If you’re a serious home baker, the KitchenAid stand mixer is the go-to in the baking world. With its iconic, retro appeal and impressive power for quickly beating, kneading and whipping a storm, the KitchenAid Stand Mixer is a home essential.
It’s no surprise that the KitchenAid ranks well in our best stand mixers guide, making it a more worthwhile purchase. But deciding which KitchenAid blender to buy can be difficult. Luckily, we’ve done the research for you so you don’t have to.
So whether you’re a connoisseur of homemade baking, a hobbyist, or just want an eye candy for your countertop, find your baking deal with these KitchenAid stand mixers.
If you’re a regular home baker, the KitchenAid tilting head will do the job. It comes with a generous 5 gallon bowl, which is large enough to hold up to 16 cups of flour – that’s more than enough capacity for your large batch baking treats.
Plus, he’s a beast of a machine, doing light work for whipping pasta and cream for kneading tough dough mixes. Keep in mind that it is heavy to lift and store, but why would you still want to store such a beauty in a closet?
For any bread-baking enthusiast, this KitchenAid lift-up mixer bowl is an ideal choice for kneading bread. Thanks to its powerful 575 watt motor, it can knead dough quickly (without damaging the mixer) and handle large cake mixes in one go. The elevator bowl design gives it a more complete mixing performance, while the soft start feature ensures you don’t spill flour or ingredients all over the place.
Since it weighs 30 pounds, it is incredibly heavy to lift and store. So, if you are planning to invest in this top-of-the-line model, make sure it is in a designated area in your kitchen where you don’t have to move it around endlessly. Considering this is a full size stand mixer, that would be overkill for those who only make small batches.
If you’re new to baking, this mini KitchenAid Artisan is a great entry-level stand mixer. This miniature version looks exactly like its larger counterparts, but it’s designed to be more user-friendly. It has a 3.5 quart bowl, but considering its small size, it packs a punch.
With its 250 watt motor, it has enough kneading power to quickly prepare cakes, cookies, brownies and other recipes in small batches. Plus, it’s also a kid-friendly stand mixer to help out in the kitchen (and lick the bowl off at the end!). It might not be as powerful as the other models, but it will definitely do the job well. Those with small kitchens or cluttered worktops will appreciate this mini KitchenAid Artisan.
What Should I Look For When Buying a KitchenAid Blender?
- Tilting head or lifting bowl? – These two main styles to determine how the mixing bowl is attached and how you access it. The tilting head mixers are foldable and the bowl turns on and off at the base. The head of a lifting bowl is fixed and has arms to support the mixing bowl. The handy lever lifts the bowl up and down, so you can add ingredients by lowering the bowl. The tilting head is easier to access and allows ingredients to be added to the bowl (for quick cooking of small to medium size), while the lifting bowl is more robust for heavy dough mixes.
- Capacity – Do you regularly make small amounts or prepare a feast? Another factor to consider is the capacity of the bowl. A tilt-head stand mixer starts from 3.5 quart to 5 quart and is ideal for home bakers who often bake small batches or cater to small households. Lift-bowl mixers start from 5 quarts up to 7 quarts, which is ideal for mixing large batches or large families.
- Power and weight – Typically, KitchenAid stand mixers start at 275 watts, which is powerful enough for small to medium batch cooking. The lift-bowl mixers, designed to handle heavy dough mixes, feature 575 watt motors. Keep in mind that the larger the mixer, the heavier it is to transport or move around your countertop. So if you have a compact kitchen space, it is best to buy a KitchenAid Mini to move or store it easily.
- Colors – KitchenAid stand mixers are known for their range of vibrant, retro colors, and there are over 40 of them to choose from. Classic colors include Empire Red, Velvet Blue, Pistachio, and Matte Black.
- Dishwasher – It is worth checking which parts are safe to put in the dishwasher. Generally, the bowl, coated flat mixers and dough hook are dishwasher safe. But, you would need to wash the whisk by hand.
- What else can I do with my KitchenAid stand mixer? – The KitchenAid Stand Mixer can do more than just a cake or a batch of brownies. From pasta to sauces and ice cream, many practical accessories are available as a complement. You can purchase accessories such as a pasta maker, chopper, food processor, blender, spiralizer, and juicer.
