KitchenAid

You walk into the kitchen, prepared to make a fabulous treat. How about a zippy Mediterranean tart with goat cheese? Pumpkin pasta? Incredible chocolate mousse? All of these recipes – and many more – can be made easily and conveniently with the help of your KitchenAid mixer.

Which KitchenAid Mixer Is Right for You?

There is a wide variety of KitchenAid mixers to suit your needs as a chef; whether you want to make the occasional cake or use it for everything from sauces and condiments to main courses, you can find the right fit. Bowl lift stand mixers lower to allow you to add ingredients and then raise to mix, while tilt-head mixers allow you to tilt the head back to get to the mixer bowl.

Bowl-lift mixers tend to be bigger and heavier, so if counter space is a consideration, you may want to think about a tilt-head. Bowl styles fit better under cabinets, though. Bowl-lift models tend to have larger capacities, so think about what you want to use your KitchenAid Stand Mixer for. Let’s take a look at a variety of models to see which works best for you.

Lift-Bowl Mixers

The Professional 600 has been called the overachiever of stand mixers, and for good reason. This top-of-the-line model features a rugged all-metal construction, 575 watt motor, and 6 quart capacity, so you have a wide range of jobs open to you, from up to 8 pounds of mashed potatoes to double batches of bread dough. This is perfect for serious chefs. You will find a burnished PowerKnead spiral hook, 10-speed slide control, Soft Start mixing, electronic speed sensor, automatic shut-off, contoured handle, wire whip, burnished flat beater, pouring shield, and multipurpose attachment hub.

It is easy to install attachments, and even easier to use them with this high quality KitchenAid mixer. Suitable for professionals, the Professional 600 also offers a host of benefits to the serious amateur! Consumers especially appreciate the ease of making dough with the innovative spiral hook, as well as the Soft Start feature, which minimizes ingredient splatter. And who could object to the range of chic colors?

If the Professional 600 is too much mixer for you, try the Professional 5 Plus KitchenAid stand mixer. It has a slightly smaller capacity at 5 quarts, but it still has the professional quality and features you want, from a 450 watt motor and direct-drive all-steel gear transmission to a high quality durable die-cast metal construction.

This mixer allows for endless creations with its 10 speeds and 3 attachments. With the included spiral hook, flat beater, and stainless-steel wire whip, you can make everything from pizza and pasta dough to meringues. The Professional 5 Plus’s beater spins clockwise in the fixed bowl while the shaft spins counterclockwise. This creates terrific power and mixing action. An innovative handle and metal arm provide stability and safety, while the hinged attachment hub provides easy and convenient attachment changing so you can switch tools without missing a step.

The Pro 500 KitchenAid stand mixer is another great choice; while not as powerful as the Professional 600 and 5 Plus KitchenAid mixers, it handles a variety of kitchen jobs beautifully. It also costs less, so you may find it perfect for your menu and your budget. You will get the same durable die-cast metal construction and high quality motor; this one, however is 325 watts. While less powerful than the previous two models, this mixer can handle heavy dough and large batches with ease.

Features include a 10 speed range, Soft Start to prevent splattering, the unique clockwise/counterclockwise spinning action, contoured handle, burnished flat beater, dough hook, wire whip, pouring shield, 9 cup flour capacity, automatic shut-off, and direct-drive transmission. The stainless steel bowl holds 5 quarts, making it ideal for double batches of bread dough to whipped potatoes for the family. The Pro 500 is an accessible stand mixer that is still professional in quality.

Pro 450

A little smaller still, the Pro 450 is a 300 watt mixer with a 4.5 quart stainless-steel mixing bowl. As with the Pro 500, you will get the KitchenAid quality you expect, like the direct-drive transmission and all-metal construction, but in a more compact package. Other features include a one-piece motor head for easy cleaning, burnished flat beater, dough hook, and wire whip. Depend on the Pro 450 for bread, pizza, and pasta doughs, cookies, cakes, frostings, condiments, sauces, soups…everything you would expect from larger KitchenAid mixer models.

