Alternatives to KitchenAid Stand Mixer

[Stock Pot]

475 watts, not 350

My mistake. It is a 475 watt model. Not tilt-head either.

Well, whatever the problem is doesn't matter. It shouldn't happen in normal, careful use. But it did, so I am not buying another one from them. I'll try something else this time. I thought I was buying a heavy duty "built to last" product from a manufacturer I trusted and approx. 10 years later, in light occasional use, it is starting to fall apart. They will not get a second chance from me.

Well again, thanks everyone for all the advice and information. I really appreciate it. I've ordered the $99 Hamilton Beach model from WalMart and I'll report here on this thread about it for the benefit of anyone interested, once it gets here and I've had a chance to use it. If it can handle 7 cups of flour for bread dough on slow speed without hurting itself I will be happy, lol.

 

[Kitchen Barbarian]

I don't think you'll like that Hamilton Beach model for bread. Perhaps time will prove me wrong.

I just sold my Hobart-era Kitchen Aid mixer because it is way too heavy and my needs have changed - I can't lift the thing by myself anymore, and I use my Zo to knead all my dough these days. When I bake (other than bread), I typically bake small batches, which the KA handles very poorly. So, I sold it.

I am planning to replace it with a Bosch Compact (not the larger Universal). The "Compact" model will handle small amounts very well, and also can handle larger amounts of bread dough, enough for 2 loaves of bread. I never bake more than 1 loaf at a time - so, ample for my uses.

If you're a dead-serious baker, the Bosch Universal is a great option. Even better is the Electrolux Assistant (called the Verona now? DLX?). Of course they're way pricier. However if you're seriously interested watch the sales on Amazon. I know of someone who got a $500 mixer for $25 because they were clearing out old models right before Christmas. People have also reported seeing the Elextrolux on sale for around $535, as opposed to the normal $700 to $800 price tag.

The Bosch Compact is around $200. Wish I'd made the switch last year - they were only $150 then. I got enough from selling the old KA mixer to just about pay for the Bosch Compact to replace it.

 

[bakechef]

My mistake. It is a 475 watt model. Not tilt-head either.

Well, whatever the problem is doesn't matter. It shouldn't happen in normal, careful use. But it did, so I am not buying another one from them. I'll try something else this time. I thought I was buying a heavy duty "built to last" product from a manufacturer I trusted and approx. 10 years later, in light occasional use, it is starting to fall apart. They will not get a second chance from me.

Well again, thanks everyone for all the advice and information. I really appreciate it. I've ordered the $99 Hamilton Beach model from WalMart and I'll report here on this thread about it for the benefit of anyone interested, once it gets here and I've had a chance to use it. If it can handle 7 cups of flour for bread dough on slow speed without hurting itself I will be happy, lol.

The 3.5 qt bowl seems quite small, my KA has a 4.5 qt. bowl and it will handle 6-7 cups and that's about it (it will hold more, but the mixer can't efficiently mix it). Maybe with the deeper, taller bowl, the 3.5 qt. will be adequate. I'm curious to hear how this works out!

 

[Oldvine]

Hobart is the original manufacturer of Kitchen Aid. My 40 year old, Hobart/Kitchen Aid is still going strong. I've never attempted a 10 cups of flour recipe in it.

 

[Stock Pot]

Update

WalMart totally screwed up my order. I have since ordered the same thing from a more reliable online retailer and it should be here tomorrow, according to UPS. Meanwhile I have to deal with WalMart, with whom I cancelled the order when it didn't show up on time. Of course, the next day I get the notice that it is in and come pick it up. In the meanwhile I am waiting for the cancellation to show up on my bank statement. I'll give them until Friday and then, if the refund doesn't show up on my bank statement I'll go and pick it up so I at least have something to return.

 

[gadzooks]

I don't know how many cups of flour it will handle, but I WILL say that a Hobart N50 mixer will beat a Kitchenaid like it hurt somebody!

Ask Gadzooks! I am sure he will agree.

This just for you, Leolady, because I don't think anybody else will know what I'm talking about. A while back, I bought some N50 stuff on Ebay, a sort of mixed lot. What I wanted, of course, was the pastry knife. I got that, and an old-style roto-slicer body, tinned steel, with a worn out fine grating drum, and a tinned steel chute that didn't fit the slicer, so I threw the roto-slicer and the chute in a box in the laundry room. Today, I ordered the service and parts manuals in .pdf for download, and in the older parts and service manual was my chute. It clips on the mixing bowl for adding ingredients, and, bonus, works perfectly with the pelican. This, of course, makes me very happy. I'm gonna list the roto-slicer body and worn out grating drum on Ebay for cheap, better to pass it on if I can than throw it out. And, yes, an N50 will pull three water skiers while mixing 14 cup bread dough.

 

[gadzooks]

Tried the chute with the pelican for coleslaw. Perfecto! Used the adjustable slicing disk for cabbage and the fine grating disk for carrot. It works maybe better than the Cuis' for slaw. Very fast.

 

[Leolady]

Cool beans Gadzooks!

I have the bowl chute, but I never thought of using it with the pelican! Glad you kept it.

