I don't remember the brand of my lift but I think it's a RAS. It's 13ish years old and is currently installed in a 15" cabinet with no face frame. I'm attaching pics of the mechanism but it appears that a 15" cabinet with some frame would also work because of how the brackets angle out. I had it in a cabinet with face frames at our last house but I don't remember the cabinet size.

Did your lift come with a shelf? My shelves were all custom made by my cabinet makers to be the size needed to fit into the cabinet. How wide are your face frames? The interior of my cabinet shown above is 15" exactly.

Thanks for your comments. It's not the shelf that's the problem. The cabinet is wide enough for the mixer but once the lift arms were installed it narrowed the available space. I think the face frame is the problem. The sides had to be built up so the arm would clear the frame. Sure wish my KD had pointed this out as we could easily have changed the size of the cabinet next to it. Wish there was another lift that didn't require as much space. The descriptions on the lift SHOULD let consumer know that you need to make sure your mixer will fit and how many inches it needs. Sure the lift fits a 15" cabinet BUT once it's installed the mixer WON'T fit!

If you have an outlet in your cabinet, where did you place it? Floor of cabinet or top (inside) of cabinet?

I'm fairly certain that you can make the Hafele appliance lift fit. I have not put one in in a Hafele one in many years, not since I've had a choice. The RAS is much better.

How big is your opening? I almost had the same issue. I rechecked the requirements and realized that I needed a 12.5" opening (from website:

• • Can be used with many different widths with a minimum base cabinet frame opening of 12-1/2"). We changed our cabinet size before the order went in, now just waiting.

A 15” cabinet with the standard 1 1/2” faceframe will have a 12” opening. That is 1/4” carefully shaved off of both sides, and then carefully refinished. Field modified cabinetry won’t be as durably finished as the factory finish, but in that spot, and protect d by the door, you may be willing to give that up to get your lift.

BTW, if your KD knew about the lift, she obviously didn’t read the specs. It’s pretty well known that you need a minimum 18” standard sized cabinet for that to work. A 16” custom size will work with some little bit of breathing room.

The fix should be on the designer. Or, the custom cabinet guy if he signed off on her design. Surely at some point they went over it before building it?

I don't have outlets inside my cabinet. I just plug mine into the wall. One thing I learned the hard way with my lift is that you have to be careful with the cords because I nicked my cord in the lifting process. Thankfully, the cord was thick and it didn't cut down to the actual wiring but I'm very careful with it since then. I think if you have a plug in the cabinet, you might run the risk more of that happening.

Can you switch out to a cabinet with smaller face frames and a wider door to compensate? Bummer.

I agree - they should have known but since I said "15" cabinet for a mixer lift (I wanted rev a shelf so I ordered) that's what they ordered, no questions asked. :/ From what I had read that should have worked but not for a Kitchen Aid. I'm thinking about ordering new door that look like it's a 30" cabinet rather than 2-15" cabinets and the doors would meet in the middle and cover any area that we modify. Not ideal I know but.....

You won’t see a modified face frame with overlay doors anyway. No need for new doors. They may need to tweak hinge placement or hinges. But not the actual door.

" since I said "15" cabinet for a mixer lift (I wanted rev a shelf so I
ordered) that's what they ordered, no questions asked. :/"

Just checked, there are 5 different models listed on the RAS web site. Some work, some don't. This is starting to sound like "I'll order it aftermarket and save some money"? Why not get it from the cabinet company? Did you tell the designer what model RAS you were getting? Did you check the model against the openings size of the cabinet (since you ordered the unit)?

In any case it certainly looks as if they have something that will work with your cabinet and mixer; though the specs are not great. If I were handling it (as in-the person ordering the unit) I'd get the CAD file and check that too, maybe even call support, just to be sure.

Shaving off some of the frame is really your only solution. Or find a narrower appliance to use it for , like a food processor. Any mixer lift that will lift modern heavy duty stand mixer needs a heavy duty mechanism with side clearance to perform correctly.

MarkJames & Co. The KD really knew nothing about the manufacturers lift. I had researched the RAS and it was very highly rated and soft close and that is what I wanted. Specs said it would work in a 15" cabinet. I could have easily changed that to an 18" if I had known there would be an issue. Being the consumer and not the KD, I did not think to ask about the "opening size". I "assumed", incorrectly, that if it fit in the cabinet it would work. I will go look at their other lifts. Thanks for that info. BTW, the KD suggested we order aftermarket pullouts rather than from the manufacturer. We are VERY sorry we did because they are no where near as good. Wish he'd given us the cost difference and let us make the choice. Once again, we "assumed" he knew what he was talking about!

