# Cuisinart vs. Kitchenaid stand mixers



## anneke

I know there's been some discussion about this, but nothing conclusive. If you've had experience with both, I'd love to hear from you. 

I'm looking at a Kitchenaid, 425 w or more, 5 qt, budget is a consideration, preferably an all-metal construct. 

Would like to know how it compares to the Cuisinart 5 qt, 800w (is the power difference as dramatic as it sounds?).

This is for a household, some breadmaking, may like to get attachments eventually.

Thanks for your input!


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## robeezee3

I own the pre-cursor to the *Cuisinart* (the _*DeLonghi*_ 7 Qt), as well as a few _*KitchenAids*_ and a genuine _*Hobart 5 Qt N-50*_. _*Hobart*_ originally made the 4.5 and 5 quart mixers, but sold its _*KitchenAid*_ division to Whirlpool about 20 years ago, and Whirlpool has been making modifications ever since - some good and some not so good.

You also may want to keep in mind that the current _*Cuisinart*_ line started out life as the _*Kenwood*_ brand mixer (originally sold in UK), was then sold in the US under the _*Rival*_ brand for a while, then under the _*Delonghi*_ brand, and now, with a very modest redesign (more plastic) the _*Cuisinart*_ brand. _*DeLonghi*_ was responsible for ramping up the wattage of the mixer to 800 watts for the 5 qt. and a Frankensteinian 1000 watts for the 7 quart model - all as an advertising gimmic. While the lights do temporararily dim when I turn on my 1000 watt mixer (as in a vintage prison movie), this is because of its wasteful draw of electricity, and not because it is delivering more power at the beater, as you will see in my explanation below. Reviews have not been stellar for the _*Cuisinart*_ - for either sized model. Depending upon how well this unit sells for _*Cuisinart*_, you may find it popping up under yet another brand name, with or without slight modifications, or it may just go away, leaving you scrounging for accessories (those that are available now are few and far between) and repair parts as well. So, this is not a mixer for the person to whom it is important for the brand to persist for years to come.

*KitchenAid* began putting plastic gearbox covers (the housing that holds the gears together and keeps them properly meshed as they turn) in their mixers some years ago, which has lead to durability problems and millions of complaints about them. *KitchenAid* has promised to revert to a metal gearbox cover in future, but I find it very difficult to trust a company that has cheapened an appliance advertised and sold as being of "heirloom" quality and durability. *KitchenAid* has "retaliated" by flooding the consumer market with a confusing array of mixers (in 1985, they had two models, the 4.5 qt head lift up and the 5 qt crank up). From making a few simple models well, they now have opted to make many models poorly, or so it seems.

Either brand should be fine for the non-breadmaker who does light chores like whipping cream (high speed but low torque requirements). However, if one makes bread, one will find the *Cuisinart* skipping all over the counter (it is light), versus finding the *KitchenAid's* gears stripped after comparatively few uses. Its not a pretty mixing landscape for home bakers unless one is willing to shell out the money for the Hobart N-50, which is the granddaddy of them all, and has only 3 speeds. (The _*Viking*_ mixer has also fallen into disrepute due to reliability problems, and so fails to offer any relief on the reliability front).

My suggestion would be to phone _*KitchenAid*_ and inquire if they have gotten around to correcting the gearbox cover problem of the past few years. The rep will invariably tell you that their mixers are made with all steel gears, but this is not the issue - if the gearbox cover cracks from the heat, those steel gears misalign and basically self-destruct, leaving you with pieces of steel gears inside your machine after you've heard some terribly expensive-sounding gnashing. The question is "what is the gearbox cover made of - plastic, or metal"? If KitchenAid can assure you that it has returned to the use of a metal gearbox cover, I would go for the *KitchenAid*. Also, with _*KitchenAid*_, you'll always be assured of an adequate variety of accessories because the brand is unlikely to go away.

Regarding your inquiry about wattage, wattage has NO correlation with power. Wattage is the measurement of how much power the mixer motor consumes. And the notion that the more watttage one feeds into a motor, the more power it will put out out is completely false. A poor quality motor that is inefficient will consume lots of electricity (wattage), but not give it back to the user in the form of task power. For example, my industrial _*Hobart*_ N-5 purrs along with a tremendous amount of task power, all the time using only 300 watts of power. My _*Delonghi*_ (1000 watts) generates more heat and noise, but is the less powerful of the two, though each is adequate for light chores. Much of my pleasure in cooking comes from using appliances and implements that are finely and adequately engineered, as opposed to being on the ragged edge of their engineering, ready, in this case, at the sight of heavy cookie dough, to require a trip to the repair shop, requisite with all the awfully annoying and time consuming phone conversations with reps to get the thing fixed.....Which is why I bought the Hobart N-50 and abide by its 3 speed limitation and high (~$1000) price tag.

Hope this helps.
Bob


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## anneke

Thank you Bob for being so thorough and insightful. Unfortunately, the Cuisinart was purchased. Haven 't heard any reviews yet from the giftee but so far they 'love the look of it'. I don't think they'll be using it that often and we got an extremely good deal on it. I wasn't thrilled about forking out big money for a 'cheap' Kitchenaid with plastic parts, but I did have my suspicions about the wattage on the Cuisinart, which you confirmed. I guess time will tell. Thanks again for the great review.


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## robeezee3

Well, the _*Cuisinart*_ IS a very good-looking mixer, and happily, _*Cuisinart*_ has wisely refrained from modifying the excellent tool design of the original _*Kenwood*_ (the wire whip is the best design out there).

Good luck and keep us posted on how your friends fare with it. I would be delighted to hear that its performance has pleased its recipient.
Bob


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## foodpump

Hold on there, as many have said, do not get fooled by the "wattage", this is no indication of the "guts" of the machine, only how much power it draws, not puts out. There are many kinds of "Kitchenaids". The one I use, and have been using for many years is the 5 qt "professional series", mdl # k5ss. Used on daily in a commercial kitchen for almost 8 years without problems until it "dissapeared" one day (coincidenatlly when one of my employees left too), so I replaced it with the same model (k5ss) which I bought at Costco: Lift-up bowl and a choice of only 3 colours, I think. 4 yrs old and still going strong on a daily basis in a professional kitchen.

Keep in mind that bread dough is hard on many mixers. Even the 20 qt commercial Hobarts are sold with the explicit warning that if used for pizza or bagel dough Hobart will refuse any warranty work.


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## rouxtheday

Bob, I think you may have gotten some of your brands muddled. FWIW, the Cuisinart brand started out as just that. The company was acquired by Conair about 20 years ago, and is still a division of that company.

Kenwood, a UK manufacturer, joined the deLonghi group a few years back. DeLonghi still makes and sells stand mixers and other appliances under the deLonghi name. I just purchased the deLonghi 5-qt stand mixer.

All the points about wattage are correct. Torque is what counts, and good luck finding that information. The best you can usually do is evaluate each model based on the pounds of flour it's rated to handle without overworking the motor.

