This might be a fluke but I looked at the new registry link for a friend’s D who recently set up a Knot web site.
It said she had registered at Macy’s and another store. Clicked on Macy’s and saw a kitchen aid mixer (perfect I thought!) but realized that no color specified. Asked friend who asked D–turns out D hadn’t actually registered for any of the items- she said it was a “test” run by Macy’s. Huh?
It didn’t look like a test. Nothing indicated it as a test. It had Buy Here links with links that worked. Looked like a done deal. Just a head’s up–and BTW I liked the list–actually good stuff. I would have ordered probably except I know about needing color selection.
@nottelling the $248 kitchen aid is the smaller one which is a great mixed. The bride I’m currently shopping for registered for the almost $600 one…the larger one with the lift bowl.
This isn’t a KitchenAid mixer thread BUT the smaller one with a tilt head is much nicer and much more practical than the “professional” one with the lift bowl. Artisan 5 qt TILT head mixer is really nice. The “lift” type is a real pain. I researched these big time before buying one for D. (I own the tilt and considered the lift type—canned it after much research and calling on friends who bake a lot).
Which begs the question…
Is it tacky to get a gift that is better but cheaper or maybe much more practical than the one requested? Even though not apparent at first to the receiver? It smacks of parent saying “I know what’s better for you” but Hey! Maybe you DO know what’s better!
I agree with you @gouf78 on the smaller, tilt mixer but I’d personally stick to what they registered for even though I know “better”. I wouldn’t deviate and force my own preferences.
@gouf78, I’d stick with something they asked for also, unless I was pretty sure they didn’t care. What I mean by that is sometimes people just register for a particular one bc that’s the one they see, but really anything similar would be fine.
Interesting on some level. You want a mixer. Nobody willing to spring for the priciest. Nobody willing to give you something less. No mixer.
Then that’s their problem. I wouldn’t substitute the other one.
…guess they could take the cover the plate money and buy their own. JK JK
I wouldn’t substitute. They may want the one they think they want for a very specific reason. It that’s what they want, then that’s what they want.
You could always ask … If the person is not really into cooking, I’d assume that they didn’t give the particular model all that much thought.
I wouldn’t substitute; if you have second thoughts about the mixer then choose something else from the list.
I have the larger lift-type mixer. I need the larger size. I use it to make tiered cakes and other very large recipes. It would not be a kindness to me to give me the tilt head because it suits your cooking needs better. 
@IABooks A few years ago I sent three Christmas presents to my nieces’ families via Amazon. I chose not to order gift wrap, but included a note. Two of the packages arrived with no note and no indication of the sender. The third package didn’t arrive at all. I finally found out about this after inquiring of my nieces whether they had received anything. I didn’t find out about the missing package until a year later, since I was loath to bring it up.
If you want to give me a gift I would be happy to receive the smaller (mixer) one as I don’t have one at all. Honestly I wouldn’t have known the difference.
^ I got the larger one as gift from H a few years ago. I rarely cook, though sometimes bake. I have used it once and as far as I am concerned it is " counter clutter".
I would happily give it to you raclut, but H and S would get mad:)
@fallgirl I have limited counter space in my kitchen so will look into it whenever dd gets married.
Also I am trying to restrain myself from baking so that I eat healthier.
The Kitchenaid on the counter is one of the reasons I dream of having a kitchen with one of those pop-up shelf cabinets. Maybe a good group wedding gift would be the mixer plus a cabinet fund. 
I have the big one. It just lives on the counter. When I added on to my kitchen I made one line of counters an extra six inches deep so more stuff could stay out and not be in the way. I don’t use it as much as I did when the kids were little and made bread regularly.
As I’ve bragged before, I have the cabinet that the KitchenAid mixer lives in that pops up. I love love, love it. I wish I had thought to make one for my Cuisinart food processor as well.
I don’t like anything on my counters; toaster, KitchenAid mixer, cutting boards, regular coffee maker – everything is put away after use. The only thing I currently have on my counter that stays out is my Nespresso machine and a fruit bowl. I hate clutter.
I do too, but I haven’t been able to shake our “core 4” - toaster, KitchenAid mixmaster, Keurig and George Foreman grill. Those stay on.