If you want to impress your "foodie" friends, all you need to do is have this out on display on your kitchen island. No one will question your aspiration to be a good cook, and then at some point, you have to prove you can use it with fluency and frequency. The KitchenAid KSM150 Artisan Series Stand Mixer is a striking piece of equipment, especially the glossy enamel finish of the empire red model, which is the one I ordered. There are ten speeds with a slide lever on the mixer head. It comes with a five-quart stainless-steel mixing bowl and three mixing attachments - a flat beater, a wire whip, and a dough hook. I've had an opportunity to work with all three on more than one occasion and am more than satisfied with the results.
If there is a standout among the three, it is the dough hook. At the lowest speed, it spirals so thoroughly around the bowl that scraping the sides becomes an almost optional task. The most thrilling aspect is that despite the careful instructions that usually come with bread-making recipes, you can literally put all the ingredients in the bowl, turn the mixer on, and let it work into a cohesive dough with minimal supervision. The wire whip works wonders with egg whites or heavy cream, producing stiff peaks in record time. My one reservation in this regard is using a 325-watt motor for such small tasks and then facing the clean-up afterward. That's probably why I generally reserve usage of this mixer for such tasks to dinner parties or potlucks.
I originally had concerns that the flat beater would be almost too powerful to produce fluffy mashed potatoes, but in using alternating speeds, I was able to produce the desirable results without turning the potatoes into wallpaper paste. One big benefit is the deep well of the bowl, which minimizes the incidence of splattering. The clear plastic pouring shield is another big plus. The easy twist locks keep the mixer stationary throughout your preparation, and the same principles are at work with the attachments. It is a relief that there are no buttons to press, and the attachments stay put until you're ready to dislodge them. Keep in mind that it is a relatively heavy appliance at 23 pounds with the mixer head a bit daunting if you are in a hurry to move ingredients in and out of the bowl. Still, this is classic kitchenware well worth the price if you are ready to show your culinary skills.Get more detail about
KitchenAid KSM150PSER Artisan Series 5-Quart Mixer, Empire Red.