My main reasons for choosing deLonghi were (1) it has a 10-yr motor warranty (2) it's made of metal (3) numerous user complaints about the plastic gearbox in the KitchenAid and (4) my own expensive and ongoing performance and reliability experiences with the five, nearly-new KitchenAid appliances in my kitchen.

I know you've already made the purchase, Anneke, but if you'll find it at all reassuring, Cuisinart has worked to significantly improve its products over the past few years, and they are almost always well-rated overall. The biggest risk probably lies in the fact that the machine is fairly lightweight, and that Cuisinart has only been in the stand mixer business for about a year, so the product is not yet proven.


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## robeezee3

Dear Roux,

I don't believe I've gotten my information confused. While DeLonghi may still be selling its mixers, the identical mixers appeared in the marketplace a few years back sporting the Rival logo. Identical in key features that are telling. 

I am not claiming to know whether the changes in product monikers through time was the result of mergers, a line buyout, etc, but the acquisition of Cuisinart by Conair is an irrelevant aside. While Rival sold the Kenwood mixer, the typical "K" was obvious on the flat beater. When the brand was passed on to Delonghi, the first models sold bore the "K" on the flat beater, and was later revised so that it would not be so obvious that this was a former Kenwood product.

Now that Cuisinart has made a few changes to the same product handled by Delonghi (witness the SAME 7 qt bowl that twists on to the base in the same manner, the identical gearbox, with outlets on the same parts of the machine body - these outlets accept the same accessories as did the Kenwood, Rival and Delonghi), the same whip with plastic bib, and the identical way that the machines fasten their tools to the hub - not similar, mind you, but the same). Minor changes have taken place. For example, when Kenwood and Rival owned the brand, there was a manually resettable overload/overheat fuse that could be accessed on the body of the machine when the head was in the far back position. Once Delonghi put its imprimateur on the mixer, the accessible, resettable fuse disappeared inside the mixer (in which case, if the mixer overheats, one needs to wait for the thermal overload to reset itself). Cuisinart appears not to have done much fiddling, and has left the overload switch inside the mixer, an unfortunate choice.

Of course, I agree with you on wattage, and its being a red herring as far as providing information on how much power the machine has - in fact, all the issues you raised about reliability drove me to purchase the original Hobart machine, which, I thought, was the equivalent of purchasing a 20 year old KitchenAid.
Bob


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## mikerocha

Wow. Robeezee3, you really put your heart and soul into your reviews. How do you get your information? I think you must be a small appliance dealer or repairer to know so much. Anyway, thanks for the info.

I, personally, have a KitchenAid Artisan mixer that I bought around a year ago. It's rated at 325 watts. I'm not a huge baker ... I don't make bread. But, my son and I make chocolate chip cookies fairly often. To me, that dough seems fairly heavy, but my mixer handles it with ease. That's my 2 cents on the KitchenAid mixer.

As far as a Cuisinart stand mixer goes, I had my friend write a review for the Cuisinart 5.5 Quart Stand Mixer in White. You can follow the link to read the review on my web site. He swears by his Cuisinart, although I've never been over there while he's been using it. I hope this info helps.

Mike Rocha

Publisher, SmallApplianceDepot.com


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## eyescreamscoop

I can't say I've ever used a Cuisinart mixer.... But I HAVE gone through 5 "professional" quality Kitchen Aid mixers in the last 4 years... As soon as you do something other than lightweight use... BOOM! Grain mill, grinder... That's what does it at work, hands down. There's a 500 watt KA at my parents' as well, bought in... 2006? 2007? and it griiiiiinds on bread dough. Anything heavier than whipped cream, I swear it wants to snap into pieces. We sent it back the first day after we bought it, and the replacement had Exactly the same issue!!



...And yet, I own a Kitchen Aid older than I am (30!)-- It was my parents' wedding gift-- that works consistantly better than anything I've encountered in a working kitchen... So I'd recommend checking eBay for KA from the early 80s, when they were still made by Hobart. The parts all still fit, so... I know that when mine finally dies, I'll be on eBay, and not a store at the mall... Just my opinion, though...


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## pat32rf

As a retired service electrician I had to sign up and jump in about this power subject.

If you need more power/speed/torque you MUST up your wattage. All things in the geartrain being equal, a 600w motor will give you TWICE as much power/torque than a 300w motor. I believe it's Newtons 3rd law (or something). There is NO free lunch. You cannot get out more than you put in (unless you are in politics).

A 600w motor will not consume 600w at all times however. If the load is light, it may only be using 150w, just like a 300w unit would under the same conditions. If you increase the load on a 300w unit to the point where it NEEDS 400w, you will either trip the overcurrent device/breaker/overload, or burn out the motor.

All of this assumes that the rest of the gear train can withstand a 300 or 600watt load in the first place. The older units could, the newer ones are more "engineered" and operate closer to the failure line. Just a cost cutting step that most companies must do to keep the bean-counters happy. (plastic gear casings and white metal gears)

My compaint is with those stores that do not give satisfaction garranttees, but direct you back to the manufacturer once you have left the premises. If the unit I bought cannot do the job, I don't want it repaired/replaced, I want a DIFFERENT model !


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## thegreatfixer

robeezee3 said

"You also may want to keep in mind that the current _*Cuisinart*_ line started out life as the _*Kenwood*_ brand mixer (originally sold in UK), was then sold in the US under the _*Rival*_ brand for a while, then under the _*Delonghi*_ brand,"

this is great info just one point the Brand name in the US was* Hamilton Beach* not Rival


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## abunker

What about the bosch mixer?  How does that compare.  I have the Jr. and there is nothing it can't handle, but I want the big one so I can do five loaves of bread at a time instead of one or two.


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## boar_d_laze

Is there any actual evidence that Cuisinart acquired the rights to build the DeLonghi/Kenwood? Or is that all [ahem] speculation?

Similarly the Hamilton Beach commercial machine has some of the same styling cues, but is there some reason to believe it's a secret DeLonghi/Kenwood? Hamilton Beach merged with Procter Silex in 1990, but they compete with DeLonghi -- again AFAIK. If there's information that HB or HB/PS ever marketed Kenwood built machines, I'd be very interested in seeing it.

DeLonghi bought Kenwood in 2001, outright and is doing just fine, thank you very much. They stopped selling mixers in the US, but they continue in production (in China) and are still sold under the Kenwood name in the UK.

I'm open minded about both Cuisinart and HB, but would like to see the bases for the beliefs. As nearly as I can figure out most of the speculation in this thread is [cough] mistaken.

With a little physics, the wattage thing is not that complicated. Otherwise, it's complicated. Some machines with lower wattage ratings manage to do more work than some machines with higher ratings. This has something to do with how the power is transmitted -- the gear train for instance -- and quite a lot to do with the difference between torque and wattage. Lots of watts is very nice for turning high rpm against low resistance; but you want torque when your machine is cranking at a low speed kneading a stiff dough. This is true whether or not you were an electrician.

