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kitchenaid stand mixer - looking for reviews

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ishka:
I've decided to splash out and get a stand mixer.  I've looked at the various ones available and am leaning (heavily) towards the Kitchen Aid artisan; the artisan is the only model we can get in Australia.

I would really appreciate it if people who own one could give their opinions, particularly if there is anything that you find less than ideal. I would be using it for pretty basic stuff, maybe some bread making but mainly beating and whipping egg whites. 

When I looked at it in the shop, the man who was showing it to me had a lot of trouble inserting and ejecting the beater.  It was probably just his lack of experience with the machine but it did concern me as my husband would also be using the machine and he has *no* patience for things that are overly fiddly and don't "just work".

Also, just out of curiosity, would you tell me what colour your mixer is?  I'm a bit overwhelmed with the colour choice; I'm thinking red, but the cream is lovely and the dark blue is amazing and...

Is there any 'must have' attachment?

I am sooo jealous of the price of these in the US; in Australia the best price I can find is about $650, but as I said, I've decided to treat us so I've resigned myself to the cost.

MorgnsGrl:
We have two! One is about 14 years old and the other is significantly older (could possibly look it up based on serial number but haven't been motivated to do so) -- the older one was a hand-me-down and still works great. We use them constantly and they're awesome. I do have a little trouble getting the beaters going on/off at times, but I feel like the machine and parts are sturdy enough that they're not going to be damaged in the struggle. They're great for kneading bread dough, mixing thick cookie dough, and whipping egg whites. Can't advise on the color, both of ours are standard white but if I were in the market for a replacement I'd be lusting after the Persimmon, which is a deep orange.  :)

BabylonSister:
I have a white one. It came with the paddle, whisk, and dough hook. I love it but it's true that inserting the attachments can be a bit tricky. Make sure you keep all the parts clean. A bit of grime can get in the way. Also, the bowl's height is adjustable and it must be done just right so the attachments won't rattle in the bottom of the bowl. Aside from that, it's a great purchase. The mixer does a fantastic job and it's very robust. I've had handheld mixers die on me because the engine fried if I tried to beat anything thicker than a simple cake batter, but the Kitchenaid is a force of nature and it will work through anything.

Outdoor Girl:
Once you've put the attachments on a time or three, you really don't have any trouble with it.

I don't know which model the Artisan is.  Mine is one that the bowl raises or lowers with a lever, as opposed to having the top hinge off.  Someone I knew had the hinge type and the locking mechanism broke on it.

Mine is white - I bought it about 18 years ago (my, how time flies!) and all the colours weren't available then.  I say, go with whatever colour you'd like and that matches your kitchen.  Because it is heavy enough that you will probably want to leave it on the counter, rather than heft it up and down from a lower cupboard.

Breezygirl:
I finally got a Artisan mixer for Mother's Day, I've wanted one for years. I wanted to get the Grape (purple) one but could not see one in person and the images of the Grape color on the web were all different shades of purple. So in the end I got the Silver Metallic which is more neutral and will match the kitchen if I change color schemes. I did see a tip on another website that you can take them into a autobody paint shop and have them painted any color if later you decide to change it up.

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