Although there are as many brands of mixers as there are people living in your town, when you are looking for a durable mixer, the KitchenAid brand is a great place to start.
Many home cooks and professionals alike have found that all their mixing, kneading and whipping tasks can be completed with one of the various KitchenAid stand mixer models. Whether you are a experienced chef needing a mixer than can accommodate a large number of ingredients, or a mother, baking for her family, a KitchenAid stand mixer can do the job.
The question is, “which KitchenAid mixer is best for me?”
If you have owned a stand mixer before, you might have encountered basic issues:
- “The motor is overheating”
- “It doesn’t have enough power to do the job”
- “It is too small”
- “It’s not dishwasher safe”
- “It does not take long before the parts start malfunctioning”
A great way to avoid these issues is to take the time to consider exactly what your use is for the mixer before purchasing.
Are you a home cook that bakes everyday?
Do you have a large family or group of people you cook for?
Do you make tough and sturdy doughs? Or light and fluffy batters?
Do you have space on your counter? Or will it be stored in a cupboard or cabinet?
These are all questions to consider when deciding which KitchenAid mixer is right for you.
Best KitchenAid Mixers For Beginners and Home Chefs
As the cook in the family, you might need a tool to mix or knead, one that has the right capacity to make a loaf of bread or a batch of cookies, and also is the right price point. Here are 5 of the best options to choose from for the home cook.
1. The KitchenAid 7-speed Digital Hand Mixer
The KitchenAid 7-Speed Digital Hand Mixer, (KHM7210CU) unlike most of the mixers on this list, is a hand mixer. Instead of sitting on the countertop with a bowl attached, this type of mixer is held in your hand over the bowl with the ingredients.
Kitchen Aid is known for its sleek and compact design, and this hand mixer is no exception.
This mixer has 7 speed levels. Each speed is used for a different purpose - e.g. Speed 1 is for stirring and mixing; Speed 4 can be used for mashing potatoes; and Speed 7 is used for beating eggs and whipping meringue. It also has an amazing soft start feature giving automatic speed control which helps avoid splatter of the contents.
The handle of this mixer gives you a soft grip feeling of comfort, designed specifically to help you maneuver it at any angle. In addition, this mixer has been installed with a Stainless Steel Turbo Beater II for heavy mixing, and is also dishwasher safe.
This mixer can be used with one hand while the other hand replaces any accessory with the beater ejector button. And it can actually be used in a variety of cookware bowls like the ALL-CLAD, CALPHALON, COPPER CHEF AND the GOTHAM STEEL.
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2. KitchenAid Artisan Mini Series Tilt-Head Stand Mixer
The smallest model of KitchenAid’s stand mixers, the KSM3311XHT 3-Quart Tilt Head mixer is perfect for those who bake for one or two. The mixer itself takes up 20% less space than the standard sized mixers, but still comes with all the power. The mixer weighs just over 14 pounds, perfect for the cook with less counter space and needs to store the mixer in a cupboard.
Capable of mixing up to 5 dozen cookies, the Mini Series comes with smaller versions of the classic attachments - a coated flat beater, a coated dough hook, and a wire whip.
There are 10 different colors available in this model, and is compatible with all the PowerHub attachments as the other KitchenAid stand mixers (excludes bowls and beaters.)
View all the available colors and prices for the KitchenAid Mini Series Stand Mixer here.
3. The KitchenAid Classic Plus Series Tilt-Head Stand Mixer
This KitchenAid model (KSM75WH) is the classic stand mixer for a novice and intermediate home cooks alike. Fitted with a detachable 4.5-quart stainless steel bowl, this tilt-head mixer allows for easy access to the bowl to add ingredients. It has the capacity to mix up to 6 dozen cookies or 3 loaves of bread at one time.
This mixer is equipped with a 10-speed feature which is powerful enough to handle any task you throw at it, but is also made to start softly to avoid splashing of the ingredients.
Also fitted with the PowerHub that has over 10 optional attachments, this mixer can be used to literally make everything you want, ranging from burgers to ice cream, pasta and many more.
