Most of the new ones have plastic gears, but I think the 5 or 6 Qt PRO still uses metal. Have you tried to get your old one fixed?

Yes, it's some kind of electrical problem that is proving difficult -- and expensive. I am hesitant to spend lots of $$ to fix one this old.

Oh no that's terrible news that I can really relate to. Mine is the old Hobart model also and it just turned 32. There have been some recent threads here about new ones and they work fine, just not as good as the Hobart. There weren't many better options offered as I remember.

The older ones show up on ebay occasionally. You have probably tried the KA forum, but just in case you need it I've attached a link.

Here is a link that might be useful: KA Conversations

You have my deepest sympathies, because I dread the day that my Hobart KA dies... There is a 5 qt Hobart, but it's pricey...Or let's say shockingly expensive.

I love my Bosch for heavy and large batches of breads, etc. But it's not any beauty, and I don't know if I'd want to use it for everything. But not to take anything away from it, because I just haven't tried it for the things my 4.5 qt KA will handle...so maybe it would do fine. My daughter has a mixer similar to the Bosch that she uses for everything, and says it does fine...Certainly much better than nothing, which is her only other option right now.

The very mixed reviews of the KAs in recent years have scared me off of them. Viking makes a nice looking tilt-head in 5 or 7 quart, but it gets mixed reviews for its price, too.

Here is a link that might be useful: Hobart N50

If I could afford the Hobart I would buy it today -- however rationality must be part of this decision and that wouldn't qualify as rational in the opinion of my DH! My mother has the Bosch and I'm not sure I like the bowl design for multi-purpose use. She makes bread and says it is wonderful for that but not so good for lighter duty. My KA was wonderful for everything. I will investigate the Viking. I have heard that Cooks Illustrated has a comparison test/review on their website and I may buy a sample membership in order to see what they have to say about them. Thank you all for the info -- Steff, that KA website is interesting!

I, have the Pro 5 Qt. And I, was worrying after I, read on consumers afairs, kitchen Aid complaints. My friend told me, about after her,s started leaking oil. I, bought mine from costco, and they will stand by it.If I, have any trouble.So far so good. sharaz

Doesn't Viking make a stand mixer? Don't know anything about them, but it might be worth looking in to.

I think that people overdo the antipathy for the KA. What I don't like about the tilt head model is that the bowl is too high compared to the head. If you don't abuse the mixer, and if you don't walk away when something tricky is in, so that you can stop it when it first starts to balk rather than breaking the gears or burning it out, it's fine. The Pro lift mixers do, reputedly, all have metal gears, and they're enough less money than the Hobart that you could buy a new one every time you trashed it, and still come out ahead.

My brother has our family's old Hobart model. It's still a great mixer some 40 years later. But there are things about my new one that I prefer, too.

The Pro 620 limited looks excellent (but that's just on paper, I don't know anyone who has one).

There was a European one that everyone was touting a few years ago, and now I can't even find it...

Oh, yeah. Another thing nice about the current KitchenAid is the handle on the bowl. I love that handle.

I think I read that one of the issues with the newer KA's is that the gears may be metal, but the housing for them is now plastic.

I REALLY like how the Bosch works, especially for bread. It handles 100% whole grain dough with no problems. It kneads very efficiently, and it is easy to avoid the problem of adding too much flour, so the bread is nice and light even when all whole wheat. I had my KA for 16 years or so before I got my bosch, and I was never able to make 100% whole grain bread in my kitchen aid without overtaxing the motor. It is so easy, too, making bread in the bosch-my 14 and 15 year old kids usually make bread for me. :-)

The cookie paddles are great for huge batches of cookies, and the whisks do a fabulous job of making the frosting for the giant batches of Aunt Sally cookies I make at Christmas time. It is almost too efficient making whipping cream, though. I almost turned the cream into butter last time I made it because I got sidetracked.

Not so enamored of the the blender attachment. It is hard to get the blade part seated correctly on the blender container, and hard to get it back off, too.

We make almost all of our bread from scratch now, which I did not do often either by hand or with the KA, before.

