Modern KA mixers

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KA is KA. nothing can beat them. (even the modern ones)

I love using the KA for small (regular) batches and the Electrolux Assistent (Electrolux DLX in the U.S.) for huge loads of bread and other heavy dough.

As said above, they are two completelly different machines, each one with its vantages (lots of them on both) and limitations.
As I don't have other KA accessories than the pasta roller and the ice cream maker, and I've never seen the other accessories in real life, I can't talk about them.

My DLX has all the accessories, but some of them are useless, like the blender (too small), the citrus press (that's a joke, useful only if I decide to squeeze the oranges from my bonsai orange tree) and the slicer. The slicer/shredder is very good, but too slow and boring). For mousses (white plastic bowl) the DLX is horrible too (my old Philips food processor has the same horrible system) and the KA is much better.
Other thing I HATE about my Electrolux assistent is the amazing number of parts (two huge plastic containers to store them) and tons of parts to wash after a simple task.

KA is great. My choice was the tilt head artisan and I never had any issues with it.
 
Close enough for two cigars

First, the name is Rich, not Ralph.

Second, when I got my Epicurean with all metal gears, I got two. I tested both and selected the quieter of the two, and returned the other (Costco is good that way).

Third, it is NOT a gravel grinder. It is quiet and efficient. Way more than I need, by the way.

Fourth, planetary gearsets are inherently very strong. That's because the ring gear contains the loads on the sun and planet gears, sparing the bearings or bushings. There's a good reason why these gearsets are the heart of most automatic transmissions. The gear case does not carry the bulk of the burden of the load.

Fifth, if the reset switch pops, it has thereby protected the gearing, metal or otherwise. But it's been my observation that of modern machines, there is generally no reset switch on plastic geared KA mixers. The plastic gears act as sacrificial components to protect the motor. Unfortunate for the owner because replacing those gears is a costly and potentially time consuming repair. Versus a simple reset of the circuit breaker.
 
Objectivity

Lest anyone think I had a horse in the race it wasn't the case.  For years I would spec Kenwood Major mixers in the kitchen equipment inventory because I felt they held more and mixed better than a K-5 Kitchenaid.  I bought a Pro because it was different and I wanted to see what Kitchenaid was up to.  The first was an Epecurion, then a Pro6, then the "all metal" Pro 600 and finally the Pro620.  All performed flawlessly, without any scraping or assist if the speeds were slowly increased preventing plastering the goods to the side of the bowl which is why I insisted there be no bowl assist what so ever in the test..  They all are loud with the Epecurion and the Pro600 "all metal" the worst.  The Copper Pro620 was far and away the quietest and I don't know if it was a fluke or if they make sure $900.00 mixers are put together right.  I have over 30 mixers.  I have used a Sunbeam exclusively since moving back to Ellensburg this past summer because it's quiet, mixes better and faster, makes finer textured cakes and bread and is versatile enough to mix 1 cup or 10 pounds.  Kitchenaid tainted my relationship with them which means nothing to the rest of the world but I didn't care for the reminder of how much time, money and I labor I gave them to be thrown under the bus at the end.  I like the Kenwood but I cannot find enough words to tell you how much I hate the service provided for Viking, Cuisinart, DeLonghi and Kenwood in the US.  I have a new, all plastic, sleek Kenwood Chef that needs a new speed controller dial installed and I haven't found a source yet to do it.  For a year it sits in the closet while a coffin sized box of attachments are in the garage.  No mixer is any good if it doesn't work.  At the end of the day its hard to hurt a Kitchenaid Classic because if you overload it it groans and slows down but doesn't strip gears.  If you have any Kitchenaid mixer without the brush caps showing on the motor sides it is a Swedish motor and will be louder.  They all feature soft start which sounds like the death rattle until it gets going.  Kitchenaid mixers prior to the 70's are quieter before solid state but the ones made after aren't objectionable.  The name Hobart was still on the strip for a few years after Whirlpool bought the company.  The dumbest thing anyone can say is "Whirlpool cheapened or ruined the Kitchenaid mixer" because it is exactly the same machine with the exception of fused connectors instead of wire nuts.  It is hot air rhetoric not supported with any fact to say it changed.  The larger machines cannot be compared because they do not share the same design.  The Classic is exactly that, still Classicly the same.  The real tragedy is that most of the competition for the home mixer market is not worthy of consideration so Kitchenaid continues to dominate the market.