My almost entirely internet based research leads me to believe that KA has resolved, at least for now, it's reliability problems. Almost all of the complaints concerning KA are based on the long discontinued, older machines with plastic gear housings. For those of us burned by the bad design, that's cold comfort.

The Cuisinarts have a decent reputation as well.

Vikings not so much.

There's not much user information out on the "commercial" Hamilton Beach, but what little there is seems positive. That said, I've heard they don't do well on beating small quantities of cream or egg whites -- amounts which are more conveneint to do with a hand mixer or a whisk anyway. The smaller Hamilton Beach machines are very cute, but obviously not suitable for bread use.

I don't own either, but more internet research leads me to believe that the best mixers for home bakers who want to do a fair amount of bread are the belt-driven (as opposed to gear driven), come from beneath, Bosch and Elextrolux mixers. If and when I buy another mixer, and if I can manage to tear myself away from all my KA attachments, it would be one of those.

BDL


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## ryan.brosseau1

There is some evidence to support the claim that the Cuisinart/ Kenwood etc are all the same machine at least mechanically: if you buy aftermarket accessories they are interchangeable. If you look up new paddles and whisks etc, the same parts # is listed to fit all of those brands. Not definitive proof, but it's not likely that so many machines would have the exact same bowl shape to accommodate interchangeable parts.

This is most likely a technology/ patent/ design etc etc licensing agreement. This happens all the time with appliances, cars etc. Did you know that Chevy you drive is really a Suzuki? and on and on.


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## cycle1667

Robocoup has always been good to me.

The worm gear in the kitchen aid is made of plastic and breaks easily.

_________________

Scotsman Ice Machine


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## boar_d_laze

Originally Posted by *cycle1667* 


> The worm gear in the kitchen aid is made of plastic and breaks easily.


And "searing seals in the juices." Time to update your store of conventional wisdom and old chef's tales. KA went back to metal gears years ago.

Also, while I'm not a KA repairman, I destroyed a first generation "Pro." It's my understanding that the "fail safe" spur gear, not the worm, which failed most often by far.

BDL


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## boar_d_laze

Originally Posted by *ryan.brosseau1* 


> There is some evidence to support the claim that the Cuisinart/ Kenwood etc are all the same machine at least mechanically: if you buy aftermarket accessories they are interchangeable. If you look up new paddles and whisks etc, the same parts # is listed to fit all of those brands. Not definitive proof, but it's not likely that so many machines would have the exact same bowl shape to accommodate interchangeable parts.
> This is most likely a technology/ patent/ design etc etc licensing agreement. This happens all the time with appliances, cars etc. Did you know that Chevy you drive is really a Suzuki? and on and on.


It's a nice piece of reasoning, but flawed.

The meat of the question as to whether or not they're "same same," is whether or not the motors, drives and other guts are also standardized. So far, all you've said is Cuisinart and DeLonghi use the same hub and bowl shapes. The fact is the companies are separate business entities using unrelated manufacturing facilities.

It's safe to venture that at some point, for one reason or another, one, the other, or both decided to standardize some of the parts. Possibly to get better OEM pricing, possibly to avoid going to the trouble and expense of setting up a factory to make their own, or any one or combination of other reasons. It seems to me that anything beyond that is only speculation.

Yes, I'd heard globalization was worldwide.

BDL


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## cycle1667

boar_d_laze said:


> Originally Posted by *cycle1667*
> 
> And "searing seals in the juices." Time to update your store of conventional wisdom and old chef's tales. KA went back to metal gears years ago.
> 
> Also, while I'm not a KA repairman, I destroyed a first generation "Pro." It's my understanding that the "fail safe" spur gear, not the worm, which failed most often by far.
> 
> BDL


My apologies, it's been awhile since I had to pull apart my mixer.


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## chefedb

I know a few pastry chefs(mostly European trained who swear by Electrolux. I have no experience with them. What I can tell you is that 90% of the cruise ships use Electrolux commercial stoves, ovens,mixers warmers etc. and claim good results.The cruise industry is very efficient and EXTREMELY cost consciece .  If they can figure a way to save 1 toothpick they will.So I am assuming Electrolux comes in at good bid price and has fewer repairs, I will try and find out as I am going on cruise tomorrow.


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## boar_d_laze

Electrolux stand mixers (called the Asssistent) are very powerful, very expensive, and very reliable. First choice for a home bread maker who can afford one. Bosch probably come in second in terms of their abilities to handle realistic batch sizes of a variety of bread doughs. Then the various "come from the top" mixers.

BDL


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## eddie

I am researching all leads trying to pick a replacement for my failed Sunbeam Electronic Food Processing Center which lasted over 20 years but I can no longer find parts. I think its a circuit board problem but hesitate to get into replacing SCRs and etc being unsure of the outcome.

I have noticed that several brands claim that KA accessories will fit and all that use the planetary drive seem to picture a near identical flat blade, dough hook and wire whisk. I am tempted to go for the Cuisinart as everythingkitchens has a deal on it now that includes a free blender and a rebate for a food processor all for $249. But I am concerned about reliability and parts availability.KA has so many refurbished units available on Ebay that it scares me a bit, but KA repair parts are readily available.

In my search I also note that the Waring 7 Qt Commercial unit is identical in appearance and features  to the Cuisinart SM-70 so that adds another brand name to the mix.


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## eddie

Will any other brands bowls work with the Cuisinart? I purchased the Cuisinart 5.5 quart mixer from everythingkitchens.com and got a good deal, the mixer with blender attachment and an offer to get a free food processor all for $249 with free shipping. I would like a smaller bowl for whipping if someone elses bowl will fit the bowl lock in the base.


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## riverwalk

After reading this thread, especially Boar d laze's post, I looked up the Electrolux Assistent and viewed the demo video at electroluxmixerdemostration.wmv I have to say that I would never buy the KA or Cuisinart mixer after seeing that workhorse. I definitely want one. It's the first home use mixer I have seen that looks like it won't overheat and break with heavy doughs/breads. The attachment videos following the mixer demo just went on and on, there are soo many attachments and they look so seriously well made!


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## thegreatfixer

while i agree the Electrolux Assistant is the best mixer anyone here mentioned
it excels with large loads but its expensive

in truth the absolute best dough mixer i ever used (for smaller loads) is the *Dough Only Mode *on my bread maker (i happen to have a 20 year old DAK catalog bread maker) the advantage is that any if not all bread makers mix just fine (up to 3 cups of flour or more for some models) and make the best bread that is light and fluffy (even with 100% whole wheat, that's all i use) it mixes then stops lets the dough rise while turning on a small amount of heat to help it rise (just enough for it rise no more its like putting the dough near a warm oven) then it mixes it again and so on when its done i simply take out the dough and braid it into Challot and bake it in the oven

and i have a Kenwood and a Electrolux Assistant but for small loads i use the brad maker for dough


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## eddie

The Electrolux does look very good, however for my use the cost adds too swiftly.


