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Stand Mixers VS. Bread Machines


Sararwelch

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I just ordered a Kitchenaid Professional 5 series stand mixer. I noticed that there were a few negative reviews on Amazon, with people saying that the motors burn out when making bread dough.

Just curious, do you have any issues with your Kitchenaid stand mixer, or are only the disgruntled customers posting reviews on Amazon?

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We don't make bread very ofter any more but we do mix up some very stiff cookie doughs. Our Kitchen Aid 5 qt mixer is 25 years old and going strong. I have felt the motor get pretty warm but it seems to be like the Energizer Bunny...

Porthos Potwatcher

The Unrelenting Carnivore

Porthos Potwatcher
The Once and Future Cook

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I've done ok with bread on my KA 6qt mixer. My only complaint was/is the hook that my mixer came with. The dough just wrapped itself around it and didn't really get much of a knead. But I got a different hook and it seems to work pretty well. I still think my old bread machine is better at kneading, but I don't have the space for it and the KA works just fine.

However, I once tried to make bread using my sister's KA 4qt while I was visiting for the holidays. I had a plan to make croissants and was using the KA to mix up the yeasted dough. A few minutes into mixing it I saw some "stuff" in the dough. I stopped the machine and saw that the stuff seemed to be some streaks of motor grease. Puzzled, I continued to watch as the machine then started making a grinding/shrieking noise and soon I saw metal shavings drop onto the dough. The volume of dough yielded by the recipe had been just at the mixer's capacity, but I had ignored the warning to keep it at speed 2. Apparently, that’s really important with a machine of that size. On my machine at home, I run it at whatever speed I want and have never had a problem. (Although, I checked and my mixer also says to keep it on speed 2 when using the hook, which I had not noticed earlier because, well, I had never before opened the instruction manual.)

Luckily my sister had only had the machine for a few months and KA replaced it with no questions asked. But I won't be making any more bread at my sister's house…

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We don't make bread very ofter any more but we do mix up some very stiff cookie doughs.  Our Kitchen Aid 5 qt mixer is 25 years old and going strong.  I have felt the motor get pretty warm but it seems to be like the Energizer Bunny...

Porthos Potwatcher

The Unrelenting Carnivore

Moderate-use bread makers should be fine with a new KitchenAid. Frequent/heavy users may have a problem with burnout. The 25 year old KitchenAid is a pre 1986 model, which was manufactured by Hobart. It should say Hobart Manufacturing on the badge. These are true workhorses (I work for Hobart, and I'm kind of partial).

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The motor on my Artisan mixer burnt out the 2nd time I used it when I was mixing dough. It cannot take anything too heavy, and needs to be used on lower speeds if the dough is a bit dense.

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I will strongly second the vote on the older Hobart machines. I collect "vintage" mixers and have several that were made way back in the 30s and a few newer ones and with what is essentially minor maintenance, they just keep on keeping on.

I bought one of the "newer" 5 quart bowl-lift machines in 1969 used it for 9 years and gave it to my step-daughter and she is still using it.

On the other hand, I did manage to burn out two newer ones in the mid to late 1990s, also bowl lift type and bought a different type of mixer that could handle really stiff dough.

I now have one of the newer "Pro 600-6quart" models and it has worked just fine with all I have thrown at it.

I just recently added another "vintage" K4B to my collection. This one is fairly rare and sports the unusual "nose ring and tail fin" unlike other KAs of the era.

Edited by andiesenji (log)

"There are, it has been said, two types of people in the world. There are those who say: this glass is half full. And then there are those who say: this glass is half empty. The world belongs, however, to those who can look at the glass and say: What's up with this glass? Excuse me? Excuse me? This is my glass? I don't think so. My glass was full! And it was a bigger glass!" Terry Pratchett

 

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FROM KITCHENAID'S WEBSITE:

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.

SB (has a trouble free 18 year old KA HD) :smile:

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FROM KITCHENAID'S WEBSITE:

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.

SB (has a trouble free 18 year old KA HD) :smile:

Very interesting! My two yr old pro 600 in currently being repaired. The transmission broke down. I will have to check to see if that extended warranty is also good in Canada.

I am on my fourth Pro 600!!! The first 3 broke down while still under warranty and the store where I bought it exchanged them, no question asked (but you should have seen the look on their face when I came in the 3rd time!). I bake bread in a weekly basis. Always using the 2nd speed. Before that I had a heavy duty 5 qt. The transmission also broke just after my warranty expired.

I dream of having a small Hobart but they are just too expensive (although in the long run, the KitchenAid might well cost me more)

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FROM KITCHENAID'S WEBSITE:

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.

SB (has a trouble free 18 year old KA HD) :smile:

BTW, just where did you find this info on the KA website? I cannot seem to find it (or did they take it out ?).

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FROM KITCHENAID'S WEBSITE:

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.

SB (has a trouble free 18 year old KA HD) :smile:

BTW, just where did you find this info on the KA website? I cannot seem to find it (or did they take it out ?).

I found it via Google in an Amazon.com customer product review.

Get your model and serial numbers off the tag on the bottom of the base and call the KA phone number.

SB :wink:

Edited by srhcb (log)
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I make bread in my 5qt KitchenAid Professional at least once a week with hydration ranging anywhere from the 80s down to the 50s and haven't had a problem with even the driest doughs.

That said, I'd personally avoid making large batches of stiff bread doughs. The box might say it can handle 12 cups of flour, but they clearly mean cake batter or something similar. I keep it under 6 cups when making bread.

