289862 Thu Jul 18 20:43:43 -0700 2002 52 41 Cookware 0 1570845 I'm about to go out and treat myself to a KitchenAid stand mixer. I was all set to buy the real super-duper one--525 watts, 6qt bowl. I happened to mention this to a chef friend who asked if I make large quantities of batter (more than one cake,let's say). I said no. She said she found that the 6 qt bowl doesn't handle small quantities well and she preferred her 4 qt bowl for making one cake at a time. Now I don't know what to buy. HELP from KitchenAid owners, please. Thu Jul 18 20:43:43 -0700 2002 0 patty 1 1570847 Hobart no longer is the mfgr of KA mixer. Hobart now puts out a very $$$ one under their own name, but sold off KA to Whirlpool or some similar outfit. Hobart has a web site if you want to check that out. If I were buying a mixer today, I would research out the other high end mixers before making up my mind - the quality of the current KA may not match the old ones which made the KA reputation. I've heard that the new ones have plastic parts. Perhaps someone else has more definitive info. Thu Jul 18 21:07:43 -0700 2002 1570845 0 saucyknave 1 1570851 I've had my smaller KitchenAid mixer for about 12 years, not sure if it was still Hobart back then, but I find it more than adequate and if I'm making more than one cake I have an extra bowl, so I can keep churnning them out. Thu Jul 18 22:28:27 -0700 2002 1570845 0 chuck s 2 1570864 Chuck, what quart size is your bowl? Fri Jul 19 08:04:47 -0700 2002 1570851 0 patty 1 1570858 I don't see Kithenaid here in Oz. How do they compare with my trusty old Kenwood Chef I've had for some 20 years? Fri Jul 19 01:06:53 -0700 2002 1570845 0 Phil 2 2721041 Hi, Phil Kitchenaid is relatively new on the market here in SA. My mum has a kenwood chef she inherited from my grandfather (who died in '92- god knows how long he had it before then!) which is, well, a real machine. Kitchenaids are a lot prettier (you get them in a range of different colours, etc) BUT having watched a kenwood and a kitchenaid each knead some bread dough with the dough hook, it's no competitions: the kenwood was quieter and stronger. The kitchen aid was making a high pitched whining noise, and the whole thing was moving from the effort of kneading the dough. I will prob buy a mixer in a year or so, and it looks like I'm going to be a third generation kenwood user. Thu Jul 05 09:06:37 -0700 2007 1570858 10432 Kate 1 1570871 If you try making small quantities in a big bowl, the attachments don't really get down into the mix -- for example, the whisk will just sort of tickle the top of two eggs. If you really must have the big ass model, keep a hand mixer around the kitchen for smaller jobs. Fri Jul 19 10:06:00 -0700 2002 1570845 0 GG Mora 2 2715772 I have the big, honking one and it gets down to the bottom of the bowl just fine. If the whisk is just "tickling" your eggs, you can adjust it downward by using the adjustment screw on the bowl carriage. Tue Jul 03 07:02:13 -0700 2007 1570871 12023 Hungry Celeste 3 2718483 If my memory serves me correctly, to get the beater to the proper height, put a dime in the bottom of the bowl, put in the flat beater, and turn it on to Stir speed. It should graze the dime and push it about 3/4 inch around the bowl on each pass. If it doesn't touch the dime, adjust up; if it has a hard time pushing the dime around, adjust down. You shouldn't have to adjust too far, only about 1/4 turn. Wed Jul 04 00:17:10 -0700 2007 2715772 10996 JK Grence the Cosmic Jester 4 2732870 I agree that my KA 5q bowl/525w mixer does **very** poorly with small quantities. I've adjusted the screw and did the dime thing. It's really disappointing. Mon Jul 09 12:31:05 -0700 2007 2718483 70510 xnyorkr 1 1570879 I have had my old 4 1/2 qt model for 12 years now and it's still going strong. I paid $160.00 for it at Caldor when they were still around. There sre times when I can use a big model but that doesn't happen too often. Fri Jul 19 10:59:38 -0700 2002 1570845 0 Richie 2 1570881 Thanks for all the good advice. I think I'll stick to the 4 1/2 qt size. It's not like I'm making cookies for the fleet! Fri Jul 19 11:02:28 -0700 2002 1570879 0 patty 1 1570885 My Mom has the larger sized KA. She wishes she had the one my size, because hers is louder to run and the mechanism which raises the bowl up to the beaters annoys