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Well Newman.............

There is no external reset on Kitchaid mixers made recently as they stop and then automatically restart after cooling.  If the mixer was an Epicurian or Pro6 it has a thermal overload which burns in two and requires disassembly to be replaced.  Gears can strip before the thermal link activates if the rpms are high enough and an obstruction or heavy load is dropped on the machine.  Gradual abuse of mixing loads too stiff or using the attachments, especially the grain mill and pasta extruder will cause gear failure regardless of a thermal overload.  You may have picked the quieter of two all metal mixers but they are still  louder than a Classic, Ultra or Artisan built on the original Kitchenaid design.  The all metal design has a throatier sound as well as the metal gearcase cover which amplifies the sound.  In a catastrophic obstruction of the planetary the sacrificial gear, metal or fiber is designed to give, minimizing the damage and subsequent repair.  Even your all metal Kitchenaid with a thermal overload can fail.  Simply repeating incorrect information does make it so.

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Thanks for the info about the Swedish motor.  I'm pretty sure our Professional doesn't have the brush caps, and it is very noisy.  When I use the slicer/shredder or juicer attachment, the thing will even squeak. 

 

I might keep my eye out for a 600 with six-quart bowl after reading about what a great job it does.

 

My partner put flame decals on the Professional right away.  I don't know if that will make it easier or more difficult to unload on CL or whatever, but the noise factor has always bothered me.
 
Another Flamer

The flame decals seem to be popular on ebay sales.  There is usually a ton of Pro mixers on craigslist because they are wedding or Christmas gifts and too big and intimidating for a casual cook.  I can keep my eyes out if you know what color want.  Thanks for your support.
 
Well, Urkel,

Both my mixers, the Epicurean and the Pro 5 qt, have "Reset" positions on the speed control. It would seem to me that this setting would be un-necessary if there was a fusible link in there. The safe assumption is that the "Reset" position resets an internal circuit breaker.

I didn't mean to imply that the metal gears cannot ever be stripped even with a reset function. But it seems logical that they would be far more resistant to stripping than plastic gearing, as well as carrying on until the thermal overload reset trips.

I believe I did say that no machine should be overloaded beyond its design limits.
 
"There is usually a ton of Pro mixers on craigslist because they are wedding or Christmas gifts and too big and intimidating for a casual cook."

I'm glad to learn that! While my KA is going strong, there is always the fear that it might blow up one day. I just checked the Seattle area Craigslist, and saw prices at low as $75. This was for a Classic, which is probably what I'd prefer. A Pro might be nice, but I don't think I really need the power/capacity.

I also have sometimes seen KA mixers turn up at yard sales. Summer 2009 I saw someone snag a KA Pro type mixer at a church yard sale. It looked like new--either someone who took really good care of it, or someone who quit using it after finding that it was overkill for Betty Crocker mixes!
 
Something I'm wondering is whether any sort of maintenance is needed on KA mixers. My best understanding is that they lubed for life. Is this true?
 
I think our webmaster's partner Fred posted a link to a clip on how to replace the grease in the planetary zone recently.  It was very educational and did a good job of step-by step instruction. 

 

If mixers sit for long periods, they may need to have the planetary re-packed.  The tell-tale sign is seepage that is easily visible.
 
Hey guys, you're both right!

It's more than obvious that no matter how the protection systems work, if they pop, they blow up, they dilatate, or they explode like a nuclear bomb of if a SOS sign starts to blink on the top of the mixer. the most important thing is that little piece that goes in front of the mixer... THE USER!

No matter how good the appliance is, if abused it's going to be damaged, that's simple as 1-2-3 and we all know that.
The density is the most important fact. 2 cups of flour and some liquid + the wrong attachment, will damage the attachment (thank god it's the first thing to break) and/or the transmition, motor, etc.
the same 2 cups of flour but with lots of liquid (less density) is OK, even if we choose the wrong attachment. (It's going to make a mess maybe, but won't hurt)

I overloaded my KA mixer with Nescafe sugar and water. The overload lasted less than 5 seconds because I could hear the different noise and reduced speed imediately. Most of the users hear the different noise and the machine loosing speed but don't care.. they just increase the speed to try to compensate. or even worse, they wonder

 
Let me adjust my glasses so I can see the screen.

