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Mrs Bloke has had a kitchenaid mixer on her "dream" Christmas and birthday wish lists for years. Whenever we've had that kind of dosh to splurge on a gift we've always found a "better" use for it. She's had a tough year and I know it would really cheer her up, so I am minded to buy one for her birthday which is on New Years Eve, but I know nowt about them.
Are they all they're cracked up to be? What is warranty/reliability like? I'm leaning towards John Lewis as a source, any reason why I should/shouldn't? I'm looking at the Artisan range but there is a bewildering range of models/ The different models seem mainly down to colour/finish variations, am I right? Owt else I should know?
Amazing. Basically go for the 4.7l bowl not the smaller one, Then pick a colour.
We went John Lewis for the warranty but ours hasn’t missed a beat in 10 years of daily use
My wife has an Aucma mixer, which produces great results (as I frequently sample) and is a quarter of the price.
I guess a bit like a perfectly useable Sonder full suss against an Orange, does she want it to work, or be a pretty decoration at dinner parties? (Apologies to Orange owners)
I got my wife a non-kitchenaid-kitchenaid last Christmas; she says it has transformed her baking. Compared to a handmixer it's a lot quieter, can mix more thoroughly as it's not as much physical work and you can get on with other things while it does its job so it can mix for longer.
It was a cheaper one of about £80 IIRC; it's been absolutely fine, but the only problem we might have is that I can't find anywhere that does a replacement for the paddle (blade? beater?) she uses most, a silicone-edged one, from which the silicone is starting to tear. A proper kitchenaid may be vastly more expensive but at least you know you'll be able to get spare (or different) paddles.
I take the point well about the sonder/orange analogy. Not convinced my good lady will! I know it's an extravagant purchase but she will definitely use it - lots, and so will I as I occasionally enjoy a bit of baking too. So a pukka Kitchenaid it is. Rik, thanks. Annoyingly matte black ones seem considerably cheaper than the lairier colours I suspect Mrs Bloke would covet.
Not needed to but all spares are available for a KitchenAid so a bit like buying Hope.
And yes I do own an Orange too
They look great in any kitchen you can’t say that about many appliances which usually end up in a cupboard and out of sight.
We recently upgraded ours to the glass bowl and it looks even better.
I ordered a Kenwood Chef (MultiOne KHH321SI) directly from Kenwood earlier in the year. Cheaper there then anywhere else that I could find and there are usually some further vouchers for signing up to the mailing list.
It also has a built in did processor which is very handy. Have been very happy with it.
I've got a kitchenaid mini - 3.6ish L bowl, and smaller footprint.
I love it.
GREAT for baking with kids, as less chance of the whisk being lifted up randomly! Also, it's great you can just turn it on and leave it mixing.
I back, make bread, pizza, and pasta with mine.
Expensive, but lovely bits of kit.
I've also got pasta rollers.
I DO fancy the ice cream making bowl, but haven't succombed jsut yet!
DrP
Thanks, but leaning towards the 4.8L one 👍
Great things.
You can get spare parts online - we've worn through one set of electrical bushes/contacts. In effect, you could keep them going for ever.
They also have a tilt adjustment screw. If your beater hits the bowl, you can lift it up slightly.
As you have correctly surmised, if someone covets a Kitchenaid mixer it doesn't mean they want any mixer, it means they want a Kitchenaid mixer like the ones on TV that's built like a tank, even though others may be technically as good.
I'd steer away from any garish colours. We have a bog standard beige one that I bought after losing an unrelated bet with Mrs R. It's been used for I think 17 years so far without fault so can't speak for the warranty (yes, I know that doesn't necessarily mean more recent ones are as well made...), and of course you can still get attachments and spares for it.
If your wife wans a Kitchen Aid don't buy her anything else. Even if your alternative is cheaper or better, she won't thank you for buying anything else. She doesn't just want a mixer, she wants a kitchen aid.
