Stand Mixer Died: Recommend Yours!

[Indianamom2]

My Sunbeam Heritage Stand mixer has been slowly dying. It's only maybe three years old and has had VERY light use (once every couple of months at best). It wasn't particularly cheap when I bought it, though I found a decent sale at Kohl's...and it's been lousy.

So I guess I'm in the market for a new stand mixer. Mostly it's just used for cakes, cookies, quick bread...light duty stuff. Occasionally I'll whip mashed potatoes, but nothing super heavy duty. However, I don't want it to break every three years. I also don't want to pay a fortune.

Any suggestions for a good mixer that will last and won't break the bank?

[JBaxter]

I have the basic Kitchen Aide mixer. It is 22 yrs old and still going strong. Never had an issue.

[katydid1971]

There are lots of posts about kitchen aid sales on these boards, they usually start in November (for Thanksgiving) and go 'till Christmas. An Artisan or classic can be had for about $200 and should do eveything you want. If you get into yeast bread making then you will need a heavy duty Kitchenaid or go for the big $$$ and go viking but that's only if you do bread making a lot (bread is hard on mixer motors). Plus its still made in USA, gotta like that.

[crl]

Kitchen Aide. I have the classic and it had held up nicely for nearly a year. I use it once or twice a week, mostly for cookies and such.

Catherine

[Indianamom2]

There are lots of posts about kitchen aid sales on these boards, they usually start in November (for Thanksgiving) and go 'till Christmas. An Artisan or classic can be had for about $200 and should do eveything you want. If you get into yeast bread making then you will need a heavy duty Kitchenaid or go for the big $$$ and go viking but that's only if you do bread making a lot (bread is hard on mixer motors). Plus its still made in USA, gotta like that.

Hmmm...interesting to hear about the sales. I'm not sure if I will be able to wait that long as my personal baking season is about to begin! :)

Would $269 plus free shipping be a good deal for the KA Professional Series? I've not really shopped for them before? (I'll try to search the boards too, but just curious.)

[AnnieW625]

Kitchen Aid. I bought myself an Artisan in Pistachio (love the color) in 2006 and I believe I paid about $225 (including tax and shipping) from Macys. Macy's has some great coupons in ads and if they are having a "White Sale" online for home stuff you can save a fair amount of money, and you can stack coupons. Right now they are on sale for $299, but every so often they go on sale for around $250.

Yes the $269 for a Professional Series with free shipping is a good deal, however you might want to measure the height between your cabinents and the counter because the professional model has the bowl lift and not the tilting head takes up more height thand the tilting head models (Classic, and Artisan).

ETA: FWIW, my mom has had her Classic for almost 20 yrs., she uses it weekly, if not at least twice a week and has never had a problem with it. She also bought my brother an Ultra Power from Kohls (now the Classic Plus: http://www.kohls.com/kohlsStore/kitchendining/brandsforkitchen/kitchenaid/electrics/PRD~32685/KitchenAid+Classic+Plus+45qt+Stand+Mixer.jsp), and he too has been very happy with it. I think after discounts and on Black Friday (online) she got it for between $150, and $175.

[Sweetum]

CL.
I bought a KA professional on CL that I could see was used very little. and I got a great deal - $45.

If you don't mind refurbished, you could look on ebay and on kitchenaid's website.

KA are wonderful work horses. And once you buy one you'll find more uses for it :)

[jjordan]

My mom has had the same KA mixer for close to 30 years and it has never had any problems. You'll get your money's worth!

[Indianamom2]

CL.
I bought a KA professional on CL that I could see was used very little. and I got a great deal - $45.

If you don't mind refurbished, you could look on ebay and on kitchenaid's website.

KA are wonderful work horses. And once you buy one you'll find more uses for it :)

Would you happen to know how tall the professional series is? I saw measurements from Amazon, but does it raise up or does just the bowl raise? Dumb question, I know! But I guess I figure that if the pro series is the same price or cheaper, why not get the bigger model? Am I missing something with that logic?

