Should I buy the Kitchenaid standing mixer? is there a reliable, less expensive substitute?

[live love laugh]

I’ve been hesitant to buy because of the price and because of the lack of counter space.

I see cheaper alternatives on Amazon but don’t trust the reliability.

I hope to get some opinions to help decide if this a worthwhile investment and/or recommended alternatives.

[ret5hd]

1. Get Kitchenaid...you won't be sorry.

[live love laugh]

11. Thanks now more indecision ... which color which color which color?

[ret5hd]

24. Paint: chips (eventually)...Steel: Never chips.

[live love laugh]

25. Yeah I never thought about the chipping although I do love the beautiful colors. nt

[ret5hd]

26. Our is on a shelf kinda like this...

so "display" isn't an issue

[live love laugh]

29. I love the pull-out shelf pretty neat. nt

[Foolacious]

41. That must be strong hardware/hinges...

those mixers are HEAVY.

[3catwoman3]

46. Oh, man, I want one of those shelves!

We redid our kitchen about 12 years ago, and had the counter height made higher as I always felt rather hunched over when chopping anything. I’m not fashion model tall, only 5’8”, and the countertop is not quite 2” higher than the standard 36”. It is enough to be more comfortable.

However, the counter is now just enough higher that our Kitchen Aid will not fit under the cupboards, as it used to, so it hangs out in a lower cupboard. It is damn heavy to lift out of there.

I am going to look into getting one of these lift platforms. Do you know the manufacturer?

[ret5hd]

47. Several:

1) knape & Vogt
2)rev-a-shelf

I’m sure there are others. Search for kitchen appliance shelf.

[3catwoman3]

48. Shall do.

Thanks!

[marble falls]

2. Go to a restaurant supply that sells used and rebuilt kitchen stuff. You'll be amazed how ...

... far your dollar goes. You can also get a rebuilt shiny new looking four burner kitchen stove for $600 or so bucks installed. Stay away from ones with yuppy cars in the lot. Look for low rent areas.

[live love laugh]

10. Great tip I didn't know these existed I love a bargain hunt. nt

[marble falls]

23. Great prices on knives and tools, too. I've been using them for decades. Also: The Chef Store ...

... see if there's one in your town. They're in AZ, half the reason I want the Pandemic done is I want to go visit my dad when the pandemic is over is I need some stuff - they sell food and kitchen supplies.

We've got five or six good restaurant supply shops in Austin. They were supposed to get a Chef Store, but it hasn't happened yet.

[LuvLoogie]

3. Do a google search of best mixers under $100, or whatever you are willing to spend

There will be several articles doing compare and contrast. Read them and make a choice.

[live love laugh]

12. Thanks. I trust those here over Google though. nt

[LuvLoogie]

28. That's why I look at several articles and then read customer reviews on the final candidates

of the product I am researching. Google is just a starting point. Once I have my candidates, I do a search of customer reviews. DU is another source of info. Granted, reviews can be spammed, but if you do enough you can get a pretty good idea.

I'm usually a bang for the buck guy, but often a short term, low end choice is what you might need until you can afford what you want.

Nothing against my fellow DUers, but I wouldn't make a decision solely based on this site.

[mobeau69]

4. I have a held held Proctor Silex. Been using it for years.

I just stick it in a drawer when I’m done using it.

[live love laugh]

13. I have a handheld KitchenAid which is OK but I just want something a little fancier. nt

[Foolacious]

42. Then the KitchenAid stand-alone is what you want. NT

[Marie Marie]

5. They are a work horse - strong and reliable. Love mine.

[live love laugh]

14. Thanks I am excited about getting one. nt

[leftieNanner]

6. I love my Kitchen Aid Mixer!

I've had mine for 25 years and it's never had any problems.

There are different sizes and the smaller ones are slightly less expensive. But if you buy a cheap one, how much more will you be spending if you have to replace it a few years down the road?

[live love laugh]

15. Great point about buying cheaper thanks. nt

[leftieNanner]

22. I learned this concept well from my plumber's wife

She was his scheduler. When I called her to talk about putting in new bathroom fixtures, she cautioned me not to buy inexpensive ones. "How much will it cost you to pay Rich to come back and replace them?" At $120 per hour (he was worth it) that put the cheap fixtures in a different perspective. So I bought the good ones and never regretted it.

