I'm the primary cook in our house, but my wife uses the stand mixer more than I do.

Even if she didn't, I'd still keep it. For the things it does well, nothing else works as effectively.

There are a few tasks I'll use a simple electric beater for, but there's no question in my mind that the KA stand mixer is a staple tool.

Use it in some of your baking, and you'll soon find yourself wondering why you ever considered getting rid of it.

My life would be more difficult and I'd be crankier without my KA mixer. I use it for so many things--mixing, whipping, kneading dough, etc. Mine is the commercial version so is heavier duty. Once you get used to it, you'll use it a lot.

Absolutely keep it. The little hand mixers are okay for quick stuff, but I use my KA for: pizza dough, pie crust, cookies, cake mix, whipped cream, cookies, pudding, cookies, did I mention cookies?! The thing I like vs some others is the stainless bowl... as well as still looking great after 13+ years, it's also very light-weight to pick up and pour batter into pans, etc. I previously had a glass-bowled cuisinart model that was sooooo heavy.

I store mine in my base corner cab, and bring it out the few times a week that I use it. I know many here store out in the open on their counter-tops, however. Or you can get the fancy mixer-lifter to build right into a base cab.

I bought a kitchenaid one year ago. There was no room for it in our tiny kitchen and was kept in the dining room. I love and use it so much we did a complete kitchen remodel to get more counter space to give it a proper home.

I'm with everyone else. Keep it.

As for storage, if you have room on your counter then keep it there. All nice kitchens have a KA stand mixer proudly on display.

I just made marshmallows.

Not sure if that makes you want to keep it or not though!

I've had mine for 11 years, and I love it. Wouldn't give it up! Holds up to a double batch of gingerbread cookie dough like nothing else! Great for other things, too, of course :-)

Depending on which model and how much you paid for it.

Pricing and model aside, the mixer is one of the few small appliances that i own and think is very important.

Unless you prefer giving your arms a workout when kneading dough, whisking meringue or whipping cream the mixer is a very good tool to do all these and more.

I had done a lot of research on mixers and ended up with a KA 600 HD, for the price i love it and it does the job well.

My vote goes for keeping it as well its an essential if you like to bake and make desserts.

I have used my KA mixer every single week for the least the four years or so . . . I absolutely love it. I use it to make cookie dough quickly as well as quick breads (particularly pound cakes). And when my daughter was still at home she loved to whip up whipped cream for waffles or pancakes that I made on the weekend; which she still does when she visits.

I baked for 20 years before a KA and I must say that it make a synch of things that used to take more than a minute by hand or with a handmixer.

I use it to make tamales (using unprepared masa) as well. Easy and quick. Much easier than by hand!

Keep it, use it, love it.

As long as you bake I wouldn�t be without one. I bake homemade things all the time for my kids (cookies, muffins, breads, etc). I prefer homemade so I know exactly what they're eating.

It gets a real work out at Christmas. I make many batches of gingerbread and the KA makes it so easy.

I also use it for things like whip cream, pudding, etc.

I've never made my own pizza dough but I hear it does that well too.

I've had mine for 11 years (it was a wedding gift) and love it.

My SIL had to have one too - she's not much of a cook or a baker and she hardly uses it.

It all depends on you whether you'll use it or not. I have no doubt if you'll use it, you'll love it.

We are now using a Bosch mixer, which I like better, in some respects, than our Kitchenaid. However, if I did not have a heavy duty mixer alternative there is no way I would give up the KA. They are simply too valuable and time-saving a tool to be without.

Keep in mind that these are food mixers, not cement mixers. A new owner should reach out to those friends or people in the community who can share their skills and experience rather than rely solely on the maker's printed instructions and procedures.

Now I understand why it took so long to pour that slab. Thanks laat2.

kas

You should note that depending upon the model KA you got, it may or may not stand up to a daily kneading of bread dough. The smaller models are designed to handle stiffer doughs only once in a while, but not every day continually.

As a mixer for cakes, icings, cookie dough, etc., the KA is a kitchen staple. I have one of the old 4-qt Hobart-made KAs and I would no more get rid of it (despite its awful color) than I would trade my DH, lol.

Be aware that the KA mixes so well, mixing times in many recipes have to be adjusted. If it says beat for 5 minutes, I beat for 2 min. Don't walk away when you're beating whipping cream unless it's only 2 steps and you're coming right back....it will be butter before you know it.

I will say that I've bought two accessories that have made the KA perfect for my needs, over the last 35 years. First, I have a second mixing bowl and whisk attachment. This means when I do a recipe that involves making a meringue and folding it into a batter, I don't have to clean out the bowl and whisk to do them separately - I just switch out the bowl and whisk.

Second, I bought one of those new scrape-the-bowl-clean paddles. I don't use them for everything, but for certain recipes they are amazingly useful. The one issue with stand mixers is having to scrape the bowl down (no matter what brand of mixer); this attachment completely eliminates that problem.

I don't use it every day, but I'm thankful every time I do use it, that I finally spent the $100 (35 yrs ago that was a LOT of $$ for a mixer!) to buy the KA stand mixer.

KEEP
I use mine weekly and leave it on the counter top as it is heavy to move from place to place. Mine came with the whisk and the dough hook.

I'm not a gadget person, but the three items that I use frequently and woud really miss if they were gone are:
my cuisinart food processor, vita mix, and the KA mixer - I wish I had the super heavy duty one.

kaseki:
Bet you used one of these! Not that uncommon in certain labs.

Here is a link that might be useful: Cement mixer

I would definitely keep the KA mixer. After burning out the motors on several hand mixers throughout my marriage, my DH finally convinced me that I needed a good mixer. He bought a Cuisinart stand mixer for me, and I just love it. You will be surprised how much time is saved by using it to mix cookie batter and quick bread batter. I keep mine right out my countertop as it is too heavy for me to lift. I felt it was an expensive appliance but have found it was well worth it! Enjoy!!!

Depends on the model & price. With the holidays coming, there will be plenty of sales where you might be able to get it cheaper. If you're not worried about price, then keep it. New kitchen or old one you will find that the KitchenAid mixer can't be beat. That is the one kitchen appliance I will always find a place for. Mine is 15 years old & still kicking after many, many dozens of cakes, cupcakes, icing, breads, pies, & even mashed potatoes. When it finally dies, I think I'm going to go for the candy apple red one!

I've had mine for 15 years and can't imagine not having it in the kitchen. Keep it.

I'd keep it if it's at all practicable for you. Sure, it's sort of large and heavy as home mixers go, and maybe a bit on the pricey side, as home mixers, go but the KA mixer is a really good and useful thing to have in the kitchen. I'd give up a bunch of stuff before this. Mine was a hand-me-down from my mom -- still going strong, and if it ever breaks it will be replaced PRONTO.

I've had mine for 25 years and it still works great. It's excellent for mixing and kneading bread dough and, as others have said, virtually essential if you bake. Here's a link to the bowl-cleaning paddle jkom51 mentioned (a very useful device).

Here is a link that might be useful: SideSwipe Blade