<p>I have been thinking about getting one for a while and have a gift certificate to spend from the holidays. Saw one at Costco today, and was tempted, but thought I’d better do my due diligence first and research thoroughly. There are several models with varying degrees of capacity and power.</p>
<p>I’m not a huge baker - I’d be in big trouble if I were… don’t need the pounds! So what I want to know is, for those who have a professional-grade stand mixer, what do you use it for? They take up so much room, and seem rather heavy, so it seems like it’d be something you’d want to keep out on your kitchen counter as opposed to in a cabinet.</p>
<p>I keep mine in a cabinet, below the counter, but it’s a pain in the *%^ to lift it out when I need it. I only use it about once a month at most for things like cookies, cakes, and whipping cream.</p>
<p>Teri, I got the smallish one from Macy’s the year our nest emptied to replace the Oster mixer that I had for almost 2 decades. I mostly use the mixer to make dough for dumplings, and I also have a fantastic meatgrinder attachment that I use to make hamburger ( I do not like “mystery” store-ground meats) - I’m sure there are other attachments that can be useful, such as juiciers, etc. That’s pretty much it. It does take counter space, but I park it inside the appliance garage in the corner that is not very useful as far as the counter space goes. I slide it in and out - never had to lift it.</p>
<p>I use the whipping whisk for excellent mashed potatoes (sweet and regular). Sometimes if I am making large batches of meatballs and/or meatloaf to freeze I use the beater attachment for mixing those.
Excellent for whipped cream as a toledo said. You can freeze the bowl and the whisk and it is done in no time flat (you just have to remember to check on it because it is so fast).<br>
It is also good for whipping up a large number of eggs for quiche, or whatever you might be making.<br>
Mine stays out on my kitchen counter. I have had it for 11 years and it is still running fantastic. Best Christmas present my DH ever gave me!</p>
<p>I also keep mine in the cabinet, right below the island counter where I do most of my food prep. I use it almost solely for baking- cookie dough, cakes, muffins. I bake weekly. DH is a cookie monster, and if I don’t bake he buys cookies at the store. At least when I bake him cookies I can make some healthy substitutions to lower the fat content and add extra raisins or craisins. </p>
<p>I’ve had my KitchenAid stand mixer for 20 years and it’s still going strong.</p>
<p>I love mine and keep it on the counter all the time. I use it for mashing things, mixing batters for muffins, meat for meatballs… I use it for all kinds of dough as I love to bake. Anytime I have to mix something, I usually do it it the KitchenAid. I did get the slightly smaller one, with the tilt head. It fits under my cabinets better and I actually do like the feature of tilting it back to add ingredients. It is heavy and I would not want to lug it out to use it. I have a cluster of a few appliances on my counter, tucked into a corner so I have a space for it, and can slide it forward when I want to use it.</p>
<p>Mine is on the counter and I use it primarily for baking…but I do a fair amount of that. Mine is in a corner and I pull it forward when I use it so I can tilt it back to add ingredients.</p>
<p>I love my Kitchenaid. I have 2. I just got another one in cinnamon red. They are both the tilt head models. I pretty much use them for cookies and cakes. I also use them to make doughs for pies or savory doughs for vegetable gallettes. I make dips such Feta dill herb spreads. I’ve made bread dough. I also have the ice cream bowl to make fresh ice cream, which I have done. French vanilla and maple walnut. I make whip cream as well. I have made chocolate pecan tortes from crust to filling. I have even whipped potatoes. There is so much to make. I don’t use it everyday. Sometimes weeks and months go by. I love the new flex blade that scrapes the bowl as it mixes. I don’t work for them. I just love that it is a work horse.</p>
<p>I use it most for cookie dough, bread, cakes and whipping cream. Mashed potatoes and whipping egg whites are needed sometimes. It is kept on the counter because it is too heavy to move around a lot. I have multiple bowls so I can do than one thing in it at a time.</p>
<p>I drag mine out for chopped liver, latkes, and Passover sponge cake. We use a hand blender for whipped cream, and a big fork for mashed potatoes. I seldom bake but have used the mixer to make pasta dough from time to time. It’s one of those items that I don’t need often, but when I need it, I really need it.</p>
<p>i use mine to make whipped shea butter for foot creams i make… only mixer that seems to be able to keep up with the hours it takes. then i have a cheap mixer for baking.</p>
<p>Mine sits on the counter b/c H insists on it being there and I have no other space for it. I have used it exactly twice (in about 4 years) and prefer my hand mixer. The kids use it for baking and it is a pain to clean.</p>
<p>I held off for over 10 years - determined I wouldn’t get one un til we had the counter space. Don’t know why I waited as I love it. I keep it on my small counter and have the Artisan with the tilt head - fits under the cabinets more easily.</p>
<p>In addition to mixing (made my Gram’s rolls today - half cinnamon and half Parker House), I use it to mix up the natural peanut butter we buy. I dump the whole jar in, scrape it out and mix it a couple minutes. Then I scrape it back into two jars, as it doesn’t fit in one. Then I refrigerate it so it won’t separate. Why, oh why, do they fill jars of unhomogenized peanut butter to the brim? I’ll never know why, but my Kitchenaid is the answer.</p>
<p>milkand sugar, mine is 18 years old, and just lost low speed, and complains on high speed. I am looking at those new colors, and can’t decide which one I want to replace mine!</p>
<p>My Kitchen-aid mixer is 26 years old! I got it when my daughter was a baby and have used it probably once every two weeks since then. I use it for everything except mashed potatoes - I like to use my ricer for them. If mine died, I would go out the next day and replace it with the same one!</p>