Stand Mixers 2002 – 2011

[Badiane]

I don't know about the sausage making bits, but the pasta roller is excellent, and I use it all the time for gumpaste work and making crackers and assorted flatbreads as well as pasta.

[janeer]

The price seems good, and the pasta attachment (and ice cream) are excellent.

[Mithril]

My husband has offered to replace my Kitchenaid Artisan stand mixer for our anniversary this year. I'm disinclined to get another Kitchenaid because it started it's slow descent when it was only about four years old. Research showed that it's not my mother's Kitchenaid anymore, and that parts are plastic, yadda, yadda, yadda.

What is the current state of affairs in the stand mixer marketplace? I'm a marshmallow-making home cook, so the mixer needs some gumption - and I need to run it for more than ten minutes at a time, as Kitchenaid directs me not to. It's hard to get a sense of teh products from reviews, because one can't really tell how hard the user makes the machine work.

Is there anything for the home user that has all-metal parts? Bonus points if I could use some of my Kitchenaid attachments in it.

[pep.]

My husband has offered to replace my Kitchenaid Artisan stand mixer for our anniversary this year. I'm disinclined to get another Kitchenaid because it started it's slow descent when it was only about four years old. Research showed that it's not my mother's Kitchenaid anymore, and that parts are plastic, yadda, yadda, yadda.

There is exactly one "plastic" part in a Kitchenaid Artisan: the worm gear. It is intentionally not made from metal to protect the motor in case the mixing attachment locks up. Replacing it is quite easy, even if you are not a Tool Time kinda person. Replacement parts are quite cheap in the US (not so in Europe unfortunately - eventually, I ordered the needed parts in the US because even with shipping it was quite a bit less expensive than over here).

Also, every few years, the grease in the gear box should be replaced to ensure smooth operation of the gears. This is a bit of a mess, but nothing that can't be done in a living room, as long as you protect your working area with a few old newspapers. The service manual for the KitchenAid UltraPower (technically identical to the Artisan, except for the smaller bowl) can be found here.

[Mithril]

Thanks for the reply, pep. Unfortunately, it seems that I lied to you...I have the Professional model. At least mine is a 6 quart, which I am not seeing as available on the Artisan line.

Do you know about the inner workings of the Professional line? When my mixer originally started hitting the skids, I called a service person who indicated that the parts alone would be $150 with labor at a minimum of $75. I can't recall what the parts were, but I think the brushes needed to be replaced and it was cheaper/easier just to drop in a whole new assembly.

[pep.]

No, sorry. But maybe there is a service manual on the web somewhere? Ah, found something. Replacement parts can be bought online as well, for example Seneca River Trading on eBay has almost anything. A new motor assembly for the 6 qt models costs about $70 there.

[Mithril]

Thanks, pep.! Or, considering your location, I should say, "viele Danke!"?

I'm an engineer, so I really should be all about taking the mixer apart and seeing what I can do about it. I was just so disgruntled about the much-vaunted Kitchenaid durability not working out for me.

I'll pop it open this weekend. But, I am still interested if anybody has any info about other mixers, so I know what my options are.