KitchenAid K-45 Mixer -- How Old Is It?

[rp2813]

I found this mixer at Savers today. Complete with paddle, whisk and dough hook -- how did that happen? It runs smoothly and super quietly. It struck me as worth $29.99 so I snapped it up, and just in time, as another guy was ready to swoop in as I was examining it.

It's obviously a Hobart, but there is no information on the band saying so, or wattage information either (I presume it's the standard 250 watts).

Only on the base plate where the bowl locks in does it say "Hobart."

How can I tell its age? If a serial number would help, where would I find one?

 

[rp2813]

There seems to be a tip broken off one upper corner of the paddle. What would that have been? The other corner is rounded, as are both corners on all paddles I'm familiar with.

 

[maytagbear]

Mine is from the 80s, and this is DEFINITELY

older. I would guess (but am guessing) 60s.

GOOD catch, Ralph. Still lots of life in it.

Lawrence/Maytagbear

 

[rp2813]

I did some Googling and it seems that it's not easy to pinpoint the vintage on a K45. This model was produced from 1962 to 1979, but the machines themselves don't have evident serial numbers. I did however, find volts (115) and watts (250) information on the bowl's interlocking plate on the base.

I was thinking my machine might be 60's but now I'm more inclined to say 70's.

Since it's a K45 and not a K45SS, it precedes the solid state control models, which per my research debuted in 1979. So, I've learned that my mom's almond Hobart K45SS is no older than 1979. The logo on mine is an earlier style and the mixing bowl has the earlier more tapered sides, and a pronounced lip around the edge.

Can anyone comment on solid state vs. non-solid state controls? The speed control on mine seems very precise with a brief and seemingly engineered hesitation before kicking up or bumping down to the next speed after the lever has been moved in either direction.

One thing is for certain. It's the smoothest, quietest running KA stand mixer I've ever heard, and likely a much better machine than the raspy chirpy Professional model I got my partner for Xmas three years ago.

Also, the broken piece on the paddle is some sort of tip section off that one corner, apparently less than 2" long. I've found illustrations and photos of the tip, and of paddles with the tip broken off. I'm debating on whether to try and smooth down the area of the break. I see no purpose for the tip section (but I guess Hobart did in the beginning) nor do I have any reason to think a missing tip will have any impact on performance.
[this post was last edited: 1/8/2011-02:06]

 

[rp2813]

Attention KitchenAid Mixer Owners!

My "new" K45 needs all five rubber feet (see pic below where there is no gap between pedestal and bench it's sitting on. The originals all look like quarter-sized under-done pancakes.

On line the per-foot price ranges from around $2 to $3.50, which struck me as ridiculous.

Then I saw a comment posted, I believe on Amazon, that advised "Do not buy these!" which went on to state that KitchenAid will replace them for free with no shipping charge either!

This morning I called KA parts, gave my model number and the representative went right into arranging to send them to me free of charge.

If anybody needs replacement feet, all it takes is a call to KA parts.

 

[sudsmaster]

Ummm... looks perfect for mixing up a big batch of ...

zucchini bread!!!

;-)

 

[passatdoc]

My K45 is from 2003. We had a nine month long grocery strike in California, I did not want to cross picket lines but I needed bread! I followed the French Bread 101 recipe in the K45 booklet and it came out great. Solid state control is quiet and seems to allow some variability in speed when you move it slowly from the first to the second notch.

The flat beater is white coated. Definitely not metallic appearing as the beater in your photo.

Excellent buy for $29. My model cost $169 from Amazon in 2003, but my net cost was $139 because they ran a special: for every $50 you spent on kitchen items, you earned a $10 gift card. So it was $169-$30 in gift cards back, or $139 net cost. Today, the same mixer costs $199 at Amazon, with no special deals. You can buy a new beater for it for about $10.

If you make cakes or cookies, consider one of the new flat beaters that scrapes the sides so you don't have to. You can always save the original beater for display, but the new scraper beaters work great.

http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_noss?url=search-alias%3Daps&field-keywords=KA+beater&x=0&y=0

 

[rp2813]

Hey Rich, I don't mind zucchini bread at all.  That's about all I find that particular vegetable is good for.

 

I did get one of those after-market scraper type beater blades for the Pro HD machine and it does a good job.

 

I'm still trying to determine a timeline for the K45.  Like, when did they start putting the white coating on the flat beater and dough hook?  When did they do away with the flat lip on the bowl (which tends to scrape the paint off the pedestal if you're not careful when positioning it onto its base)?  When did they start giving it a three-prong plug?  On line research produces very little to help, and even KA's own on-line resource people state that Hobart didn't use serial numbers or other forms of identification that would help determine the age of their mixers.  All KA can provide is a huge spread, such as somewhere between 1962 and 1979 as I mentioned above. 

 

So far, all I know is that solid state controls were introduced in 1979, which is when "SS" was tagged onto the K45 model designation.  As the pictures show, my machine has the earlier bowl, uncoated beater and dough hook, and not shown is the standard two-prong plug.  The plug looks like it's from the 70's and may be the best indicator of my machine's approximate age, as I'm fairly certain the yellowed cord is original.

 

Today I perfomed a test on my K45 per Hobart's service instructions, which advises to hold the planetary with one hand and move the switch lever with the other.  With switch in the #1 position, it shouldn't be possible to stall the planetary (except by a very great effort), nor should it slow down noticeably.   It passed, but I did hear some clicking from inside the gear case and am wondering if there may be issues with big jobs such as kneading dough.  Since I don't bake bread from scratch I don't anticipate any trouble, but perhaps a gear could stand to be replaced at some point.