As you have correctly surmised, if someone covets a Kitchenaid mixer it doesn’t mean they want any mixer, it means they want a Kitchenaid mixer
If your wife wans a Kitchen Aid don’t buy her anything else.
Wise words, duly noted and indeed sussed some time ago!
We got one of the massive ones as a wedding gift 10 years ago, still looks new and gets frequent use.
They're massive, weigh a ton and are slightly ridiculous but they do work very well.
The boss has a selection of mechanical mixing devices already but still drops massive kitchen aid sounding hints at the run up to every birthday/Christmas time. I'll relent someday I'm sure but I'm not convinced it's a game changer. Not like all the bikes and wood working tools, cars, vans, oh right, maybe this year would be good. I'd better get onto that now.
Ave has a good video on you tube regarding the mechanical superiority, worth a look.
And my experience of cheaper stand mixers is that although they will probably work perfectly well, they tend to be much noisier.
I bought a K-mix mixer for myself a while back and it's brilliant; I'm sure a kitchen aid would be every bit as good.
One thing I would say is that if the unit you're looking at doesn't come with a silicone edge creaming beater (mine didn't) make sure you get one of those on order as well. It's easily the most used attachment, apart from the dough hook, in our house.
https://www.hartsofstur.com/kitchenaid-artisan-flex-edge-beater-5kfe5t.html?
My OH has one.
No idea whether it's better/worse than others but it's what she wanted.
Just buy what she wants.
Just buy a Kitchenaid in the colour she likes.
Harts of Stur is the place to buy, best prices, lots of stock.
But the 4.8l version.
Proper piece of pro kit, even the domestic versions. Look after it and it will last 10+ years easily. I've taken a few apart and they are really solidly built, and best of all, nothing that needs a microchip.
If I were buying a mixer to complement or replace my Cuisinart it’d be the big KitchenAid or Kenwood in silver/steel color. Go for it. The price will be long forgotten as you tussle for space on the worktop and enjoy glorious mixing long into the future.
a friend’s mother had a KitchenAid back in the day. Still going strong now. And as folks say, the parts and accessories are available. One of the reasons I got a Cuisinart was the ‘sustainability’.
Can’t fault ours. Currently chugging away kneading away a batch of sour dough.
IMO - if she wants a Kitchenaid mixer, don't get anything else. Spoil her, make her feel happy. This year we all deserve a bit of that.
I've got one that is about a million years old and you can still get the parts and it still works. Gets used every week. Bigger bowl is better. If it died I would replace it in a heartbeat except the the nuclear explosion required would probably kill me at the same time
We bought a Kenwood Chef in 1975. Mrs BigJohn uses it a lot, I use it for bread and pizza. It's been faultless in the intervening 45 years. It has a big bowl and some attachments.
If it conked out tomorrow I wouldn't hesitate to replace it...
... with a Kitchenaid.
If it's what she wants, then get that one.
johndoh
Free MemberIMO – if she wants a Kitchenaid mixer, don’t get anything else. Spoil her, make her feel happy. This year we all deserve a bit of that.
Have to agree with this. Mrs JP got one for Christmas two years ago and she loves it. Harts of Stur were good we got a deal for a bright red 4.7l one with an ice cream attachment for about £300 but I don't think you will get anywhere near that price now. The ice cream attachment is great as it is a really simple design so will last for ages.
They are incredibly cheap in the US, I appreciate that is of no use to you but just an observation.
Just remembered we got the pasta attachment as well it makes fresh pasta with ease but the attachment set isn't cheap
The modular approach is good because you can add to it over time
Thermomix 😉
Are they all they’re cracked up to be?
Well, not really as they're now made with plastic gears but for the vast majority of uses I'm sure they're great.
When I started baking bread I spent the same money on a used Hobart N50 (basically a KitchenAid on steroids) as they're commercial and will basically never die.
Since then (about 4-5 years) it's doubled in value which makes me feel kinda smug 😉
(Oh, and all the KitchenAid attachments fit which is cool)
Great feedback all, thanks. Decision made. She will love it.
