My old KA mixer was lost in our last move. I was devastated. I replaced it with the Professional 600 and have been disappointed ever since. Like you, my old one was around 20 years old, didn't work on low speed, but was far superior to my new one. The new one is whiney and the bowl has a hard time staying locked when I give it a challenging task (like bread dough). I think KA quality has dropped tremendously over the past 20 years.
I will not get another KA.

Jo

I have a KA45 that is 20+years old. It works well. My frustration was its small size. I got a new Pro 600 for larger batches of bread.

- Are you happy with your choice to buy the Pro 600? Yes. Lack of power has not been a problem and the bowl stays put. It does 'walk' at times, so I must keep an eye on it when it is kneading dough.

- Can the Pro 600 with the 6 qt. bowl easily accommodate a double batch of cookies? I have never made a double batch of cookies. I don't know. I assume it would.

- In your opinion, would it be worth it to buy the bigger model for someone that doesn't need it for bread making but only for cookies? Sorry, that is a question only you can answer.

- Do you store yours in a cabinet or leave it on the counter? (I'd prefer to keep it in a cabinet but at 16 1/2" high it limits where it can be stored and the specs say it weighs 25 lbs.) Mine is stored in a cabinet directly under the counter on which it is used.

The 33'' high cabinet is not finished, but this is where they are both kept:

- Did you keep your smaller model and, if so, which one do you use the most? I use both mixers. The smaller mixer is for smaller batches of bread, cookies and cakes. Both are used to make pasta with the KA attachments. The roller goes on one mixer and the cutter on the other.

I didn't buy one but my MIL did. Her former KA was a Hobart built (which she gave to me). She has never been happy with the new one. (She kept trying to trade with me.) It's not a matter of size as much as a matter of quality. The new ones are just no match for the older ones.

I love my Pro 600. I does a great job on double-batch cookies or any other big or stiff dough. (But yes, it does have a whiny sounding motor.

I keep it on the counter in a corner because I'd rather not lift it if I don't have to, and I like the way it looks! I kept my smaller KA and use it when I'm making single batches of cookies or a single cake, etc. I keep that one in a cabinet and take it out as I need to. I use them both regularly.

Bonnie

I too have the "whiner"..LOL But I love it's power...my husband wears ear protection, since our house is so small, and when he's on the couch...he needs a buffer...So I go get the green ear "head phones" and he knows..it's mixer time...LOL

Oh and mine stays on the counter..it's own counter..with most of my baking needs in the cabinets and drawer that it sits on and under.
I have the pewter colored one..the rest of the kitchen color is Brushed Stainless and black.

I had the smaller KA mixer and loved it. My son was over one day and heard it laboring with bread dough, so the kids got me the KA Pro 600 and I love it too. Wouldn't go back to the smaller one. I keep it on the counter (as I did the smaller one) in the corner with a nice cover. I don't make as much bread now that it's only me, but I think the extra power is useful no matter what you mix. I did get the beater blade (the one with the rubber scraper on the sides) and it's really great for mixing.

For those who keep the mixer on the counter, as I do, I have mine on one of those flexible/disposable cutting boards because mine is way back in a corner and I'm too short to reach and lift it. I just pull the plastic mat forward and the mixer neatly slides out to where I can use it, then I slide it right back, easy as can be.

I have an older one that Nancy gifted me with and I love it, so I'll probably never even bother to get a bigger one.
In fact, Makayla has already informed me that when she grows up, I have to give her this one, LOL.

Annie

Thanks for your responses. I appreciate the fact that you took the time to answer and for the photos too. I've decided to put off getting the PRO 600 for now. As I said, it's priced attractively right now but I need to remind myself that just because I can buy it doesn't necessarily mean that I should. My old one works perfectly so I'll continue to use it until I get (totally) tired of having to make two separate batches. Who knows, maybe that will be a month from today or a year from today.

Some of my hesitation stems from not knowing where I would put it when not in use. I'd prefer to house it in a cabinet, but that would mean changing the configuration of the shelving in my baking cabinet and I would lose storage space. I'm not sure what my reaction would be to having a louder mixer since we just remodeled and opened up the kitchen to both the living room and dining room.

Thanks again and HAPPY BAKING!

Tia/Country_Smile, you may want to look into the Cuisinart 5.5 qt. or 7 qt.. It is stronger than the KA and has a 3-year warranty vs. only 1 yr. for the KA. I have the 7-quarts and love using it every chance I get. I can't knead dough due to my disability; so, I'm very depended on my stand mixer to do the work.

Annie1992, I'm short too and I'm doing the same thing as you are. Except, I didn't think of using the flex board. I actually, cut a card board the same size as the bottom of the stand mixer to slide it forward & backward.

ntt hou - Thanks for the info on the Cuisinart. I looked on line for specs and reviews. With a 1,000 watt motor and a 7 quart bowl I should have no trouble mixing double batches. Nothing was mentioned about a pouring shield - is there one available for it or don't you really miss it? I'll have to look for one on display and keep Cuisinart as an option.

Thank you for the great tip Annie! My mixer is in the corner of my cabinet and though I'm not short, that thing is a bear to pick up. I think I'll go remedy that right now while its on my mind.

Buy a second bowl for about $35. That's what I did.

Now the only problem is finding more of those flexible mats. I'm glad I could help anyone else with that idea, it works so well and doesn't scratch up the counter.

Annie

I've been using mats under my appliances for years. My appliances are all on my counter, so I have mats under the toaster, food processor and mixer. Cheap, easy to cut to shape, and invisible!

I also use the mats on the ironing board in my sewing room, but that's another matter. Best 3 for $5.00 invention in the world!

Sherry

sherrmann - Good suggestion - I just returned home with my purchase of another Kitchenaid bowl for $39.99. I bid on one today on e-bay but lost out on the bidding while I was at work so I called 5 area stores until I found one that had the bowl in stock. It's now tucked away in the cupboard waiting for my cookie baking session tomorrow afternoon. Such an obvious solution and somehow I overlooked it. THANKS

One thing about the Viking that totally makes sense to me is the wheels on the back so you can easily move it around on the counter.

shermann wrote, "Buy a second bowl for about $35. That's what I did."

Same here. I was given a non-working twin of our Hobart/KA K5-A that I got working again. I thought we would use both mixers for big jobs but we almost never do that. We just use the two mixing bowls.

--Doug

Country_Smile, yes, the pouring shield comes with it along with a recipe book and a CD that includes how to unpack and use right away. You can also find the same available online on their website.

I've read that with the KA, after you knead dough for awhile, the bowl gets locked in and is hard to remove it. I don't have that problem at all with the Cuisinart 7-quart.

I have the large Kitchen Aid mixer which my husband brought home one day 35 years ago as a nice surprise. I did buy an extra bowl, which is really useful. I store it in my pantry because it is so large, and as I get older, I find myself avoiding lifting it and carrying it across to the kitchen island. But then as empty nesters, I don't bake much any more either.