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Review by Kathleen:

My wedding gift mixer (a Sunbeam Mixmaster) turned 33 a week before Christmas, and my husband thought it was time for me to have a new one. He gifted me on Christmas with the KitchenAid 5 Qt. Artisan in white. I love this mixer and leave it out on my counter, something I never did with the Mixmaster. I recently purchased the citrus juicer attachment from Amazon and am very pleased with it as well. I have not read all 109 previous reviews on this site, but I have read a few that were disgruntled because their Artisans did not mix well. I initially had the same problem with the beater/bowl clearance. It is very simple to remedy. There is a beater adjustment screw on the mixer and the manual describes how to make the adjustments. I got even better instructions by calling customer support at KitchenAid. The technician told me to drop a dime into the empty bowl, turn the mixer on (about setting 2) using the flat beater, and it should move the dime 1/4" to 1/2" each time it rotates around the bowl. This is the right clearance for the beater to mix everything at the bottom of the bowl, but not low enough to cause wear on the beater from constant friction with the bottom of the bowl during usage. I tweaked the screw setting 1/4 turn each time until I got that dime moving. At this setting, I can now beat a single egg white to stiff peaks in the 5 qt. bowl. That's impressive.
This mixer is as sturdy as a tank, and you can hear the quality as it mixes. Although I had previously purchased a KitchenAid mixer for my daughter as a gift, I would never have splurged on one for myself. I am so happy my husband thought I was worth it!

Review by :

I love this thing! I have friends who've had KitchenAid mixers for years and they've always raved about their quality and durability. Well, I finally went for it and I have absolutely no regrets. You want to talk about a solid piece of kitchen machinery? This is the epitome of what "Made in America" used to mean! Unlike all the cheapo mixers out there, I'm completely confident that this thing will even outlast ME! The only problem is now I'm wondering why I waited so long!-----> This may help some of you - I read a review somewhere in which the reviewer gave this mixer a poor rating because it left dry ingredients in the bottom of the bowl - read the instruction booklet, people. It clearly states that if this occurs (or if the attachments scrape the bowl), there is an adjustment screw that raises or lowers the mixing assembly. I had to slightly lower mine and it now incorporates everything into the mix. The KitchenAid mixers are well worth the money....or you can keep buying junk mixers every couple years...the choice is yours.

Review by ut158:

I already own a 5 Qt mixer from the "Artisan Series" but decided to upgrade to this model so that I could make larger batches of bread dough. For my recipe, a single batch is 2 cups of bread flour. I tried making a double batch (4 cups) in my new Pro 600, but after about 15 min. of kneading, the motor just turned off. I thought I had burned it out, but after consulting the instruction manual, it seems this is normal. Normal?! Yes, that's what it said--all I needed to do was wait for the motor to cool off (it's also "normal" for it to get so hot it is uncomfortable to touch) for 30 min. and then try again. I find it hard to believe that this mixer could make bread with 14 cups of AP flour, as the box says. Having said that, here are my thoughts on this mixer vs. the "Artisan Series" mixer I already own:

1. The motor consumes over 50% more electricity (and is certainly more noisy) in the pro 600, but how much of that is being converted to extra torque, I'm not really sure. What I do know is that I can only do a single batch of bread at a time in either mixer.

2. As has been mentioned in other reviews, the Artisan mixer came with a "coated" paddle and dough hook, whereas the pro 600 has "Brandished steel". This means the Artisan's implements are dishwasher safe but the pro 600's are not. I had assumed those bright, shiny implements that I saw in the store display were stainless steel, but I guess not. If it weren't for this problem and the huge price tag, I would have given this mixer 5 stars.

On the plus side...

3. I love the new spiral dough hook--it is much better than the C shaped one in my Artisan

4. The soft start feature is a nice touch. Then again, it would be even nicer if there was a speed lower than the lowest one provided.

5. The larger bowl is nice

6. There is more of a difference between speeds 7-10 than the Artisan

Things I'd like to see changed in the next iteration:

--A gear box. I have a cordless drill that has a high and low gear. As could be expected, low is for more power, high is for more speed. Why don't these mixers use a simple gear selector like that? This would be a HUGE improvement--it would not only provide more power, but the lower speed I would like, as mentioned in point 4.