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## johnny h

For what it is worth, I am a casual cook and even more casual baker.  Three years to the day, mid November, 2007,  I purchased a Kitchen Aid 600 Pro. (6 Quart, 575 Watts....I am not saying how much power it actually has, I am just saying that is what the manual says....lol) In those three years I have baked approximately 30 loaves of bread and enough dough to make about 35 to 40 pizzas.  Other than the occasional times that it was used to mash potatoes or similarly light to medium duty tasks 2 or 3 times a month, that was all the use it received.  On Thanksgiving Morning 2010 while preparing bread for our big feast, the Kitchen Aid bit the dust. (The gear/gear housing situation) I guess I just assumed that Kitchen Aid was "The Brand" and it had all metal gears!  Obviously, there are still issues with the Kitchen Aid.

I don't pretend to know or even care about who owned what company, when it was sold and whether or not the parts are interchangeable.  I also really don't care to understand the details of why some electric motors are more efficient than others.  Not that there is anything wrong with knowing that information if  you are so inclined, but for me it is VERY simple.  When I buy a product will it do what I want/need it to do and will it last a reasonable time if I give it reasonably good treatment.  To my way of thinking, the Kitchen Aid failed the reasonable time test.  I know what you might be thinking.  Did I abuse it?  Did I overload it?  Perhaps I did, but I don't believe so.  I read the owners manual and never did anything including load it more than was recommended.  In fact 90% of the bread and pizza dough that I made were from the recipes that came in the cook book with the machine.  Since I am NOT a real cook or baker I follow the recipes to the nth degree.

So here is the bottom line.  I am VERY disappointed in the Kitchen Aid.  They have obviously had lots of issues. and after doing a lot of research, reading lots of forums and generally becoming more confused than ever, I decided that I would buy the 7 Quart Cuisinart Mixer.  My wife likes the way it looks and it has a 5 year motor warranty and 3 year warranty on everything else.  It was also the least expensive of the ones we considered.  It came down to the new big Bosh Universal, a 7 quart Viking and the Cuisinart.  (Had I read here first I might have gone with the Electrolux but I checked their website and it did not show that they still made mixers).  So we have at least a warranty that is considerably longer than a Kitchen Aid and if they all wear out in about 3 years....we are loosing the least amount of money since it required the smallest investment to purchase initially.


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## boar_d_laze

Well, well, well.  We just replaced our old, broken KA (from the era when they had plastic gear housings) which could not be repaired with... wait for it... a KA 600 Pro.  We have too many KA attachments to make the change to another brand, do too many other things with a mixer besides making large batches of bread to pony up the change for an Electrolux Assistent, found the KA for $229 (after rebate) at Amazon, and I'm not the only decision maker in the house. 

If this one bites the dust three years to the day, I suppose an Electrolux or a Bosch will be next.   

Geeze, I've spend a lot on appliances in the past few days. 

BDL


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## tylerm713

We were given a Cuisinart mixer a few weeks ago as a wedding present, so I've been experimenting with it for a little while. I haven't had the chance to use any attachments with it, but so far the performance has been good. Prior to getting this mixer, I used a KA that my fiance's family had. It was over 10 years old and worked great. I think for most people, the KA is so iconic that they are drawn to it. And for good reason. KA makes some good mixers. The jury is still out on the new Cuisinart, but so far so good.


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## kyheirloomer

Johnny, I found your post particularly interesting, because we must have bought our Pro 6 mixers within days of each other. But I've had the opposite experience.

In the three years (plus one month, now /img/vbsmilies/smilies/wink.gif) I have never had a lick of trouble with mine. The motor hasn't even overheated, let alone quit. And that's with fairly heavy-duty use: I make bread at least once a week, including whole-grain breads, as well as using it for other purposes. I'm wondering if you didn't get an older machine, as when we bought them was about the transition time and there could have still been some of the poorly designed units on retail shelves.

As an aside, do you really use a stand mixer to make mashed potatoes? Whatever for?


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## boar_d_laze

Tyler -- Mazel tov!

KY -- I'm lovin' your words, brother.

Johnny -- Why didn't you get your KA repaired? The machines which created the bad repuation have been off the market for years, while the new KA seems to be well liked in serious baking forums like The Fresh Loaf. One of the problems with internet research is that the reputation of the old machine is attached to the new one by people who are unaware of the changes. On the other hand, internet or no internet, that's reputation for you.

Here's hoping my third KA -- which should be arriving in time for Kwanzaa -- is as good as KY's current miser. The first one, more than twenty years old, is still going strong with my daughter who inherited it from her mother (my previous wife). The second, one of the first generation Whirlpool's with the now thankfully obsolete plastic gear housng, died a horrible death after a few years of light use -- outside of warranty and without the possibility of repair.

There was no getting around replacing it with another KA, despite the shining example of a friend's Elextrolux. There are just too many attachments already in our defunt KA's storage crypt. I couldn't pass up the great deal on the KA which seems to have been offered because the color, meringue, seemingly is discontinued (who knew shades of plain white mattered?). _If anyone's in the market, Amazon is selling them for $229 (after rebate). That's a good price._

One does like a bargain -- especially considering how much one spent on a new espresso machine (should be here Monday and plumbed in on Tuesday), it's companion big-deal grinder, the regular coffee machine (our old one is dying -- right on cue), and the tea machine (?!) one's significant other gave herself. If one is not asking, _How many ways can one make hot water? _one is a better man than one is, Gunga Din.

Wotthehell, wotthehell, it really does look like a heck of a HanuKwanzMas -- that is, if you like appliances. Don't hate me for being beautiful (and broke), I can't help it.

BDL


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## heika

I intend to acquire my first stand mixer and today have read this thread discussion with great interest in the hope of assisting me to make a purchase decision. It was Amazon's to-good-to-refuse-offer of a KA Pro 600 Meringue ($229.99 after $50 rebate) that spurred me to compare the Cuisinart 5.5 with the KA Pro model at a local retailer.

There is no question that the KA has classic Art-Deco lines and the Cuisinart reminds me more of a sewing machine. However, once I opened the hood and sat in the driver's seat without starting the engine so to speak, I was baffled by the procedure for insertion and removal of the bowl on the KA Pro. It seemed to me that a blade or whisk had to be attached after the bowl was placed, and then detached prior to removing the bowl.

To me this appeared very awkward and was made more so if one wanted to use the rather ill fitting splash guard. The Cuisinart, on the other hand, came with a spring loaded pivot arm that was activated for release by depressing a lever. Presumably the arm rotates sufficiently far enough that the bowl can be removed without having to detach an accessory. Additionally, the splash guard lifted out of the way with the arm. These were my observations and the KA's good looks withdrew.

Is using a KA Pro 600 as awkward as it appears to me? While we tend to adjust to shortcomings, I would prefer not to start out purchasing a product knowing it has them.


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## foodpump

Huh?

The K.A. has two "ears" and a ball at the back of the bowl.  The ball goes into a socket at the back and the two ears hook into the sides.  This is how virtually all profefssional larger machines work too. 

The whisk or flat beater is placed into the bowl prior to hooking the bowl in, then attaching it to the shaft, and removed after lowering the the bowl.


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## kyheirloomer

Heika, you really make the KA sound awkward to use. But it's not.

