I'm sorry, I just can't see buying a stand mixer for the many hundreds of dollars, and then spending many many more hundreds of dollars on attachments! I am capable of wielding a knife and a whisk. All of my extra tools and appliances that do what most of those attachments do probably cost less than the price of the mixer and takes up less room.

The mixers are pretty, but I don't think I would ever use one enough to justify the price tag.

It may just be me, but I have not yet discovered the wonders of my new KitchenAid Stand Mixer. It is probably my own fault and not the machines, but switching to the mixer seems almost as efficient (if not less) as doing it by hand. I still make a complete mess of the kitchen and somehow everything turns out over beaten when I try to make breads or cakes. I'm almost positive this is user error, but it is disconcerting trying to figure out how I manage to mess up so simple a task as put the ingredients in the bowl and turn it on to the proper setting. It is just something to get used to, I guess.

Anyway, anyone have any tips other than what the manual already tells me?

Oh, and does anybody else's mixer rock when you turn it past a low setting? I haven't used it yet since moving, so it could have just been un-level craptastic counters.

@seaweediscool. If you're not doing it already, lock the top part of the mixer in place using the lock on the side; the lock the allows you to lift the top part of the mixer up. Okay, I have no idea how to explain it! I'm at a loss for words! But, that lock will keep it from rocking...

If you're not doing it already, lock the top part of the mixer in place using the lock on the side; the lock the allows you to lift the top part of the mixer up. Okay, I have no idea how to explain it! I'm at a loss for words! But, that lock will keep it from rocking...

I like my Kitchen Aid, other than it seems to have a real issue mixing anything on the bottom. It seems like the Kitchen Aids on TV don't have to be scraped every thirty seconds in order to make sure everything is getting mixed in.

I have the ice cream attachment for mine, because it was free after rebate for buying the mixer. That's really the only way I can afford attachments, because Kitchen Aid charges an exorbitant amount of money for those things!

@seaweediscool (it is, by the way. And tasty) - if your cakes are becoming over mixed, I would use a lower setting on the mixer. Most cake batter should be a little lumpy. For breads - how long have you been making breads? When I first started, I referred to Youtube videos a lot because I had a hard time knowing when to stop kneading with the dough hook. You could also try kneading on a lower setting. I hope this helps!

@Rhoswen, your mixer probably needs to be adjusted. You can move the head up or down (not just tilting or lifting, but actually tweaking how far into the bowl the beater/whisk reaches) to properly reach the bottom of the bowl, but without scratching it. I don't remember the steps exactly, but the manual or a quick internet search will tell you how!

If you have a tilt-head mixer, lift up the head and look for the nut where the head meets the base. Turn the nut counter-clockwise to raise the beater; clockwise to lower it. Your beater should just barely not touch the sides and bottom of the bowl.

I said nut. But I really mean the screw. Sorry.

Isn't it really only _replacing_ the item if you already own it? I own, like, maybe 2 or 3 of the items mentioned above.

Isn't it really only _replacing_ the item if you already own it? I own, like, maybe 2 or 3 of the items mentioned above.

I have a stand mixer that was bestowed as a gift and I hardly ever use it. Mostly because I rarely bake, but also because I don't want to spend the money on all the attachments and I'm perfectly capable of (and happy) using the inexpensive hand tools that are suggested here. If mine ever breaks (unlikely since I rarely use it), I probably won't be replacing it.

To me, it seems that these have become a "must have/keeping up with the Joneses" kitchen item when they really should be a "nice to have" item and then, only if you would really use it a lot.

I really love using my KitchenAid mixer to make pasta. I used to make pasta by hand, and it really is a lot faster and easier with the attachments. Rolling out the dough is especially nice with the attachment because I had a hard time achieving the desired thickness by hand :)

There's too much cleanup involved with a lot of the tasks a stand mixer can do, sadly. I'll be using my Vitamix to make applesauce and not the stand mixer with strainer attachment, for instance. Much less work putting things together, taking them apart, washing them individually, etc.

I just bought a KitchenAid stand mixer. I bake a lot and make a lot of kneaded breads. I love this thing! It is so much easier and less messy to let the mixer do the kneading. The only thing I have replaced thus far is my ancient ice cream maker. The ice cream attachment for the mixer takes up less space than my old maker and I do make a lot of ice cream in the summer so it was a must-have! I don't know that I'll buy any other attachments as I don't have the room to store them in my tiny kitchen.

I couldn't make it through the summer without our stand mixer. We rarely use it as a mixer but the vegetable strainer processes several gallons of tomatoes a week in August and September and then more gallons of applesauce in September and October. I also grow wheat as a cover crop around the tomatoes so the grain mill gets a fair amount of use and my husband likes to grind his own hamburgers for barbeques. We've talked about getting the ice cream maker but decided we don't need those calories.

Thanks for the reply! Yep, I lock the head down every time and the bowl is in the proper locked position as well. Also, the cord is stuck safely behind the mixer and not under the base. I need to make some pizza dough for tonight's dinner, so I will check it for rockage, hoping it was just the countertops and not the motor being unbalanced/

@Rhoswen: Thanks for the reply :)

I've only had the mixer since January, so it is still in the breaking in period, but I have been making bread for almost two-years now about once or twice a month (except for that very short paleo diet experiment). With the mixer, I was experimenting with the manuals suggestions on speed, (thus noticed the rocking), but I just gave up with the dough hook the last time I made a couple loaves. I will check out YouTube and see if adjusting the screw in the head, like elise890 suggested, helps it at all.