--Stainless steel implements as mentioned in point #2

CONCLUSION:

A very nice mixer, but so is my "Artisan". If you are going to buy a new mixer (and don't have an unlimited supply of money to throw at it), I wouldn't recommend the Pro 600--get one from the Artisan series instead--it is much cheaper and does just about as good a job. There are small advantages to the Pro 600, but even all together, I don't think they are worth the added price.

Review by Living it up:

Due to the very high number of complaints about the problems people were having with heavy duty tasks (which is what the mixer should have been made for!) due to cheap plastic housing holding the heavy duty metal gears, I contact KitchenAid to find out if this design flaw has been fixed. It has been and here is their response (note that they are saying that if you receive one of the models with the plastic housing they will replace it under warranty with the new metal housing. It is also important to note that the people who've had the problem have almost all stated that KitchenAid had great customer service and replaced their mixers with no ones with no problems.

RESPONSE FROM KITCHENAID: Thank you for visiting the KitchenAid website!

I would like to reassure you that our engineering and product teams have addressed the gear box issue. In fact, we have already implemented a change in the manufacturing of the Pro 600 Stand Mixers to a metal gear box. Although these will be changed out on additional 5 qt bowl-lift models that include all metal gearing, the time line on that is not known at this time. Although a transparent change, this will insure the long-term durability we expect.

I would like to emphasize to you that should you purchase a Stand Mixer (with all metal gearing) which has not been assembled with the upgraded metal gear box, and you should have a problem with your mixer (as a result of the plastic gear box (failure), we will most certainly extend your warranty to resolve the issue properly and effectively.

If you have additional questions, feel free to reply back to me. Or, you may contact either our KitchenAid Customer Satisfaction Center at 1-800-541-6390, or you may visit our secure KitchenAid Live Chat.

Review by Not my real name:

I bought this after reading a lot of reviews. My choice was based on a number of factors. I have owned a hand-crank, ice-and-salt ice cream maker in the past - it made great ice cream but was messy; I didn't want yet another appliance that I had to find where to store; and I have owned and liked my KitchenAid stand mixer for a number of years.

This is basically a double-walled, sealed mixing bowl, with the space inside the walls filled with some liquid (presumably like the refreezable ice packs). It comes with plastic paddle. The basic steps are:

1 Freeze the bowl (I keep mine in the freezer)

2 Make and cool an ice cream custard, or a fruit mix for sorbet

3 Assemble the frozen bowl and the plastic paddle on the stand mixer

4 Switch the mixer on lowest speed, add the custard

5 Let the mixer stir the mix until it freezes (to a "soft serve" consistency)

6 Transfer the ice cream to a bowl with a lid, and freeze until firm

Here are my comments:

First, take a black marker and obliterate all the nutritional information about the recipes in the instruction book. We know that ice cream is full of fat and sugar -- that's why we like it! We don't need reminding.

* Try a dry run to assemble the bowl and paddle. This is designed to fit many models of KitchenAid mixers, and it's not obvious. You don't want to be figuring this out when you are ready to make your first batch.

* Freeze the bowl for longer than the suggested 18 hours

* MAKE HALF QUANTITIES: the two-quart recipes fill the bowl, and I had a couple of overflows as the ice cream expands as it cools.

* Also, filling the bowl means that the ice cream takes longer to freeze. The first time I tried this, it didn't freeze as the bowl had not been frozen long enough to handle the two quarts.

* Get a good recipe to use up the egg whites. I make meringue from the New York Times Cook Book. I guess an omelet would be good too.

* There's mistake in the instruction book. In one place it suggests adding the fruit, nuts etc half way through the freezing process, and in another place it suggests adding these ingredients at the end of the mixing cycle.

* Use enough mix (custard or fruit puree) to at least fill half of the bowl -- this way the paddle will mix the entire batch.

* Remember that freezing enhances the sweet taste -- so do not over sweeten the mix before you freeze, otherwise the ice cream or sorbet will be too sweet.

* If you're making a fruit puree for sorbet, a blender makes a *MUCH* smoother puree than a food processor. I think this makes a difference in the texture of the final sorbet.

* After preparation, you need to cool the custard or puree in the fridge for a few hours. Use a jug that has a decent pouring lip: this will make it much easier to pour into the freezer bowl than if you just use a regular mixing bowl.