The bowl hangs on what amounts to being gambrel hooks, and locks to the frame at the back, as Foodpump describes. The various mixing tools (whisk, paddle, dough hook) lock onto the rotating arm merely by turning in a keyway---the same as with a tilt-head model. That's the whole deal. Takes less time to accomplish than to describe.

As to the splash guard/pouring spout. I don't know anyone who uses it after the first day or two. And the one that comes with the Pro 6 is about 10X better than the one on the smaller machines.


----------



## heika

*foodpump* & *KYHeirloomer*,

Appreciate your response...makes me feel the KA Pro is again a purchase option. Happy Holidays!


----------



## thegreatfixer

Hi all just an FYI Amazon has the *Cuisinart SM-55 5-1/2-Quart Stand Mixer on sale for $250 *this is the lowest i found for a *NEW ONE NOT REFURB *with *FREE SHIPPING AND NO TAX *

is on sale


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## quinkcooker

I have read through all of your comments with great interest.  I have had lousy luck with small appliances, including mixers, coffee makers, etc., and am getting increasingly frustrated.  Most recently, I ran into the problem of not being able to get my appliances repaired, including my Cuisinart.  My repair shop has informed me that Cuisinarts are not repairable.  I've heard the same for KitchenAid.  Viking appears to still be repairable.  My most recent stand mixer stripped its gears making frosting (!), so I am in the market for a new one.  However, I really want to get one that can be repaired, preferably locally.  I hate our throw-away culture and don't want to participate, if possible.  I am not a bread maker.

You all seem like the most knowledgeable bunch I've come across, so any suggestions, recommendations, warning, etc.  Quink


----------



## joolz

Just chiming in with my Kitchenaid experience.  I have had my 400W KA Accolade (5 qt tilt head) for just over 3 yrs and a few weeks ago it recieved its death sentence from a local repair shop.  Symptoms were clunking sound with any medium duty use and the repair shop described the problem as "crack in gear transmission" which I'm now assuming may well be the plastic gear housing that is documented in this thread?  Does anyone know if the Accolade from 2007 would have been made with the plastic gear box?  I called Kitchenaid and they are unwilling to do anything for me stating that I should have purchased the extended warranty.  If I had known that their product was liable to end up in the landfill after 3 yrs without an extended warranty I certainly wouldn't have purchased it at all.

My dilemna now, is...do I take what sounds like a similar risk on Cuisinart which sounds like they have plenty of failing units themselves, or do I capitalize on the accessories I already have for KA and enjoy having a 2nd bowl for it which I always wanted from the start anyway.  Or do I upgrade to a Professional model KA which would presumably not have the plastic gear box?? (also negating the 2nd bowl benefit, because it would use the bowl lift system).  I'm so disappointed that I'm in this situation especially after reading KA's website about their 'long-lasting all metal gear construction'...hogwash!


----------



## johnny h

Here is a follow-up to my original post from about 7 weeks ago.  We bought the Cuisinart and so for so good.  We have used it for various tasks...the same sorts of things that we had previously used our Kitchenaid, before the demise of the gear box.  I will attempt to tell you the things I like about it and the things that I don't.

First, off it is a heavy machine, similar to the Kitchenaid so it stays in place.  Again,my wife likes the way it looks and so do I.  I know that really doesn't matter in the broad scheme of things, but we still like it.   

The bowl is very deep and the beaters do a reasonably good job of clearing the sides of dough or whatever.  The bowl attaches completely different than the Kitchenaid.  Very securely in fact, almost too securely.  It twists on the bottom.  It can be difficult to twist off. My wife has some difficulty with it as do I.  You have to twist very hard and very quickly or the entire mixer moves.  The kitchenaid has the advantage there, but you can take the bowl off of the Cusinart without removing the beaters.  Advantage Cuisinart.  That it is possible because the Cuisinart tilts back.  Sounds silly, but with the Kitchenaid you can slowly raise the beaters with the lever while they are running and they will somewhat clean themselves as they will whip the mixture on the sides of the bowl.  I know, maybe not the safest thing to do, but it works!  Because the Cuisinart tilts and it will still run as you tilt it and the beats will still throw the mixture off, helping to clean them.  However, the mixture will not remain inside the bowl, which is not good!  Advantage Kitchenaid.  Also the Cuisnart when tilted in the upright position hits the top of my upper cabinets when the mixer is on the counter top.  I have to scoot it so the front of the mixer is as close to the front of the counter as it will go.  In this respect it actually takes up more counter space than the Kitchenaid because you cannot use the space behind the mixer very effectively.  To me, it means I can't set ingredients etc., in front of the machine.  Advantage Kitchenaid as I just don't have as much work space as I need as it is.

The spill guard/pour spout is worthless on the KItchenaid.  The one on the Cuisinart works very nicely and I actually use it.  It snaps down and keeps stuff from flying out and you can actually add ingredients without making a mess.  Advantage Cuisinart.

The Cuisinart has more speeds and seems to run faster than the Kitchenaid on high, which is rarely used by me but still a factor.  Advantage Cuisinart.  The Cuisinart has a timer which I never thought I would use but I have used it a couple of times and it is useful.

I know this is an unusual review as I have not covered, power, capacity and your other basics, but that information is readily available from the manufacturers sites.  The things I have wrote about are the things that I noticed.  Hopefully they will be helpful to someone.

I have made bread and pizza dough and various other things and it is running fine and so far handles big load without any difficulty.  Of course so did the Kitchenaid till it broke.  For now I like the Cuisinart and am happy with my purchase. If I was buying one today based on what I currently know, I would buy the Cuisinart.  Primarily because the Kitchenaid didn't last. But the proof in the pudding will be how long the Cuisinart lasts.  That is yet to be determined but I will keep you posted.


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## kelliq81

I have the KA Pro on the stand from the early 80's - never had a moments trouble with it. It's white and we just redid our kitchen so I thought I would upgrade to the KA 600 in red. Ordered it in the fall - looked fab in our black and white kitchen. From the get go, the bowl was very finiky about staying put but I just lived with it. We've been on a grilled pizza kick so lots of pizza dough getting made. On December 23, thankfully after all of the holiday baking was done, I was making pizza dough, almost through, and the mixer just quit. Then it started smoking. It died a very early death. Unfortuntally we were renovating and our tried and true orginial mixer was literally buried along with the new KA box so I just recently sent the KA back to Surlatable. Then this morning on the Today show Jack Bishop from American's Test Kitchen was on and he recommended the Cuisinart 5.5 qt stand mixer SM55-BC for $299. Now I'm torn. Doesn't come in red! LOL! However, it does sound like a fine mixer and all of the researsh that I've done on the KA Pro 600 is iffy at best, which I knew going in in the change out, but was willing to try it out.

Does anyone have any input on the Cuisinart mixer?

Thanks!

Kelli


----------



## love-to-eat

after reading all the reviews,i got more confused which to buy..im thinking of buying a ka 5ss 2005 model...as it is on sale..can anyone tell me if it falls on the times when plastic was use on some parts of the mixer?..thank you!!!