her. (smaller one tips the top up instead). Fri Jul 19 11:34:26 -0700 2002 1570845 0 Danna 1 1570900 We have had the larger (5Qt) model for ~20 years. Still very happy with it. If we were to get a new one now I would buy the 6Qt and would not get the smaller tip up model. One thing you should consider is purchasing a copper insert for your mixer. Helps with smaller batches and is great for whipping. Fri Jul 19 12:50:59 -0700 2002 1570845 0 Ray 1 1570906 A bit of background (bear with me; it's confusing): Kitchenaid has discontinued its 4.5 quart model and replaced it with a 5-quart that works like the old 4.5 quart (i.e., tilt-up head). The old 5-quart (with the bowl that lifts up) was discontinued and replaced with the new 6 quart a while back. So now the options are the "Professional," which is the 525 watt monster, the "Epicurean" 6 qt., which is the one that comes in all the cool colors but is less powerful than the Professional (both have the lift-up bowl), or the "Artisan" 5 qt. with a tilt-up head (also comes in cool colors). From my experience, I'd say if you think you want the power and capacity of the larger Kitchenaid, you may be better off buying a large Kenwood or even a Magic Mill. But for your basic home use, the 5 qt. Kitchenaid is the way to go. I have the old 4.5 qt., and it does everything I need it to. But then I don't bake a lot. Fri Jul 19 13:09:04 -0700 2002 1570845 0 Janet A. Zimmerman 1 1571273 Though I'm a kitchen-aid stand mixer owner of only a couple of months, I swear by my new 6qt professional. I've experienced no problems with smaller quantities and I've mixed 2 separate recipes involving very small quantities (dough for 12 tartlets and a single batch of cookies). I find the lever which raises and lowers the bowl to be quite handy, too. Wed Jul 24 17:29:11 -0700 2002 1570845 0 Schatz MacArthur 2 2682851 I have two very old Kenwood mixmasters, and they have served me well over 25 years. Having been a caterer from home for over a decade and a mother of four, all my machines have beat their heart out for me. My hand-held mixer is a Braun and after mixing over 40,000 friands in its lifetime has just given up the ghost. I am looking to pass on my machines to my daughters and am thinking of purchasing a Kitchenaid. As I love to bake bread, I am leaning toward the larger unit. Does anyone know how to go about looking for an original made by Hobart? Or will the newer models still suffice? I have also been reading your comments regarding the food-processors and am wondering if these are cheaper purchased on-line. Having never purchased anything over the internet, this all seems a very new experience for me, but if I could save money then it would be worth a go. I am sure there are people out there who had all the intentions in the world to cook and now have machines sitting tucked away, unused and unloved. i always prefer the older, better constructed kitchen appliances, as I find all new anything has plastic parts which can't stand up to prolonged use. Thu Jun 21 18:35:21 -0700 2007 1571273 107063 friandlady 3 2683092 A brand new kichenaid is almost entirely metal...in fact, except for the housing of the optional add-on food grinder, everything is metal and that thing is a workhorse. I use it all the time for all manner of jobs. In my opinion, you can't go wrong with a kitchenaid stand mixer and I, personally, wouldn't get another kind. Not that I think I'll have to, mine is 4 years old and chugging along just fine. Thu Jun 21 20:12:50 -0700 2007 2682851 80141 ccbweb 4 2683616 I've had my 4 1/2 quart for 19 years and I've never had a problem with it, or felt that I needed a bigger size. They didn't have the cool colors back then, so mine is just basic white. I use it all the time, its got a place of honor on my counter. Fri Jun 22 05:28:05 -0700 2007 2683092 61733 Linda513 3 2710644 For an original Hobart, scan eBay, craigslist, and yard sales. Even though the brand new ones are all metal construction inside, hearing stories about how the old Hobarts run for literally decades and still purr like a kitten are what led me down that route. Then I got lucky and found a K5SS (sister to the Holy Grail of Kitchenaid mixers, the K5A) with all the attachments plus the pasta extruder/meat grinder for $20. All I've had to replace was the main beater, which was starting to