[lhafer]

I have a Kitchen Aid artisan 5 quart in red and love it. It stands 14" tall, and 17.25" tall when the arm is up.

You can get one from Bed Bath and Beyond using a 20% off coupon for ~$240.

[DebbieJ]

Another vote for Kitchen Aid. I have had the Ultra model for 10 years and it is still going strong!

[SnuggleBuggles]

Kitchen Aid. 11 years old and no problems! Well, except the time dh used it wrong and we had to have the motor fixed...but that was stupid human error. :) It's worth the money.
BEth

[kijip]

Like so many other yuppie American couples it seems, we got a KitchenAid as a wedding present. It is nice, but bluntly I don't think I would pay that much for something I used 6 times a year. We use ours a lot more often, but it's a lot of counter space and weight if you are not using it much. I would consider a hand mixer in your situation.

[Sweetum]

Would you happen to know how tall the professional series is? I saw measurements from Amazon, but does it raise up or does just the bowl raise? Dumb question, I know! But I guess I figure that if the pro series is the same price or cheaper, why not get the bigger model? Am I missing something with that logic?

It's 16" plus a little more. No, raising and lowering the bowl does not increase the height.
Well, the professional is bigger - it's a 6 qt bowl. So, if you tend to do smaller quantities more often, the classic may be better (4 qt bowl, I think).

[jenrub]

I have a Kitchen Aid Artisan 5 qt. which I use weekly for baking cakes and cookies. I got it at Bed, Bath, and Beyond last Thanksgiving with a 20% off coupon and $$$$ (forgot how much) rebate. You can go anytime in Oct./Nov. co'z I waited for the Thanksgiving sale hoping I could get more discount but it wasn't more than what I could have gotten before that time. My sister has the 6 qt. Professional and the bowl slides up and down as opposed to mine which has a tilting head. She's a personal chef so she uses it more often than I do along with other attachments you can use it with which you can buy separately. She suggested I just buy the one I got for the type of use it's going to have.

[Elilly]

We also have a KA. I use it about 4 times a week and it is 10 years old. It is still going strong but since I bake so much b/c of DS's food allergies, I'm hoping for a 6 qt model for Christmas.

[infomama]

Kitchen Aide all the way. Love mine.

[Indianamom2]

Thanks to everyone for the replies.

This might be the one time that the the advice is 100% pointing in one direction. KitchenAid it will be! Now I just have to figure out which model and color!

[overcome]

I used to have a Professional Kitchen Aid mixer (husband kept it in divorce) and it drove me absolutely crazy that the head did not tilt back. To scrape the bowl, I had to wrangle it out or take off the attachment.

That being said, I have never had one with a head that did tilt back...so can't speak to that....but it seems like it would be much more convenient!

[amm40]

When you decide model and color, search amazon for factory reconditioned. I got a great deal on my artisan that way.

[fumofu]

I bought a Kitchen Aid Pro 600 6-quart mixer for $300 on Amazon on Black Friday, with a $50 rebate from KA. Before Baby came, I used it at least once a week. I LOVED making dessert and homemade pasta (with the pasta attachment) with it. Ice-cream too! Quite a versatile machine.

[DebbieJ]

The Artisan is on sale at Kohl's for $299, plus there is a $30 rebate AND it's Kohl's cash time. If you are a Kohl's charge holder, you can get up to an additional 30% off. I'd say that's probably the best deal out there right now.

If you order online, the code is SEPTEMBER30. It's "free" shipping with a surcharge of $7.50, I'm guessing for weight. Those KA mixers are HEAVY.

[Indianamom2]

The Artisan is on sale at Kohl's for $299, plus there is a $30 rebate AND it's Kohl's cash time. If you are a Kohl's charge holder, you can get up to an additional 30% off. I'd say that's probably the best deal out there right now.

If you order online, the code is SEPTEMBER30. It's "free" shipping with a surcharge of $7.50, I'm guessing for weight. Those KA mixers are HEAVY.

Ooo...you tempt me! Now I will have to go to Kohls...maybe even tonight. Thanks for the heads up.