Kitchenaid manufactures mixers specific to Costco, QVC and a few others.  The bulk of the attachments fit these mixers but just a little research will reveal the units are slightly different than the ones you find in a department store.  It can confuse owners trying to find parts, service and attachments for their mixer when the model and serial number don't pop up at parts sites and sometimes even Kitchenaid.  In the early 90's, the commercial arm of Kitchenaid mixers, Hobart, had a version of the K5 available with a visible reset button, heavier grounded cord, aluminum paddle and hook and these mixers received NFS certification for application in health care and food service.  If burdened for a long enough period, the mixer might stop and after it cooled sufficiently the reset could be pushed allowing the mixer to operate again.  These models cost an average of $250.00 more than home units offered at department stores. At that time there was an exodus from using the expensive NFS machine when an over the counter model could do the same.  On those machines, the motor was still a typical Greeneville issue.  When the Epicurian was launched it was the first model with a flatter bowl and wider paddle and all are equipped with an imported motor.  All Swedish motors have had thermal protection from day one and none of them had an external reset at that time.  If it burned through it required disassembly to repair.  The service issues with these mixers seldom come from the food service industry because most bakers and trained staff are aware of how to use them and what the limitations are.  If one did their do diligence there is documentation of angry owners with a "dead" 40 pound boat anchor they had spent several hundred dollars to buy.  From 2006 to 2008 internet sites including the Kitchanid forum were flooded with complaints of gear case cover failures, mixers that stopped mid recipe and leaking oil.  Stories of "plastic" gears began to abound and the din of frustrated customers finally reached Kitchenaid's ears.  In commercial Hobart mixers a corkscrew doughhook was always available as an upgrade to the more typical "C" hook.  It rolls the dough and does a slightly beter job of pulling dough away from the edges of the bowl.  Kitchenaid began to offer the spiral dough hook on the Pro series in 2008.  In an effort to sell more units Kitchenaid specifically advised owners not to use the spiral hook on models not designed for it.  A retaining clip was added to the beater drive to prevent upward pressure and more stress on the gearing in the planetary drive by using a spiral hook.  I used a spiral hook on the earlier models without an issue and again, I was not one who ever had a complaint about fuses, gear covers, plastic gears or mixer failure.  The composite gear cover and the worm gear were both replaced with metal parts which did and does make the mixer louder.  All metal began to appear on the boxes and in marketing.  Regardless, machines still fail and customers still complain.  In October of 2010 Kitchenaid officially closed their forum and open discussion with Kitchenaid representatives ended.  The forum now directs you to a group on facebook.  Costco does not show a wide bowl or 6 quart platform mixer and again the 5 quart models sold there are specific to Costco.  Several years ago the original Greeneville machines were replaced at Costco with the Swedish motor.  If there are no visible black brush covers on the side of a Kitchenaid mixer it has the newer designed motor.  The mixer made with imported motors is far less expensive for Kitchenaid to manufacture and rolls off the assembly line faster that the original design.  As evidenced in the picture I posted the Pro series is a total plug and play with just 4 screws giving you access to the motor and gear box.

In some cases it felt like Kitchenaid was less than forthcoming and the customer got shafted.  I worked the forum long enough to know there were shills and plants for other brands as well as hard heaeded owners who insisted what they thought or heard about the mixer should simply become fact because they had so stated.  Kitchenaid changed the gear box grease to an oderless and tasteless food safe material in the 2000s.  Some say this causes the leaking down the beater shaft and others conjecture the cork and composite seals are of lesser quality which allows the oil to leak.  If you run the mixer long enough to warm the contents it becomes more evenly viscous and less apt to drip.  Kitchenaid's answer is to run the mixer once a week for 5 to 10 minutes.  If you own a dripping mixer it is easy enough to wipe up the grease and use the mixer regardless.  If you follow the directions for replacing the gear box lubricant and use Kitchenaid branded gear grease you have solved nothing because the grease will separate once warmed and then allowed to sit for long periods of time.  Feelings and perceptions are all valid as they have basis in one's own experience.  However, facts is facts and they are harder to shout down.