----------



## boar_d_laze

Love,

You asked:


> after reading all the reviews,i got more confused which to buy..im thinking of buying a ka 5ss 2005 model...as it is on sale..can anyone tell me if it falls on the times when plastic was use on some parts of the mixer?..thank you!!!


I think not; but recommend calling KA or a an authorized KA service center and asking someone with real information.

Unless the mixer in question is still covered by a "New" warranty, I suggest buying more current, new production. KAs are widely discounted especially around this time of year, and you can almost always find a new one at an attractive price if you're not too picky about color.

BDL


----------



## eddie

The Cuisinart SM-55 is still available for $249.95 with free shipping at this site including a free Blender Attachment and a mail-in coupon for a Food Processor Attachment.
http://www.everythingkitchens.com/cuisinart-mixer-5andhalf-quart.html


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## lstone

I came across this thread when researching the topic. Unfortunately, it ended up confusing me even more that ever. I just want to point out that in my experience, I just purchased 3 new Kitchenaid Pro 600 and every one of them broke within a week or two.  And all in the same manner. Yup. The gears stripped. I am using them to make sugar cookies and royal icing. Notice the date of this post. I want to point out that I received model numbers made back when the plastic was used. I purchased one of them from Amazon. My real frustration is that after many hours of research and phone calls, I was told that ALL Pro 600  are made with metal. I am SURE that is untrue. One of my machines has a loose part that is clunking around in the motor compartment. They had me turn on the machine and they listened over the phone and told me it sounded fine. Funny... it sounded like a soft purr before it broke. Needless to say, I don't have the same feeling for Kitchenaid that I once had.


----------



## austintexican

cycle1667 said:


> Robocoup has always been good to me.
> The worm gear in the kitchen aid is made of plastic and breaks easily.


Hi Cycle 

I just went to the Robot Coupe website and saw some really nice food processors, blenders, and juicers, but I didn't see any mixers. Did I miss something?

Also, a couple of weeks ago I was talking to a guy that repairs KitchenAids and other small appliances, and he told me that the older models with the nylon gear are actually the better machine. If the machine is overloaded, the nylon gear will "sacrifice" itself to save the motor, whereas the the newer models with the metal gears will just let the motor burn out. His theory is that it's all about KA no longer being interested in making units that last for decades, because they recognize that today's consumers have been trained to think it's normal to replace appliances every 3-5 years.

One of my prized possessions is my Grandma's old KA that she used for bread making, meat grinding, etc. I inherited it just this last xmas. I'm pretty sure it's at least 20 years old and afaik the nylon gear has never needed to be replaced. Her generation wouldn't have put up with this planned obsolescence nonsense.

(I also have her old Le Creuset skillet that she routinely tossed into the cabinet where it could rattle around with the other cookware. Only one tiny chip on the rim, if you can believe it. Makes me sad to see what passes for quality today, compared to my grandparents' generation.)


----------



## cttara7

I personally did phone Kitchenaid and as long as you buy the pro series 500 or 600 they have a metal gear box the lower models still have the plastic gear boxes.


----------



## lucidbaking

Hi all...

Came to post a question my KA mishap and was hoping if anyone can share their experience with me... 

Well for a start this is what happen last friday night

I was doing something else when my kitchenaid was creaming my butter  then suddenly i hear a thud and some TTZZZZZCCCHHHH sound. I spun around and immediately stop the mixer (the paddle attachment is already STUCKED, at speed 5 or 6). I cant lift the mixer up, nor move the paddle... until i found what DROP INSIDE THE MIXER.... THE ATTACHMENT KNOB COVER! 

I remove the knob and the paddle loosen, and i was able to lift up the mixer. And thereafter i hear loud noises inside my mixer when i use it...

I made marshmallow twice after the accident...

Just now, i was making marshmallows for the second time. I'm supposed to mix at high speed with the paddle attachment but i'm wary of the strange noice and friction its making, so i only use med speed. About 8 mins.

But my marshmallow is underbeat seriously... so i change to whisk attachment and decided to whisk for a min to pump it up... but once i turn on the mixer with the whisk attachment, the KA sound like there's a robot tumbling inside!

My heart sank. the mixer is barely 6 mths old and serving me well.....

I need to deliver big batches of Chinese New Year pastries next week. Sending it for repair is a must but i was hoping if anyone can share some experience with me on KA. 

THAT KNOB is such a troublemaker! it dropped several times ever since im using it!


----------



## gf baker

The comments about the plastic housing within the KitchenAid sends me into a rage. I bought one of the bigger most expensive Professional labeled models with a bonus I got from work. It worked great for several years until I tried to mix a quadruple batch of Gluten Free chocolate chip cookies. Ugh. Darn thing just stopped. My husband took the top off and the plastic housing was cracked. We ordered a new one from KA and they did send a metal inner housing, but after he installed it, we realized the alignment of the gears were out of whack (these are very technical words as you can tell!) and the thing just would not work!! Now I am scouring blogs for which mixer would work best for Gluten Free baking and the reviews are as varied as the discussions are here-passioned and experienced. I had only made regular pizza dough in my food processor(as recommended in the recipe at the time, however it was a Weight Watchers recipe so I don't know if it was less dense than a regular crust recipe) so I don't know how it fares in a mixer.

GF mixes, if more than just rice flours, are more dense so I need reliability, power, and good torque!

We used Hobart brand appliances in our kitchen at the university, but I have not purchased any for home use. From reading between the lines, I need a mixer that WILL make those bagel and pizza doughs as it seems they would be equal in density to my GF recipes.

Any recommendations?/img/vbsmilies/smilies/confused.gif


----------



## gf baker

The comments about the plastic housing within the KitchenAid sends me into a rage. I bought one of the bigger most expensive Professional labeled models with a bonus I got from work. It worked great for several years until I tried to mix a quadruple batch of Gluten Free chocolate chip cookies. Ugh. Darn thing just stopped. My husband took the top off and the plastic housing was cracked. We ordered a new one from KA and they did send a metal inner housing, but after he installed it, we realized the alignment of the gears were out of whack (these are very technical words as you can tell!) and the thing just would not work!! Now I am scouring blogs for which mixer would work best for Gluten Free baking and the reviews are as varied as the discussions are here-passioned and experienced. I had only made regular pizza dough in my food processor(as recommended in the recipe at the time, however it was a Weight Watchers recipe so I don't know if it was less dense than a regular crust recipe) so I don't know how it fares in a mixer.

GF mixes, if more than just rice flours, are more dense so I need reliability, power, and good torque!

We used Hobart brand appliances in our kitchen at the university, but I have not purchased any for home use. From reading between the lines, I need a mixer that WILL make those bagel and pizza doughs as it seems they would be equal in density to my GF recipes.

Any recommendations?/img/vbsmilies/smilies/confused.gif


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## boar_d_laze

If you can afford it, get the Electrolux Assistent.  Undermount belt drives are a lot stronger and more efficient than the "come from above" gear drives on "normal" stand mixers.