* There is very little space between the edge of the bowl and the paddle -- this can mean a mess when you fill the bowl. It **really** needs a pouring spout designed to fit

* Getting the semi-frozen desert out of the bowl can be messy - there is no handle on the bowl and it has smooth, slippery sides.

* Use a container for the final freezing that has a little air space after you fill with the semi-frozen ice cream -- this allows for additional expansion of the desert, and prevents the need to squash the final product into the bowl.

* I've used recipes from The New York Times Cookbook and Fine Cooking magazine -- all delicious, better than store bought, and slightly different than the regular recipes for vanilla, cookies and cream, etc.

* Use the freshest eggs you can find -- not the ones that have been sitting in the fridge door for a month

Update February 2008

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Thanks very much to all the kind comments that folks have left. For those of you who haven't read the comments on this review: it's worthwhile taking a few minutes to do so as some of the commenters have additional suggestions and ideas.

Update December 2009

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A couple of the recent comments have asked whether the inside of the bowl is aluminum or non-stick. It *appears* to be metallic, but with plastics these days, it's anybody's guess. It is light gray so could be aluminum, but I'd wager that it is some sort of alloy. It is definitely NOT the type of non-stick found in Teflon-type frying pans.

BTW - I've had this for nearly four years and am still loving it. Long term durability seems to be good.

Review by Michael Trotman:

I think my wife is trying to murder me with this KitchenAid Ice Cream Maker Attachment! She bought this for me for Christmas along with the Ben and Jerry's Ice Cream Recipe book knowing full well that I would become obsessed with trying all of the recipes. I'm on the third batch (Cherry Garcia, Coffee Chip, Chocolate Chocolate Chip) and I can already feel my heart slowing down. I can hardly make it to the mailbox without becoming winded. Luckily I realized her dastardly plot before having an ice cream overdose induced myocardial infarction. She almost got away with it as nobody would have suspected her. The paramedics would have just thought I was another fat pig who overdosed on ice cream.

This is so easy to use you may also find yourself overstocked with fresh quarts of the best ice cream you ever tasted. Follow the recipes in Ben and Jerry's book and carefully follow the directions that come with the churn and you'll make great ice cream every time. As the other reviewers have mentioned, it is essential to allow the ice cream to "ripen" before serving. This is not a requirement that is unique to this churn by the way. This is necessary with other churns as well. So be patient, plan ahead, get creative, and enjoy.

Review by Joanna Daneman:

I have a KitchenAid and I must say, they are as good as their high reputation. I bought the mixer mainly to make bread, but what makes it even better are the accessories. These convert the stand mixer/dough maker into a vegetable processor, grinder and sausage maker. There is also a grain grinder that really works quite well. Here are the pros and cons of this set, as I see it:Pros:
You get a decent meat grinder with two blades, coarse and fine. This means you can make ground turkey with no additives, ground chicken without added fat, or fresh ground beef. You can also grind meat for sausage (about which, later.)You get a slicer similar to those hand-turned cone types that make cole slaw or waffled carrot slices.Cons:
The sausage nozzle for filling the casings is not included. This is, in my opinion, really dumb. It's just a couple of pieces of molded plastic. For heaven's sake, include it. The slicer is a bit clunky. If you don't put the bowl to catch the shreds just right, you get slaw all over. And sometimes it is hard to get the cone off the flanges of the connecting pin that fits into the mixer attachment point. But screwing it into the mixer and grabbing with a rubber mat usually works for me. I prefer a mandoline, a food processor or even a big board and a really sharp chef's knife to the slicer, but it does save on counter space. So, this is a good thing to have as an addition to your KitchenAid if you do any kind of prep cooking, such as canning, salads, baby foods, venison processing, or sausages. It's very good quality plastic and metal, though the cone blade finish seems a bit crude to me. I can recommend it, with the reservations I mentioned.

Review by Eugene Mah:

I use this with my Kitchenaid Epicurean and really enjoy it. Used it to grind our own beef and pork for meatloaf and shredded plenty of cheese for mac and cheese. The motor provides plenty of power to grind and shred through just about anything, and the shredding/grinding blades seem to keep their edge quite nicely.There are a lot of bits to keep track of though, and some of them can be a little difficult to clean properly. I also wish the hopper for the grinder attachment was a little bit bigger.It's not going to replace my food processor, but when I have a large volume of stuff to do, or for things my food processor's motor just can't handle, this certainly does the trick.

