Solid state Kitchenaid mixers were introduced in 1978 (the K45SS and the K5SS). In 1986 the line was sold to Whirlpool and all the Artisan, Classic etc. mixers sold today are basically the same models as made in 1986 (some improvements and efficiencies in the machining but anyone who has an old "original" K45SS or K5SS can repair it using today's parts). The Pro line was developed as something entirely new so it doesn't have the same history, but the company has worked very hard to upgrade and improve the model since its inception. There was a period of time when people were having a lot of trouble with their Kitchenaid mixers and the company had to work very hard to restore the reputation of the product. That's when they instituted the one-year no-questions-asked full replacement policy. It's still the best guarantee in the business (my opinion). I'm not convinced the old Hobart mixers are inherently superior to the Kitchenaids made today. I think there's a lot of mythology attached to the brand, but my take on it is people have trouble with the newer mixers because they ask them to do more than they were designed for, especially kneading bread. 50 or 60 years ago women (and it was women in the home kitchen) fortunate enough to have mixers used them for cakes, cookies, meringues, whipped cream, etc. They didn't use them for bread dough, which was generally kneaded by hand. My MIL baked 4 loaves every other day and her old Dormeyer never saw the dough. There's a lot of discussion on The Fresh Loaf about people who burn out their mixers with stiff doughs mixed at speeds higher than the recommended "2" setting. Bread is not the KitchenAid's strong point, though you can mix a perfectly fine one or two-loaf batch or autolyse a portion of a bigger recipe and finish by hand. For bread the Bosch (stiff doughs) or the Ankarsrum/Electrolux Assistant/Magic Mill, etc. (wet doughs) are more suitable. Getting back to the original discussion, the two attachments I use most often on the KA are the grinder and the colander/sieve. The colander/sieve is wonderful, but you have to purchase a vintage one and the K5 is the biggest mixer one will fit. Why the company doesn't offer a new colander/sieve for the 6 quart I do not know. The Viking/Cuisinart/De Longhi (all the same machine) did have a colander/sieve attachment available. I use the shredder attachment less frequently, but I do use it, and even though I have a 14-cup Cuisinart, I prefer the shredder attachment because I find since the mixer is already on the counter, it's less fuss for me to use. Just one of those individual quirks we all have. Carol

I have an older 7-cup Cuisinart and a new 3-cup Little Pro Plus (also Cuisinart). The big one works well, but I just love the Little Pro. It has a heavy duty motor (more powerful than the similarly sized Mini Prep), slicing/shredding disks, a citrus juicer attachment with 3 sizes of reamer, and a chute that you can use when you're shredding or slicing that blows the food directly into a bowl (so you can slice/shred large amounts of food without stopping). I used the shredding disk and chute to make a huge bowl of shredded red cabbage for an Indonesian "slaw." It was actually fun watching the cabbage shoot into the bowl. Anyway, I probably need to get a life, but I have an almost maternal affection for the Little Pro. I've also used it to make bean dip, pie crust (came out very tender, even though the Little Pro doesn't come with a dough blade), and a bazillion other things. I like it as much as my little egg-shaped Cuisinart egg cooker, and that's saying something :)

Javaman, is your hummus a pourable liquid? Mine isn't. And salsa, at least the kind I like, is more solid than liquid. I could make them in a blender but getting all the hummus out would be time consuming, and avoiding pureeing the vegetables in the salsa would require care. I got my first FP about 30 years ago. I'm currently using four different FPs ranging in age from a couple of years to over 20. None but my Cuisinart Mini-prep has a center wall anywhere near the height of the outside. And none of the models I'm using now came with, or tried to sell me, smaller bowls. Given the competitiveness of the small appliance market, the usefulness of a feature like this, and the fact that it was tried and then abandoned, I can't help thinking that there's a non-marketing reason that it didn't sweep the industry.

cookie, sometimes just changing the order and how you add things can help. I would chop the dates a bit first by hand, then pulse the coconut with the nuts in the processor, then pour that mix over the dates to coat them, in a bowl and toss a bit, then into the processor again. Pulse and add everything else. I recently wanted a speedy quick last minute salsa and knew better but put a few things in without a 2 sec pre-chop. The shallot stuck to the blade, grr, and by the end of it all, way over blended. Had coarse shallots, so i added a few more cherry toms, (cut in half) and more cilantro, yada, not so speedy after all... Dates are snotty glue. I still have a ton and have been using them allot lately as a sugar replacement. Mine are still on the stems and need to be pitted so i do that chore on a pile of a dry ingredient. In my case it was some blended granola and coconut... similar recipe but mine also has some puffed rice. Not really an extra step, but chopping a bit on the granola "flour' to coat did help avoid sticky date snot.