Have the Electrolux DLX, but a mixer for things OTHER than bread?

The gals on my cake and cookies forum mostly use Kitchenaid and no one's ever reported one failing them. The only thing you'll then need to worry about is getting the right beater or hooks for your  particular machine - if they happen to not come with your machine for some unusual reason. There are different sizes of bowl depth so the shorter ones obviously won't work in the higher bowls. But the other attachments you're interested in (pasta maker, grinder, etc.) are universal as far as I'm aware.

Bread dough's higher density, compared to batters and such, is really the only thing that puts a KitchenAid mixer in peril. 

Go for it if it's in your budget and you have the cupboard space to have two rather bulky mixers. I've had mine for 5 years now, a little Artisan model, and it's still going even though I do (cautiously) use it for dough. 

Like a lot of "Loafers", I have a Kitchenaid mixer. It is the reason I started baking bread. Mine happens to be a Pro 600. I have owned it for several years. So far, so good. I have read the complaints and they do concern me. Be sure to read the comments people have made about the different models. One of the concerns is the dough hook. The smaller versions have a less effective hook design. I have not had any issues with the larger version. My mixer has been used within the parameters set by the manufacturer. The last time I used it, I was making a quadruple batch of chocolate chip cookies. The only problem I had was that the bowl was very full, so the dough was pretty much up to the top.

I'm not sure where you are located, but if you have a Kohl's department store near you and have a Kohl's charge card, you can sometimes buy them at 30% off. It is still a lot of money, but it compares to many other power tools. If you are going to make use of it, it should be a worthwhile purchase. Be careful in choosing the model you want. The larger models work better for bread, but they can be overkill for certain applications. Another option is Bed, Bath & Beyond if you have the 20% off coupons.

I would also bring to your attention that many owners, including myself have moved away from using the mixer for bread dough. There is something theraputic about hand kneading. It is a great machine for cookies and other applications. No matter what your choice, I hope you enjoy it.

Paul

Hello:

I have both of these appliances and they are both great.  I love my DLX 2000 for heavy breads made with stoneground flours.  I wouldn't trade it for the world.  I love that dough can rise in it after the intital mixing.  "Cooks Magazine" did a reveiw of this machine and absolutely hated it and had nothing good to say about it.  It puzzled me as I have always found it top notch.  I do have the bowl and beater attachement as well, but have never used it I'm ashamed to say.  I love baking bread but don't do too many cookies etc.

My Kitchen Aid Pro KSM5, I bought nearly 20 years ago and it is very heavy compared to the onces I see on the market today.  It's great for two to three loaves of bread at a time.  It can tackle anything you give it.  I have three attachments but don't use them too often, but they're there if I need to slice, grate, or make pasta.  You can usually get these attachements on sale.  I paid half price for mine. Lately, I've even found a new blade for the Kitchen Aid Mixers, BeaterBlade+.  It is shaped like the flat beater but it sweeps the side and bottom of the bowl like a windshield wiper!!!  I know, get a life, but I love it.  Smart thinking on someone's part!  Their website is www.beaterblade.com

My final summation is for the best value and for multi-baking and cooking, I would buy the heaviest, Pro Line Kitchen Aid mixer I could find.  Attachments are readily available and can be found for pretty good prices if you shop around.

Happy Baking...............Lyn