Review by R D:

Unlike many of the reviewers, I've only had this mixer for about a year, and it's this specific model, the 250W 4.5 quart mixer (the bottom of the Kitchenaid line). It was a real splurge at the time we purchased it, but it has turned out to be well worth it.Before the Kitchenaid, I didn't do much baking. I tend towards more "manly" cooking techniques: the hotter the fire, the spicier the recipe, the better as far as I'm concerned. But this machine is as satisfying to use as any power tool in the garage -- there is something about using the *right* tool for the job, and I've found no tasks that one might consider using a mixer for that the Kitchenaid doesn't excel at. But it's especially good for baking, and once you start using it, you'll have your oven running a lot more than you used to.The big difference between this mixer and the standard "two beater" models you may be familiar with is that it uses a single mixing attachment that rotates in two motions- it not only spins on its own axis, it also is rotated around the edge of the bowl. This does an extremely effective job of mixing ingredients without need for the bowl rotating, since the mixing motion covers the entire bowl. For most mixing jobs, it also requires no scraping of the sides with the spatula. IE: when it's mixing, you can ignore it and work on other stuff.The first attachment I'll mention is the dough hook, which is a godsend for kneading. In the last day, I've made pizza dough, bagels, and whole wheat bread. Although this is the least powerful machine Kitchenaid makes, it kneads stiff dough (like the aforementioned bagels made with high-gluten flour) that would turn your mother's mixmaster into a smoking, stinking heap of fried motor components. Machine kneading takes a *lot* of the effort and variability out of making bread... you never "knead in" too much flour to keep it from sticking to your hands, and the 20 minutes you normally spend working the dough turns into 10 minutes you can use to clean up the kitchen.The other two attachments are the paddle and the whisk. The paddle is the all-purpose "workhorse" beater, and works extremely well for creaming sugar and butter together, mixing cookie dough or cake batter, or any other general-purpose mixing job. With the orbital motion, it comes right up to the edge of the bowl, so it is effectively scraping as it goes. The whisk is great for egg whites and making whipped cream. I'm sure it's good for something else, but that's what I've used it for.As for capacity, the 4.5 quart model is suitable for pretty much any "normal" home recipes. It's a "standard mixer". It will easily knead enough dough at once for two loaves of bread, or mix a double-batch of cookies.As for downsides: this thing is HEAVY. You won't be moving it once it's in place. If you knead very stiff dough, the bowl sometimes will get tightened to the extent that it is very difficult to remove from the base. It's OK if you remember to leave it a little loose beforehand, but I always forget and I end up wrestling with the machine to twist it out. The metal trim band on the mixer right above the bowl has come a little loose on my model- the machine got a bit hot after some heavy kneading, and I think some adhesive got soft. It's held in place well by something else, but sometimes it will slip when I'm wiping the machine off. It's purely cosmetic from what I can tell, and it's the only thing that feels cheap in any way about this machine. Other than that, I honestly haven't had a single complaint.In summary: this is an expensive mixer, but it is very well worth it. Even novice cooks will find it's use enjoyable, and it will inspire you to explore new things that you probably didn't do before because of the time and effort involved.

Review by M. Baker:

A word of warning - the Kitchenaides made in the past 10 or so years have a less powerful and durable motor than the older ones. If you like making homemade bread (like I do) purchase a professional mixer to knead your dough (or do it by hand like I do now). Kitchenaides used on a regular basis to make homemade bread (especially using whole wheat flour) will destroy your motor. When you send the mixer in for repairs (under warranty) they will say you've been using it commercially and refuse to stand behind their warranty. If you tell them you use it to make bread they'll tell you it's not made for that (they can't explain why they provide a dough hook though or neglect to provide any warnings against breadmaking in particular). I've always loved Kitchenaide appliances, my sisters is 15+ years old and going strong but my poor 4 year old mixer overheats and strains doing the same recipes. My next mixer will be a Magic Mill DLX Kitchen Machine, its twice as much, but will last like the old Kitchenaides do. I have to give 2 stars for the lousy warranty service and lack of honesty in their manuals.