lose some of its coating. Sun Jul 01 06:51:58 -0700 2007 2682851 10996 JK Grence the Cosmic Jester 4 2720629 I got my K5A on eBay a few years ago. I would highly recommend a vintage Kitchenaid with the Hobart motor over a new machine. Mine certainly doesn't come in a cool cobalt blue, but I absolutely love its industrial color and look as well. JK, how very cool to have found one with the attachments!! I just recently received the food grinder attachment for my birthday. I was somewhat lucky with my K5A since it came with 3 bowls, 2 of which are copper. Ooooo. ETA: There are several on eBay right now. Look for K5-A (with the hyphen). Found nothing but weirdness with "K5A." Or search under "kitchenaid hobart" and several older models will pop up, including K5SS. Thu Jul 05 06:40:34 -0700 2007 2710644 10658 Atomica 5 2723555 Oh, something I should definitely mention as a follow-up... No matter which model you decide to purchase, get at least one extra bowl. You'll be very glad that you did. Kitchenaid makes replacement parts for all previous models; it may take some hunting to find them (start with the best-stocked locally owned kitchen store in your neck of the woods) but is well worth it if you're missing a flat beater or dough hook. Copper bowls? A very nice touch indeed! Fri Jul 06 04:42:50 -0700 2007 2720629 10996 JK Grence the Cosmic Jester 1 2683677 one tip...there are two ways that they are made. We have the kind that has a lever that raises and lowers the bowl to get it off of the paddles.. Too often I still have to take the paddle off to get the bowl out. Next time, I would get the kind where the whole mixer tilts back out of the way. Fri Jun 22 06:05:54 -0700 2007 1570845 53967 chrisinroch 2 2683737 That's good to know. I was thinking the drop bowl would be easier. Fri Jun 22 06:26:02 -0700 2007 2683677 39874 chowser 3 2710607 I own the version where the mixer tilts back and out of the way. The problem in my kitchen (which is very small) is that the height of the upper cabinets does not allow for the top to flip all the way back. So, I still have to take off the paddle before flipping the top back, and then take a bowl out. A bit of a pain. I would go for the drop bowl if you plan on using it on a countertop has cabinetry above. If you are working on an island, then this is a non-issue. Sun Jul 01 06:14:25 -0700 2007 2683737 84296 mightycheesehead 4 2710665 Your point is a good one. I probably would never have thought of it. FWIW, Atlon Brown recommends the flip up one so that you don't have to remove the paddle "Every time" you want to take the bowl off. I have the flip up one and it's great. I've had it for 6 years now. I've even made a very stiff pierogi dough in it and it was no problem at all. It was the first time I used it for that with my parents and they marvelled at it. No more sore shoulders and forearms. DT Sun Jul 01 07:10:52 -0700 2007 2710607 11291 Davwud 5 2710723 Thanks mightycheesehead (never in my wildest dreams would I think I'd be writing to someone named that, well possibly on a Brett Favre site...) and DT--I had been leaning towards the one where the bowl drops down but I'll look for the tilt now. Sun Jul 01 07:56:48 -0700 2007 2710665 39874 chowser 4 2710947 I have the 5Q Artisan (flip-top) and it fits nicely under my upper cabinets (for storage). But I pull the mixer out closer to the edge of the counter when I am using it. I think most standard cabinetry wouldn't allow the mixer to flip up while actually under the upper cabinet. However I have read on CH that the 6Q bowl-raising models don't fit under upper cabinets in many kitchens. It's got to be 3 or 4 inches taller than the flip models. My 5Q is the perfect size for me; I have the ice cream, pasta roller/cuter, and food/meat grinder attachments, all of which are great. I would recommend getting a second bowl. Sun Jul 01 09:59:47 -0700 2007 2710607 12513 Divamac 4 2724258 Had the same experience when I had my Artisan, very frustrating. Besides, I would always take the paddle off anyway, otherwise whatever's on it would drip drip drip onto the base of the mixer after I'd taken the bowl away. And Hungry Celeste is right, if the whisk/paddle isn't reaching all the way down to the bottom (in the larger models) on smaller amounts, you can adjust it. Fri Jul 06 09:18:26 -0700 2007 2710607 81731 foodstorm 2 