 

[Stock Pot]

The Mixer is Finally Here

The $80 Kitchenaid stand mixer is finally here. First impressions are that it is adequate for about 3 1/2 cups of four (for bread dough) at a time. It strained at 6 cups so I took half out (leaving about 3 cups worth) and finished kneading it in two batches, which it handled with no problems but you could tell it was nearing its limits, so I'm going with 3 1/2 cups. There were no specs that came with it about capacities. The bowl is 3.5 quarts. All the attachments and the bowl are dishwasher safe, which is nice. It's also light, which my wife will like, but we'll see what she says when Christmas Cookie time of year comes around and she's mixing up batch after batch of cookie dough.

 

[justplainbill]

"The $80 Kitchenaid stand mixer"?

 

[Stock Pot]

The $80 mixer

Yes. Most places sell it for around $80.

 

[justplainbill]

Yes. Most places sell it for around $80.

Kitchenaid ?

 

[Stock Pot]

Kitchenaid

Yes, Kitchenaid.

 

[Andy M.]

...I just don't want to buy another mixer from them because of it. This was to save a few cents on each mixer. Smacks of an accountant's decision. That's why I want to try another brand this time.

Yes, I know. And that's why I am not going to buy another mixer from them. Who knows what else they are skimping on to save a few cents that will show up in another five years or so...

They (KA) may very well be making reliable models again and I hope you all have better luck with them than I did. But I bought this thing thinking I was getting something really great. Something that was worth the money over the long haul. I didn't, it wasn't and I won't get fooled again, as The Who might say...

...so I am not buying another one from them. I'll try something else this time...They will not get a second chance from me.

The $80 Kitchenaid stand mixer is finally here...

Kitchenaid ?

Yes, Kitchenaid.

It's good to see you're open-minded! i hope you enjoy your new purchase.

 

[Stock Pot]

sorry- wrong brand

lol- no Hamilton Beach is the new one. Sorry. Anyway, it's inexpensive and seems to handle 3 1/2 cups OK. I can live with that.

 

[Andy M.]

OK. Well, good luck with the new mixer regardless.

 

[Sir_Loin_of_Beef]

The Cuisinart SM-70 7-Quart Stand Mixer is 1000 watts and will set you back a little less than $400.00, the 550 watt Breville 5 quart stand mixer is about $300.00, and the 7 quart Viking stand mixer, weighing in a 1000 watts and will set you back $425.00, are some of the alternatives to the 6 quart, 575 watt Kitchen-Aid professional, at around $600.00.

Personally, I have a KA 475 watt 5 quart professional model that was a gift back about 7 years ago and the only problem I have had with it is the hinge pin keeps trying to sneak out and I have to rely on Maxwell's silver hammer to put it back in place. If I was in the market for a new one, I would most likely buy the Cuisinart because I have many of their products, everything from an electric carving knife to a toaster oven, and I have been happy with all of them.

I would also seriously consider buying a factory refurbished one for around half the price of a brand new one. I have a refurbished blender/food processor and a refurbished toaster oven from Cuisinart and can't tell the difference between factory refurbished and brand spankin' new.

 

[Stock Pot]

Thanks. If the cheapo Hamilton Beach doesn't work out I will try one of those other brands, particularly the Cuisinart. I can't even remember how old my Cuisinart Food Processor is, but it is still getting the job done every time.

 

[bakechef]

The Cuisinart SM-70 7-Quart Stand Mixer is 1000 watts and will set you back a little less than $400.00, the 550 watt Breville 5 quart stand mixer is about $300.00, and the 7 quart Viking stand mixer, weighing in a 1000 watts and will set you back $425.00, are some of the alternatives to the 6 quart, 575 watt Kitchen-Aid professional, at around $600.00.

Personally, I have a KA 475 watt 5 quart professional model that was a gift back about 7 years ago and the only problem I have had with it is the hinge pin keeps trying to sneak out and I have to rely on Maxwell's silver hammer to put it back in place. If I was in the market for a new one, I would most likely buy the Cuisinart because I have many of their products, everything from an electric carving knife to a toaster oven, and I have been happy with all of them.

I would also seriously consider buying a factory refurbished one for around half the price of a brand new one. I have a refurbished blender/food processor and a refurbished toaster oven from Cuisinart and can't tell the difference between factory refurbished and brand spankin' new.

Is yours a tilt head KA? I'm a little confused with professional and having a hinge pin, I might be missing something.

If it is a tilt head you can set it on its side and take a screw driver a go up through the base and tighten the hinge pin screw, that will keep it from backing out. I tapped mine back in place for probably 10 years before thinking to Google a solution,

 

[bakechef]

Thanks. If the cheapo Hamilton Beach doesn't work out I will try one of those other brands, particularly the Cuisinart. I can't even remember how old my Cuisinart Food Processor is, but it is still getting the job done every time.

I understand your frustration, and you are certainly entitled to that, but it sounds like your KA's issues were fairly minor, most likely could have been fixed easily.

I don't know of many machines that should go without maintainence for decades. Mine is 18 years old and it is past due for a going over.