My mother bought me the kitchen aide mixer- I would never bake without it. It is fantastic

I have had the large Kitchen Aide mixer for 30 years. I think it is a great mixer for everything. I think that is just what she needs.
Clare

KitchenAid is the gold standard, at least for me. She'd probably love one.

My kids got me a KitchenAid Artisan a few years ago and I loved it. I was able to easily make things I'd never made before.

My son was over one day while I was making bread and noticed that the mixer was struggling a little with the dough, so he got me the KitchenAid Pro for my birthday this year, and I really love it - it's so easy to make bread now, and cookies, etc, are a snap.

With all her baking, she'll love either one. But be prepared to spend time helping her learn how to use it. They are quite different. Instead of the bowl rotating, like my old Sunbeam Mixmaster, the beater moves all around the bowl. She'll have to learn to stop the mixing to add ingredients and scrape down the bowl. It can be a bit intimidating at first. You don't want to spend that money only to have it sit on the counter.

They are heavy too, so get a cover, I can't/don't move mine off the counter - it's just too heavy. If I put it in a cupboard, I doubt I'd take it out to use it on a regular basis.

Thank you for your replies - the Kitchen Aid mixer(s) are what I am considering. There are too many models/choices however and so that was the reason for my post.

I cannot be there to help her learn to use it. I know it will sit prominently on her counter (no cupboard space for it!) so thanks for the suggestion of a cover, as well.

She has been making all of these cookie/bread/cake batters by hand. It will be liberating for her to have a machine - she'll be even more productive!!

Thanks again,

seagrass

I love my new KA Artisan. It WAS a bit intimidating at first, but really easy to learn.
I think your mom would love one if she bakes that much already.

Deanna

I have the KA Artisan and I love it. I have an extra bowl which is helpful. It's very easy to use. The only thing I don't like are the metal attachments. I think I would like the coated ones. The metal ones shouldn't go in the dishwasher.

Tracey

I have a KA Pro from Costco..only complaint is the noise...It's loud, and a bit whinny...
But I love the look of KA's.(mine has it's own counter) I have another stand mixer and it lives on the floor of my pantry...once the KA showed up..it's not been used...

Another with KA; two of them.......need them both when it is time to make holiday cookies. I have both the tilt head and the professional bowl lift models. Both have served me well. Have had the tilt head for several years and the other for about a year.

I also have the KitchenAid Artisan and love it. A present from my DH a few years ago. We both use it all the time. My MIL has the KA Classic and she loves it. She has had hers for quiet a few years.

I love my KA Mixer and they come in such gorgeous colors too. I also have a vintage KA Mixer that works just as well as my new one. They are definitely built for heavy use and durability!

Michelle

You can compare the KA mixers from the page linked below.

The first thing to decide is tilt head or lift mixer.
The tilt heads are cheaper but less powerful. They can cope with 8 or 9 cups of flour in a batch. The lift mixers can cope with 11 to 14 cups.

The tilt heads are a bit shorter but to get the bowl out you need clearance to lift the head - still it might allow tucking the mixer back under a lower wall cabinet when not in use and pulling it out to use. The lift mixer needs 16 1/2 inches of height. One other thing that could be an issue for some older people: the lift mixer needs some force to operate the handle that lifts the bowl. If in doubt, you might go to a store to check it out and decide if it will be an issue.

We have a lift mixer. We had our old one for over 30 years - just gave it to one of my sons as we bought a new one. The old white one didn't go with our new kitchen and I've been coveting a new one with slow start for a long time. (I think all the current models have slow start - it starts the mixer up gradually to minimize splashing - our old one didn't have it.)

The other difference in some of the models is plastic coated beaters versus burnished beaters (aluminum I think). Some have meantioned that the burnished beaters don't go in the dishwasher. True but I still prefer them. The plastic coated beaters were the one thing on our old mixer that needed to be replaced. Eventually the plastic starts to chip off. So this time we went with the burnished beaters. I wish that they would do stainless steel.

Here is a link that might be useful: Kitchenaid mixer comparison page

IMHO the Bosch Universal outscores KA in every department. It's much more powerful and only weighs 11 pounds. It's much quieter and it handles more dough. Fits under any cabinet or can be easily lifted by the weakest of people and put away on a shelf or in a cupboard/drawer. There's no motor or beaters above the bowl so you add ingredients simply. It also has a superior kneading action which elminates any secondary kneading.
Cons, it's expensive as are the optional attachments.

