Wednesday, July 19, 2017

Mrs. CW just told me that this thing was the cat's meow, so to speak. True?



12 comments:

  1. My wife has always wanted one, but the price keeps going up.

    ReplyDelete
  2. Problem is KitchenAid has learned that they can make money off of the 'latest and greatest' and will put out a newer, more super, spectacular one every year, trying to hook people into buying newer, more super versions. And silly people still fall for it. Yeesh.

    Prices have been stable or even falling for the same features (bowl size, wattage, basic attachments.) They just keep making more powerful and bigger machines. The attachments work on any of the stand machines, so that's out of the equation (though the price of the attachments are expensive like any modular attachment for a tool.)

    If you aren't doing professional cooking or making more than 1-2 loaves of bread at a time, 300 watts should do it. The one you are looking at is rated at 575 watts (which equates to a lot of torque for turning.)

    On the other hand, the price difference between the less powerful versions and the monster you've posted are minimal, like maybe $40.00, so if your wife is going to do massive cookie projects once in a while or do baking on holidays, go ahead.

    It's kinda like getting a simple reloading press for X amount or that really cool rotary turret model for Y amount. Both do pretty much the same thing, just one does it faster, better, more power..hur, hur, hur...

    The only true question you should be asking her is who is going to be moving the damned thing. The 5 quart I just bought today weighs a poop-ton (as it should, since a heavy stable mount makes for less tip-overs.) If she can't handle the weight of moving it, assuming it will not be in a fixed position in the kitchen world, and you don't want to move the damned thing (listed at 29lbs,) then you might want to look into a smaller one, like a 4 quart or 5 quart unit.

    I do a lot of baking with sticky dough (gluten-free dough is nasty-sticky) and also a lot of holiday breads, and I can move the beast, so I can justify it.

    As to the functionality of the beast compared to other mixers, well, imagine if it was a woodworking tool. You can buy Harbor Freight and it will work as long as you don't stress it, and you won't be too peeved if it craps out after using it a couple times, because, Harbor Freight, and if it survives and you spend a lot of time futzing with it to make it work smoothly, then you are really happy. Or you can just plunk down the cash for some high-end model and have it work smooth and correct the first time, and 10 years from now.

    KitchenAid isn't Harbor-Freight quality. It is some good stuff. Not your grandma's mixer at all. Whoo, smooth, powerful, not too noisy, and built like a tank (as long as you buy the model that fits your expected needs.)

    So, yeah, it will work, well, for years and years.

    Did that help?

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Wow, excellent! Thanks for all that good advice.

      Delete
  3. Okay, just saw the price at $350.00 (at the 'click to see the price' button, with retailers selling that model at $400+.) Screw that. Ignore comment as to price difference, which only pertains to the 5 quart vs 4 quart prices.

    Get the 5 quart version. A little less weight, same features, a lot less money. Sam's Club has a 5 quart KP25blahblahblah for $260.00 and if you get the mail-in offer, you can pick up an ice cream maker for free.

    $360? This is the price I used to see the 4 and 5 quarters when they were first introduced many, many years ago.

    And, again, unless your wife is baking 13-14 dozen cookies or 8-10 loaves of bread at a time, she doesn't need that 6 quart mixer. 5 or 4 quart units will work much better. And they all look alike, for the most part. Difference is just in height of unit and size of motor.

    Again, yikes on the price unless she really wants it and you can justify the extra $100+ for one friggin quart and 50 stinking watts difference.

    And the females make fun of us over 'bigger means better.'

    Either way, no matter what unit she gets, she will enjoy it. Brand is good.

    ReplyDelete
  4. I have had ours for about four years now - love it. Meringue whips up in less than three minutes and bread dough is more thoroughly kneaded.

    Mine stays on the counter because lugging that beast around ain't in my wheelhouse and we have the space for it. It's heavy so I do not worry about wobbling or watching it vibrate off the counter.

    As Andrew stated, attachments can be pretty pricey, some of them are totally worth it. I purchased the sausage attachment but that proved to be inadequate. The pasta attachment(s) look to be good but again, a tad on the expensive side so the question becomes can I justify the cost by the amount I am willing to make. Being that we are retired, time's not the issue - laziness is.

    This machine will be one you pass down to your grandchildren. It's totally worth the price.

    ReplyDelete
  5. I have one of the smaller ones. Instead of lifting the bowl to the mixer, the motor head pivots. I have had it for thirty years and it still works like day one. It's lighter than the one in your pic. It will do everything the larger one will, just in smaller batches. There is nothing like a Kitchen Aid for whipping cream, meringue, or kneading bread dough. Cake batter is mixed better that is necessary. Mine is so old it is painted Harves Gold.

    ReplyDelete
  6. I have this mixer, and although it does what I wanted it to do the bowl raising and lowering feature isn't that useful. It seems more professional, but it makes it harder to add ingredients or scrape down the bowl. I had a smaller version where the power head tipped up, and it was a lot easier to use. It also did everything I needed it to do, e.g., make 2-3 loaves of bread at a time. They're both good machines, though. Wish I had purchased a Bosch. I wanted USA made, but Kitchen Aid may be made in China.

    ReplyDelete
  7. The older models are better built than the newer ones and you can buy them used at the Goodwill online auctions for well under $100. The wife has two of them...you always need a backup. indyjonesouthere

    ReplyDelete
  8. The commenters had me at 14 dozen cookies. :)

    ReplyDelete
  9. Just think of it as a kitchen tractor.There are many attachments you can run off the PTO

    ReplyDelete
  10. These machines, whatever size, last forever. So few appliances are this well made these days. Meat grinder accessory is great for homemade pet food (motor is strong enough to grind up raw chicken carcasses with bones). I would never bake as much as I do if I didn't have one, and I frequently bake very professional type tarts and cakes as house gifts when we go visiting.

    ReplyDelete