 

C Hook on the white Pro6 and spiral hook on the black Pro6

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The Real Answer

You are absolutely right Thomas.  Each appliance has it's own voice even with in the same brand and model.  Hear a different pitch, noise or smell something acrid is the moment to stop the machine and find out what the person behind the controls needs to change.  I would make a wild guess most of here can tell you how many pairs of jeans are in the washer or how full the bag is in the vacuum by simply listening. 

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Thanks for all the pics Kelly..

A couple of months ago now on the Canadian Home Shopping channel they were featuring iirc the Epicurean model as their "deal of the day" with extras like a second bowl blah blah blah. I remember checking on the web while it was on and it looked to me like that model had been discontinued in the US.. Though I could be wrong. It just got me to thinking that perhaps they were just trying to flog off mixers that they now had in overstock for some reason or another? Does that sound feasible.

I always get a laugh watching the KA segments on the shopping channel with one of the hosts "Richard" . Oh gawd how he can blather on and coo and come up with endless reasons why you should buy whatever it is at the moment. The KA rep is usually this short little woman chef named Meagan and the two of them are good for a laugh as she struggles to attach something or cranks the mixer up and drowns out Richards cooing etc.
 
Canadian Kitchenaid

Pete, you have touched on a whole new issue with Kitchenaid being manufactured in the US for the Canadian market, again with different features and model numbers.  Canadian service on the units isn't as well covered as the US with fewer repair outlets and no Canadian mixer can be serviced at an authorized repair outlet in the states.  Conversely if you buy an American Kitchenaid product and cross the border it voids the warrantee.  Owners sit screwed on all sides without being able to get the product working in a way that feels acceptable to them.  The major Kitchenaid appliances are the same but magnified by 10 because of cost, installation and having no working fridge or range can be a real drag after the second month.   It is whole other kettle of fish to flame the forum and internet sites with unhappy Canadian owners. The Accolade which had a short manufacturing run was finished out on the Canadian market but for the most part appliances are the same machines except they cost 50% more in Canada than in the US.

There was a segment on QVC showing the new Kitchenaid toaster.  Meagan has bread in one side of a 4 slicer which is in the process of toasting and the indicator showing how long it will be until the bread is toasted.  Then she puts bagels on the other side.  The lever will not remain down and half the toaster is not working.  After several attempts she says, "this one is unplugged so lets move over to the red one."
 
Here are a couple of pics of my KitchenAid Mixer that I bought in 1985. I spent I think about $200 for this mixer at the time. The best mixer I have ever had.

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Costco and KA bowl size

If I'm not mistaken, Costco no longer offers either the five quart or six quart KA mixers. Instead, they have a 5.5 quart model, which I suppose my be unique to Costco, I don't know. It looks like a five quart to me, go figure.

As I recall, the Epicurean has metal gearing but the gear housing is plastic. Might be why it is quiet. The 5 qt HD Pro claims to have "all metal construction", however, I have not peeked inside to see if the gear housing is plastic or metal. As I said before, the ring gear on a planetary gear set shoulders most of the load, which is why KA may have been able to get away with plastic gear case housings. But I suppose if one is intent on mixing a batch of tennis shoes in a home mixer, anything can and will fail.

Oh, and the 5 qt model also has the burnished attachments and the spiral dough hook. The Epicurean has the older powder coated attachments as well as the C hook design. Not a big deal to me.

Of course, if one wants the absolutely "perfect" kitchen, one might want to procure one of these beasts. At 1100 watts, and 20 qt capacity, it probably could keep a small restaurant kitchen mixing it up indefinitely. And, it's "only" $1500!!!

