So as someone who has been recently looking through all the stand mixers out there, I am entirely unhappy with everything I've seen. It seems apparent that there are no reasonably priced mixers that can reliably do the job anymore for even a home breadmaker. I have been talking to people in the baking business who have all raved about how their kitchenaids have lasted for 20+ years!!! But then ofcourse I realise that these are really Hobart kitchenaids and not the cheap foreign piece of.... current ones. I'm wondering if its even in the realm of possibility to acquire one of these old hobarts? That would be awesome.... and unlikely. Hopefully someone has some insight.

I'm looking into getting a stand mixer, but I'm very indecisive and am having a hard time picking one out. It must cost 250 dollars or less and last at least a long time when I take care of it. I optimally was thinking I wanted a KA 600 but that's over my budget anywhere I can find it except on ebay, but then theres huge shipping. I was looking at the 5 quart mixer but I keep hearing about how kitchenaid products have all gone done in quality over the years, and for someone who wants to make a lot of bread, they will break down on me. I have another question- how many quarts does the mixer need to be if I want to make say 3 medium loaves per batch? So mainly I want your guys's opinions as to whether the KA 5 quart will do it for me, or if not what mixer is a better bet.

Is it just me, or did the price on KitchenAid stand mixers jump astronomically when I wasn't looking? I just looked and the Pro600 is listed at $499 on their website! I swear, when I got mine a couple of years ago it was right around $300, maybe $325?

A lot of experienced bakers on this forum sing the praise of stretch and folds for gluten development, workable wet dough and open crumb. I understand the concept, and I think it's pretty darn smart. Problem is, I cannot do it because of my handicap.

I have this brand new KitchenAid Artisan stand mixer that easily kneads a high hydration dough for a long time, without heating up. I followed the discussions in the forum, but most focus on S&Fs as an alternative to extensive mixing.

My question is: Can the KitchenAid be a viable alternative to S&Fs for great French bread or baguettes?

Can I get a workable wet dough and open crumb by only kneading in the stand mixer? How long would you recommend? I began noticing a real difference in Peter Reinhart's focaccia dough from BBA when I mixed it for 20 minutes. I didn't S&F it afterwards and it came out pretty good; light and fluffy, like eating a piece of cloud! 

But how would French bread do under the extensive handling by the stand mixer? Thanks!

I have a 5 qt Kitcchenaid "Professional HD" lift bowl (the one you get from Sam's Club, not the standard 5 qt lift mixer).

My wife ran the aluminum plated spiral dough hook through the washing machine before I could tell her that the instructions said not to do this. Of course all the silver plating is gone.

Is this bad? Is it "You need to get a new dough hook" bad? Is it "you should stop using that dough hook before you gradually get posioned and die" bad? Are there any aftermarket spiral dough hooks that I shoudl consider?

Also, as long as I follow the instrucions on flour amounts and run the mixer on "2" to knead dough, do I need to worry about the gearbox case splitting?

Thanks in advance!

The following was on amazon.  the issue is not so much the metal gears, but the fact that the metal gears where held in the housing with plastic pins that eventually failed.  See the following from KitchenAid and their willingness to stand by an out of warranty item that fails:

311 of 318 people found the following review helpful:
Product Info regarding gear housing upgrade from KitchenAid, October 7, 2006

By	Living it up

This review is from: KitchenAid KP26M1XPM Professional 600 Series 6-Quart Stand Mixer, Pearl Metallic (Kitchen)

Due to the very high number of complaints about the problems people were having with heavy duty tasks (which is what the mixer should have been made for!) due to cheap plastic housing holding the heavy duty metal gears, I contact KitchenAid to find out if this design flaw has been fixed. It has been and here is their response (note that they are saying that if you receive one of the models with the plastic housing they will replace it under warranty with the new metal housing. It is also important to note that the people who've had the problem have almost all stated that KitchenAid had great customer service and replaced their mixers with no ones with no problems.

RESPONSE FROM KITCHENAID: Thank you for visiting the KitchenAid website!

I would like to reassure you that our engineering and product teams have addressed the gear box issue. In fact, we have already implemented a change in the manufacturing of the Pro 600 Stand Mixers to a metal gear box. Although these will be changed out on additional 5 qt bowl-lift models that include all metal gearing, the time line on that is not known at this time. Although a transparent change, this will insure the long-term durability we expect.

I would like to emphasize to you that should you purchase a Stand Mixer (with all metal gearing) which has not been assembled with the upgraded metal gear box, and you should have a problem with your mixer (as a result of the plastic gear box (failure), we will most certainly extend your warranty to resolve the issue properly and effectively.

If you have additional questions, feel free to reply back to me. Or, you may contact either our KitchenAid Customer Satisfaction Center at 1-800-541-6390, or you may visit our secure KitchenAid Live Chat.

Anyone else had the problem of the bowl slipping off that little tab in the back that you pop it into before you raise the bowl? Don't exactly know what to do about it and I can't get bagel dough to knead properly unless I figure it out. I'm okay with doing something myself, but I can't think of anything that would work. Extending the little metal piece that pops into the tab would be my best guess as to what to do, but I'd have to find someone to machine the little part and then put it on for me. Worst case there, though, is that I'd have to buy a new bowl if it didn't work.

Suggestions welcome. It didn't even really get warm kneading the small amount of bagel dough I had in there, so I know that it's fine with small amounts. Just need to figure out this one problem...so that I don't have to stand at the mixer and hold the bowl on. :)

Hi there,

Well I just found out about this site and can't believe how much information is here and I can't wait until later tonight after I tuck the kids into bed so I can wander around and check everything out!!!

I'm posting because my KitchenAid stand mixer just died during a double batch of dough that I was making for some recipe testing work that I was doing (on level #2). I've had it for 11 1/2 years (I remember because I got it as a wedding present)... it's been great and I am so sad to see it unusable (I haven't tried to get it fixed.. maybe this is an option - but I'm thinking that there has to have been some advances in the last 12 years that I could take advantage of). I'm not sure my KA stand mixer's time was coming anyway or if it's been the amounts of dough that I've been asking it to handle lately. But either way I'm looking for a new stand mixer.

I was wondering if I should go ahead and get another KitchenAid and if so which one, or if I should go with another brand. I searched on the forums the threads I found were from 2007 so I thought I'd post here just in case some newer models have come out that are highly recommended. I want one mixer than can handle heavy duty double batches of dough, whole wheat doughs, as well as just one batch of dough, and also small amounts like cookies, pancakes, brownies, etc.

I guess I should also not that I already have the pasta attachment for the KA that I love since it rolls out fresh pasta so easily.

Thank you in advance for any suggestions that you may have.

Lisa

http://lisacohen.typepad.com

The pin on my vintage 1974 Kitchenaid 4.5 qt. mixer keeps sliding out every time I knead in it--started happening about a week ago. I just keep pounding it back in, but am wondering if anyone else has had this problem and/or if any one knows why this keeps happening?

--Pamela

I'm *considering* not committed to replacing my 12 year old KA SM (4.5 qt but a workhorse -- I think the older ones were more powerful...maybe I'm wrong...).

Anyway, for the past year or so I've seen the great deal KA 5 qt mixer at Costco; it is a bowl lifter, but what throws me is it is 475 watt. I can't find what model this is on the KA website. Is it made especially for Costco? Anyone have experience with it? I use my mixer about 5 times a week, mostly bread, often whole grain breads, so I need some goooooo power. Any input on this particular mixer? I'm also looking at the Cuisinart that Cook's Illustrated recommends so highly, but the model escapes me and I'm too lazy to log in and look it up right now :)