You can save some money with a Bosch which may or may not be better value, but the Bosch aren't as heavily or well made as the Electrolux machines. 

My KA Pro 600 is doing fine thanks.

BDL


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## csew

I have owned both mixers, and must say I LOVE MY CUISINART mixer. I previously owned 2 Kitchenaid mixers, and both of the motors seized up, 1) while mixing a double batch of chocolate chip cookies, and 2) while mixing a basic cake batter. The Cuisinart can easily handle a  double batch of cookies! The timer is also a great feature, which allows you to tend to other tasks while mixing your food. And, it's MUCH lighter than the Kitchenaid mixer!


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## csew

I have owned both mixers, and must say I LOVE MY CUISINART mixer. I previously owned 2 Kitchenaid mixers, and both of the motors seized up, 1) while mixing a double batch of chocolate chip cookies, and 2) while mixing a basic cake batter. The Cuisinart can easily handle a  double batch of cookies! The timer is also a great feature, which allows you to tend to other tasks while mixing your food. And, it's MUCH lighter than the Kitchenaid mixer!


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## sharonsharealot

I have a Kitchenaid, my 6 quart mixer recently had the plastic gear box break, thankfully my husband is handy, so we ordered a new one from mendingshed.com and to our surprise they're sending us a cast aluminum part instead. Not sure if that means kitchenaid parts are now metal but the replacement part is. I had my mixer for 10 years before this happened, and I was mixing pasta dough. I've always been happy with it, I bake bread a fair amount and when my husband puts the new part on, I'm sure I will be happy again. I asked him if he thought the gears had stripped, he said they hadn't . So if you make sure that the gear housing is metal I would recommend the kitchenaid 6 quart for bread making.


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## zerosignal

Those Kitchen Aid 6qt brass gears wear out to. They are made of a soft metal.


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## lawrence

I always wondered why I never saw Kenwood mixers on US cooking shows, you guys can't get them anymore!

I have an old Kenwood at home about 30 years old still going well, and mostly used for bread or pizza dough.

Nowadays they also do a commercial version, KMP77 but it is not cheap, £350 (+ tax) from nisbets.co.uk But I understand they are well worth the money.

Of course if you are feeling really rich, go for the KM069 Kenwood cooking chef at a bargain £650 (+tax) which has a built in induction cooker.

I don't know what the shipping would be, but if you want a good mixer I would recommend them.


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## zeltzers

Hi,

Does anyone have any idea if the accessories of KA and Cuisinart are interchangeable?

I want to buy a Cuisinart, but I prefer the accessories kit from KA...

I would really like to get the answer from someone who has owned a KA and a Cuisinart and eventually tried to interchange parts.

Thanks in advance!


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## pitufina73

wow, some great reviews here!! i was about to get a kitchenaid artisan at target but after reading about the quality of the paddles, (metal ones and plastics) it made me research more...then someone told me that an artisan sold at williams sonoma isnt the same artisan sold at walmart or target, based on quality matter, im about to research the quality... i want a machine where i can make from meringues to bread and pizza dough, even to make royal icing which it gets hard in the beginning, it burned my handheld mixer.

im still debating the artisan vs heavy duty classic plus, i want a stand mixer that gives me enough for breadmaking once in a while at home and cakes.  i dont really dont need the cuisinart since it its more for adding attachments...

any input is much appreciated


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## stevep

My Cuisinart stand mixer was broke down more than it worked. Plastic parts broke (cracked) and couldn`t find replacement parts. Then the electronics quit (circuit board). Cuisinart customer service is useless,

That`s my experience...........just sayn...........and I dont think Im alone, if you read online about Cuisinart problems.

;It makes a nice paper weight,


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## salparadise

I have a delicious fudge recipe that my mother made at Christmas time, and which I've been making for years. It calls for a long mix time and the batter gets thick. I burned up a few hand-held mixers and a cheapo stand mixer on this recipe before buying a Kitchenaid in the mid 90s. That machine was up to any task we asked of it, including that fudge recipe. I've been on a gluten-free diet for 15 years and used it regularly for the thick gluten-free doughs. When the ex and I split she got the Kitchenaid. I my homework before buying a new Kitchenaid Pro 600 mixer and made sure it had the cast metal gearbox and metal gears. When it arrived I removed the cover to confirm. I've using it about once a week for three years for pizza dough and other gluten-free doughs as well as less demanding tasks. It feels and sounds strong, like it has plenty of torque for the most demanding dough mixes, and runs without getting excessively warm. I am hoping (optimistic) that it will last a few decades like the previous one (which is still going strong). I got it in December of 2009 for $249 (with rebate) and so far am happy with my choice. I'm sure there are big commercial machines that are stronger and more durable, but they also cost some multiple (4X) of what this one does.


----------



## anthony m

Hi all,

First off, I am really excited to have found this forum. I must say this is an awesome resource for chef's, as well as aspiring home cook's like myself.

After reading through the posts and doing more research online, I've decided to bite the bullet and go with a professional series mixer since I plan to use it quite often. Basically, I couldn't resist when I found the Kitchenaid Pro 600 series for 50% off at an online store in Quebec, Canada. I just placed my order today since the shipping rates to Toronto were $20, which seems pretty reasonable considering the 15 KG weight!

I will keep you posted on how it turns out!


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## mariaadalgisa

Warning: DO NOT BUY THE KITCHEN AID STAND MIXER IF YOU PLAN ON MAKING BREAD DOUGH WITH IT. The bowl is NOT engineered to stay on the base with the force of kneading bread dough, even with less than 6 cups of flour. It bangs around and then flies off. It has gotten worse and worse until now it won't even stay on to mix liquids! It's a tin can PIECE OF JUNK!


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## petemccracken

I've owned and used Kitchenaid stand mixers, both bottom lock and bowl lift models, for over 20 years and the following sounds more like operator error than a design failure


MariaAdalgisa said:


> Warning: DO NOT BUY THE KITCHEN AID STAND MIXER IF YOU PLAN ON MAKING BREAD DOUGH WITH IT. The bowl is NOT engineered to stay on the base with the force of kneading bread dough, even with less than 6 cups of flour. It bangs around and then flies off. It has gotten worse and worse until now it won't even stay on to mix liquids! It's a tin can PIECE OF JUNK!


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## salparadise

PeteMcCracken said:


> I've owned and used Kitchenaid stand mixers, both bottom lock and bowl lift models, for over 20 years and the following sounds more like operator error than a design failure


Same here. I've made bread with both and never had the bowl come loose while mixing. On the Pro 600 there's a spring latching mechanism at the back that you snap the bowl into. It locks down tight and I've never had it come out.


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## pjswim

I am one of those ppl who had a large 5qt lift up handle, that the gears just ground & shaved away, & pieces of steal came out the top. I sent it back to be repaired, it came back to me, worse than it left. & they said it was fixed. So thank god i still have my old original kitchenAid. When that goes I will purchase a different Mfg. /img/vbsmilies/smilies/confused.gif


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## foodpump

Mmm..I've been doing bread and pizza dough in a "pro" 5 qt on a weekly basis for about 5 years now.  No problems


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## mark tabor

KitchenAid will replace all plastic gearboxes with metal ones. They realized the design flaw and will extend the warranty to cover this flaw.