PS-For me the perfect kitchen is the one that keeps one's family and friends well fed and happy. And a simple hand mixer can do that.

http://www.costco.com/Browse/Produc...ang=en-US&Sp=C&ec=BC-EC10598-Cat56625&topnav=
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I stand Corrected

I am sure you're right Rich.  I don't have a Costco membership but it sticks somewhere in the recessess of my dementia there is a 5.5 bowl.  You are so absolutely right in stating the happy kitchen is one filled with food, friends and laughter.  The whole of us are so much tuned to the nuance of every appliance we touch it stands to reason our opinions and defense of what we like and believe in would be vigorous.  I purposely choose recipes and cooking styles that use more appliances, tools, pans and steps because cooking is to me what 18 holes of golf would be to an avid sportsman.  I do a lot of baking for service events and used to cater and own a small bakery.  To that end it is nice to have a stand mixer and walk off and let it cream for 10 or 15 minutes.  I love to own and try every appliance brand there is old and new.  As Pete has shown us if you can afford and have the space to store several mixers each one can be put to it's best and highest use.  My pathology requires that the appliances I own all be from one manufacturer, the glass and cups in the cupboard be a matching set and the pans be of one brand.  I currently have a Frigidaire range with a GE fridge and dishwasher that niggles the back of my mind.  I won't sit still until I find a GM fridge.  I converted from total Sunbeam to Kitchenaid in 2002 and filled the blanks with a few Cuisinart products.  After feeling like a fool for all I did for Kitchenaid I purged the house of everything but a few vintage machines and now I am back to all Sunbeam.  I cut my teeth on a Sunbeam, spent two days in a hospital bed with a Sunbeam to play with as a little kid, learned how to repair them and I love the old familiar sounds of the mixer,  how coffee smells perking, the high pitched whirl of the can opener, the quiet rush of the blender, the way the lights gleam on the chrome waffle iron and watching the toast silently disappear and then magically reappear in the T-35.  I am comforted like being surround with old friends.

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Easy Come

I bought these pans pictured in the last post and worked until I fleshed out the set.  Then Sandy McLendon joined the group and wanted to sell his Farberware Advantage.  I sold these pans and sent him $600.00 and waited about 2 months and they finally arrived.  I still have most of those giving one of each pan to a friend in Oregon who likes to shine cookware.  I bought a Sur la Table pan from ebay and loved it.  Now I have 4 pieces and keep telling myself its alright not to purge and match.  Terry, I could be retired living in

the house next to you in Florida if I would have saved all I earned and not worried so much about matching.  But oh, how I love to scrub, polish and harvest the gleam.

 

Sur La Table

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Interesting Kelly that the Classic is one of the best offers. I should have grabbed one a while ago (before I bought the compact Bosch), it was on sale in a wholesale store. I didn't get it because I thought the Artisan model might be better. Ofcourse there are differences between the European and the American models (especially voltage).

Kenwoods are widely available here ofcourse. They often turn up at auction sites, but as soon as one appears the bidding war starts, even on the real old ones. And now and then a KitchenAid shows up, but those are very expensive here so people want an arm and a leg for them.
 
I have a Kenwood Major

I bought in the early 1990s because I wanted something larger than a 6 quart bowl.  It has performed pretty flawlessly over the years.

 

Interestingly enough, my motor DOES have the  reset switch, but it is green!  I wonder if this motor is made in Japan, though, as there's a pictorial representation of the mixer, with its 'arms crossed' frowning, saying 'no!' I have often seen such pictures on goods from Japan. (Though this could have been for the Japanese market, who knows?)

 

It does leak oil a bit every now and then, but it doesn't seem to have hurt it.

 

While in UK I saw  the Kenwood that would cook was cool (it had an induction heater in it) and the video on youtube showed someone making stew in it.  Definitely a niche market.

 

 
 
I'm not too fussy when it comes to pots and pans matching. We have one mediocre set which suffices but I have a plethora of different frying pans in different sizes, types etc. Seems like whenever I see a nice looking frying pan on sale I end up buying it. Probably the worst frying pan coincidentally that I've ever had was a KitchenAid branded one,long gone now and I don't even remember if it was teflon or ceramic inside,, just that it was a blue one and something about either the teflon or ceramic all cracking and coming off so I tossed it. Fortunately I only paid half price which is when I usually buy them.. never full price lol.
 
Hey Mike, I like that maroon/brown colored band on your mixer.  What model and wattage is it?

 

Here's a comparison shot of my basic Hobart K45.  No Hobart ID on the band or any precautionary verbiage, just a straight-forward mixer.  The Hobart information is in the bowl base on the pedestal.

 

 

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