As you have correctly surmised, if someone covets a Kitchenaid mixer it doesn’t mean they want any mixer, it means they want a
KitchenaidKenwood Chef
With Sausage attachement
There are different motor strengths so if she is going to make a lot of bread or big batches, have a think about whether the Pro would be better than the Artisan.
I have a KitchenAid blender and it is indeed built like a tank, has replaceable bits and I am now lusting after a KA stand mixer with a dough hook ... that is when we get round to replacing our crumbling 80s kitchen, as we'd have nowhere to put it right now!
Slight thread hijack but would be interested in opinions of other more budget friendly stand mixers as considering getting one for my occasional baking use.
Golfchick.
Get a second hand kenwood chef. Mine is ten years older than me. Heavy and ugly they be but they're amazing beasts.
They don't look as good though so they are cheaper.
We've got a Vitamix, a Kenwood Chef, and a Kitchen Aid mini mixer. All of them perform ever so slightly different functions which annoys the hell out of me because of the space they take up. And they're all of them indestructible, which means that they will be taking up that space until (and indeed after) we die. Buy the Kitchen Aid with all the attachments.
We’ve got a Vitamix, a Kenwood Chef, and a Kitchen Aid mini mixer. All of them perform ever so slightly different functions which annoys the hell out of me because of the space they take up.
Eh is the vitamix not a blender thing? Have you tried the blender for the kenwood? It's got grunt.
Get a second hand kenwood chef. Mine is ten years older than me. Heavy and ugly they be but they’re amazing beasts.
Hmmm 🤔
I've got my mum's ('70s') Kenwood chef and tried using it to knead dough for bread.
Because of its comparative light weight (about 8kg) I found it bounced around when mixing heavier dough at anything above low speed.
I see that the KitchenAid weighs about 12kg which is better - but still not even close to the N50s 25jg weight It simply doesn't move when mixing but, as a consequence, I usually have to get it out if the cupboard for MrsSB!
The Kenwood also flexed sideways at the hinge which didn't inspire confidence at all and would probably have killed it had I continued to try and use it.
I suspect this may be an issue with any mixer that opens on a hinge - but this only matters if you're doing lots of heavy dough mixing
There are different motor strengths so if she is going to make a lot of bread or big batches, have a think about whether the Pro would be better than the Artisan.
Yeah I think you can kill the less heavy duty ones by doing lots of bread dough. Second hand Hobart FTW
Thats interesting sharkbait, i can't say I've noticed either of those things. Only done bread a few times though.
I'm not sure the 300quid additional cost to get a Hobart still second hand will be justified for occasional use...
I’m not sure the 300quid additional cost to get a Hobart still second hand will be justified for occasional use…
Isn't a new KitchenAid £400?
The N50 is >£3500 new so £400 for a used one - which is way more capable than a KA - is pretty damn good - plus you get to do cool resprays!!
(and they seem to be appreciating in value)
Okay I'm sold.
Although it should be pointed out you could buy a bike for that.
I found it bounced around when mixing heavier dough at anything above low speed.
This is why the instruction book says use speed 1 and no more for bread dough.
Top tip make sure the feet are in good condition as they are essential for keeping the motor cool. If you want to go mad they are upgradable to 1000W motors with a pulse function for food processor attachments via https://www.kenwoodchefrestore.co.uk/shop/index.php?route=common/home
Our chef lasted 35 years, I now have a Chef XL which is in constant use.
Some Kitchenaid mixer spares are not available (when on Twitter one of my online contacts had to dispose of one because a part was not available).
I can't speak to the mixer, bit as a wedding present we got a kitchen aid blender, it's had 2 small parts in 13 years of regular use and it still looks like new.
It may be an expensive purchase up front, but in 10 years time it'll still be going strong.
I picked up the silicone scraper beater for my mini yesterday... I found that was the only thing lacking in its function... not any more!
DrP