Rival Kitchen Products

Want a Kitchen Aid stand mixer but don't know what type to get?

I am confused after looking up the different models/price points. I bake at home sometimes just for my family. It would probably be used once per week and more during the holidays. Which is the best model for me? Also besides for baking, what else can I do with the mixer? What do you use yours for?

Public Comments

1. Kitchen Aid stand mixers are a dream. You can buy attachments for them so that they can make pasta, grind meat, make ice cream, chop or shred vegetables, juice fruits. They're AMAZING. If you're only making things like cakes, cookies and such or whipping up mashed potatoes - an artisan mixer should be just fine for you. If you really like to make home made bread and need the machine to knead dough or work on more complicated recipes like whipping up hard caramel into a fluffy frosting - you might want a more powerful machine.
2. Unless you have special uses planned, the basic model is all you need. It's a great machine.
3. I mainly use mine for baking. I have the classic, which is nice. But I would spring for at least the Artisan if I were you. It has the handle on the bowl which is SUPER helpful for pouring. My classic doesn't have that. I have the slicer/grinder attachment set and love using it to make zucchini bread in the summer time in addition to all the cakes, cookies, and frosting I use it for.
4. The Kitchen Aide CLASSIC should be sufficient. At least it's much more moderately priced than the other Kitchen Aide models. I use it primarily for baking. I don't find any use for any attachments to grind meat, etc.....
5. Whatever you decide on, just be sure that it has at least a 5 qt. mixing bowl or larger with the handle...I use mine all the time for making cheesecakes, and grinding meat, nuts, etc.
6. I have the Artisan model and I use it pretty heavily for making cakes, frosting, fondant, gumpaste, bread, cookie dough, etc. I've had it for two years and it has held up well so far. One thing you need to consider is the space between your cabinets and countertops in the kitchen and if you have room for the bowl-lift model, if that's what you're considering buying. I bought the Artisan because there wasn't enough vertical clearance for the bowl lift on the counter where I wanted to use it.
7. The artisan model is very nice. cm
8. The perfect model is "KitchenAid Artisan 5-Quart stand mixer" it's easy to use, easy to cleanup and also hit 'top-selling' at amazon for a long time already. You may read more reviews before make your decision there.