I have a KA stand mixer that I adore, both in form and function, but mostly because it's the cutest thing in my kitchen. It lives in a corner of my G-shaped kitchen that's only good for things to sit, i.e., it's not a work/prep area. It takes up relatively little space and has plenty of clearance underneath the upper cabs.

I move it to my prep area when I use it. The only splashing it does is on itself and they're easy to clean up.

It's very heavy and has rubber feet to keep it from sliding around. To make it easy to slide it in and out of its corner, I put one of those thin, bendable cutting sheets underneath it, cut down to size. It slides very easily.

If I had your available space, I'd pick #2. Both the other places seem to be in work/prep areas. I think the corbel will be in the way.

My upper cabs are 17" above the counter & the Kitchenaid fits fine under them. I keep it turned--so, long side parallel to the wall--when not in use, very easy to spin it & pull it forward a little for best use. Turned like that, I've got enough space in front of it for prep, etc. without it being in the way.

Not sure if the corbel will be massively in the way--at the back, possibly...but equally if you spin it as I do, it may be fine.

I have one like this: monster mixer

It needs a space 12" wide, 16" deep and 18" tall for storage purposes. That height and depth is OK for using it, but you would want more width so you can get into the bowl. The mixer head on this model does not flip up. Instead the bowl is raised and lowered. There is some splashing depending on what/how violently you are mixing.

Edited to say that my mixer is the same model. It is not a $1000 copper clad beauty.

Thanks. If anyone has the kind that tilts the head up, how does that affect how much clearance is required?

I just did a quick measure, meaning thereabouts, not exact measures. KA stand mixer with tilt head is 14.5" tall when down, about 17.5" tall when tilted. I'd allow extra wiggle room. I currently have it under a shelf that is about 16" from the counter.

Mine is on the counter turned at an angle because I like the way it looks like that best. I never raise when under the shelf as I want it closer for mixing purposes. I may get another flexible cutting board to use to slide it out easier (that's a great idea). It slides pretty easily anyway but why not make it even easier, right?

If you have an area where you plan to do most of your baking, I'd put it there. It's not too heavy to lift. In fact, that's good exercise, right? But it's so convenient to use when it's right where you need it.

We like real whipped cream, not Cool Whip or the spray bottle stuff. My baking center is right next to my fridge. I love that I can grab the bowl and whipping head, pop it in the freezer to chill, then take it out and put it on, then pour in some heavy cream, and whip away, without having to walk around. Sugar, vanilla, or other flavorings like almond and orange extracts that I sometimes add are one drawer over so quick and easy to grab. If I had to move the mixer and walk around grabbing items to do this, we wouldn't enjoy fresh cream on things so often. That's just one example of how planning for "use in place" storage makes things easy and quick to do.

I think a KA mixer could work in these spots.

I have the tilt-up head, and it's not something to worry about: Regardless of where it "calls home", you're going to push it back to the wall when not in use and pull it forward to the edge of the cabinet when you're using it. Unless you have very unusual upper cabinets, this will mean you'll not be using the mixer under the upper cabinets.

Mine is roughly 14" high when it's "resting" and 18" high when tilted back.

As for side-by-side space, 12" of counterspace is plenty for storage. You'd probably be happiest if you have some extra space on the sides so you can lay out your eggs, measured flour, etc.

I would not want to plan to carry this thing around. It is HEAVY, and if you dropped it, it could definitely break your floor tile (or your foot, or your child). The weight is a good thing; it doesn't "walk" across the counter like lesser mixers. You can turn your back on it, even leave the room, and you don't need to worry that you'll hear it crash to the floor. But the weight does mean that you need to carefully plan a space for it.

It does not splash gunk out and about at all.

When we build our new house, I kind of want to do a dedicated appliance lift inside a cabinet so the KA mixer can be "tucked away" neatly out of sight ... but I'm not sure whether we'll go that way or not. That cabinet is a low priority; after all, I'm not displeased with the KA mixer living on the countertop now.

I totally agree with the above posters that you should plan to keep your KA mixer in the general vicinity of your baking supplies.

I agree with everything that's been said except, using the tilt-up mixer in a location where there are upper cabinets/shelves I find really inconvenient and annoying. I always move it to the island.

My KA is in a space 11" wide x 19" high, which gives it a couple of extra inches with the top tilted. I have to pull it away from the wall a few inches anyway, so that the back doesn't hit the wall when it tilts. It sets, and slides easily, on a pad made out of a piece of left-over counter top material. I have a long baking counter on one side, and a short stub wall on the other.