Update: August 2004

Haven't been using my KA for bread since (bought a breadmachine to mix my dough). Only using the KA for light use abut 4 times a month. Now it makes a grinding noise continuously while in use. Cookie doughs seems almost too hard for it too. My sisters is now over 20 years old and going strong (even with bread). I wish they made them like they used too........

Review by CEG:

I've owned more expensive cookware sets, but this moderately priced set from KitchenAid ranks with the best of them. All of my previous cookware was stainless steel or low-end aluminum, so I was not sure what to expect in terms of durability. However, this set has exceeded my expectations. The pans are wonderful to cook with, the non-stick coating beats anything I've tried before, the lids fit tightly, and the insulated handles make oven mitts unnecessary. I love how light the pans are -- even full they are easy to lift and pour from. One note of caution: The domed lids and upright lid handles mean these pans require a bit more storage space than other sets I've used.

Review by Enrique Garza:

Being a consumer reports junkie I noticed this cookware was not rated under the nonstick column so I relied on Amazon reviews and decided to purchase this set. My hats off to the people who have reviewed this item because the comments are very accurate and honest. I really love this Kitchen aid set for the following reasons:

1. It looks just amazing to have them shown, we have visitors complimenting the looks of the pans and then they see Kitchen Aid and say "wow". It's a good feeling.

2. The cooking is very fast and the burn is very even....amazing. I whipp up two eggs in under 3 minutes. The other day I cooked and omelette and upon flipping it over the cook diagragm was very evenly spaced and consistent. Again Amazing !!!

3. Most reviewers say it is easy to clean....that is so true!!! One quick clean with either a dish sponge or a simple rag will do the job.

3. The handles do not get warm even when warming up the pan. You can leave the pot warming and grab the handle with full confidence and you will not worry about the handle being warm.

4. The top glass is very stylish and durable. We accidentally dropped one and not a scratch.

5. The price with the special offer from Amazon brings this pot down to a very affordable price.

6. These pots are enough to cover your every day cooking needs. I believe they will also last at least over 5 years so I highly recommend them.

Again thanks to Amazon for just being Amazon, but people out there taking the time to input reviews, I want to thank you for the comments and reviews that lead me to believe there are good people still out there watching out for one another.

Amazon is just awesome in most areas, I hardly ever shop at ebay because of Amazon.

Cheers,

Review by Gaylin Walli:

I've used this attachment more times than I ever thought I would. I've used it to prepare food items for my family as well as food items for crowds as large as 200 and regardless of what it is I've been making, this attachment has rolled through it without complaint. In combination with other pieces such as the sausage stuffer or the fruit attachments, you may well find that this single attachment stays on your machine the longest. I am absoultely stunned at how easy it is to put together and how simple it is to get wonderfully ground items out of it. I've had no trouble grinding any cut of meat (marbled or lean), type of meat (venison, beef, pork, chicken), or state of meat (cooked or raw). Things like chickpeas also get ground just the way I like them. The two, differently sized grinding plates give you just what you need in texture. My biggest pleasure in using this attachment is during hunting season when my husband brings home more than one deer. Venison burger meat and sausage processing never went faster. No more late nights with a hand-crank grinder!When you're done, there's nothing simpler in the cleanup. Nothing seems to stick to the plastic (plus, it's dishwasher safe!) and the metal pieces wash up quickly by hand. Even the little wooden stomper cleans well (and I've felt lost without it when I couldn't find it during sausage making). I think this attachment is the easiest to use of all of the ones I've tried.I'll never regret the purchase of this attachment.

Review by ringo:

Given all the concerns about e-coli and mad cow, we decided last year to start grinding our own beef and lamb. This grinder does the job perfectly. We grind right into the short round Ziplock boxes (about a hamburger's worth), which go into the basement freezer, and then we turn out the frozen "hockey pucks" onto a plate to defrost in the microwave, or right into the pot for bolognese sauce or sloppy joes. ("Honey, would you bring me up a couple of hockey pucks for dinner?)Assembly is easy and cleanup is easy (put a slice of bread through after the meat to make it even easier, or grind up an onion if you're making meatloaf anyway). The knife and both plates store inside the screw cap, so I don't worry about losing them (though KitchenAid sells replacements, as does goodmans-dot-net). The grinder even comes with a handy wrench-thingy to help take it apart if it tightens up.The knife and plates are not stainless (which wouldn't hold an edge), so you do have to dry them off right after washing, but I put everything, including the wooden stomper, right in the dishwasher, and after more than a year nothing has had a problem.[...] - this isn't an industrial tool! You can't set the mixer speed above three or four when grinding (less if the meat is gristly), and you've got to cut up the meat small enough to fit in the feed tube (the instructions say one-inch cubes, but long strips work too). Treat this right and it will return the favor.About the only thing that would make this more perfect is a cylindrical brush to clean out the horizontal and vertical shafts, since the dishwasher spray can't really completely reach both, and the horizontal shaft has a screw thread that tends to catch crud (Right now I'm using a folded sponge, and the abovementioned bread slice).