Happy Baking :)

So how exactly does the dough hook replace the rolling pin? After mixing the dough don't you still need to roll out the dough if making a pie crust for example?

I love my KitchenAid for lots of things but I absolutely 100% regret buying the sausage making attachment. Worst. Ever. Tried making chicken sausage and had so many issues with the meat grinding part that I don't even know why we tried to stuff it into casing but that was just as painful.

With bread kneading I also have issues with rocking and have given up and just knead by hand unless it's a very soft dough. I'll still use the KitchenAid for cake batter, cookies, and mashed potatoes but I've learned that the normal home model does have its limitations.

For those who notice the rocking motion with their KitchenAid mixers when doing dough, remember, the dough will make the mixer a bit unbalanced as it slings it against the bowl.

I believe you still have to do some more kneeding outside the bowl, but what this does is get the dough into a ball, and then you can pull it off the hook. The same thing is done in the food processor, as in making pasta dough, you run it until it forms a ball, remove and kneed by hand some more by the folding method.

This will reduce the need to kneed by hand before you roll out etc.

Yeah, but then your stand mixer would have to out all the time, you'd have to wash all those parts, and it would cost a lot to buy all those attachments. Not to mention that if the power goes out but you still need to make food, what are you going to do?

So....this is about the tenth paean to the stand mixer that I've read, and maybe I should get one. But...I don't know. I bake and cook constantly (often for large groups of people) in a tiny kitchen, and have never felt oppressed by having to stir/mix/knead/etc. Level with me: is the stand mixer really (really, really) worth it?

SInce I have wrecked my hands with too many years of computer use, I depend on my KitchenAid and my Cuisinart mini-chopper to do what I can't comfortably do myself any more. Word to the wise....

I love my Kitchenaid mixer for mixing. I have the meat grinder attachment, but, um, it's not really a great tool. You have to get the meat cut into little cubes, get them frozen to just the right temp, which is really hard to attend to. I've used it for meat pies, but I wouldn't use it to make hamburger meat; it's just not that easy to get the right consistency.

One other thing: we really need to use our arms and work off a few calories if we can. I like chopping. It's also a great stress reliever.

I'm still chopping by hand..for now. My arthritis is getting worse and I really really love my Kitchenaid for mixing dough and kneading bread. I just can't do it anymore.

Although I'll confess that when I turn out bread dough to put it in the pans, I give it a few gentle turns and pats to feel more involved. I miss kneading, but it hurts now and I see no reason to give up on home baked bread.

I finally talked myself into gettting a KitchenAid stand mixer yesterday afternoon ... I got it for a great price at Costco also ($70 in in instant discount and a mail-in rebate- that was the tipping point and brought the price within my comfort zone hahaha) I'll use it primarily for baking bread and want to try a little sausage-making this summer.

I use my Kitchenaid for a lot of things: cookies, bread, and ice cream mostly.

To solve the problem of having to scrape down the sides all the time, I've been using one of the paddles with the silicone scrapers (sideswipe is the one I use). We just had to replace ours after 3 or 4 years, because some of the scrapers tore off after my wife made oatmeal cookies, and the batter was way too thick. It works great for thinner batters such as chocolate chip cookies.

I could not do my yearly Christmas and Easter bread baking without my Kitchen Aid. I did get the pasta and grinder attachements (and the sausage stuffer) for myself on sale, and my MIL got me the slicer (which I haven't used yet).

Mine does rock, too! Very disconcerting but I usually don't leave the kitchen with it on anyway. And there are times when the head doesn't lock. I bought mine when they first came out so I hope this has been corrected !

Only if you like homemade whipped cream (yum!) and creaming butter and sugar together is a no-brainer. These are just 2 reasons I'm happy to have one!

I did not know there was a juice attachment! I must get it.

Hmm I have never had a problem making hamburger meat with mine! That is interesting. I also never freeze the meat beforehand.

http://www.livingrichlyonabudget.com/kohls-com-kitchenaid-stand-mixer-for-133

Now you can get one for $133 plus tax!
http://www.livingrichlyonabudget.com/kohls-com-kitchenaid-stand-mixer-for-133

I own a stand mixer in addition to a 12qt hobart mixer for making bread. that said, a stand mixer is not really for mixing dough. they are typically tested for mixing 3 cups of white flour dough. who has time to make bread 1 loaf at a time, or for that matter an interest in spending that time to end up with basic white bread. you may be able to use a stand mixer in place of many of those common tools, but you can hardly replace them with a mixer. as if i would throw away my knife, cutting board and whisk. that are pretty handy to have, but more often than not i would prefer to use hand tools.

shredding chicken! put boiled or cooked chicken into the bowl and use the paddle attachment. great shredded chicken in seconds, no dirty hands or aching fingers from using two forks. love it!

My mixer was a graduation gift and I love it for many things without any attachments. Bread dough is easier, meringue and whipped cream are faster, and its easier to do gradual additions of flour to batters or sugar to frostings.

My stand mixer is my favorite thing that I own. <3