4.5 STARS. As always, I prefer to give credit where credit is due rather than short change a product, but just keep in mind there are a few drawbacks to this mixer. But first the pros, this sucker is STURDY! Most of us have seen these mixers everywhere for what seems to be decades, but it was probably just me that didn't realize all kitchenmaid stand mixers aren't created equal. While they may look alike, different models have different capacities, speeds and effectiveness in various applications. I really wanted to wait to write this review until I had really explored this machine because it's such a big investment (in my opinion at least!). Now that I have, the sturdiness of this product has definitely proven to be true. We have a rather small kitchen and so it gets moved around quite a bit, this hasn't resulted in any sort of loosening or wiggling which is important when you have that dough hook running at top speed (some of the cheaper mixers act like poorly balanced washing machines). The sturdiness, however, can be a double edged sword due to the heft. If you have trouble lifting things or perhaps a bit of arthritis be sure to store this on a mobile kitchen cart or simply give it a permanent countertop space to avoid having to lift it from a bottom (or worse-top) cabinet which can be a task. Next is function, I cannot tell you how nice it is to be able to toss something into this mixer and walk away to get the other ingredients without having to babysit a bowl! Especially when I'm working with something dense like honey or doughs. The attachments have all been easy to put on/take off and are sized well enough to store away easily. There is room for improvement though, the rubber spatula sided mixer attachment is sold separately which is what can scrape down the sides of your bowl without you having to angle a separate spatula into the mixer, I would have been open to forgoing some of the other attachments in order to have this one right off the bat, but they are cheaper and easy to find at TJ Maxx, Marshalls, etc.. Also, the swing back mechanism for the top of the mixer via the hinge at the neck has no protection against it flipping up and down hard. Think about the drawer add-ons you can install so they don't slam, that would be great for the head of this mixer, just to protect the hinge. Color-wise, the blue color of this mixer is absolutely dreamy! It's beautiful and a bit novel without being overly kitschy and is still easy to match to other kitchen products out there. Overall, I really do love this piece of equipment and think it is a great investment for anyone who likes to cook or bake. This model and size is great for families and even sturdy enough to teach the little ones on. Half star loss for the lack of slow-down mechanism for the head and the lack of spatula on the mixer attachment leaving you to clean up the walls of the bowl pretty frequently, but apart from that this machine is fantastic. PROS: Built To Last, BEAUTIFUL color, Easy On/Off Attachments, Does Not Slow Down When Dealing With Thick/Difficult Foods (i.e. Honey, Doughs, etc.), Great Size, Good Investment Piece (I bought this two years ago and the price hasn't fallen). CONS: No Cushion For Mixer Head When Lifting up/Down To Prevent Hard Slam, Spatula Mixer Attachment Not Included Requiring You to Scrape Down The Bowl Pretty Often, Expensive (but again, it's not bad for an investment piece-I can't see this thing breaking any time soon or ever maybe) TIPS: TJ Maxx and Marshalls have attachment for these mixers on sale regularly for 60% off the selling price so if you have one nearby go and check for that spatula attachment or even a pasta maker or meat grinder I've seen them all there!, If you are working with dough (or especially if a young one is learning) watch out for it coiling up your dough hook and into the gears-it can happen quickly if you're not careful. Last, I've found that a metal blemish extractor (bought and dedicated for mixer cleaning) is the best tool to get into the attachment holder and metal pieces in the head of the mixer in case they get dirty (or gunked up with aforementioned dough... ). It is sturdier than a toothpick which runs the risk of breaking and getting caught in the gears. ***Did you find my review helpful? I hope so! Let me know if you have questions by using the comments section below ***