2715778 You're supposed to take the attachments off before removing the bowl...read the instruction manual. Tue Jul 03 07:03:52 -0700 2007 2683677 12023 Hungry Celeste 3 2731240 Does taking off the attachments help me in some way that I'm missing, or are you missing the whole point of my post; namely that it is much less convenient than the tilt version? Mon Jul 09 04:15:55 -0700 2007 2715778 53967 chrisinroch 4 2731340 I don't find the raising/lowering lever version to be inconvenient in the slightest. Mon Jul 09 05:52:48 -0700 2007 2731240 10658 Atomica 5 2731341 Me neither - and as someone else pointed out, in a small kitchen, it's useful as you don't need the extra "clearing room" required for the tilt back version. Mon Jul 09 05:54:04 -0700 2007 2731340 10985 MMRuth 4 2731415 I think the point is that the attachments are going to have to be removed at some point anyway. So I don't see what is inconvenient about having to remove them prior to removing the bowl as opposed to after. Mon Jul 09 06:29:28 -0700 2007 2731240 63569 flourgirl 5 2732042 Often, one needs to scrape the bowl down during the middle of mixing. For some people who feel this must be done a certain way, removing the attachment for this function may be a pain. I personally have no problem scraping down the bowl with the attachment still in place, but maybe others do. Mon Jul 09 09:26:15 -0700 2007 2731415 10658 Atomica 6 2732827 I've had no problems scraping down the bowl after moving the bowl down - no need to remove the attachment to do so. Mon Jul 09 12:18:53 -0700 2007 2732042 10985 MMRuth 6 2732990 I bake all the time and am quite familiar with the need to scrape down a bowl. And I have no problem scraping the bowl with the attachment in place. If you are saying that some people remove the bowl completely from the mixer to scrape down, well, all I can say is, different strokes for different folks. Mon Jul 09 12:56:53 -0700 2007 2732042 63569 flourgirl 7 2733929 What I was attempting to address was this: "Does taking off the attachments help me in some way that I'm missing, or are you missing the whole point of my post; namely that it is much less convenient than the tilt version?" My post was an attempt to figure out just what the heck chrisinroch thinks is "much less inconvenient" in the lever version of the mixer. I was surmising. Perhaps I should have been clearer. Mon Jul 09 17:18:37 -0700 2007 2732990 10658 Atomica 8 2734492 take a look at the thread. you responded to me not vice versa Mon Jul 09 20:23:34 -0700 2007 2733929 53967 chrisinroch 9 2734564 I never said anything about anyone responding to anyone, and what does that have to do with anything? I am still curious about the assertion that the lever model is "much less convenient" than the tilt model. Why do you believe that? Mon Jul 09 20:54:02 -0700 2007 2734492 10658 Atomica 1 2685492 I have the 6 qt Kitchen Aid model and I'm glad I went that route. I do have a Kitchen Aid hand mixer for very small quantities, but I make one cake at a time all the time with my stand mixer and I have no problem with it. BTW, if someone is having trouble with the beater reaching to the bottom of the bowl, this can be adjusted. The main reason I'm glad I bought the big boy was that it gives me a lot of flexibility. Can do 2 cakes at a time if I want, for example. Also, I sometimes use it to mix bread dough, and it can power through the stiffest dough with ease. As far as the Kitchen Aids having plastic parts, I believe that they have rectified this situation (after a lot of complaints) and the 6 quarts now have metal parts again. I'm not sure about the smaller models. I would call Kitchen Aid and ask about this if this is something that concerns you. Fri Jun 22 14:22:57 -0700 2007 1570845 63569 flourgirl 2 2710668 I have the 5 quart model and the only plastic piece I've seen on the base model (Not accessories) is the splash guard. DT Sun Jul 01 07:12:03 -0700 2007 2685492 11291 Davwud 3 2711625 Do a google search on this issue. In some models of Kitchen Aid mixers (the Pro 600 as well as other models,) Kitchen Aid replaced certain internal metal parts with plastic - specifically the gear box cover, which is subject to overheating and cracking. Apparently, "this is not just a case, either. It also holds the upper sleeve bearing, so if it deforms, the alignment of the internal