It is made to have a thorough mixing motion, which means it brings the ingredients from the sides of the bowl up and back down into the bowl. The parts of this mixer are dishwasher safe with a nylon-coated flat beater, dough hook, and a 6-wire whip. It runs on 275 watts and 120 volts. Weighing just 22 pounds, the KitchenAid classic KSM75WH stand mixer comes in white and silver and a warranty of 1 year.
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4. The KitchenAid 5-Quart Glass Bowl Tilt-Head Stand Mixer
For the KitchenAid KSM105GBCMC 5-quart mixer, the manufacturers decided to take it up a notch by producing a glass bowl with measurement markings, handle and pouring spout instead of the usual stainless steel bowl.
This makes it different from most KitchenAid stand mixers, with the capacity to handle 9 dozen cookies at one time and also adds an extra touch to your kitchen.
It also features a flex edge beater, a c-shaped burnished aluminum dough hook and a 6-wire whip which makes it a top choice for frequent bakers and cooks with a big group of mouths to feed.
The KitchenAid KSM105GBCMC mixer, like other mixers above, it is equipped with the PowerHub and can turn your mixer into a culinary center with more than 15 additional attachments. These can fit into the hub which gives you a variety of processing options and also equipped with the tilt-head technology.
If a glass bowl doesn’t seem to suit your style of cooking, a similar model (KSM150PSOB) features the exact same specifications, but comes with a stainless steel bowl instead.
The KitchenAid KSM105GBCMC 10 speed tilt-head mixer comes in various colors and has a 1-year hassle-free warranty. Check real reviews here.5. KitchenAid 6-Quart Professional 600 Series Bowl-Lift Stand Mixer
This final recommendation for the home cook is the biggest and most powerful mixer to keep in your kitchen. This model (KP26M1XER) is meant for the advanced baker who doesn’t mind investing money into their kitchen tools.
The main difference in this model, besides the 6-quart bowl, is the “bowl-lift” aspect. Instead of snapping to the bottom of the mixer, the bowl gets lifted up to the moving arm.
This adds extra support for mixing heavy ingredients and large batches and has an efficient the beater-to-bowl contact.
The Pro Series from KitchenAid also boasts a 67-Point Planetary Mixing Action. This means that there are 67 touch points per rotation around the bowl for thorough ingredient incorporation.
KitchenAid Stand Mixers for the Home Cook Comparison Table
KitchenAid Model | Bowl | Weight | Number of Speeds/Wattage | Accessories | Customer Ratings | Price |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
7-Speed Digital Hand Mixer | N/A - able to use in any bowl | 2 pounds | 7 speeds/150 watts | 2 beaters and wire whisk | 4.3 | |
Artisan Mini Series Tilt-Head Stand Mixer | 3.5-Quart, brushed stainless steel (no handle) | 14.3 pounds | 10 speeds/250 watts | Coated flat beater, c-shaped dough hook, 6-wire whip | 4.5 | |
Classic Plus Series Tilt-Head Stand Mixer | 4.5-Quart stainless steel bowl | 22 pounds | 22 pounds | Coated flat beater, c-shaped dough hook, 6-wire whip | 4.6 | |
5-Quart Glass Bowl Tilt-Head Stand Mixer | 5-Quart polished stainless steel | 26 pounds | 26 pounds | Coated flat beater, c-shaped dough hook, 6-wire whip and pouring shield | 4.5 | |
6-Quart Professional 600 Series Bowl-Lift Stand Mixer | 6-Quart Polished Stainless Steel | 29 pounds | 29 pounds | Burnished aluminum, spiral-shaped burnished aluminum, wire whip, and pouring shield | 4.3 |
Summary
It is important to consider multiple aspects before purchasing a KitchenAid Stand Mixer. Consider what kinds of foods you will make in the mixer, how much space you have to store it, and how large you need it to be.
There are many options within the KitchenAid family of products, but hopefully this helped you sort of which stand mixer is the best for you.
