# Kitchenaide K45 Mixer



## jannie (Mar 17, 2007)

I just inherited a Kitchenaide K45 mixer with stainless bowl, wire whisk type attachement and somthing that looks like a vented paddle is the best I can describe it. It also came with a meat grinder attachment and a grain grinder attachment. It says it's 250 watts and other than being very dirty, seems to be in very good shape. It's avacado colored.

I don't know how old it is but I think it's been around a while, can anyone tell me much about it. I think I've read somewhere that they have been made by different manufacturers over the years. 

Opps I just noticed that it was made by Hobart and it also came with a plastic ring that fits around the top of the bowl to prevent spilling I guess. And it has a tilt head to lift the beater up out of the bowl. 

I've used a hand mixer (electric Kitchenaid) like forever and just don't know much about this one beyond being told they're supposed to be pretty good. 

I also acquired a 1979 issue of The Joy of Cooking which makes me very happy.

Jannie


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## kyheirloomer (Feb 1, 2007)

The Hobart-built KA appliances are said to last two days longer than forever. So sounds like you done good!

The 250 amp model you have would, I believe, be comparable to the current Classic, except that yours probably has metal gears instead of plastic, and in other respects is higher quality---bringing it closer to the Artisan. 

If you check with KitchenAid they probably can supply you with an owners manual.


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## castironchef (Oct 10, 2005)

Nope. That's a horrible mixer, as the avacodo green color will taint everything you put in it. 

However, I have pity on you and will take it off your hands. Simply send it freight collect to me.  

Seriously, other than the color, you've got a fine piece of gear there. Clean it up and enjoy. :chef:


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## jannie (Mar 17, 2007)

If you had called me and said you had a avacado mixer you would give me I would have passed. But looking at this one, it actually kind of looks nice. Personally I like white appliances but considering the situations, I'll enjoy it as something special and enjoy the heck out of it. 

Gosh I'm having a heck of a time cleaning it, it has a dull film and nothing yet cleans it very well, I'm thinking of trying painters Goof Off or car wax. Where it is shiny it does look nice. 

I live in an apartment and have been thinking of painting everything-including the cupboards ( I paint apartments for my part time employment) and now I'll have to design the colors around this mixer LOL. No I will not have a avacado kitchen-hmmmmm, pink maybe, yes pink  
Jannie


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## cacook (Jan 18, 2006)

Or you can get some really cool airbrush work done on the mixer


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## joyfull (May 24, 2006)

Oh my gosh, you hang on to that machine and don't let go!! You have an absolute gem on your hands! 
If yours is made by Hobart you have really lucked out..

Hobart used to make KA but sadly not any more.. Now they are made by Whirlpool..
The ones being marketed now are just plain junk as far as I'm concerned!

A year ago I bought myself the KA pro 600 on a trip to the US.. I was wanting one bigger than what I had..
My old KA is a 4 qt. bought in the early 80's, and still works like a charm, but I needed a bigger bowl..

I was so dissapointed in the new 6 qt.. The power I had expected was just not there.. I couldn't make more than a 2 loaf bread recipe as the stupid thing sounded and acted like it was gonna give up and die at any second! 
I finally just quit using it..

I couldn't even take it back to the shop for a refund.. Because I live in Canada the warranty(I found out) is not valid.. 
So, I'm stuck with the **** thing!!


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## kyheirloomer (Feb 1, 2007)

Sorry it didn't work out for you, Joyful. I love my Pro-600, use it several times a week.

Yeah, it won't handle more than a double recipe if you use whole grain anything. But for me that's not a problem. 

There is a great demand for them, though, by people who don't want to pay full price (can you blame them). So you might offer it on Ebay or some such, instead of having it just take up space.


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## joyfull (May 24, 2006)

Yeah, it was a total dissapointment.. I had high hopes for this machine..
It does work okay for light batters and stuff so I'll probably give it to my daughter to use..

Mind you that's if and when she ever decides she wants to make something other than an instant frozen whatever!!


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## muskyhopeful (Jun 16, 2006)

It seems that KA mixers now have metal gears after a period where they were indeed plastic. Possibly Joyful bought one before the change back to metal occurred? They now make sure it is stated the gears are metal on their website and on the boxes. I went through a pizza making phase this winter using a 16 year old 250 watt KA that struggled at times with double batches of dough. I thought about buying the Pro 600 for the wattage and spiral dough hook, but after doing some research found out the one I have is considered pretty good.

Now that pizza season is over, and fishing season is about to begin,  I decided to ride this one out. I'll see if I can explode it next pizza season. I do so want that spiral dough hook.

Kevin

Muskies in just over two weeks.


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## siduri (Aug 13, 2006)

Dear Jannie, 
try a burnt orange (or soemthing in that line, darker or a little lighter) for your kitchen, and make the details in different shades of dull greens, like dark avocado, light avocado, etc. There are very few colors that can;t be made to look good with the right background. But before you chose pink, look at pink next to avocado! not so great. Another possibility is to use plum - take some paint samples and put them next to your mixer. Plum or eggplant makes the pale dull green of the kitchen aid mixer look great. 

as for the old mixer, i had one from the 70s, when i got married. I used it extensively, and it lasted some fifteen years then just died. They didn;t sell them here, so i had to get another. It didn't last two days longer than forever. 
I carried it over, by the way, in my suitcase (in the olden days, before they had wheels!)


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## crema (Mar 18, 2007)

Oh Yeah! Get some flames painted on it like Alton Brown has on his! (j/k!):lol:


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## pilar salomon (Jan 26, 2013)

I know this is a very old thread, but I have also just inherited a KitchenAid K45 and wondered if you were able to locate a user manual.  I have zero experience with this type of mixer....

 Thanks,

 ~ Pilar

PS.  I recently tried using the mixer, which has been in storage for about 10 years.  After a minute, I smelled an odor of hot metal/burning and very faint white smoke (dust?).  Stopped using it of course, and now I'm afraid to turn it on again.  Any advice would be greatly appreciated.  This mixer belonged to my Grandmother, who created wonderful bakery goodies, and I hope to carry on the tradition.


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## wannabcook (Jun 1, 2013)

I have about a 20 year old K45. I picked up at a garage sale,I got it home and I had the same thing happened. I just let it run (if it blew up it blew up.........it didn't) it might need new grease check youtube on how to fix a kitchenaid leaking oil. Easy fix & a great mixer. Hope that helped


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## pilar salomon (Jan 26, 2013)

Thank you, wannabcook ~ I tried using it again, and it didn't catch fire!    I'll keep trying it out and crossing my fingers each time ~ haha.


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## breadman (Dec 4, 2014)

KitchenAid has manuals on their website. For the K-45, see

http://www.kitchenaid.com/digitalassets/MLPDF/Use and Care Guide - PORT0016.pdf

Click on the link or copy and paste into your browser. To view the manual, you will need to download adobe acrobat reader first [it's free] from adobe.com.


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## breadman (Dec 4, 2014)

There is a Flying Tiger decal available also. /img/vbsmilies/smilies/biggrin.gif


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## breadman (Dec 4, 2014)

See my prior post for a link to the manual.


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## dipstick (Dec 14, 2014)

You might consider replacing the brushes on the side of the main housing.  So long as you didn't smoke the electronics, this will get your mixer running...and it will last 2 days longer than forever!  (PS...the brushes will cost you about 10 bucks, that USD, of course)


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