gears goes away and could really mess things up." After consumer complaints regarding this issue Kitchen Aid went back to metal parts, but I'm not sure exactly when. I think the important thing about this is that if you have an older Kitchen Aid mixer (i.e. not manufactured in the last year or so) there is a good chance that some of the internal parts may be plastic. If the machine fails I would try to determine if it was a plastic part that failed and if so, I would make a VERY big issue out of this with Kitchen Aid, since they have acknowledged that these plastic parts were a problem by replacing them with metal ones again. Sun Jul 01 17:03:14 -0700 2007 2710668 63569 flourgirl 4 2711793 Thanks, I'll keep that in mind. Should I ever run into problems. DT Sun Jul 01 18:41:14 -0700 2007 2711625 11291 Davwud 5 2712390 You're welcome. And I have to say that I have a 6 yr old Pro 600 that I use pretty frequently and haven't had any problems (knock on wood). Mon Jul 02 05:14:05 -0700 2007 2711793 63569 flourgirl 1 2686076 I've had a Kitchen Aid (then made by Hobart) for 31 years, and it's still going strong. At the time, it had the most powerful wattage. If I were buying today, I would consider other machines, or at least compare them closely on wattage for price, capacity, materials, cleanability. My machine sometimes gets a bit hot, but never falters. When I bought mine, there literally was no real competition. And I would have to be convinced that there is now--that's why I still have mine. www.littlecomptonmorings.blogspot.com Fri Jun 22 17:56:04 -0700 2007 1570845 91169 janeer 2 2738531 I bought a Morphy Richards stand mixer because it has more watts (600 watts) than the more expensive Kitchen Aid (350 watts). HOWEVER, I am not sure that watts translates to power. Any electical engineers care to comment? I really like the design of the Morphy Richards and it has handled my limited baking needs well so far. Wed Jul 11 03:41:55 -0700 2007 2686076 64834 crawfish 3 2738572 Watts are purely marketing. A lower wattage machine can still be more powerful. Wed Jul 11 04:25:25 -0700 2007 2738531 10996 JK Grence the Cosmic Jester 1 2711885 Try to get one that tilts back -- no matter what the size. The bowl lift mechanism is not that convenient when you need to get in there and scrape down the sides with a spatula. Sun Jul 01 19:28:39 -0700 2007 1570845 87837 RGC1982 2 2724599 Hmm, I've never had this problem with my bowl lift model, but then I use the spatula that came with it--it fits around the paddle and whisk and dough hook attachments just fine. Fri Jul 06 10:52:09 -0700 2007 2711885 81731 foodstorm 1 2719440 I've had my Kitchen Aid mixer for about 10 years and I swear by it! I have the tilt head version and I can't imagine not wanting this feature, it makes life easier for me. I think some of the newer models have a spinning base which seems like it could be helpful, though I have never had a problem with my batter or dough not mixing all the way through. The biggest downfall for me in my small kitchen is the weight of the thing..it is so heavy it becomes a chore to take it down (I don't have room on my counter for it). Wed Jul 04 12:40:30 -0700 2007 1570845 105867 chocolatechip 1 2721057 GOOD FOR YOU! After 20+ years of cooking and baking, I also treated myself to a KitchenAid stand mixer about a 1 1/2 years ago. I had the same questions as you do regarding size and wattage. Ultimately, I opted for the larger 525 watts and 6-qt. bowl and am I ever glad that I did! I do everythign from basic cakes to cookie dough to scratch yeast doughs in my mixer and I have found that the extra power (especially for kneading dough and or handling stiff cookie doughs) is critical. I also like the larger bowl so that there is plenty of head space for adding ingredients (most especially flour) without fear of going over or near the edge/top of the bowl. Go for the big one...I haven't regretted it for one minute! Good luck! Thu Jul 05 09:12:07 -0700 2007 1570845 109859 kellysue 1 2732069 I've had my 4-1/2 bowl model for almost 20 years. Never needed anything bigger. Of course I'm making family size quantities, but do on occasion make double sizes of cookies, etc. As much as I pine for a larger cooler one, since mine is just white, I know it's doing its job. Mon Jul 09 09:32:11 -0700 2007 1570845 16841 Felixnot