I decided to replace my K5A that has been in continuous use for 35 or more years. It is like an old friend and I reluctantly gave it up. This mixer has more power and is quieter than the old one. No strikes so far, it has been what I expected (but I judge good service in years, not weeks).I also purchased the pouring shield , which (as far as I am concerned) is just about useless (Flimsy, cheap, and more bother than help).I have been very impressed with the deliveries of all my purchases at Amazon, they have been very fast, AND free.I like Amazon, but it is not the only place I shop.. just the first.KitchenAid KV25GOXER Professional 5 Plus 5-Quart Stand Mixer, Empire Red
This KitchenAid Professional 600 Series 6-Quart Stand Mixer,Red Cayenne, Very powerful with heavy mixes and still remains quiet and undisturbing to the rest of the house even allowing easy non shouting conversations during get to gethers and home-made pizza night. The 6qt bowl will still mix small batches so don't think it's too big for everyday use.
Red Cayenne color is much more durable and appealing over the Red (the pictures don't do it justice). And at amazon prices you really don't need to shop elsewhere...trust me I wasted alot of time trying. Like amazon, like this Red Cayenne stand mixer.
We bought this 6-Quart KitchenAid Professional 600 series mixer in Empire Red (in addition we bought the cover as well) for the main purpose of mixing dough with the spiral dough utensil, which is included.
My family and I spent spent a considerable time comparing the Cuisinart 7-Quart Mixer Cuisinart SM-70BC 7-Quart 12-Speed Stand Mixer, Brushed Chrome with the KitchenAid mixer before making our purchase.
The Cuisinart Mixer had a larger bowl, more wattage, sale price was less than the KitchenAid.
We watched numerous demo videos on both on Amazon and YouTube.
For us, the KitchenAid's selling point was the lift-up handle that picked and locked the bowl into place. I have many years worth of experience working with a restaurant-grade dough mixer (Usually mixing nearly 20 pounds of dough at a time), so the videos demonstrated the mixer's sturdiness.
Although the Cuisinart's mixer appeared equally sturdy, we were nervous about the constant over-use of the hinge of the machine that requires completely torquing up and out the machine and the wires inside in order to remove the bowl (You should watch the videos to see what I mean).
So far I have limited myself to making up to 6-8 cups of flour into dough at a time. Only thing to point out: When mixing dough, I would recommend standing by the dough mix and adding water into the bowl in areas that needs to be wet, instead of dumping all the water in the beginning. By doing so I cut down the time the utensil is able to work the water into dry dough, thus I am able to cut down the total time my machine needs to be running. Dough is mixed in less than 10 minutes, but overall I hope that I am extending the total life of the machine. The dough always comes out in a ball shape and does not require further kneading by hand, as long as the flour and water are in the right proportions.
We have not opened the cover to see if the 2010 parts are made of metal, but based on most recent reviews we believe they are. The machine is loud, so I recommend placing it on a counter-top instead of a table. Over all the machine does what it promises and we are very happy with our purchase.
Every since Whirlpool took over Kitchen Aid the quality has gone way down with regard to Kitchen Aid mixers. I bought my first Kitchen Aid mixer a couple weeks ago, came home, turned it on and sparks flew out of it, and a few seconds later, a fuse blew. I took the mixer back to the store and got another mixer only this time the second speed didn't work. I then took the second mixer back but this time asked for a refund.I finally found the Hamilton Beach mixer on line, and I couldn't believe the price for an orbiting, metal, stand mixer with a three year no questions asked warranty (Kitchen Aid only offers a one year warranty), so I bought it. The mixer arrived the other day, and I have been baking like a maniac every since. My first test was cherry, pecan scones, and the mixer didn't hesitate once while pushing through the thick, heavy dough. My second test - chocolate chip cookies with walnuts. This machine didn't bat an eye (eyes not included) forging through a double batch. Also, it's relatively quiet compared to Kitchen Aid - you can hear the quality in the motor. I can't even begin to say how much I enjoy this mixer.
