Hi- I'm visiting from the quilting board, where I hang out.

I just got back from visiting my daughter in Houston,and we went to a Summer Pies and Tarts class at La Sur de Table, which was fun and informative.

The chef there was using a huge kitchen aid mixer, and I really liked it. Seems like it was the one that's about &300.

Who's got one, and how do you like it? Is it worth the money?

Thanks!
Holly
http://sjquilter.blogspot.com

SIL got one several years ago. She does a LOT of holiday baking. My first thought was... don't use a mixer enough to justify $2-300 or more. She sent me home with it on Thanksgiving Day. Said make and freeze cookie doughs and take time baking them. Put rock hard butter right out of fridge into bowl to cream for chocolate chips... smooth and ready for rest of ingredients in no time. Prteey much dumped in all ingredients and just let the mixer to the work.

I treated my self to one as a Christmas gift that year. Don't use it much, but WELL worth the money.

I've had mine for years. And when I make yeast dough, I use the dough hook. I don't use it everyday, but anytime I'm mixing up a cake, pie, cookie dough, etc. That's what I use. It stays on my kitchen counter. Only pull out the small one for occasional mash potatoes. I wouldn't hesitate to purchase one if I were you!

I LOVE my Kitchen Aid mixer! Love it. I use it all the time, and have for years.

My only complaint is that I have the one with the "up - down" bowl. It is a little hard to add ingredients to the bowl. I gave my daughter the model where the head tips back - If I were buying mine now, I would get that model. It allows you to let the beater drip off into the bowl, and you can add ingredients to what you are mixing easier.

It is absolutely worth the money - will be your favorite appliance in your kitchen. I really don't know if I could keep house without it - and wonder why I didn't get it long before I did! It is wonderful all by itself, but it has many attachments that are also wonderful.
When you get yours, you will wonder the same thing!

I had one that I lost in a divorce. Truth be told I don't miss the mixer at all.

I've got a Sunbeam now that only cost $100 and it does everything I need to do. I make a lot of cakes (wedding, b-day etc) and the cheaper mixer works just fine.

I've had mine for years. Did not realize they were so expensive now. Watch for sales. I got mine half price because the store made a mistake in their ad.

I've got one and realy love it. Its a top of the line product. There are howerver several different styles that you need to consider.

After much talking/looking and posting I found that what I wanted was the stationary with the bowl lift.

I found the Heavy duty version at SAm's Club for the best price. and beleave me I researched them long and hard. The color choices at Sam's Club are limited but I was after a silver oneso it was exactly what I wanted. Sam's only offers silver & white but you do get the larger bowl size/with handle, Larger motor size than the others as its the (HEAVY DUTY VERSION) and its the (LIFT BOWL) model which is the prefered one with nearly all serious cooks.It also doesn't come with the (WHITE) coating on the beater attachment which I also prefer.

I've seen Kohl's and pennys have some pretty good sales on the but they still didn't match the everyday price at SAM's CLUB, But they have all the different colors if thats what your after.

I also looked at them on e-bay and saw many new one's and many factoty refurbished models. I was leary of e-bay and it was around or just before the holidays and it just seemed like there might have been some (SHILL) bidding going on. I buy and bid alot on e-bay but just didn't feel comfortable with how they were being bid up.

They also make about any and every kind of attachments for them and being the leading mixer out there there are many aftermarket accessories for them as well. Which you won't find or see with any other brands.

I've been most satified with my KA and don't know how I ever made Divinity without it.

you'll also find many receipes are adjusted today for the use of a KItchen Aid mixer...

I have a classic modle and do enjoy it. great for any mixing and also bread.

As stated there are several modles and 2 basic designs. Depending on where you are going to store it there may be a prefrence.

one has a lifing head (mine is like this) so it doesn't work for under a cupbord unless you slide it out a bit because the head has to lift up to free/clear the bowl.

The other one the bowl clamps on and then lifts to the head and the head doesn't move.

I really don't know which one may be better. Probably just a matter of where you are going to use it. the stationary head would be great for under a cupboard. MIne I just slide it out a bit and then push it back when not in use.

Rachels almost right in here description.

She has whats refered to as a (Tilt/head) model which will cost just a little less then the other model thats the (Lift/bowl) Models which on average cost a little more but you'll tend to see it used by cooks/chefs like Emerale, resturants and bakerys. they're also a little better for dough making.

Thanks so much everyone! I didn't realize there was one with a tilting head.

I took a Summer Pies and Tarts class last weekend at Sur la Table in Houston with my daughter, and they were using the one with the bowl that lifts. The chef threw in whole sticks of butter and it just squished them right up! I was so impressed!