Review by :

I have had every kind of pasta roller - the chrome manual kind, the one that does everything (mixes, extrudes) and now this. I LOVE it. I love having my hands free to hold the dough going in and coming out and not having the manual roller shift all over the place. I am amazed how thin I can make the dough - tissue paper-thin. My only complaint, and I make it for the sake of completeness, is the fact that it took SEVERAL batches of dough (the first of which I was willing to sacrifice) to "clean" it out. I noticed what looked like metallic deposits all over my dough, especially on the edges. This was very distressing to me. I tried wiping the roller with a towel (for about an hour), I tried rubbing it with olive oil and I tried dusting it with flour, all of which helped, but it was ridiculous how much time I had to spend and how many batches of dough I had to waste (about four)! Overall, however, I am very pleased, but I think they should include in the instructions a statement to the effect that you should expect to see the deposits and how to clean it, or they should make sure it's cleaner before sending it out!

Review by :

I decided to purchase this attachment instead of the other Kitchenaid pasta attachment (plates + food grinder) because I wanted to be able to make any kind of pasta: spinach, semolina, whole wheat, egg-free etc, and not be confined to a small number of recipes that were sure to work well with the plates. It has worked like a charm. Even the egg-free spinach pasta, which was very dry and crumbly to start, came out perfect.The widest setting on the roller works to knead/roll the dough until its pliable enough to continue. Its amazing how such flaky dough can become so evenly mixed with minimal effort. From this point, its just a few more settings until you've got angel-hair thin dough. It is important to use the cutter before the ends of your dough dry out, lest they will clog the cutter.Pasta is my favorite food, and this contraption makes it possible to make my own healthy, delicious pasta recipes at home, quickly!

Review by Band Dad:

I have been looking for a blender for a few weeks now. We have started making smoothies at home and burned up our old one. Our girls like the "Chocolate Elvis" recipe from the local smoothie place which contains peanutbutter, bananas, yogurt, ice, and milk. I guess this is really hard on blenders. I bought one at Target 2 weeks ago that had "700 watts peak power" on the box. It died in 2 days. The power spec on the bottom of the blender said 450 watts. I think that is false advertisement. I have seen this on 2 different blenders now.

I have been leery of buying any blender with the little plastic teeth couplers because of all the bad reviews here on Amazon. I also wanted to stay away from anything with only 450 watts.

I was in another store and saw this blender. It has a new design for where the blades couple with the motor. "Commercial quality couplers with 12 interlocking teeth....coated for quiet operation".

We have had it for a few days now and have made some pretty thick smoothies. So far, so good. No burning smell like the one that was immediately apparent with the Target blender. My youngest daughter complanied that her smoothie was "too smooth". I guess she got used to the chunks of ice that our past blenders have left.

Kitchenaid doesn't seem to advertise the actual power specs on their blenders. On the bottom of this one it says that it draws 6 amps. Which is about 720 watts or about 0.9 horsepower.

My only complaint so far is the soft start feature. The blade starts at a slower speed then quickly increases to the speed you chose. This process still throws everything up into the lid, which is what it should prevent. It works fine though as long as you have the lid on. It also works if you start with the slowest speed and work your way up.

Overall this blender seems to be well made and pretty well thought out. The cord storage on the bottom is a great feature. It has much bigger feet than the previous model. So far, I would highly recommend this blender for the person looking for a good blender in the under 0 range.

Added comments:

It is a year and about 300 smoothies later and we still have this blender. I would highly recommend it!!

