By R D
Unlike a heap of of the reviewers, I’ve only had this mixer for in regards to a year, and it’s this specific model, the 250W 4.5 quart mixer (the bottom of the Kitchenaid line). It was a real splurge at the time we purchased it, but it has turned out to be well worth it.
Before the Kitchenaid, I didn’t do much baking. I tend towards more “manly” cooking techniques: the hotter the fire, the spicier the recipe, the better as far as I’m concerned. But this machine is as satisfying to use as any power tool in the garage — there is something when it comes to using the *right* tool for the job, and I’ve found no tasks that one might consider using a mixer for that the Kitchenaid doesn’t excel at. But it’s peculiarly good for baking, and once you get started using it, you’ll have your oven running a lot more than you applied to.
The huge divergence among this mixer and the standard “two beater” models you may be intimate with is that it uses a single mixing attachment that rotates in two motions- it not only spins on it is own axis, it likewise is rotated around the edge of the bowl. This does an exceedingly effective occupation of mixing ingredients without need for the bowl rotating, since the mixing motion covers the entire bowl. For most mixing jobs, it likewise requires no scraping of the sides with the spatula. IE: when it’s mixing, you may ignore it and work on other stuff.
The initial attachment I’ll mention is the dough hook, which is a godsend for kneading. In the last day, I’ve made pizza dough, bagels, and whole wheat bread. Although this is the least powerful machine Kitchenaid makes, it kneads stiff dough (like the aforementioned bagels made with high-gluten flour) that would turn your mother’s mixmaster into a smoking, stinking heap of fried motor components. Machine kneading takes a *lot* of the effort and variability out of making bread… you never “knead in” too much flour to keep it from sticking to your hands, and the 20 minutes you commonly spend working the dough turns into 10 minutes you may use to clean up the kitchen.
The other two affixations are the paddle and the whisk. The paddle is the all-purpose “workhorse” beater, and works exceedingly well for creaming sugar and butter together, mixing cookie dough or cake batter, or any other general-purpose mixing job. With the orbital motion, it comes right up to the edge of the bowl, so it is efficaciously scraping as it goes. The whisk is great for egg whites and making whipped cream. I’m sure it’s good for something else, but that’s what I’ve employed it for.
As for capacity, the 4.5 quart model is suitable for beauteous much any “normal” home recipes. It’s a “standard mixer”. It will without apparent effort knead sufficient dough at once for two loaves of bread, or mix a double-batch of cookies.
As for downsides: this thing is HEAVY. You won’t be moving it once it’s in place. If you knead very stiff dough, the bowl at times will get tightened to the extent that it is very difficult to remove from the base. It’s OK if you do not forget to leave it a little loose beforehand, but I always forget and I end up wrestling with the machine to twist it out. The metal trim band on the mixer right above the bowl has come a little loose on my model- the machine got a bit hot after numerous heavy kneading, and I think numerous adhesive got soft. It’s held in place well by something else, but at times it will slip when I’m wiping the machine off. It’s strictly cosmetic from what I may tell, and it’s the only thing that feels cheap in any way regarding this machine. Other than that, I candidly haven’t had a single complaint.
In summary: this is an costly mixer, but it is very well worth it. Even novice cooks will find it’s use enjoyable, and it will inspire you to explore new things that you probably didn’t do before because of the time and effort involved.
78 of 79 humans found the following review helpful.
I’m in love and his name is KitchenAid!
By Aiacha
I received a white one for an early christmas gift and just applied it for the original time on he christmas cookies that are a tradition in my family. In the past years, I’ve applied my mother’s old stand-mixer, and I’ve also used a hand mixer, which is near totally unlikely to do with this recipe. This year, I used my new mixer and I am blown away! These cookies, that commonly take forever, were done in no time! And even even though I didn’t think the 4 1/2 quart bowl would be huge sufficient for the whole recipe, I had no problem and room to spare! It’s astoundingly deep. It also stayed comparatively cool through the three batches of cookies I made (I’m used to beginning to smell smoke from my mothers!)
I only employed the flat beater yesterday, but have some bread recpies that I’m dying to use the dough hook on.
Just a few concerns…The dough sticks to the side of the bowl, so I did have to stop from time to time and scrape it off, but that was not one thing that I wasn’t applied to. And you cannot attach a more spectacular bowl to this mixer…the only other bowl you may attach is one of the same size with a handle.
And definately invest in a splash guard. You only get lemon extract in your eyes once to make that decision.
448 of 486 people found the following review helpful.
NOT FOR MAKING BREAD ON A REGULAR BASIS!!!!
By M. Baker
A word of warning – the Kitchenaides made in the past 10 or so years have a less powerful and lasting motor than the older ones. If you like making homemade bread (like I do) buy a professional mixer to knead your dough (or do it by hand like I do now). Kitchenaides used on a regular basis to make homemade bread (especially using whole wheat flour) will demolish your motor. When you send the mixer in for repairs (under warranty) they will say you’ve been using it commercially and refuse to stand behind their warranty. If you tell them you use it to make bread they’ll tell you it’s not made for that (they can’t explain why they provide a dough hook altho or neglect to provide any warnings versus breadmaking in particular). I’ve always loved Kitchenaide appliances, my sisters is 15+ years old and going strong but my poor 4 year old mixer overheats and strains doing the same recipes. My next mixer will be a Magic Mill DLX Kitchen Machine, it is twice as much, but will last like the old Kitchenaides do. I have to give 2 stars for the lousy warranty service and lack of honestness in their manuals.
Update: August 2004
Haven’t been using my KA for bread since (bought a breadmachine to mix my dough). Only using the KA for light use abut 4 times a month. Now it makes a grinding noise continuously while in use. Cookie doughs seems closely too hard for it too. My sisters is now over 20 years old and going strong (even with bread). I wish they made them like they employed too……..
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