I wish I had read a KitchenAid Artisan Mixer review years ago. Have you ever broken a wooden spoon while mixing heavy cake batter? I have! Specifically, I broke a thick wooden spoon when making my grandmother’s apple cake recipe.
It’s a cake that has been part of our family for decades. The cake batter is extremely heavy and not one that can be put together with a standard hand mixer.
I’m sure my grandma would have appreciated the muscles of this mixer all those years ago, too. I remember from a small age sitting at the counter, nibbling on bites of apple while she muscled through that heavy cake batter. The reward was sweet!
That ooey-gooey, delicious cake filled the house with autumn smells and made the average day taste like Thanksgiving and Christmas.
Thankfully, my husband gave me one of these mixers a few years ago, and it has made the traditional apple cake making a breeze. My arms and wooden spoons rejoice!
But, there is so much more to this appliance than just mixing.
What Is the KitchenAid Artisan Mixer?
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So, what exactly is the KitchenAid Artisan Mixer? Well, you’ve likely already seen this beautiful piece of kitchen machinery — and have spent much time drooling over its classic design and fun colors — before finding this KitchenAid Artisan Mixer review.
If not, keep reading. You’re in for a treat.
History of the KitchenAid Mixer
The KitchenAid stand mixer made its debut 100 years ago. Now that’s longevity. The timeless design, with those sleek curves and planetary motion beaters, hit the market in the 1930s. The company has not made changes to this design.
As the saying goes, “if it isn’t broke…”
It’s truly is a classic still present in our modern kitchens. And, for a good reason.
Take a walk down memory lane and learn about Herbert Johnson and the birth of KitchenAid. Check this out:
How We Completed This KitchenAid Artisan Mixer Review
To provide an informed and honest opinion in this KitchenAid Artisan Mixer review, online consumer feedback was reviewed in conjunction with personal experience, since I happen to own this mixer and use it often.
Also, I made a comparison with competitor products and specifications in this KitchenAid Artisan Mixer review.
KitchenAid Artisan Mixer Specifications
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Well, this wouldn’t be a KitchenAid Artisan Mixer review without all of the specifics. So, let’s get to it.
This stand mixer comes with a large five-quart stainless steel mixing bowl. This volume allows the home cook to mix up a batch of nine dozen cookies, or seven pounds of mashed potatoes. Wow!
With its 325 Watt motor, it can power through 9-cups of flour or delicately whip egg whites with a total of 10 mixing speeds.
Oh yes, this thing is a workhorse. The first thing I noticed when I started using this machine is how well it mixes and the speed in which it does a thorough job. It used to take me so much time hand mixing my grandmother’s spoon breaking apple cake that we would be lucky to have one cake for our holiday dinners.
Now, I can whip up four of those bad boys on the same day. Seriously. It’s just that good.
Stylish
The KitchenAid Artisan isn’t only practical in use; it’s also stylish — available in 44 colors options.
Think about that: 44 colors.
Yes, that’s right. If your kitchen needs an accent that is Buttercup yellow, you’ve got it. Pistachio more your speed? No problem. I’m particularly fond of the deep red called Grenadine, but alas, mine is in a classic color: black.
The perfect color will be beautiful sitting on the countertop in any kitchen. Which is a good thing considering it weighs over 26 pounds, which makes it a bit cumbersome to move in and out of the kitchen cabinets.
Standard accessories
Included in the standard package are a coated flat beater, a coated dough hook, a wire whip, and a pouring shield.
Honestly, I’ve not used the pouring shield much. Perhaps I don’t use it correctly, but I find it makes more of a mess trying to pour ingredients in the spout than just leaving it off and gradually adding my ingredients on a low speed.
However, if you are a pro with pouring, you may find it super useful. KitchenAid offers a two-year warranty from the date of purchase.
Optional accessories
Here’s the real kicker: this appliance is so much more than just a stand mixer. There are over 14 different accessories and attachments you can purchase for the Power Hub, to simplify some of those more challenging jobs in the kitchen.
For example, do you want to make homemade sausage or ground meats? Check out the KitchenAid Metal Food Grinder.
Do you want to wow your family with fresh homemade pasta? No problem! There is a KitchenAid Pasta Roller to help you power through the task.
Do you enjoy fresh chopped veggies or shredded cheeses? Look at the KitchenAid Fresh Prep Slicer/Shredder attachment!
In addition to these tools, there are also must have accessories like the KitchenAid Flex Edge Beater, which scraps the sides of your bowl as you mix. There is also the KitchenAid Tilt-Head Glass Bowl, which is just a lovely piece, and also includes a lid.
And, that’s just to name a few.
What Customers Are Saying
So, first things first. What are KitchenAid customers saying about their mixers?
Well, the Amazon review rating for this mixer is an impressive 4.6 out of 5 stars from a whopping 9,344 customers. Of those nearly 10,000 people, 90 percent gave this mixer a favorable rating of 4.0 or 5 stars.
PROS
Customers list these as their favorite features:
- The stand mixer is straightforward to clean
- So many uses beyond just mixing or whipping
- All metal body makes it extremely durable
- It is surprisingly quiet for such a powerful kitchen tool
- Made in the USA
CONS
While there are many rave reviews about this mixer, there are a few outspoken customers with some complaints. Here is what they had to say:
- Bowl can be a challenge to keep attached to the mixer
- Some mentioned challenges with kneading bread with the dough hook
- Many of the complaints were specific to refurbished or used products
- It is surprisingly quiet for such a powerful kitchen tool
- Made in the USA
Will It Break the Bank?