It's across the aisle from the sink, so if the next owner has no KA (poor unfortunate person ;), the spot would be perfect for a coffee maker.

Super helpful height measurements, thank you. Does anyone have mixers other than KA? Was eyeing this one: http://www.sunbeam.com/mixers/sunbeam-heritage-series-stand-mixer-white/FPSBSM2101.html#start=5

As for where I store my baking supplies: Kitchen is small enough that the answer is everywhere! All three of those spots I posted pictures of already are "baking" areas with various subgroups of baking supplies stored nearby.

I don't know anything about the new Sunbeam mixers but my mom got one for a wedding gift in 1946 and it still works. She didn't bake a lot, mainly just during the holidays, so it didn't get heavy use but almost 70 years old, that's still pretty impressive. It's not as versatile as a KA but if you mainly want it for baking, I'm sure it would be fine. And that's a heckuva good sale price!

If the space next to the refrigerator is where you put your grocery bags when you are unpacking them, I would not recommend putting the mixer there. It should also not clutter up the landing area around your stove. It shouldn't be subjected to the heat and the grease of the nearby cooking. The best place for it is in the cabinet by the microwave. But if you cannot use it in that space I would reconsider getting one at all. They are very heavy. You are unlikely to be moving it on a regular basis and it may just end up collecting dust. If you put it by the microwave, you can look into getting it on some kind of a pull out arrangement so that it slides back when not in use and forward when you need to use it so that you can clear the vertical space. Obviously this would have to be a heavy duty fix.

Yes, I'd use it for baking. And no, I don't *need* a mixer. Mostly miss one now when whipping eggs into cakes, as that does affect texture, and sometimes when doing large cookie batches. Have never tried a dough hook, so don't know if I'd use that. (Make bread every week, but usually do no-knead.) And if a mixer were up to beating fudge or other candy, would do that every few months rather than almost never.

I could use a mixer in the pantry/microwave area; it's only around the corner a few steps from fridge and sink. The other spots are more central.

Practicalgal, groceries get dropped on the floor of the side door vestibule area, which leads to the pantry, rather than the counter by the fridge. That area is more tertiary prep, landing space for things coming out of the fridge, and where dirty dishes pile up, as it's by the DW/trash.

Would you consider sharing a scale drawing of your kitchen's layout? I wonder if the collective Kitchen hive mind could come up with a way for you to have a better baking center with space for a mixer? Sometimes when we've lived with something for awhile, we become blinded to options.

No, it's not a "need", but it sure is a wonderful luxury!

Yes, yes, yes, to the bread hook. You'll be "hooked" quickly.

I know from personal experience that the Kitchen Aid is quieter than the Sunbeam.

No one actually uses the tilt-up Kitchen Aid under upper cabinets -- it's not really possible. You can't "tilt up" without pulling the machine out from the wall at least 6" or so, so you'll be using the machine on the edge of the cabinets, not underneath uppers. Does that make sense?

I bought my KA after reading a post here about everyone loving their mixer. I lugged it all over the kitchen until I found "the spot." It's about 3" from a side wall. I could move it closer to the wall, but the 3" looks appropriate. I also pull mine forward, when using it.

Makes total sense, mrspete. Will worry less about height.

Funkycamper, I've shared similar sketches before as this project has evolved/dragged on... though I don't post that often. Here is the current reality:

Yup, you have a challenging space! I don't think you showed a picture of it, but Cabinet #18 seems the logical spot to me. You list your flours, sugars, mixing bowls, baking tools, and measurers being right there. Just add your mixer, most used spices and extracts, and you have a baking center.

Although, as much as I love my KA, I wonder if you want to spare the space in your prep center. If it's pushed back in the corner, it shouldn't detract too badly from your prep area but you might want to put something there to mimic a stand mixer to see if it crowds the counter too much.

Could you manage with a lighter weight stand mixer or a hand mixer that is easier to move from storage to your baking area?

Yeah, I manage baking right now with a hand mixer, a sturdy pastry cutter and a large fork. I mainly use that area to the left of the sink that you identified, funkycampe, though if I'm making several things at once I also mix stuff next to the stove..

Hmm. How awful are they to lug, truly? I'm not a superhero, but 26 lbs for the tilt model sounds possible...

I won't buy anything yet, I guess, and see how the space keeps evolving.

This is helpful, thanks. People are very generous with their time and opinions here!