In February, an Onyx Black KitchenAid Artisan Stand Mixer joined its cousin the KitchenAid food processor in my kitchen. All I can say is WHY oh why did I wait so long? (OK, I know, it is because I am thrifty to the bone, the curse of my Scottish ancestry.)
Sensibly timing my purchase for arrival during a few vacation days, in just the first 10 days of ownership, I've made cookies, more cookies, cakes, whipped egg whites, bread dough, more bread dough, pizza dough, and oh-so-sticky English Muffin dough. The mixer excelled in every use, and once the head is locked down, very successfully kneaded the bread, English muffin and pizza doughs without walking across the counter - my old Sunbeam was an accomplished walker, not a great feature in a mixer.
I read the reviews, and as yet have seen none of the few problems reported by others. I did adjust the height of the paddle to better scrape the bottom of the bowl - a simple adjustment not requiring anything more than a screwdriver (although you probably could use a dime) and most importantly, to have READ the directions.
My mixer came with the pouring shield and dough hook, paddle, and wire whip attachments. The pouring shield is a bit cumbersome and I probably won't use much, but for those who find a bit of flour on the counter a problem, it might be useful. I find it a bit annoying that the wire whip is not supposed to go in the dishwasher. I have concluded this is because the base of the whip is made from aluminum, which dishwasher detergent will discolor.
The only thing I do wish it had is a light, as the aforementioned Sunbeam Mixmaster had. I didn't think I would miss it, but the kitchen in my antique Cape is awaiting a lighting upgrade, and it's dark in the bowl without that light. The instruction/recipe booklet that with the mixer is lame. I mean really, really lame. Skip those recipes and go directly to the bookstore section for [James] Beard on Bread, The King Arthur Flour Baker's Companion: The All-Purpose Baking Cookbook, or any one of the other great books on baking and bread at Amazon.
Nonetheless, my KitchenAid seems to be a great mixer, and lo-carb diets be damned, I'm going full-carb ahead. Please pass the butter.
***March 14 update: Over the weekend, while making a cake, the mixer began to squeak loudly, getting worse as time went on. Not a good noise.... Today I called the customer satisfaction phone line and a new mixer is on its way, no questions asked, at no cost to me.
I am pleased there was no hassle with a replacement, but the very fact that I needed one is making me wonder what is up with the Artisan model.... Should I have opted for a bigger mixer? I would lower my star rating to 3 based on this experience.Get more detail about KitchenAid KSM150PSER Artisan Series 5-Quart Mixer, Empire Red.
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