[WhiteTara]

7. You'll love it so much. You can find deals

from time to time, but it is well worth the price. I've had mine for over 16 years and it still wonderful and reliable. Mine's black, but there are great colors out there now.

[live love laugh]

16. Thanks.

[onecaliberal]

8. Get the kitchen aid. I've had mine for 20 years

It works as great today as the day I bought it.

[live love laugh]

17. That's sounds good to know about the reliability thank you. nt

[madaboutharry]

9. Kitchen Aid makes a smaller sized one.

It is called the KitchenAid Artisan Mixer Mini. The price on KitchenAid's web site is $319.99. I just checked and they are temporarily out of stock. They come in some really nice colors.

I bought one in matte black for my son, a great cook btw, who has a small kitchen with limited counter space. The Mini is really nice and compact and doesn't take up a lot of counter space.

I have a regular size KitchenAid and I have always loved it. If I didn't already have it, I would get the KitchenAid Mini.

[live love laugh]

19. I like the idea of smaller I am only slightly reluctant because I want to do one-batch baking. nt

[Mr.Bill]

18. We like our Kitchenaid mixer.

Over the 20 years or so we have owned it, we have added attachments to it to grind our own meat and make our own pasta. It does both very well. Like other's have said, watch for sales. You may be able to get it a lot cheaper.

[live love laugh]

21. Thank you yes I saw some neat attachments which I would also want to get. nt

[iwillalwayswonderwhy]

27. I didn't know how much I'd use my Kitchen Aid until I got one

I use it all the time. Love it. Such a good and useful tool. I have the pasta attachments and the meat grinder and sausage maker. I have great fun with it and have created some amazing food with it.

[live love laugh]

31. It is really good to know that it's so versatile. nt

[634-5789]

30. As a 40+ year weekend confectioner...

Kitchen Aid is a 5 star unit, worth every penny! You can also get accessories, meat grinder, bread hook, etc....

[live love laugh]

32. Thanks!

[RicROC]

35. A Kitchen Aid Mixer will be part of your legacy.

It will be an heirloom for the family because it will last generations.

[Hokie]

33. Wife bought a Kitchenaid in the early 80's

It works as well as it did on day one. She has the attachments for grinding meat and shredding cabbage etc. I don't know how you could get anything better.

[live love laugh]

51. Good to know thanks.

[MOMFUDSKI]

34. I have the KitchenAid Professional 600

and it is great. I make a lot of bread and have the dough hook for kneading. I did buy a plastic paddle mixer which I prefer to the metal one it came with. It scrapes the sides really well. Got the paddle at a kitchen store years ago. They are work horses, no doubt. I use it to mix meatloaf and I bake a lot so it was well worth the money. Watch for sales, or you can find them at yard/estate sales. Go For It.

[live love laugh]

52. Thanks that's the model I was looking at.😊 nt

[justhanginon]

36. Like many here I have had mine for 25+ years and it still works great.

Picked it up (K45Model) on a sale for $169.95. I do a whole lot of bread baking and other stuff so it has certainly got its fair share of use. They make some useful attachments for it also. I have the meat grinder and it works well.

[live love laugh]

53. Thanks. 😊 nt

[mahina]

37. It's as close to a need as exists in kitchen appliances

Right behind the stove and a fridge

[live love laugh]

54. I can see how essential it is now thanks. nt

[AirmensMom]

38. Get it.

It's seriously worth it. I've had mine for over 20 years and it's still going strong.

[live love laugh]

55. Yup definitely buying it. Thanks nt

[procon]

39. Kitchenaid attachments! Mine is 30+ years and never had a problem.

In addition to what others have said, Kitchenaid makes all kinds of useful attachments that expand the basic functions on a stand mixer. Mine stays on the counter so it's always ready for use.

I use the grater attachment several times a week to shred cheese. There's also one that slices things like potatoes and carrots, and one that makes quick work of chopped onions. I bought the ice cream maker that churns out delish custom ice cream in just a few minutes. There's a very good pasta maker with several attachments for making different types of fresh pasta.

