Opinions on Kitchen Aid hand mixers.

[volvoguy87]

My sister and I are looking to get our mother a nice hand mixer for her birthday. I have used an older model Kitchen Aid digital 7-Speed model and have liked it very much. It appears, however, that it may have been redesigned. Does the new case design have any noteworthy pros or cons compared to the previous style?

I know there is also a 5-Speed version which retains the older style. This one has a mechanical switch. Do they both offer the same speed range with fewer steps on the 5-Speed model, or are the steps between speeds the same with a more limited overall range on the 5-Speed? I ask because the low speed setting on the 7-Speed model I have used is perfect. It's quiet and just right to stir in powdered ingredients, like flour, without making a mess.

My mother gets cheap hand mixers and destroys them annually. They are screaming loud and have no good slow speed. It's time she had a good one!

5-Speed or 7-Speed? Which is best and what do you think about good current production hand mixers in general, Kitchen Aid or otherwise?
Dave

 

[danemodsandy]

Why Not....

....Get her a vintage Mixmaster, Jr. or Dormeyer Dormey hand mixer?

Very hard to kill those, particularly the Dormey. Here's my chrome Dormey; I also have two in White:

 

[frigilux]

Get her the 7-speed. I really like mine; don't mind the electronic control a bit.

 

[rp2813]

ATK/Cooks Illustrated tested hand mixers a few years ago.  At that time the KA was a 9-speed.  It came in second, only because of cost.  A Cuisnart that performed similarly won the top spot because it was $20 cheaper.

 

[norgeway]

The problem with them is..

The beaters fall out in use after a few years, tons of them end up at thrift stores with this problem...Many older portables are much longer lasting...GEs, Dormeys, Sunbeam Burst Of Power..all are better IMHO!

 

[dustin92]

I have a 5 speed (manual control), and it is the best modern mixer I have ever used. Powerful, yet extremely quiet, and won't stall out. I would avoid the electronic control as it's just one more thing to break. Mine has a decent slow speed, and a pretty good variation in the rest of the speeds. I haven't had any issues with the beaters falling out, and I bought mine used at a garage sale for I think $5. Our church purchased one new, and as far as I know it has lasted 5? years, and in 2 years before that, we had killed 2 cheap mixers (I was mashing potatoes with one and the drive gears completely shattered), I heard the other one just started smoking. I say go for it!

 

[twintubdexter]

Dave (Volvogyuy87)

All those hand mixers do pretty much the same thing. With Mother's Day at hand you and your sister are so fortunate to have your mom still around, for her birthday, her special day and all the other 363 days each year. I'm sure the other members who have lost their mothers miss them as much as I do mine. Get her the most super fantastic hand mixer you can find.

 

[appnut]

I went through 3 Sunbeam Burst-of-Power hand mixers from 1979 to 1986. I was so pissed and disgusted that they didn't hold up to moderate to lightly "heavy" use, I figured KA would be hefty enough. One of the early 3 speed models. It lasted for 20 years as my only mixer and the only reason was the beaters began falling out like others have said.

 

[westie2]

Have the 9 speed KA and it is great. So quite and never bogs down.  It replaced our 1967 Sunbeam hand mixer which finally striped the gear. 

 

[volvoguy87]

Kryptonite.

I'm afraid vintage is out of the question. I just couldn't bear to subject a vintage appliance to my parents' use and abuse.

I hear what you're saying about the destroyed mixers, Dustin! The cheap plastic drive gears usually get ground to bits on my mother's usual cheap-o mixers. Ever have food with plastic shrapnel? It makes for a fun surprise and a terrible garnish!

I'm leaning toward a 5-speed right now. My mother is terrible with technology and prefers things to be BOL simple. My sister and I want a capable, reasonably high-performance mixer, with few bells and whistles that would do what its name implies well, and for a nice long time. Essentially, we are looking for the Maytag A106 of mixers.

Thanks,
Dave

 

[maytagbear]

I have a 7 and a 5

and I love them both. The 7 is the digital, and the 5 is the analog. The same motor is used in both....wattage is the same (expressed as amperage), and in use, the top speed is exactly the same. The 5 speed was a gift.

I have not had trouble with the beaters falling out, but I do not doubt what the others have said. However, I still think they are excellent mixers. I was at my sister's in Minneapolis over Christmas, and her electric mixer (did not see the brand) was so very noisy in comparison. Almost sounded like a toy for Neanderthals.

For a while, I was living around as a companion/cook for several families during a time of transition. The only small electric of mine I had with me was the 7 speed. I did almost everything in the kitchen with it. I started homemade bread with it, though not through the full procedure. I used it up to the second cup of flour, and added the third cup by hand.

Lawrence/Maytagbear

 

[volvoguy87]

Question for Maytagbear.

Is the low speed the same on both the 5 and the 7?

Dave

 

[maytagbear]

Answer for Volvoguy87

Yes, in my observation.

Be sure to get her something in addition without a cord. Even a bunch of carnations or carnations and daisies. Doesn't has to be particularly expensive, but nice. My mother was adamant that if one gave a woman something with a cord, one had better give her something without. Costume jewelry, flowers, decent chocolate, or a made-by-you-and-your-sister meal are ideas.

Lawrence/Maytagbear