Even though Kitchen Aids aren't as good as they used to be (but what is), they are still great mixers. Very simple to use, and so many optional attachments for them. I just have the Classic, but it does everything I need it to. Even if I never used it (I used it about twice a week), I'd leave it out just to look at. I think any Kitchen Aid would perform just fine for her.

In my opinion, the mixer Pkguy talks about doesn't look nearly as good as a Kitchen Aid. It is just functional. I've never used one like that, but they intimidate me because they are so different from every other mixer.

My thanks again to all of you who have shared your experience and opinions. I will spend time looking at all of the options - maybe I'll need more help but I'm on my way.

This forum is so great!!

seagrass

My Kitchen Aid is exreamely important to me....as important as the refrigerator, or cooking range! The only thing against my stand mixer is that is is very heavy (but that is what makes it so stabile and sturdy during use). I keep mine on a cart that fits into a nitch in my kitchen, and when I want to use it I just roll the cart out. I am arthritic. Also have a hand held electric mixer (Kitchen Aid makes a very good one!)

I have a Viking stand mixer (5 qt.). One of the best features are the wheels on the back of the base which makes it very easy to maneuver. It's a tilt-head, very powerful, and has a lower profile than the KA. It tucks under a cabinet with ease. DH purchased mine through King Arthur/Baker's Catalog two years ago as a Christmas present. It replaced a KA that had reached the end of the road due to numerous and constant mechanical "issues".
I've supplied a link to a picture as well as one of the reviews on it. The review gives a very succinct overview of the features.

Here is a link that might be useful: Review of Viking mixer

Any of the KA models (tilt head or lift-head) would probably do a good job on cake batters and cookie dough, but if you think she might venture into bread-baking then it's worth getting a higher powered mixer.

I have used a 350 watt KA to knead bread dough, and it was straining to do it. For occasional use it's okay, but I wouldn't want to rely on it for frequent bread making. You'd want to consider one of the higher level models of KA or Viking or others if you're going to get into bread making.

You might want to do a search of this website on mixers; people have given opinions on the major ones out there.

The link is to King Arthur Flour's online store (the Baker's Catalog)--click on 'Appliances & Electrics' and go to 'Mixers'. They have some absolutely gorgeous and powerful Viking mixers.

Here is a link that might be useful: bakers catalog

If you get a KA, make sure you get the one that has the bowl that goes up and down (K5SS or KSM5) - not the one with the tilting head. Mine has a tilting head, and despite making adjustments to it, the beaters never reach the bottom of the bowl. If I try to beat egg whites, the wire whisk barely touches the eggs and so it is useless for that. I use attachments on my KA all the time, and the grater is my favorite.

For more info, you can download the KA instruction manual, which I uploaded to Moe's Cocktail Bar. It has instructions on how to adjust the position of the bowl.

Lars

Here is a link that might be useful: KA instruction manual

I wanted the Viking, but the KA came in the butter-yellow that I like, so that is what I bought. I love it and I did not get anything fancy. It came with the bread hook, the whisk and the ...um, regular mixing thing...looks like it has a mercedes symbol in it.
I Should get the splash guard, as I am a mess, and the spatula attachment as many recipes at my altitude call for a spatula attachment.
I'm not sure if you'd want to get her the one that has arms to hold the bowl in place or not, I think it costs more, but mine just has a way of locking the bowl into place by turning it one direction...works just fine.
I have noticed that mine, which is not used That often, has a slightly tricky knob. When I adjust the speed, I sometimes have to push ever so slightly down while moving the knob...maybe the Viking brand is better???
It is very easy to use!

These comments and reviews are what I was hoping for when I made the original post and I am most grateful to those of you who have taken the time to share your experiences with me.

mrsmarv - the review of that Viking mixer is hilarious LOL!

seagrass

mrsmarv - what I meant to say is the comments about her old KA in the review were hilarious...

seagrass

You might also consider your mother's height. The KA bowls on the larger more powerful mixers tend to be wider and not so deep compared to the Viking. This can be an issue for a shorter person.

Personally I love my Bosch. It is certainly lighter and more convenient to store. It also is available with a plethora of accessories for every possible purpose.

I also have a KitchenAid Pro. Both are excellent machines but for your mother I might recommend a KitchenAid for its 1-year no hassle replacement warranty. Especially since you're overseas, it's nice to know she has that service available to her, should anything go wrong.

