Every baker should have one of these!

Author's Rating:

Pros: Powerful mixer - handles shortening very well! Excellent instruction book with helpful tips.

Cons: Six quart attachments are hard to find in the stores. Although they are online.

The Bottom Line: 
This mixer has sent me looking at other KitchenAid products for my needs. I am very impressed.

Author's Review
Last summer, I started a Wilton Cake Decorating class. A friend of mine really wanted to take the class, but wanted a friend to go. I was recruited as I'm a craft lover and will try anything once. Without getting into the details of the class (which I also recommend), let me just say this. On the first night of the class, I was completely convinced that I needed a KITCHENAID mixer!

The instructor had one with her to show us how to mix the buttercream frosting on the first night. If you don't know, buttercream frosting (a double batch) needs 2 pounds of sugar and 2 cups of shortening (plus some other odds and ends). She placed all the ingredients in the bowl at once, flipped the mixer on, and within a couple of minutes, it was very well blended! I was in awe! Every time I mixed up the frosting for the class after that (at least once a week), I brought up the fact that I needed a KITCHENAID MIXER. My husband will vouch for this.

I was using a BLACK & DECKER 250 watt hand mixer. It did a pretty good job, but I got tired of having to slowly add the ingredients a little at a time. Now I continued with the classes, thus justifying the purchase more and more each day. But even I still had to be convinced to spend over $200 on a mixer.

My husband was taking my cakes from class into his work (I'm on Weight Watchers, I did not need cake around!). It was just my luck that he works with a man who used to be a pastry chef. So not only did I get tips on my technique, but I now had an ally on the convince-the-husband-I-need-a-$200-mixer campaign. While I was at home researching KITCHENAID mixers - trying to find the lowest prices, checking out features - my husband's co-worker was telling him that yes, I did need a KITCHENAID mixer. In fact, he was very specific on some of the features it should have. I added his advice to my research and found I wanted a KITCHENAID Professional Series Mixer.

To add to my luck, just after I was introduced to Royal Icing by the classes (all sugar and water, very tough on a mixer), I happen to find a refurbished KITCHENAID Professional Series Mixer. I found it on Amazon.com for about $180. The only difference between this refurbished model was that a/it may have some cosmetic problems, b/ the warranty was only for 6 months and c/I wasn't guaranteed the pouring shield. At half the price though, I was sold. My husband's co-worker convinced him I'd never get a better deal, so I ordered.

My mixer arrived quickly with no noticeable blemishes. It had the complete instruction booklet (with some great tips and recipes), a flat beater, a whisk and a dough hook. I unfortunately did not get the pour shield (but I just cover the machine with a towel when mixing lots of powder ingredients). Personally, I could not see the difference between this mixer and the brand new ones at the store - except the price.

I can still remember the first time I used the KITCHENAID Professional Series Mixer, all I could tell anyone who would listen was "This thing is awesome! You put in all the ingredients, whoosh and you have frosting!" I have used this mixer for every step of my cakes since - it works so well! I have also used it for nearly everything I else that I mix. I've even been tempted to toss my bread machine and use the mixer for my bread.

I have had only one problem with the mixer - finding the attachments. Most of the stores I shop at, have only attachments for the 4 1/2 or 5 quart models. Honestly though, the only attachments I want are a new flat beater and the pour shield (it would just bee nice). Why a new beater? Because the one it came with is not dishwasher safe and I'm not convinced we get the shortening off well enough when we wash it.

I have been really impressed with this mixer since I've had it. I've told several people they need to get one if they do anything but minimal baking. It was a life saver at Christmas time with all those cookies!