# KitchenAid mixer - Artisan vs Pro 600?



## kaitlyn2004

I am looking to pick up a stand mixer. The Pro 600 would be ~$100+tax more...

My things are:

- I don't cook/bake much, but want to get into baking more

- EVERYONE seems to blindly suggest the more powerful 575 watts Pro 600

- I've never made my own loaf of bread, but COULD see myself doing it down the road...

- I'm interested in trying to make my own ice cream

- I've heard adding ingredients is much easier in the Pro 600

- I feel like the head-tilt is nicer, yet everyone seems to recommend bowl lift. I felt like I could easily+quickly get the tilt-head bowl in and screwed in, but the bowl-lift was a little bit of an annoying two-hand process and the crank is on the opposite side of the power setting...

- I FEEL like the Artisan should be fine for me, but worry I'll find limits or wish I had the Pro 600 sooner rather than later...

- People have said the power combined with better dough hook alone is easily worth it

- I do like the smaller physical footprint of the Artisan, and worry I might have some trouble storing the Pro 600 (mainly due to height...)

I'm sure there's more... but, ya. I'm going back and forth constantly and just going crazy. I have no idea what to do!

I appreciate all comments given my situation! I'm definitely new to this...


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## zerosignal

Pro 600 would be my choice if your doing anything outside of cake batters and icings. Artisan is a lower wattage unit and has nylon(plastic)

main gear in it. Which does break under pressure from doughs. Not expensive to replace if you can tear one of there mixers down. But if it has to be done by someone the parts and labor won't make sense to repair. the 600 has a brass gear in it which does wear too but SOO much easier to fix. Pictured is the gear that breaks in the artisan.


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## paddymeehan

I am the Culinary Specialist at Bloomingdale's in Chicago and often advise customer on which models to choose.

The Pro 600 is for the person who makes a lot of heavy cookie or bread doughs where the additional power is helpful.

For the person just starting out the Artisan Stand Mixer is the most popular and better choice. You don't need to spend the extra money on an appliance you "might use" in the future. If you find you yourself going in that direction in the years to come it'll be easy enough to sell or give away the Artisan and upgrade to the pro line.

Many appliance companies today are adding new and better gizmo's to their product lines so by waiting you can select the latest and greatest at that time.

And remember, there are a host of attachments you can get for the KitchenAid's. Add a food grinder, ice cream maker, pasta attachments, etc.

Enjoy, Paddy


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## zerosignal

KA has a $40 rebate on 6qt also until March 24th. Maybe that will help twist your arm for the bigger one.


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## thatchairlady

Frankly, don't really know the model I have, off-hand?  Several years ago, SIL got one and was raving about it!?!  She does a LOT of baking, and I don't.  First thought was... no way I'm spending THAt kinda money on a mixer!  That Thanksgiving, she pretty much FORCED me to haul the appliance home, with the knowledge that I HAD to return it the following weekend at the latest.  Her advice was to make ALL my holiday cookie dough, stash in zip bags in freeze, then thaw/bake at my leisure as the holidays approached.  After making 3-4 different doughs (using butter right out of fridge)... NO sore hands, arms, shoulders... I was SOLD!  Bought the same model she lent to me... white, tilt head... a basic model... as soon as I returned hers.  Probably smallest capacity bowl, but FINE for everyday stuff.  Came with dough hook, paddle and whisk attachments.  Well worth the money!

THEN about a year ago, came across a "vintage" KA at Goodwill, of all places.  Kinda faded yellow color, crank up/down bowl, whisk/hook/paddle... and it ran nice and smooth.  BUT it was beyond my thrift store budget... $39.99... AND I already HAD one?!?  Almost passed on it, until I noticed that it was half price, due to color of tag... just hadda buy it.  Larger capacity, more kilo-whackers or whatever power is measured in.  It wasn't cruddy, but I cleaned up up really well.  Then taped off everything and spray painted it flat black with paint meant for outdoor gas grills... paint has held up fine.

ALMOST ended up with a THIRD one... again at a thrift store.  There on the shelf was a gorgeous, stainless steel model with all the normal attachments.  I lugged it to an outlet, plugged in to check to make sure it ran.  Then someone tapped me on the shoulder to advise me to let it run more than 2-3 seconds.  After about 10... it just stopped??  No unusal noises... just stopped.  Thought sme kinda short, already have TWO, so back on shelf.  KICKED myself for DAYS for NOT going for it anyway!  It was only $20-25, might have been something very minor to repair.  On KA website... something like $500-600!  Needless to say, it was GONE when I decided to go back the following day.  As they say, ya snooze, ya lose!!


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## max weber

I was making my research for few weeks before I decided that Artisan is the best for me. It doesn't worth paying more as the professional one is not much better.


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## chefedb

Biggest differences id inside the machine in the gear boxes.  Better machines are metal gears and parts , cheaper ones are plastic. Also the more amps the more powerful the machine is. The Artisian  is for the home kitchen, as it really is only good for light dough and batters, if you do heavy ones constantly you will burn it out.


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