Previously she wrote food and lifestyle pieces for Saveur and Kinfolk magazines. Anna is a mentor at Girls Write Now and a member of the Online News Association. Having said all that, KitchenAid Stand Mixers kitchenaid artisan aren’t only about function. Opt for pink, Kyoto Glow (KitchenAid’s color of the year for 2020) or chrome, for example, or go with any of the many other styles to fit your kitchen, your cooking and yourself.
Hand mixers are lighter and more portable than stand mixers, but stand mixers are more powerful and efficient and have a wider range of attachments and speeds. Tilt-head mixers are usually more compact, but bowl-lift mixers are a bit sturdier and more powerful—good for tough jobs like kneading dense bread dough. Tilt-head mixers also make it easier to swap out the beaters, but on the flip side, it’s a little easier to add ingredients to a bowl-lift mixer (when the bowl is lowered). In both the cookie and bread tests, the Artisan mixed dough without rocking or straining the motor. Though all of the mixers ultimately made beautiful and tasty loaves of bread, the two KitchenAid stand mixers we tested were the only ones that didn’t wobble while kneading. Speaking of dough, the mixer did an excellent job kneading bread dough, and it didn’t complain one bit.
Its lever allows you to move the bowl up or down—a better access and retrieval mechanism than a tilt-head, as the latter can loosen over time. The bowl also has a handle and is mega-wide, allowing you to easily scrape down its walls and bottom and make large-volume recipes (or even double batches of things) with ease. Whether you need a larger capacity or are mixing denser ingredients, a bowl-lift stand mixer may be right for you. The bowl-lift design allows for stability and support while mixing heavy ingredients and has a seven quart capacity. The KitchenAid K5THCB Coated Flat Beater is a reliable and essential accessory for any 5-Qt. It is well-designed, durable, and easy to clean, making it a great investment for anyone who loves to bake.
The KitchenAid KSM150PSBK Artisan 5 Quart Stand Mixer is a powerful and versatile kitchen tool. With a 5-quart stainless steel bowl and 59-point planetary mixing action, it can handle any task from kneading bread dough to whipping cream. The tilt-head design allows for easy access to the bowl and attachments, and the mixer comes with a variety of attachments including a flat beater, dough hook, wire whip, and pouring shield.
Lighter-weight tasks, like mixing cookie dough and cake batter were a breeze, and we had more fun than we should have when we over-whipped some cream and turned it into our own homemade butter. This attachment is compatible with “all Tilt-Head Stand Mixers, except models KSM3316 and KSM3317” and bowl-lift models “except models K5SS, KSM5, KSM50, KSM500 and KSM450,” according to KitchenAid. It’s shown us—time and time again—that it blows its competitors out of the water with its fast and efficient results for all kinds of kitchen tasks.
While some stand mixers have all the controls on one side, this one has the speed controls on the left and the tilt-head lock is on the right. Because of that arrangement, we felt most comfortable using the mixer with the nose facing forward, which meant that we could reach the controls with both hands at the same time if we needed to. This smaller version of the Artisan is one of KitchenAid’s comparatively newer offerings. It has a 3.5-quart capacity, a 250-watt motor, and is about eight inches wide and 12 inches high compared to the Artisan’s 9-inch width and 14-inch height. If space-saving and standard-batch, occasional baking are your top priority, then the Artisan Mini may be worth considering. Like the Artisan, it features a footed bowl with a handle that’s locked into the base and a tilt-head that’s secured when in use.
With its high-quality construction and efficient design, it delivers fluffy whipped cream, perfect frostings, and whipped egg whites. The dishwasher-safe feature adds to its convenience, and the perfect fit ensures a hassle-free experience. While there are claims about it not being dishwasher safe, customer reviews indicate otherwise.
The KitchenAid we tested is a more robust machine that comes at a higher price point. We give the thumbs-up to the KitchenAid, but agree that the Hamilton Beach would be a great machine for cooks who are looking for something to replace their hand mixer. We’ll admit it—kneading dense pasta dough by hand isn’t something we squeal with joy over.
For starters, it has an all-metal construction (including gears). The Professional 600 Series is no different, and Stella notes she’s successfully, easily, and cheaply replaced the worm gear on hers. The Artisan also has many additional attachments you can buy to make kitchenaid chopper the machine even more versatile. And though not essential, it’s a delightful bonus that KitchenAid mixers come in a huge array of colors. Gently fold together ingredients on the lowest speed and get fluffy peaks with egg whites quickly at the fastest setting.