The price range of the KitchenAid Artisan Mixer is $200 to $500 depending on color, model, and retailer. It is one of the more expensive stand mixers on the market.
This forces the question: Is the KitchenAid Artisan Mixer better quality or does it have more options than the competitors to justify the hefty price tag?
Well, let’s see.
How Does the KitchenAid Artisan Mixer Compare to Other Brands?
Now that we know the details about the KitchenAid Artisan Mixer, we will take a look at the closest competitors. How do they measure up? Can they beat the tried and true classic of KitchenAid?
Hamilton Beach Eclectrics
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Hamilton Beach is a well-known kitchen appliance brand on the market. They offer a variety of small kitchen appliances from toasters to hand mixers to can openers. Can they compete in the arena with the stand mixer giant?
Well, surprisingly enough, it appears they can.
Hamilton Beach Eclectrics die-cast stand mixer is a competitor to be considered in this KitchenAid Artisan Mixer review. It boasts 400 Watts of power to mix within its 4 1/2-quart stainless-steel bowl. This mixer has a range of 12 speeds, providing a large mixing field for a plethora of recipes.
The Hamilton Beach Eclectrics mixer also falls in a more affordable price range of $130 to $220.
Over 1,000 Amazon customers have reviewed this appliance, and they have given it a 4.4 out of 5-star rating. Of those reviews, 86 percent were a favorable 4.0 or 5 stars.
While there are many happy customers with this mixer, there were a few who were displeased with the quality, durability, and design. There were complaints of it not being able to power through kneading bread dough and the motor burning out after a few uses.
Cuisinart SM-55 5.5-Quart 12-Speed Stand Mixer
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The Cuisinart SM-55 is a close competitor in this KitchenAid Artisan Mixer review. It’s made of durable die-cast metal and boasts 12 speeds which include a slow-start and gentle fold functions. It also has a few extras like a countdown timer and auto shutoff.
Its ample 5 1/2-quart stainless-steel bowl is sized to meet most of the household kitchen needs.
This stand mixer is available for sale at various retailers in a price range of $300 to $450. Cuisinart offers a limited three-year product warranty and a five-year warranty on the motor.
Amazon reviews show 536 customers giving this product a strong 4.2 out of 5-star rating. Undoubtedly high enough to be considered a best-in-class appliance. Favorite features for users include versatility, durability, and the ease of cleaning.
However, nearly 14 percent of reviewers gave this product a 1 or 2-star review, which is a substantial percentage of negative reviews. The most common complaint voiced among these customers was the longevity of use and motor noise. Many customers also voiced complaints about the mixer overheating while kneading bread dough.
Sunbeam 2594 350-Watt MixMaster Stand Mixer
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If you’re on a tight budget, the smaller price tag of the Sunbeam 2594 MixMaster Stand Mixer may be a temptation. The specifications look like it’s a comparable product — 350 Watts, 12 speeds, soft start technology.
With a price range of $50 to $135, it looks appealing for sure, albeit it’s probably too low of a price range to include in a KitchenAid Artisan Mixer review. However, it is a well-known appliance brand. Sunbeam offers a two-year limited warranty on this product.
However, 331 Amazon customers were not pleased with their purchase giving this appliance 3.6 out of 5 stars. A startling 30 percent of those reviews were negative. Consider the needs in your kitchen and the type of use this appliance when determining if cost savings is worth the sacrifice in quality.
While those who gave it a favorable rating said it was a versatile machine that was easy to clean and easy to use, the 1-star reviews told a bit of a different story. Several customers said their mixer motor wasn’t strong enough to mix cookie recipes.
Others complained that the plastic is not as durable as the industry standard for die-cast metal. Rather than having the spinning beaters rotate around a stationary bowl, this bowl spins. Some customers complained that the bowl wouldn’t turn, so it required them to spin it manually. Certainly not the ideal for a multi-tasking cook in the kitchen.
You’re Going to Want the KitchenAid Artisan Mixer
While customers rated the Hamilton Beach and Cuisinart mixers similarly to the KitchenAid stand mixer, there still really isn’t any comparison in quality and versatility. It’s important to note that none of the comparison products include anything like the power hub and additional attachments of the KitchenAid.
While these attachments and accessories are optional with an additional cost, there is value in the availability.
As someone who uses the KitchenAid Artisan Mixer in my kitchen regularly, I have to agree with the highly favorable rating given to this appliance by customers on Amazon. Heavy cake batters are no problem with this mixer.
Kneading bread with the dough hook works as expected, and the weight of this machine provides a sturdy foundation. The simplicity of the classic design makes for a smooth experience.
Additionally, I don’t even mind giving up a bit of counter space for it.
Based upon personal experience and the ratings of other customers, this KitchenAid Artisan Mixer review recommends this stand mixer above any of the others. Yes, it is at higher price point than most mixers; however, the Cuisinart is in the same price range — and the KitchenAid delivers for that price.
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So go ahead — treat yourself.
And, after you do, treat everyone you know with all of those yummy goodies you’ll be making with your brand new stand mixer: cookies and cakes and bread, oh my!
Have you used any of the stand mixers we included in this KitchenAid Artisan Mixer review? Share your experience with them and others in the comments below.
Featured Image Source: Pexels