I bought my wife the 5.5Qt lift bowl model number "KV25mexer5" from Costco. It has all steel gears. I got when they had basically 2 sales on it at same time. $50 off from KA and $30 off from Costco so we paid $249.00 total. For $250 it is probably the best choice you can find for a mixer, we have not had any problems with ours after 5 months of use so far. Hasn't had any problem making a 3 cup batch of bread dough using the dough hook and on speed 2 like it says to do. So far for us and especially for the price it was the best deal for our needs. It is loud but so is every other mixer in this power range. It seems rather solid, no grinding, everything works smoothly. I seriously looked at the Bosch Universal which is definitely a better mixer especially if you make a lot of large 6+ cup dough batches. But for the one I would buy (stainless bowl with blender) is $550 on sale. So more than double the price. For how much we use a mixer this Costco KA was our best deal by far, plus the added perk of if anything happens to it the first year or maybe even longer we could just take it right back for a full refund or replacement with no hassles. IF you use the hell out of a mixer though I would pay the extra and get the Bosch Universal. As far as where the KA "Stand Mixers" are made they are actually made in Greenville OH. The KA hand mixers are however made in China. But like most everything else made in China it is made there under the exact specifications that the American Company wants, unfortunately that happens to be cheap as humanly possible which is why they are made there. IF the American company stated we want the best possible mixer you can make and stated exactly what they wanted, what materials to use etc that is exactly what they would get from China. So while everyone continually puts the blame on China it really has next to nothing to do with them. It is the American company that purposely wants crap at the cheapest price possible.

If for everyday/occasional use... go with whatever fits your budget!?! NEVER thought I'd shell out $200-ish for a mixer until SIL MADE me take her's home on T-Day... with strict orders to return it the following weekend. Standard, tily-head model. When I cranked out cookie dough for 4-5 different types with butter that wasn't really soft... I was sold. A few years ago, found a "vintage" (faded yellow) KA stand mixer (crank up/down) at Good Will. Had paddle, dough hook and whisk and ran just fine. Was marked $39.99... since I already HAD a KA, was ready to pass. BUT it was half price and just couldn't leave without it. I cleaned it up really well (wasn't cruddy or anythiing to begin with), taped everything off, and sprayed it out flat black with left-over out-door gas grill paint. It's a work horse! Then found a spare BOWL for a few $.

I know! It's difficult! I used to sell Pampered Chef and "earned" my white one for free about 12 years ago. I admit I purchased the yellow today : ) With the $30 back and the free extra attachment, and 5 easy payments plus only $10 shipping I couldn't resist! Plus I used ebates and got 2.5% off that way. There's a free subscription also to Food and Wine Magazine or some other Travel magazine when you do the rebate. Unfortunately there was tax but still was a good deal : ) Good luck!

In Florida I imagine we could pick up old models at estate sales. But the new ones look really nice, and bigger. Breezy, mine doesn't walk much but I wouldn't leave it alone while mixing a stiff dough, and maybe my old laminate counters were grippier than solid surface counters? I really need to make bread today and am so out of practice that I might do a small batch in the KA. I only bought my grinder a couple years ago, and I doubt they have changed the attachment. The paddles, whisk, and dough hooks have changed (because the bowls have) but the attachments go into the hole behind the pretty KA medallion on the front of the head (held in by a screw on the right side). They also have rotary slicer/shredders and pasta attachments, but I haven't used those. Here is a link that might be useful: grinder attachment