Review by Robert Derenthal:

We bought this Kitchenaid blender over a year ago, and after several months the container started to leak. The leak was small, and we put up with it for awhile. We finally got tired of the mess, however, and called the factory. We were told that the container had been redesigned, and they would send us a new one immediately even though our warranty had expired. When we got the new one we could see that it had indeed been redesigned, and have used it for some time now, and NO LEAKS. A leak proof container plus the other great features of this blender now warrant a definite five stars.

Review by J. Sheriff:

I received this mixer as a gift, and honestly, it is so great that I almost feel guilty I don't use it every day. I have heard good things about the reliability of Kitchen Aid mixers, and this one is far more powerful than what I actually need it to do.

One especially great thing is the slow-start feature--I do a lot of cake batter and icings, and it's nice to avoid getting flour all over the cabinets after each round of mixing. It mixes very thoroughly, although I was initially suspicious since the bowl doesn't rotate. You do have to stop and scrape the bowl, as with any mixer.

The machine is also incredibly quiet--it makes less noise than the microwave does. I like the fact that the bowl and white attachments are dishwasher safe, too. It might seem trivial, but I also like the styling of the wider bowl that comes standard with this model, instead of the narrower one that comes with the Artisan.

At first I thought the bowl-lift thing might be uncomfortable to use, since I'm used to tilt-head stand mixers. The bowl has two tabs with holes that fit on either side of the mixer, plus a metal nub that rests in a slot at the back. Once those three points are secure, you rotate the lever to lift the bowl to mixing position, and it's very stable.

I've only found two minor inconveniences with this machine. First, it's pretty tall, so it won't fit on the counter underneath my cabinets--I have to move it back and forth from another shelf to use it, and it's heavy. Second, when you're done mixing and lower the bowl, it's hard to scrape all the stuff off the beater because you can't get a good angle. So you have to detach the beater and let it fall into the bowl and when the bowl is off the mixer you can scrape everything out. Thinner stuff like cake batter wouldn't be a problem, but for frosting or mashed potatoes, a lot of stuff is left on the beater. This is not a big deal--just a different thing to get used to after a tilt-head mixer.

I have the cobalt blue model, and I hesitated because I thought it might be too "loud," but it's beautiful and I'm so glad I got this one.

I'm not a professional baker, but I use my mixer frequently, and I'm delighted to have something that looks great and works so well.

Review by Rollin Oswald:

On the positive side:

The mixer "seems" (see below) to be well made. The fit and finish of external parts is excellent. When tightened with vigor, the tightening nob that holds excessories like a grinder (which works very well) in place, no longer falls into the mixing bowl while something is being mixed.

Kitchenaid has an exceptional warrangy. You need only call Kitchenaid, explain the problem and they send a new mixer and prepaid labels to return the defectve mixer. Definitely retain the box the mixer arrives in.

On the negative side:

Mine is the third KV25GOXCV I have had following the return of a proceeding model with a smaller motor. All were returned because the sound made by the mixer suggested that the gearing was self-destructing. All emitted uneven grinding sounds, especially when operating at mid-range speeds. It suggests that the gears were poorly machined and were wearing badly and would fail before long. (The gearing in my last Kitchenaid stand mixer lasted 15 years before it had to be rebuilt after which, the mixer was given to my son who is still using it.)

My present mixer makes the same troubling transmission sounds but after having had three others that made those same sounds, I concluded that Kitchenaid cannot do any better.

When mixing doughs approaching the mixer's maximum capacity, the dough rides up the dough hook and must be dragged back down before mixing can again proceed normally. It must be done every 30 seconds or so.

Do not plan to mix any stiff doughs that an older recipe (nonKitchenaid recipe) suggests mixing for longer than 3 or 4 minutes. If you do, the mixer will overheat and automatically shut off until it cools. When I contacted Kitchenaid's Customer Service Department, I was told that I must follow mixing directions in the accompaning operator's manual. (These suggest limiting mixing times to only a few minutes.)

Before buying one of these mixers I recommend looking at a Viking stand mixer. It is more expensive but its bowl capacity is considerably larger and its motor is much more powerful.

If it comes as an option, I do not recommend buying the plastic splash guard that fits around the top of the mixing bowl. It is a hassle to take off and replace, which will be required because of the need to scrape the bowl frequently as a result of Kitchenaid's questionable beater and dough hook designs.