The benefits of the KA include being able to toss the bowl in the dishwasher (I don't think the bosch bowl is dishwasher safe). It is also better for smaller mixing jobs. The KA bowl is a bit easier to scrape, too, but that isn't a factor in making bread. I am hoping to get the new glass bowl when it becomes available-mostly because it is so cute!

My only experience with other stand mixers are the commercial size ones-I used to be a baker, before I became a SAHM. The bigger the hobart, the more awkward, basically...

Total tangent....but I read your title fast and thought it said "35-year-old Kool Aid mixer died". I had to click to find out just what a Kool Aid mixer was! I figured, "Boy, she must be pretty heavy KoolAid drinker to have a mixer for it, and to be so upset it died!"

If it has been used heavily it could be as simple as worn brushes in the motor.

I have the KA 600 Pro and love it for baking cakes, cookies and "light stuff. I prefer my Electrolux DLX for making bread but only because I use 20 cups of flour at a time and the KA can't to that.

If the KA ever dies I am definitely going to look at the Cuisinart. 5.5 qt capacity and 3 yr warranty which is more than most

Here is a link that might be useful: Cuisinart

I have a 6 qt pro that is about 3 years old. I use it for everything from whipping some egg whites to mixing cookie dough (single or double batches), cakes (single or double recipes), bread doughs, including some wet, sticky ones that get harder to work than a standard dough (3-7 cups of flour -- don't know that I've done more than that), pasta doughs and extruding and rolling pastas. My only complain would be that it is louder than my old one, but it works very well.

There are several regulars on the KA forum I linked that are experts in repairing the older models, so there may be some possibility there.

After some research this evening and several peeks at the "What color is your Kitchenaid" thread I am pretty sure I would get another KA mixer if mine died. The accessories would still fit and I'm really used to it by now. It may not last 30 years, but I probably won't need it that long anyway.

My condolences. My old KA dies midway through the mashed potatoes last Thanksgiving and I was heartbroken. I researched new mixers because of the cost of repair AND it was not going to be home for Christmas. Did not get a new KA based on reviews online. I have ended up completely in love with my new Electrolux dlx, which has made everything from bread to gingerbread and royal icing to cookie and yes...mashed potatoes (8 pounds, didn't even hiccup.) Sturdy, simple, elegant. Add it to your list to consider.

I've been trying to remember all night the name of the European mixer I think Plllog was referring to...All I could think of was DeLorean, and I KNOW that's not right! LOL

Anyway, I remembered that I think it was Cook's Illustrated that gave high marks to the Cuisinart...But Shar-Az makes a very good point about buying one from Costco. Their generous return policy makes it possible to give the KA they have a good try.

Rhome, I think the name you're going for might be DeLonghi, who do make mixers, as well as other small appliances, but I did find that and it wasn't the one. It's probably something that bit it during the economic crisis or something.

After scouring the web for it, and seeing not much, I'm thinking the Viking and Cuisinart are the real competition nowadays.

Checking Cook's Illustrated, it looks like the KA narrowly beat out the DeLonghi in a 2005 review. In the 2009 review, the Cuisinart was listed above the KA 6 qt pro as highly recommended, but the comments say the spiral dough hook on newer KA models remedies the one thing that held it back before. All three have 3 star ratings across the row. Features may be a deciding factors (timers vs colors, etc.)

Yep, DeLonghi/Kenwood was the one I was thinking of...Got RAVE reviews, but its shine wore off quickly (figuratively speaking) when there didn't seem to be any parts, and any that needed repairs sat for months without any help.

Plllog, You weren't perhaps thinking of the Electrolux Assistent (yes, spelled with an e) mixer that used to be called Magic Mill DLX? It's a different sort, but people who have it seem to love it.

I used to have a Dimension 2000, which was much like the Bosch, and was supposed to have a lifetime warranty. That was good for awhile, as I got a new mixer approx every year and a half when it developed motor problems twice...But now the company went out of business (disappeared suddenly), so that warranty is worthless. That's the one I mentioned that my daughter uses...until the motor dies again. That company also made the 'lifetime warrantied' WhisperMill, which I have, too. A really good mill, and thankfully, someone else manufacturers/sells it now as the WonderMill.

Sorry...wandering off-topic.