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## mark tabor

Many users experienced the gear box failure after heavy use. [i.e., bread dough]. So much so, that KA decided to extend the warranty to cover replacing the gearbox. The gears have always been metal on the Pro model, but the box that holds all the gears in place was switched to plastic for a time, and that design didn't hold up, so they have changed back.


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## dcarch

The use of plastic gears may not be intended to save manufacturing cost.

For appliances which use high-speed, high-powered universal motors, plastic gears have the advantage of reducing initial shock as well as reducing operating noise.

Some mixer speed controls incorporate "soft start", which can improve durability of all moving parts. Also to reduce initial splashing.

dcarch


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## pjswim

Well, after two times going back to KitchenAid I said that's it. I will purchase another brand. I gave my stand mixer AWAY.. /img/vbsmilies/smilies/bounce.gif


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## whatiscooking

I have an older Cuisinart mixer that I love more than my new Kitchen Aid 5 qt Artisan. The bottom of the bowl is wider as is the top and I just find it easier to work with.  The Cuisinart seems to have more power and doesn't sound like it is 'struggling'.  I also like the fact that all the controls are on the front vs. the slide bar on the back of the Kitchen Aid to raise the beater.  I will continue to use my Cuisinart at my primary residence and take my brand new Kitchen Aid to the place that I go to occasionally.  Cuisinart has my vote!  Heard negative reviews on the Kitchen Aid 13 cup food processor as well.


----------



## tibeaver11

We have had a dozen or so Kitchen Aid machines come though our shop,

gears worn out most of the time,repair Cost $80-$100. We recommend a

30Qt. Minimum for Pizza Dough.We also advise restaurant owner's to be

covered by Insurance/OSHA Machines most have electrical ground and be

NSF approved.Someone gets shocked or worse the owner is responsible,

seen it happen...Tim Beaver NCFSP


----------



## niccolo donzell

I agree. I went through two 610 Williams-Sonoma models. They just can't take the strain of bread dough. I bought an Ankarsrum original for bread and dough, and I am very happy with it. Quiet, powerful, and makes a great dough. I picked up a Costco KA 550 for about $275 on sale - same as the 610 but with a 5.5 quart bowl, solely to run the KA pasta attachments I invested in.


----------



## cuisinartpoison

A very important (NEGATIVE) issue with the Cuisinart product is the non-stick coating on the mixer paddles.  This coating slowly wears off - presumably leaving a quantity of it in the food you are mixing.  I only discovered this when my 5 year old was helping me make cookies and wiped his fingers on the paddle - they came away with BLACK streaks.  Upon wiping the paddle with a white cloth, I discovered that the source of the black was the coating on the paddle wiping off onto the cloth.  Upon inspection of the paddle, I saw that most of the coating had worn off.  When I contacted Cuisinart, they told me the price for a new paddle.  They had no answer to my question regarding what exactly the coating was & if it was edible - I doubt it!!!  I have stopped using the mixer and will replace it with a Kitchen Aid which has enamelled cast iron paddles.


----------



## foodpump

I don't think the paddles or doughhook for the K.A are enameled cast iron.  Every one I've used is cast aluminum with a vinyl coating on it, and I've been using Kitchen aid for close to 30 years now...


----------



## lawrence

foodpump said:


> I don't think the paddles or doughhook for the K.A are enameled cast iron. Every one I've used is cast aluminum with a vinyl coating on it, and I've been using Kitchen aid for close to 30 years now...


I tend to agree, I have just been given one (Artisan?) because the plastic was coming off into the food and it is definately not iron inside.

I plan to peel it all off before I use it


----------



## elaine sanders

Guess what? KitchenAid has not resolved the problem with their mixers. My less than two years old Professional 600 ground up, it's gears quite nicely while trying to mix

a batch of bread dough using only 5 cups of flour.


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## ramon58

I am sorry but I find your comment about kitchenaid completely wrong. I have my kitchenaid for over 30 years and it is still running strong. Recently I purchased a new one because I wanted a new color and found it to be as great as my original machine. I have had it for 5 years now and have had no problems with it.


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## emilycs

Even though these posts are pretty old, I just have to add my two cents. I bought a Kitchenaid professional (600 I think) in 2007. It lasted two years of minimal use before the gear shaft went out. I bought the same Kitchenaid again thinking that I must have had a dud. It lasted barely over a year of regular use. Again it was the gear shaft that got wobbly so the beater knocked against the bowl. For one, I don't think they make them like they use to. Two, if you are a light user and are beating cream, making cookies and the occasional loaf of bread, you'll probably be happy. If you are a home bread baker who bakes a couple loaves weekly, this is not the mixer for you!  I was also very unhappy with the customer service. Paying to ship the machine back to the company from Alaska was not a feasible option. And the one year warranty had just expired. I will never buy a Kitchenaid anything again - despite having all the bowls and accessories that the first two came with. I just ran across this forum researching other mixers. Still have to decide between the Cuisinart or Viking or ? The Electrolux is out of my budget.


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## kokopuffs

For kneading bread, use your hands.


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## flipflopgirl

kokopuffs said:


> For kneading bread, use your hands.


I totally agree.

Become one with the dough.

Nothing like kneading until you get that silky smooth texture.

A Zen like experience.

Home size stand mixers are not meant for production size batches of bread.

At that point I would be lookin' around for a Hobart.

mimi


----------



## kokopuffs

flipflopgirl said:


> I totally agree.
> 
> ...........................Nothing like kneading until you get that silky smooth texture.............
> 
> Home size stand mixers are not meant for production size batches of bread.
> 
> At that point I would be lookin' around for a Hobart.
> 
> mimi


Gluten forms spontaneously which is the reason why all of my breads are kneaded for less than a minute. Kneading, however, evens-up the hydration.


----------



## flipflopgirl

kokopuffs said:


> flipflopgirl said:
> 
> 
> 
> I totally agree.
> ...........................Nothing like kneading until you get that silky smooth texture.............
> 
> Home size stand mixers are not meant for production size batches of bread.
> At that point I would be lookin' around for a Hobart.
> 
> mimi
> 
> 
> 
> Gluten forms spontaneously which is the reason why all of my breads are kneaded for less than a minute. Kneading, however, evens-up the hydration.
Click to expand...




kokopuffs said:


> flipflopgirl said:
> 
> 
> 
> Totally forgot you are heavily into the super hydrated artisan bread that is so popular right now.
> I like it as well...... who could resist the lure of the signature super crispy crust and the chewy texture.
> In fact it was you who answered my noob questions re my first loaves.
> 
> But don't you ever get a craving for a light and fluffy dinner roll or a Pullman loaf for a dozen sandwiches destined for the family picnic basket?
> 
> I do and for those results you must knead ;-)
> 
> mimi
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