There are many other attachments to help cut down your kitchen work.

[live love laugh]

56. Yes I want to learn to make pasta with the attachment. The graters sound like a good option too. nt

[Staph]

40. I'm a fan of America's Test Kitchen,

and they swear by the various KitchenAid mixers, large and small. And Consumer Reports has KitchenAid as the top five of their tested stand mixers.

Go for it!

[live love laugh]

57. I subscribe to ATK and I am a fan too. Thanks. nt

[spinbaby]

43. I love mine

Although I bake bread and often mix heavy doughs and found that the tilt-head model wasn’t up to that kind of abuse. I upgraded to the pro model and never looked back.

[live love laugh]

58. Good advice on the upgrade I think I'll get the 600/pro. Thanks. nt

[Mollyann]

44. Heavy

I bought one a few years back but I seldom use it. I don't like it taking up counter space, so I store in on the bottom shelf of the bottom cabinet. It is very heavy and at almost 75 years old I have trouble lifting it to the counter top. It is probably time to pass it on to one of the children or grandchildren. I just wish I had had one fifty years ago.

[greatauntoftriplets]

45. I bought a very basic model several years ago from Amazon.

It was around $185, believe it or not, and came in white. I love it. The machine does everything I want it for and can use all the attachments. Even that was a lot of $$$, but I love it. I've now acquired a Kitchenaid blender and toaster that are the best I've ever owned.

[live love laugh]

59. That was a really good price and I like white or maybe stainless as a finish. nt

[wackadoo wabbit]

49. Are you a Costco member?

I saw the 4.5- or 5-quart Kitchenaid mixers in the warehouse for something like $250 (please don't hold me to the size or the exact price!), which is a good deal.

I just checked, and the only ones available at costco.com are the larger 6-quart ones, which you don't probably want; but those are only $329.99, which is a helluva price.

When I bought my 4.5-quart one more than 20 years ago, it cost something like $450-$500. That being said, it was one of the best purchases I've ever made; I don't regret it for a moment (and I don't even do a lot of baking).

I definitely wouldn't buy one on Amazon. I've gotten so many phony products on Amazon that, at this point, I rarely buy anything there at all — and I certainly wouldn't buy something this expensive from them.

[live love laugh]

60. Those are good Costco prices I found prices as high as $699 for some models. nt

[wackadoo wabbit]

64. Here's a link to the 6-quart one, in case you're interested

https://www.costco.com/kitchenaid-professional-series-6-quart-bowl-lift-stand-mixer-with-flex-edge.product.100485356.html

If I didn't already have one, this is definitely the one I'd want (although it would be serious overkill for the amount of baking I do!).

[Kali]

50. I got mine as a rebuilt directly from the website

check there. shorter warranty but the reality of these machines is that it will work forever if it works in the first place.

[live love laugh]

61. Thanks I cannot go wrong from all the rave reviews. nt :hi:

[sinkingfeeling]

62. I have had my KitchenAid for 30 years. Bought a second one in 2019 which

came with the glass mixing bowl seen on TV shows. This year, when I downsized, I sold the new one and brought the old one to my apartment. My son thought I was crazy to keep the old one.

[live love laugh]

66. I like the glass mixing bowl.nt

[Warpy]

63. The Kitchen Aid is a brute. While you can break them, you really have to work hard at it.

If you do a lot of bread, get the Kitchen Aid.

[live love laugh]

67. Thanks.

[tishaLA]

65. I've been working through the same issue

if you google Kitchenaid refurbished, you will find they have a bunch of 5 qt refurbished mixers for $200, which to me is a bargain. I haven't pulled the trigger yet because I'm waiting to see what happens with the next stimulus bill, but if it turns out favorably, I will be ordering one (white on white or a matte gray/black/white).

[live love laugh]

68. Yes ... decisions, decisions... I hope to decide this week. nt

[Demsrule86]

69. I bought a refurbished one which wasn't bad pricewise.

It is 12 years old. I had to replace one small part...wouldnt go on low , but it was easy to do. I use it all the time.