I have really appreciated the comments and advice. The KA site is entertaining and enlightening -- don't think repair is an option, however, since I don't have access to anyone with the degree of technical acumen displayed by some of those people. My DH took a look and spent enough time to determine it was "electrical" and has lost interest. One son may take a look -- but on his schedule. I think I'm leaning toward trying the Cuisinart 5.5 qt. based on the reviews, the price and the warranty. I have gone to the store and touched both it and the Pro-600 KA and neither is perfect or seems as solidly made as my old beast, but maybe I'll be able to bond with a new one. Thanks again for all of the thought-provoking dialog. These forums are wonderful.

Wow, I am learning so much from this thread.

I didn't know that KA wasn't the pinnacle of kitchen mixers anymore. (This coming from a person whose only mixer is a sad $7.99 Walgreens model!)

It's also revealing why I haven't had too much success with bread - I add too much flour. Yep - way more than the recipe calls for, and yep, ends up too heavy.

I am delighted to learn that whole grain homemade bread might be possible, I just haven't had the right tools or even known what the right tools are till now!

Rhome, that's probably it! I looked at the Electrolux and it didn't seem to be the same one, but that might just be the current advertising pictures. The previous name might have been it, though.

Meantime, I've found out that there are all kinds of old fashioned Mixmasters on the market! I had no idea! They're cute, but our pre-Hobart-KA one in my childhood wasn't really useful...I wonder if the new ones are a lot better, or if people just like them for nostalgia's sake.

There's also a really funky looking, low power Breville, and a futuristic looking Gordon Ramsay badged one:

Needsometips: You definitely have to control your amount of flour, including how much is on your board and your hands, but if you really want to get a feel for baking bread, do try doing it by hand. There's nothing like kneading in your last couple of cups of flour for getting a feeling of how your dough should feel, and what "well-stretched" is like for your particular recipe. There's also a certain amount of experience necessary. If your first loaves don't come out great, don't worry! The next ones will be better.

My condolences on the loss of a trusted friend!

My daughter bought an inexpensive Hamilton Beach in a
marvelous lime green. It looks so cool, but it's not
very powerful.

I got myself a Cuisinart. It's the 4.5, so it's the
smaller one, and I've read it's not quite big enough for
dough, but I never make bread, so it's plenty big and
powerful for what I do. It does gingersnaps and
marshmallows with no effort.

In the end it came down to $$$'s, whichever of the KA or
Cuisinart was cheaper. Besides, my Cuisinart food
processor is a 30 year old work horse, so I've got a
bit of confidence in the brand.

My only regret is I got it in stainless and not
candy apple red!

The new Hobarts were not as well reviewed in that article. While they said it worked well with anything they threw at it, they added --

"Narrow bowl mouth (the narrowest) made it awkward to add ingredients, and turning off power to change speeds was a painÂbut not as much as transporting the 55-pound beast."

And then there is the price tag.

I think availability and actual pricing may be a deciding factor as well as features. I'd never seen a Cuisinart mixer before when I got mine. I know I can get service and parts on a KA, but don't on the Cuisinart -- which makes that warranty more important, but what will it mean if you have to put it into play? I still don't know where I could actually go and see the Cuisinart mixer -- maybe Williams Sonoma? Also, the KA pro model is listed at $399 -- more than the Cuisinart, but mine was under $250 at actual purchase. And I had a choice of colors.

Bottom line, I don't think you're likely to go wrong with either of them -- and probably not any of the top models. Best bet is to see if one feels more comfortable to you or a color pulls at your heartstrings. Have fun deciding. :-)

I tried the Bosch and think it worked great for bread, but not for other things. Other things like biscuit dough and hamburger (I mix meatloaf, meat for hamburgers, meatballs, etc., in my mixer) would climb that center part where the beaters mount and that drove me crazy! This was several years ago, but then it didn't have a "slow start" so that flour wouldn't poof into the air. (Don't know if it does now or not.)You always had to put the cover on to keep the flour from poofing all over the counter.

My old Hobart Kitchen Aid is still great! My newer (at least 5 yrs old I think) kitchen aid sounds like a jet engine taking off and doesn't seem to be as strong as my old one.

King Arthur flour has a forum with a section on appliances, but I haven't been on it in years. You might look at that.