Michelle - we did not have our cabinets before I ordered the lift. And, silly me, never even thought opening size would be an issue. We also have an issue with our rev-a-shelf trash can pull out! It's in an 18" cabinet. Base fits fine. Once we put the trash cans in they were 1/2" too wide! Why would they make trash cans that are larger at the top than the base?! Having to take it out and return and try to find something that will fit. PAIN.

" the KD suggested we order aftermarket pullouts rather than from the manufacture"

FOOLISH of them.

"We are VERY sorry we did because they are no where near as good."

Actually if you got the RAS that is the best on the market, the Hafele is not as nice. Manufacturers pretty much use those two brands -they do not make any of these things themselves. I don't think any of the few other accessory suppliers have a mixer lift.

The only reason a KD should suggest aftermarket is if the preferred option is not available. The other REAL reason they do it is to make the cost look less. It makes the cost from them less but the NET is higher if you are paying a decent installer. If it is DIY and you are very good then it costs a little less. There are better places to save money. I only allow aftermarket is I control all of it-specs, cabinet, order of unit.

Exchange the unit you have for another, as I said there are several. Same goes for the trash pullout. What unit(s) did you order? I'll see if I can fit some time in tomorrow to list something for you.

I ordered the aftermarket trash pullout because I wanted 50 qt. cans. He could not find that the manufacturer offered them. Sad thing is, when I was searching the online catalog this week I found that they do indeed offer them! Don't know why he couldn't find them.

I ordered RAS 53WC-2150SCDM-217. It's an 18" cabinet with a 14 1/2" opening and cans are 15" at the rim. Needless to say, I had a really bad day that day - nothing went right. :/

I've been measuring my lift cabinet again and it really needs 1 1/2" more between the arms for my mixer and I don't think I can get it. All of the face framing would have to go away and that can't happen. Solution - get another mixer or order two new cabinets. :/ Grrrrr.....

Hardware Resources offers an adjustable mixer lift but you must supply your own shelf to fit. I don't know if this one will fit. Call Hardware Resources and ask.

800.463.0660 | www.HardwareResources.com

See specs here: http://www.kitchensource.com/cabinet-organizers/hrs-ml-1ch.htm

States: Shelf width is determined by measuring
between the side mounting brackets
minus 1-1/4”. Mount shelf with at least
8 suggested #8 x 1/2” wood screws (not
provided) to mounting brackets.

video shows install: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gJnzifkg7Yk

Checked the Hafele (which is also the KV) it will fit into a 15" cabinet and also appears to fit your mixer.

Check the weight of your mixer first though. These don't hold as much as the RAS -the release mechanism is not as nice (PIA) and no soft close available AFAIK.

As to the trash- RAS lists the minimum opening for the model you got as 15-1/2" for face frame.

I always put in the 5349 series. The double 50 qt for that lists minimum opening of 15". You may also be able to just swap out the pails for others.

MarkJames & Co. I REALLY appreciate your input. You didn't have to do this but you did. I will definitely check out Hafele/KV (didn't know they were the same) next week as I'm sure they're closed today. I spoke with the Gen. Mgr. of the place we purchased cabinets from and they're trying to help figure out a solution. Unfortunately the only one is to order new cabinets and that puts another 3 weeks out without a kitchen. Somehow FOUR cabinets were deleted from our order also. We paid for them but we were told a "computer glitch" (aka human error) deleted them. This had already put us out three additional weeks so we really can't wait any longer. This KD messed up so much it's unbelievable. I really think any commission he made should be credited back to us because of all the issues. There is no way I will have all of the features I have planned for MONTHS to have. Very disappointed.

shead unfortunately there is not another wider cabinet that would work except for the trash can pullout.

YOU should not be stressing about this...your CKD dropped the ball. The trash cabinet door can be modified into a hinged door. Be sure to add a electrical outlet inside the cabinet - high on the back wall so the mixer cord will not be stressed.

Thanks for your advice. As for the trash can cabinet, the opening would have to be enlarged so unfortunately turning back into a door wouldn't work.

Debrah Lee, did you ever come up with a solution for a stand mixer lift in a 15 inch framed cabinet? We are having the same issue.

Sadly no. My KitchenAid is taking up space in another cabinet. I was SO disappointed since that was a feature I REALLY wanted. :( They don't tell you that you need about 3" extra (minimum) in the cabinet width. :/

Thanks so much for replying. Looking at maybe a pull out shelf so can still store in same cabinet and make it a bit more convenient to get out.

Hate it for you.... good luck!