 

[passatdoc]

You might want to consider tricking it out with the three quart bowl, which should fit all K45 models but was introduced long after your machine was made. Great for single batches and smaller jobs, or when you need a second bowl in addition to the larger one. It nests inside the 4.5 quart bowl to save space. I have also bought them for friends and relatives who own KA tilt head mixers (it also fits the 5 qt Artisan series) and everyone has found them useful.

 

[autowasherfreak]

My KA is from the early 80's, and the plastic coating (guessing) on the beater is pealing really bad, so I've been thinking about getting a new beater, the one with the scraper looks pretty neat.

 

 

[passatdoc]

There are several makes of after market scraper beaters. There are some with gaps in the silicone edge to allow nuts to pass without being crushed. I have the model pictured above. I use the scraper beater for making banana bread with walnut pieces, and I don't have problems with nuts being crushed. I don't use the scraper for very thick doughs like chocolate chip cookies because it could strain the motor (makes the beater harder to turn). I have the base K45 model with 250 W power. Quick bread batter is not as thick and then the scraper beater works fine. Also the mixer is great for making double batches of bread dough (7-8 cups of flour) with the dough hook.

The nice thing about your find is that new accessories are available to fit if something is broken or missing. You can keep the old beater for appearance, but you'll probably find that newer OEM or aftermarket accessories work better when you actually USE the thing.

 

[rp2813]

What I find interesting is that the higher end bowl-lift type of KA mixers that can be bought today don't have the coating on the flat beater or the dough hook.  Our Pro HD came with un-coated ones, the dough hook being the later corkscrew type. 

 

I also don't get why the entry level K5 bowl-lift model has a spring-loaded attachment post, but models further up the line (like the Pro HD) don't use the spring.

 

I presume that the un-coated beater and dough hook that came with my K45 can be used, but yeah, if I come across some newer ones I'll probably grab them.  My mom's early K45SS made by Hobart has the coated type so now I think the clue to when my mixer was made could be in the logo.  I've checked on line and don't see any timeline for changes to the KA logo though.  Apparently plain old K45's were still being made when the logo was updated, so knowing when that change was made could get me a little closer to determining the age of my machine.

 

[maytagbear]

The uncoated Flat Beater and Dough Hook

 

Are not dishwasher safe, so if that is a consideration (it is for me).......

 

 

Lawrence/Maytagbear

 

[rp2813]

Good point Lawrence. 

 

I'm not the avid baker my mom was but if I were, I would surely want the coated items.

 

[mixguy]

Kitchaid Flat Beaters

When KitchenAid first introduced the K45 in 1962. It was an upgrade to the previous K4 that had a 4 qt narrower bowl, and beater and a "screw-in" bowl. The flat beater had an "ear" to reach higher about 3/4" to catch more of what clings to the sides of the bowl. The early bowls had no rolled rim, (NSF approved)allowing commercial use. Not sure when nylon coating was begun, it is not mentioned in any Kitchen Aid product or feature time line. The early coated beaters still had the "ear." I believe taking the "ear" off was a part of new safety regulations, just like detachable cords and the hole to hang portable mixers on the wall being no longer available. KitchenAid now has it own silicone scraper beater that is retails for 29.99.

 

[rp2813]

Russell, thanks for that good information.  I like the purpose of the "ear" on the flat beater and may pursue finding a replacement that has its "ear" intact.

 

Interesting that NSF approval hinged on the bowl rim.  I wonder why.

 

Although my mixer has a two-prong plug I think it's probably among the last made before the logo changed.  The reinforcement end of the plug looks much like the one on my Hobart K45SS.  I wonder if when the logo changed and/or when the K45SS debuted, if that is when the shape changed on the knob that secures attachments in the hub as well.

 

[rp2813]

The K4 Mixers

After Russell's mention of the K4 series, I had to check Google to see what they look like.

 

No doubt about it, a late issue K4 (K4-C, I presume) is something I hope to find.  I think the handle on top makes perfect sense for tilting the head back, and the tail fin is right out of Flash Gordon.

 

I've seen pictures of K4's using their own original beater (like the 3B/4C types) as well as with the later flat beater, dough hook and whisk found on the K45 and other subsequent models, so other than the different and slightly smaller bowl design the K4's seem capable of doing anything the K45's can do.

 

The one pictured is missing its "hub cap" and has clearly had its cord replaced.  The tip of the tail fin is visible if you look closely.

 

 

 

 

[appnut]

the K4's seem capable of doing anything the K45's ca

Not so.  Definitely not so.  I have a 4C.  I love it for the purposes I have used it for.  I am even blessed with the original glass bowl and companion beater.  I also have a metal bowl.  The 4C, from what I've been able to ascertain, was priced and designed to compete with Sunbeam, Waring, ... but still be a KitchenAid.  i also have the recipe book/users manual for it.  It specifically states it's not intended to be used to make yeast bread dough and similar dense item.  It will tackle a dense batter bread/sweet bread and can also tackle heavy dough like chocolate chip cookie dough (see arhives of Kelly finding this unit and using it when he visited with his grandduaughters in Kansas August, 2009.  And you are really not supposed to use any other device other than the multipurpose whip/beater that it came with.  I can see where it cannot deal with yeast bread dough and kneating like a K45 with the dough hook.  But I love it, I'd never had a stand mixer before, only a KA hand mixer that finally wore out after 20 years.  I still have my Sunbeam food processor which makes excellent bread dough very rapidly and I use recipes where I don't have to proof the yeast (and take a chance of it either dying or being killed with accidentally too hot a water).  I discovered by accident how superior a bread product is the result of bread flour vs. using all-purpose flour.  I now use only the bread flour when I make bread. 

 

[rp2813]

So Bob, are you saying that the K4 and 4C are the same mechanically but with different housings, pedestals and controls?

 

I'm not a bread baker so it's not important to me that a K4 is or isn't able to knead dough.  I just like its practicality and looks.