<p>dmd…I think I will look locally for a place to refurbish my old kitchenaid. Although I do want a new color and the 6 qt</p>
<p>I love mine. I keep it in a lower cupboard so it’s an easy lift to the countertop above and I use it a lot. Probably all of my uses have been listed. Any baking, mashed spuds, etc. etc.
I wanted to add that KA customer service is outstanding as well. I needed to figure out a minor adjustment and the lady at KA stayed on the phone with me for quite some time until I was content the adjustment had been accomplished. Not the case with customer service everywhere! You won’t regret spending the money–it really is an investment…</p>
<p>I have mine out right now, with the pasta roller attachment still on. Besides the fantastic pasta attachment, I also use the sausage maker attachment to process and strain my fresh tomatoes to make tomato juice. I’ve had mine for thirty years.</p>
<p>I have a red tilt head Kitchen Aid mixer which I love. I keep it in an appliance garage, but the opening is slightly too short to move the mixer in and out without tilting it on its side. Just before Christmas, I took the mixer out of the appliance garage, tipping it sideways to clear the too short opening. Even though it was in my hands, it tipped just a little too much and I lost control of it and it toppled over on to the counter (a few inches). At the time I didn’t think anything of it. </p>
<p>A few days later, I prepared ingredients for 7 different types of Christmas cookies. I mix together the ingredients on one day, and then bake the next day. So I had my soften butter and sugar in the mixing bowl and when I tried to turn on the mixer I found that when it toppled, the on/off speed lever got bent and now it couldn’t be moved. So here I was with bowls of flour, sugar, baking powder, etc, and no way of mixing anything! I ended up driving to my sister’s house to borrow the Sunbeam standard mixer I gave her when I got my Kitchen Aid 10 years ago!</p>
<p>Now I need to find a repair shop in the Seattle area to get it fixed. I love my Kitchen Aid, and I really miss it!</p>
<p>I also have some attachments that come in very handy. My BIL has used my grinder attachment to make ground turkey. There are several plates, allowing for coarser/finer grind.</p>
<p>02B@C, call the customer service number for assistance finding a repairman. I found them to be very helpful.</p>
<p>Have had mine for over 20 years - no problems at all - love it and use it like everyone above. If mine broke today I would buy another one without hesitation. Expensive yes but if you think you will use it like others have said it will last. My mother bought hers at the same time - she no longer has any need for it and has just given it to my just out of college niece who loves to bake.</p>
<p>I’m seriously thinking about taking my grey Kitchenaid to this local shop:</p>
<p>[Un Amore by Nicole Dinardo](<a href=“http://un-amore.com/index.html”>http://un-amore.com/index.html</a>)</p>
<p>She was featured in a recent Evening Magazine segment, and I fell in love with her designs. Check out the gallery of Nicole’s art!
What a great way to add color to your kitchen counter!</p>
<p>I’ve contemplated that big kitchenaid mixer for years and never quite figured out why I needed one so have not taken the plunge. I have a cuisnart hand held mixer that has lasted about 15 years and is really easy to store away and then whip out when I need it. I also love my Cusinart immersion blender. I use it to make mashed potatoes and whipped cream; does not work for frostings. I also love my new little milk frother. It’s a gas.</p>
<p>My kitchenaid is older than my kids so, 26+. I used to bake a lot when they were home, but not so much now that we are empty nesters. I have always used a bread machine to mix and knead dough but am wondering about the dough hook. Can anyone compare the two?</p>
<p>^If you need to make dense dough such as pizza or dumplings dough, no handheld devices will be able to handle it. That’s when the stand mixer comes in very, very handy.</p>
<p>Kneading bread dough was the original reason I had for wanting a KA. Works great!</p>
<p>Won’t a food processor work for dense bread dough?</p>
<p>Another vote for yes!! I received one as a gift from the kids and my husband about 5 years ago. I was first asked if I would be offended at receiving a kitchen device for a gift. I love it. My DD is the baker of the family and she used it to make all of the Christmas cookies, I think she made about 8 different kinds. I also love it for mashed potatoes. I haven’t tried homemade pizza dough but you are all making me think I should try it. It cleans up so easily, the bowel and beater just goes in the dishwasher and comes out sparkling. Would definitely always want to have one even though I have a tiny galley kitchen. I reserve the space for it on the counter even though there is not much space.</p>
<p>Wow, this thread is really convincing! I have been mulling the value and use of one of the stand up mixers for awhile…will have to check out the Costco prices next time I’m in…</p>
<p>I bought the 6 quart Kitchenaid Artisan a few years ago, which is a perfect size for anything I make and is so pretty to look at that it’s one of the few things I keep on the counter all the time! I never realized how many current baking recipes call for or are timed with reference to a stand mixer. I use mine about twice a month, more around holiday times. Love it for whipping egg whites, cream, cookie dough, cake batter, breads, etc. There’s just no comparison to a hand held mixer and it couldn’t be easier to use and to clean. The pasta attachment, the grinder and the juicer all look worthwhile. There’s also a soft ice cream maker and a shredder , though most people prefer a food processor for that.</p>
<p>The dough hook really mimics the motion of hand kneading. I can’t tell the difference - I always finish the kneading by hand for a few seconds to make certain it is ready.</p>
<p>^I do it, too, for the same reson, then set it aside to “rest” under a bowl.</p>
<p>We have a KitchenAid stand mixer on the counter next to a KitchenAid food processor. They both compliment each other. I find the food processor more versatile, but the stand mixer is like another pair of hands when baking. I can throw butter and sugar into the bowl and then walk away for a few minutes. Ditto with whipping cream or kneading dough or whipping egg whites.</p>
<p>I also love my kitchen aid stand mixer. It’s about 12 years old, use it mostly for baking although I still use my hand mixer for whipping cream.My hand mixer is so old and is kept in the carton it came in and so my kids really enjoy the dated illustrations on the box. Next time around will use the Kitchen Aid which sits on my countertop right next to my Cuisinart blender, and over thirty year old American Food Processor, Cuisinart imitator which works just fine and makes a wonderful gazpacho. Actually both d’s use more than I do for baking.</p>
<p>Ours is 21 years old. We use it to grind left-over roast and steaks to make our version of Shepherds Pie. Also for mashed potatoes, whipped cream, cake and cookie mixes (maybe a little overkill). Its heavy but not oppressively so; we keep it in a cabinet at eye level and take it down as needed.</p>