Holly

I have had my Kitchen aid for many years and would not consider another brand. I think I would get the heavy duty motor if I were grinding meat or making a lot of cookie or bread doughs. Cake dough is not very thick so any mixer would do it. I have burned out motors on other brands with cookie dough.

I have the now-obsolete Epicurean model.

I bought it because I have repetitive stress injuries in my wrists, and can't do some things in the kitchen--knead bread dough, mix cake dough, cookie dough, whip whipping cream by hand, mix meatloaf, mash potatoes, mash sweet potatoes, cream butter/cream cheese, etc.

Because of the KA, we can still enjoy many foods that would otherwise be impossible to fix.

Love, love, love my Kitchen Aid. DD loves the one I got her. Both are 4.5 qt tilt head. We both do cake decorating and it's sooo easy to make frosting with the KA. I burned up two lesser mixers making icing before getting my KA.

Other uses besides bread, cakes, cookie dough, is meatloaf and sausage balls. It makes it so easy to mix these up. No more smushing with your hands. Just dump in the meat and everything else and let it go.

If my KA ever quits, I will promptly replace it with another KA.

So when you going to get your's?

quote:

Thanks so much everyone! I didn't realize there was one with a tilting head.

Just look at them real close and understand the features that your getting for the money being spent. Before understanding the differences in them I almost went the cheap route. Walmart sells a white KA thats tilt/head 4.5 size bowl that has no handle on it. The motor size is real small The bowl has to be twisted in and out to secure it to the base. I quickly saw that this was going to be an issue with very Hot items. along with smaller bowl size and motor.

Your choices are almost endless and at first can seem overwhelming but just talk to other owners and let them tell you about them.

My daughter pretty much sealed the deal for me when deciding which one to get. She received the Tilt/head model as a wedding gift but has a very close/long time friend that has the lift/bowl model and has used hers when over at her house and realy prefered the lift/bowl model over the Tilt/head model.
Just understand the features and decided on your futher needs of use and make your choice accordingly.

I have the "tilt" model, and my daughter has the "lift". I MUCH prefer the tilt. It's just easier to use, and slightly smaller, so that it easily slides on my kitchen counter under the cabinets. I find the "lift" much harder to remove the bowl. You always have to tilt the bowl and the head of the mixer seems to be in the way when adding ingredients.

I bought one lf the less expensive models about 15 years ago, and it's still going strong. I use it for everything, including bread, cookies, meatballs and the meat for stuffed cabbages, so it's been given a workout!

You can also call KA on their tollfree number (google to find them, their site, the number), and discuss which model fits your needs.

I did this. I was going to get the Professional model, but turns out what I wanted to do didn't need that much wattage, and the Epicurean was perfect--and much cheaper!

She explained the differences between the two models, etc.

I would not recommend eBay. I bought one from a friend, and it was broken in the box. Thankfully, I'd bought it at Kohl's and got my money back. They were sold out due to it being Holiday Time.

Know your recourse if something goes wrong. Some places won't give you cash back--only store credit. Online places you might have to pay shipping to return. Make sure about the return policy just in case.

I gave my DD a tilt head one when she was away at school.. loves it... and it suits her needs... I have the 6 qt lift in the 600 series.. I bake breads.. so it's a good fit for me... I have the pasta attachments and the grinder plus another one ( guess I don't use it much..I went bank...)...

I did it- I just ordered the Professional 5 Plus series- it's the bowl lift, with the soft start feature, 5 qt, in red.

I ordered it online from Macy's- it was $100 off, plus free shipping.

I read all your comments, went to the kitchen aid site and read and compared the different models, then back to Macy's online, and they had the one I wanted on sale!

Thanks so much for all your help!

Holly

i agree with gardengirl ours was 300.00 or more give it away to dd have a sunbeam like i had years ago better investment the sunbeam so much easyer to use

Holly! Very good choice..your gonna realy like it!!!!!!!!!!!:-)

I asked my husband to take the kids shopping for my Christmas gift years ago and gave him a list of ideas. They came home with everything on the list including a Kitchenaid. I love it. The only thing, it is taller than the average standup mixer, so I had to have the carpenter come in and adjust my pop-up mixer shelf/tray in the cupboard so it clears when I swing it up to counter heighth. Never a problem with it the 10 years I've used it frequently.

Be sure to shop their on line outlet for extra bowls, covers and other goodies... they'll have them for 75% off...

Becky

I love my KA. I have the Artisan, tilt-head, 5-quart. I got mine on sale at Bed, Bath and Beyond and got an additional 20% off by using their coupon. They aren't cheap, but then, you'll probably never have to buy another one.

I love mine. Have had it for years (more than 15, at least!).