As KitchenAid says: Our Hassle-Free Replacement Warranty guarantees that if your countertop appliance fails
during the first year, KitchenAid will replace it free of charge. We will:

Deliver a replacement to your door
Arrange the return of the failed appliance
Guarantee the new appliance for one year

Carol

I had to replace my old KA when it was lost by the movers. It was almost 20 yrs. old, and didn't work on the first level, BUT I still prefer it over the new one. The new one works fine (KA pro) but is so high pitched and whiny.
Jo

Carol - wow, you're up early (or are you like me - sleepless in the middle of the night?) Good points - my mom is petite. I did look at the Bosch mixers but the prices are too high. Still reading through all of the links people included. The info on the KA warranty is reassuring. I think I will order a KA for her, but still haven't decided re: model or color or accessories.

Thank you.

seagrass

My mom got her 5-quart Professional 5 Kitchen Aid in the early 90's. It's 450 watts. She uses it weekly (or more) to make bread.

When I was getting married a few years back, I decided on the Professional 6 (6-quart, 575 watts). I like to bake bread, too, and I enjoy baking a lot. So far so good - it does a great job kneading and the bowl is big enough to let the dough rise in it.

The Professional 6 came with the metal utensils, which I far prefer to the plastic coated ones. My mom's plastic utensil coating started coming off after a few years (especially the dough hook), so I bought her a new metal one to replace it. I think she puts it in the dishwasher anyway.

I have a mixture of black and white appliances in my kitchen - white food processor, toaster oven; black mixer, coffee maker. I chose the black mixer because I think it's easier to keep clean than the white one - you see the flour more easily. I have deep counters with high cupboards (hooray for my 60's designed kitchen) and it fits in the back corner just fine - I just slide it out when I want to bake.

Another vote for Kitchen Aid! I have their food processor too, looove it! I'm glad I waited until I knew how to cook to get married and register for this stuff!!

It was a case of sleepless in the middle of the night, LOL, though for us left-coasters it wasn't as late as it might seem.

I've heard reports of an irritating whine from the KitchenAid Pro, but mine doesn't sound like that. I wonder if it varies from machine to machine?

I also prefer the metal dough hook, etc. I don't mind washing those by hand.

I might also mention if you go to the KitchenAid outlet you should be able to find a refurbished bowl for about $19, far cheaper than the list price, even with shipping. Right now they have the 6-quart bowl and the 4.5 quart bowl. I got an extra bowl that way, which is very convenient for big-batch baking sessions. Who cares if a bowl has a scratch? It's going to get one anyway.

Carol

Here is a link that might be useful: KitchenAid Online Store Outlet

Thanks again to everyone who chimed in on my request for information about a stand mixer for my mother. I ordered one this morning and it should be delivered to her by the end of this month (she'll have time to learn her way around it in time for her holiday baking marathon!).

I ended up buying her a Kitchen Aid Artisan series 5 quart model from Amazon. Because the colors were generally quite a bit more expensive, I got it in black ($199). No tax, free shipping and a coupon to send in for a bonus food grinder attachment. It will look nice in her kitchen (gray counters, black gas range, stainless sink). I'm going to pass the word to my brothers that they might want to buy her some accessories to go with it. The on-line store outlet that Carol posted does have some great deals.

It was interesting to see the same stand mixer for sale for a hundred dollars more at Cooking.com. That's a big price difference!

There were a lot of things to consider - your feedback let me feel confident about my choice and I hope it works out for her.

Dank u vel (that's Dutch for thank you!)

seagrass

I love my Kitchen Aid Artisan, too, and I have a tip for everyone. Take a thin, flexible cutting board (the type that cost about a dollar apiece), with a scissors cut it just large enough to fit under the feet or base of the machine yet small enough to be invisible on the counter, and VOILA! the machine slides easily! Makes using the machine and cleaning around and behind it a breeze! They work under any heavy appliance - food processor, etc. Try it!

Sherry

Just wanted to let everyone know that Carol's tip about the KA outlet store was great. I ended up ordering a spare bowl for my 6 quart KA mixer, and a new blender ($49.99, refurbished, with a 6 month warranty, and it's just gorgeous compared to my old one). I belong to Ebates and went through their link, so I will get 6% rebate back. There's a code out there for free shipping on a $75 order (VALUE1 I think) and 20% off a mixer (I think). I ordered it before 2 on Wednesday, chose standard shipping (the cheapest one, definitely not next-day), and UPS delivered it yesterday! I live in Maine and it was shipped from Massachusetts, but maybe they have multiple distributors. So I will highly recommend shopping there (and I'll let you all know if my first margarita causes the blender to explode or anything).

