaid&N=0&Ntt=kitchenaid&cm_re=1-_-Top_Left_Nav-_-Top_search) ---
**Author:** ![citybadger](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/45deac/32.png) [@citybadger](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/citybadger)\ **Post date:** [April 29, 2007, 7:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/kitchenaid-mixer/402072/5 "2007-04-29T19:19:30Z")
I just finished making orange sherbet with my KitchenAid Professional 6. It has a lift bowl rather than a tilt-head, but this is not a serious problem. I suggest you get the largest KitchenAid you can afford and can fit into your kitchen. The ice cream maker bowl works well, by the way. ---
**Author:** ![Rick](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/9f8e36/32.png) [@Rick](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rick)\ **Post date:** [April 29, 2007, 7:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/kitchenaid-mixer/402072/6 "2007-04-29T19:23:01Z")
I agree wth **Fear Itself** about Kitchenaid and brand loyalty. [Here](http://www.kitchenaid.com/catalog/category.jsp?categoryId=310) is the Kitchenaid mixer page. KA mixers are like belly buttons, they all look alike. Pay attention to the motor wattage, more is better. For the tilt head model [this](http://www.kitchenaid.com/catalog/product.jsp?src=Stand+Mixers&cat=310&prod=776) is the most powerful. For a lift bowl model, here is the [5 quart](http://www.kitchenaid.com/catalog/product.jsp?src=Stand+Mixers&cat=310&prod=487). If you have the Tim Allen urge for more power Here is the uber mixer [6 quarts and 575 watts.](http://www.kitchenaid.com/catalog/product.jsp?src=Stand+Mixers&cat=310&prod=488) find the model you want and shop around. Prices vary. ---
**Author:** ![zoo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/71c47a/32.png) [@zoo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/zoo)\ **Post date:** [April 29, 2007, 7:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/kitchenaid-mixer/402072/7 "2007-04-29T19:41:36Z")
Thank you for your thoughtful replies. My wife has said another brand might not be out of the question. Is e-bay a bad idea? ---
**Author:** ![Washoe](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/ecae2f/32.png) [@Washoe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Washoe)\ **Post date:** [April 29, 2007, 7:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/kitchenaid-mixer/402072/8 "2007-04-29T19:43:05Z")
The Costco model is an exclusive model made specifically for Costco. It’s an excellent bargain. It’s far more heavy-duty than the Artisan models, and is almost the same caliber as the professional models. It typically sells for about $150 less than the pro models. Only drawback is that it only comes in red or white. ---
**Author:** ![Ferret\_Herder](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/e47774/32.png) [@Ferret\_Herder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ferret_Herder)\ **Post date:** [April 29, 2007, 7:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/kitchenaid-mixer/402072/9 "2007-04-29T19:45:57Z")
[QUOTE=Washoe] The Costco model is an exclusive model made specifically for Costco. It’s an excellent bargain. It’s far more heavy-duty than the Artisan models, and is almost the same caliber as the professional models. It typically sells for about $150 less than the pro models. Only drawback is that it only comes in red or white. [/QUOTE] This may not necessarily be the case - I bought a KitchenAid “Professional HD” at my local Costco in a matte silver, for the same cost as the Artisans in most regular stores. From what I’ve read, the Professionals apparently have all-metal parts inside, while the Artisans have some that are plastic. ---
**Author:** ![samclem](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a9a28c/32.png) [@samclem](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/samclem)\ **Post date:** [April 29, 2007, 8:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/kitchenaid-mixer/402072/10 "2007-04-29T20:36:07Z")
Questions about comparison brands usually go in IMHO. But, since this is about cooking, let’s try Cafe Society. Moved. **samclem** GQ moderator ---
**Author:** ![Washoe](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/ecae2f/32.png) [@Washoe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Washoe)\ **Post date:** [April 29, 2007, 8:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/kitchenaid-mixer/402072/11 "2007-04-29T20:38:20Z")
[QUOTE=Ferret Herder] This may not necessarily be the case - I bought a KitchenAid “Professional HD” at my local Costco in a matte silver, for the same cost as the Artisans in most regular stores. From what I’ve read, the Professionals apparently have all-metal parts inside, while the Artisans have some that are plastic. [/QUOTE] I should have looked at mine before I posted. The Costco model is called the “Professional HD,” but it is not the same as the professional models which typically retail for around $380-400+ in the department stores. Mine is red, and now that I think about it, I think the other color is silver, not white as I stated. Or maybe it’s available in three colors—memory is failing me right now. It’s very close to the six-quart pro models, though. They have the all-metal direct-drive gears, which the Artisan models do not have. They are excellent machines. ---
**Author:** ![lokij](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/5e9695/32.png) [@lokij](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lokij)\ **Post date:** [April 29, 2007, 9:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/kitchenaid-mixer/402072/12 "2007-04-29T21:35:44Z")
If I was going to buy something other than Kitchenaid, it would be one of these…[Hobart](http://cgi.ebay.com/HOBART-10-QT-MIXER-REFURBISHED-VERY-GOOD-CONDITION_W0QQitemZ250108577588QQihZ015QQcategoryZ57090QQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem) ---