One feature you will notice that distinguishes models like the Pro 450 and the Professional 600 is the color options. While you can customize your Professional 600 to suit your décor, the 450 is available in red or black. Still very modern colors, and the reduction in price may be well worth it!

KitchenAid Tilt-Head Mixers

Artisan

Becoming an artist in the kitchen with the Artisan. It is most comparable in size with the Pro 500 with its 325 watt motor, and as with the KitchenAid stand mixers we have already looked at, it can be used for everything from whipping up a batch of dough to making homemade mayonnaise.

The Artisan features a 5 quart polished stainless steel bowl with an ergonomic handle for comfort. It comes with the 3 attachments that come with other models – the dough hook, flat beater, and wire whip, and has the unique KitchenAid spinning action for incredible power that negates the need to rotate the mixing bowl. Ten speeds makes it easy to tackle a wide range of kitchen jobs.

The Artisan Custom Metallic is very similar but is available in chic brushed nickel or satin copper metallic finishes.

Artisan Design

KitchenAid mixers are well-known for their culinary prowess, but they are also well-loved because of their incredible aesthetics. The Artisan Design mixer shakes things up with a 5 quart see-through glass bowl. You can watch your recipe as it mixes for superior control, and it adds a very sophisticated look to your kitchen countertops with its bright candy apple red die-cast metal construction.

But the Artisan Design is more than a pretty face. It has an easy-access tilt-head design, locking lever, planetary action (mixing action in which the beaters spiral within the bowl) for exceptional coverage, and the rugged, dependable KitchenAid metal construction. A powerful kitchen tool, this mixer has over 12 optional accessories, so you can make ground meats, fresh pasta, delicious cakes, and much more.

Ultra Power

Another tilt-head performer, the Ultra Power features all metal gears and a direct-drive transmission to make short – and smooth – work of any recipe. The 10 speed slide control allows you to choose your mixing speed, and a 67 point planetary mixing action system ensures that your ingredients are always well mixed without the need to rotate or scrape the bowl. Convenience in a shiny red package!

The Ultra Power is a very user-friendly stand mixer with a powerful 300 watt motor and all-metal construction for incredible durability. A nice extra feature is the rubber feet to anchor the mixer while it is in use to reduce countertop travel, as well as the comfortable, ergonomic handle. The Ultra Power comes with a 4 ½ quart bowl, but can also be used with 3 and 5 quart bowls, as well, which adds to this machine’s versatility.

Classic

What does it take to be a Classic? Superior quality and great usability. The KitchenAid Classic is a perfect choice for those looking for their first KitchenAid mixer – but it is one that can grow with them, offering 250 watts of power, a large 4 ½ quart bowl, and the three standard attachments. One note about the attachments: they are very easy to put on, but may be a little harder to take off because the stems are quite short. If they are a bit greasy, you may have a challenge ahead of you.

But the Classic makes up for this by offering a wonderful range of options. Make warm, delicious waffles, fresh, tender pasta, creamy cheesecake, and hundreds of recipes easily. This stand mixer is a classic for a reason, and it is one of the lower priced KitchenAid stand mixers on the market.

Classic Plus

With KitchenAid, even the best is never good enough. The Classic Plus expands upon the popular Classic’s best features to provide you with a friendly, effective kitchen helper. It boosts the motor power to 275 watts so you can handle a broader range of mixing jobs, including heavier dough. Like the Classic, the Classic Plus offers a 4 ½ quart mixing bowl, 3 useful and versatile attachments, and your choice of 10 settings for superior control over your recipes.

You will get the KitchenAid mixer quality you have come to expect, which includes all-metal construction, multipurpose attachment hub, and the convenient tilt-head design for easy adding of ingredients and access to the mixing bowl.

Consumers note that while the Classic Plus is a “workhorse” in the kitchen, it is especially well-suited to baking, and with a 4 ½ quart bowl, you have plenty of delicious treats ahead of you.

KitchenAid stand mixers come in a variety of styles and designs, so you are guaranteed to find the right fit for your kitchen, budget, and recipe preferences. What they all have in common, though, is superior quality and performance. When you need a recipe to be a success, turn to KitchenAid. These top-of-the-line stand mixers do not disappoint.