Momj47, with all due respect, a cover for such a beautiful work of art? I sometimes wish I had enough money to have several colors of the ProKA to decorate my kitchen, or swap out as the mood strikes. ;-D

I have a 23 yo tilt head 4.5 qt KA that keeps going strong. The plastic is chipping on the beaters, though. I also have a Bosch wannabe...Great for huge batches of bread, but I don't like it as well for cookies, cakes, etc. I think it's just a habit to grab the KA for those things. It's easier to clean, and attractive enough to sit out handy. For our size family, I really would like an orbital stand mixer in a larger size...Tired of having the cookies be all but gone by the time I turn off the oven from a single batch. I just don't know if a new mixer, whether KA, Viking, or DeLonghi, will be disappointing after having one of the Hobart KAs.

Ah yes. My new KitchenAid Pro is a great machine, but my first loyalty will always be to my 30+ years old KitchenAid-Hobart 4.5. It doesn't get used as often anymore, but what a wonderful workhorse. And when canning season comes around I drag it out because I love the colander attachment for tomato sauce and seedless jams.

Carol

Just have to chime in here, as a (former) KitchenAid Pro 600 owner. We bought ours in 2004, a "luxury" upgrade from our older (also "professional" grade) Kitchenaid. Right away we noticed the lighter weight of the bowl and attachments ... that was okay, we attributed it to "improved" materials. Next we noticed the annoyingly high-pitched whine on higher speeds. Again, tolerable if annoying. It did whip things nicely. However, it cost quite a lot, and now ... not quite 4 years later, it has suddenly died. Stripped gears courtesy of Julia Child's classic croissant dough recipe (which my old KitchenAid handled with no sweat!). Horrible sound and then dead. I will not touch another "new and improved KitchenAid mixer again -- it's a lot of money for something that will only last a few years (apparently, the problem -- well known to KA -- is the gear COVER -- the gears themselves are metal, but the cover is, oddly, plastic). So this is one FORMER KitchenAid fan who will look elsewhere for a replacement. IMO, the quality just isn't what it used to be. I will be astonished if the newer machines are still running in 5 years ... much less 30!

Seems like I'm the only one, who has a problem,
making dough with the KA mixer.
It rides up the hook, to the motor. I tried all the sugestions ,
oil the hook, run it slow, run it faster, upside down, inside out.
It still rides up the dough hook.
I have to take it out of the bowl and finish Kneading by hand.
Maybe I should call customer service ???

LOU

No, Lou, you aren't the only one. I have an old KA mixer (about 18 years old, not Hobart made, though). I can't knead dough in it. It climbs just as you describe.

Sharon

Sharon : Thanks ! I knew there had to be someone else with
the same problem. I don't think everyone is speaking up.
I only used mine about 5 times. It is not that old.
Maybe someone else will add to this thread.
LOU

I wonder if it is the hook? Mine has a "flap" (for lack of a better word) at the top of the hook which blocks the dough from getting into trouble. I know mine is a newer one so they may have changed the hook to something more functional. Maybe a call would get you a new hook?!
Although, now that I re-read the last post, if your isn't old then maybe there is something wrong with it...I'd call, just in case!

Whenever I have problems with the dough "climbing" up the hook I add a little more flour, that usually takes care of the problem for me. I can't remember where I read that, I've been doing this for years and it almost always works.

Jcrowley: I've tried everything. Next step is to give them a call.
I don't Knead it that much anymore. Maybe I'll put it on Ebay.
WoW 1 I got tongue tied typing your Handle.
LOU

I really don't like my KA for kneading bread dough. The climbing the hook thing drives me crazy. I might be imagining it, but I could swear Ann T said she had the same problem with the KA, when I brought this up earlier.

Sharon: Thanks. I called KA. The super said I could send the Mixer back and
I could upgrade to the Artisan 5 Quart.
It would cost me $120 . I Checked in Amazon, I can buy the Artisan for $199.
My Classic was $179. Something don't add up right.

Hmm. Not sure what to tell you.

A friend of mine has the Artisan and likes it a lot, but she fried it making lasagna noodles (probably broke the gear casing). The mixer was only a few months old and KA replaced it immediately, but it makes me wonder about the quality.

I should take some bread dough over to her house and try it in her mixer, to see if it does the climbing thing.