**Author:** ![MizTina](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f08c70/32.png) [@MizTina](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MizTina)\ **Post date:** [April 29, 2007, 9:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/kitchenaid-mixer/402072/13 "2007-04-29T21:54:45Z")
I would not, no way no how, buy one from Ebay. Just me, but I’ve not had the best of luck with Ebay. However, that being said, I did buy mine from the Kitchenaid site, but I got it way cheap because it was refurbished. I’ve had it over 7 years with absolutely no problem. [Kitchen Appliances to Bring Culinary Inspiration to Life | KitchenAid](http://www.shopkitchenaid.com/sub_category.asp?HDR=OUTLET&CAT=outletrefurb) If the end of civilization as we know it nears, I’m packing my Kitchenaid. T ---
**Author:** ![zoo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/71c47a/32.png) [@zoo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/zoo)\ **Post date:** [April 29, 2007, 10:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/kitchenaid-mixer/402072/14 "2007-04-29T22:02:00Z")
The Hobart looks great but it is quite a bit too large. It looks like the shipping is going to kill me if I order a mixer through the mail. We have no Costco, will Sams Club maybe have one? My wife is not as concerned about size as she is power, she likes to bake a lot of bread. Thank you **sam** for the move. My question seemed more “factual” at first. Besides Hobart($$$), are there any other top brands out there? ---
**Author:** ![lissener](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lissener/32/6139_2.png) [@lissener](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lissener)\ **Post date:** [April 29, 2007, 10:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/kitchenaid-mixer/402072/15 "2007-04-29T22:08:21Z")
KitchenAid has the reputation of being the \*sine qua non \* of mixers. No matter what your wife _says_, she will be disappointed with anything else. She’ll probably begin to drift away from the marriage, and will eventually leave you for a man who will buy her a KitchenAid. I can’t compare it to other brands for you, because I’ve never had a reason to try any other brand. My KitchenAid keeps me tethered to this planet. I’m thinking of getting it tattooed over my heart. ---
**Author:** ![lissener](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lissener/32/6139_2.png) [@lissener](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lissener)\ **Post date:** [April 29, 2007, 10:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/kitchenaid-mixer/402072/16 "2007-04-29T22:10:37Z")
[QUOTE=zoo] . . . My wife is not as concerned about size as she is power . . . [/QUOTE] Well, again, maybe she’s just sparing you. Oh wait, was this still about the mixer? 😛 ---
**Author:** ![Rhiannon8404](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rhiannon8404/32/17929_2.png) [@Rhiannon8404](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rhiannon8404)\ **Post date:** [April 29, 2007, 10:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/kitchenaid-mixer/402072/17 "2007-04-29T22:12:46Z")
A lot of the ladies on my homeschooling boards bake all their own bread, as do I. Other than the KitchenAid, they seem to really like the [Bosch Universal](http://www.everythingkitchens.com/boschUKM.html). I have been very happy with my KitchenAid, and I am the brand loyal type. However, several of the ladies on my other board have been converted to the Bosch. [Here](http://www.everythingkitchens.com/boschvskitchenaid.html) is a good comparason of the two. ---
**Author:** ![WhyNot](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/c77e96/32.png) [@WhyNot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WhyNot)\ **Post date:** [April 29, 2007, 10:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/kitchenaid-mixer/402072/18 "2007-04-29T22:16:37Z")
Board’s acting weird. Double post. ---
**Author:** ![WhyNot](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/c77e96/32.png) [@WhyNot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WhyNot)\ **Post date:** [April 29, 2007, 10:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/kitchenaid-mixer/402072/19 "2007-04-29T22:20:05Z")
[QUOTE=zoo] We have no Costco, will Sams Club maybe have one? [/QUOTE] [Yep.](http://www.samsclub.com/shopping/search.do?searchtype=simple&catg=1&simplesearchfor=stand+mixer&simpleitemtype=0&x=0&y=0) As does [Target (with free shipping).](http://www.target.com/gp/browse.html/ref=in_br_display-ladders/601-7004178-1705741?ie=UTF8&node=1041764) > [@](#): > > Besides Hobart($$$), are there any other top brands out there? Again from Alton Brown’s Gear for Your Kitchen: > [@](#): > > KitchenAid certainly monopolizes this section of the industry. But Kenwood (now DeLonghi) also makes a great stainless-steel mixer that packs in the power: the DeLonghi Cucina 700 5-quart stand mixer (formerly the Kenwood Chef Classic) carries 700 watts and runs about $300 (it also includes a mini-chopper that sits on the top of the mixer’s arm); the DeLonghi Cucina 800 (formerly the Kenwood Major Classic) carries a whopping 7 quart capacity and the most powerful motor on the market at 800 watts. Is also comes with its own glass blender that sits on top of the machine. It will run you about $400. If she’s a baker, the important things for her are going to be wattage (more is better) and a dough hook. You don’t want a wimpy machine that can’t knead for her. ---
**Author:** ![lissener](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lissener/32/6139_2.png) [@lissener](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lissener)\ **Post date:** [April 29, 2007, 10:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/kitchenaid-mixer/402072/20 "2007-04-29T22:23:15Z")
FWIW, I got mine on Amazon for half price, because they had too many blue ones in stock. I don’t like blue, but come on, half price? [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/kitchenaid-mixer/402072.md?page=2)