PS: There's lots of info about KitchenAid mixers, and competitors, in the Prep Equipment forum of Pizzamaking.com here: http://www.pizzamaking.com/forum/index.php/board,48.0.html

There's also a KitchenAid rep that answers questions everyone now and then.

Edited by fliplap (log)
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I'm considering getting a new 475 watts KitchenAid as in this link from Costco:

http://www.costco.ca/en-CA/Browse/Productg...av=&browse=&s=1

My concern is whether or not I should upgrade now that I hear of the problems above. I do have a lower model KitchenAid 375 watt which I bought in 2000 and haven't had a problem yet.

Costco doesn't list the model number and wonder if this is the same one discussed above (Pro 600.)

Thanks.

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I'm considering getting a new 475 watts KitchenAid as in this link from Costco:

http://www.costco.ca/en-CA/Browse/Productg...av=&browse=&s=1

My concern is whether or not I should upgrade now that I hear of the problems above.  I do have a lower model KitchenAid 375 watt which I bought in 2000 and haven't had a problem yet.

Costco doesn't list the model number and wonder if this is the same one discussed above (Pro 600.) 

Thanks.

Well, what's currently called the Pro 600 is not what you linked to on the Costco website. The Pro 600 has a 575w motor and a 6 qt. capacity bowl. Since the one of the Costco site is $399 and the Pro 600 price at retailers like Williams Sonoma is also $399 (minus a $30 rebate), you'd be better off with the stronger model.

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I'm considering getting a new 475 watts KitchenAid as in this link from Costco:

http://www.costco.ca/en-CA/Browse/Productg...av=&browse=&s=1

My concern is whether or not I should upgrade now that I hear of the problems above.  I do have a lower model KitchenAid 375 watt which I bought in 2000 and haven't had a problem yet.

Costco doesn't list the model number and wonder if this is the same one discussed above (Pro 600.) 

Thanks.

Well, what's currently called the Pro 600 is not what you linked to on the Costco website. The Pro 600 has a 575w motor and a 6 qt. capacity bowl. Since the one of the Costco site is $399 and the Pro 600 price at retailers like Williams Sonoma is also $399 (minus a $30 rebate), you'd be better off with the stronger model.

WHOOPS! I just saw that the mixer you mentioned is on Costco's Canadian site and, therefore, the price is CDN$. I knew there had to be *something* wrong there, but didn't take the time to figure it out.

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Okay, my memory is a little fuzzy on this, but I remember an episode of America's Test Kitchen last year where they made bread in new, stand up mixers. Every one of them died during the kneading process except, MAYBE (this is where the memory fails) I think the Kitchen Aid pro. They took different lengths of time to die-some crapped out pretty quickly, while others lasted longer (maybe longer than many people would use them for), but I was really surprised to see how common engine burnout is. If anyone's interested in this maybe you can google for more info, since I can't remember the details.

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  Nov 3 2006, 01:36 PM

Post #110

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Posts: 4,676

Joined: 20-April 04

From: Southern California

Member No.: 17,399

I just bought one of the new 600 Pro KAs. Hadn't intended to but there was one in copper and I collect copper appliances. Couldn't resist.

It will arrive next week and I will give it a try and report on my experiences. There is a pic of it on the 2 mixers or 2 bowls thread.

I ordered it from this vendor.

I liked the Cinnamon color also.

This post has been edited by andiesenji: Nov 3 2006, 01:49 PM

Note: I have used my new KA several times and am very pleased with it. It has handled everything I threw at it, including the cocoa cookie dough that is quite stiff and my older KA (not a Hobart) would not, it would stall even at the lowest speed.

I did ask the vendor this one that has the KA pro 600 for $319.00

to double-box the mixer and they packaged it nicely.

They also have the Bosch for $289.99 Bosch kitchen machine. which is 30.00 less than on other sites, that is the machine without the blender.

P.S. I have since purchased a couple of other things from this vendor and I am very pleased with both their prices and their service. They are very nice people with whom to deal and very pleasant on the phone.

Edited by andiesenji (log)

"There are, it has been said, two types of people in the world. There are those who say: this glass is half full. And then there are those who say: this glass is half empty. The world belongs, however, to those who can look at the glass and say: What's up with this glass? Excuse me? Excuse me? This is my glass? I don't think so. My glass was full! And it was a bigger glass!" Terry Pratchett

 

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Be sure to check out the factory refurbs that are available from the kitchen aid online store. The pro 600 goes for $239, with free shipping. Warranty is lowered to 6 months, and doesn't cover minor superficial blemishes.

Word from KA is that any product that gets returned for any reason, including overstock from a retailer or shipping company, must be sold as refurb. They get inspected and any parts that wear are replaced.

If I were buying a mixer I would do this without hesitation.

The forums at the KA site have a lot of useful info ... especially on geek topics like the metal gear box.

Notes from the underbelly

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  • 4 weeks later...
FROM KITCHENAID'S WEBSITE:

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.

SB (has a trouble free 18 year old KA HD) :smile:

BTW, just where did you find this info on the KA website? I cannot seem to find it (or did they take it out ?).

I found it via Google in an Amazon.com customer product review.

Get your model and serial numbers off the tag on the bottom of the base and call the KA phone number.

SB :wink:

Unfortunatly, I was informed that the extended warranty only applies in the US. KA Canada does no want to hear about it.

I don't quite see how the PRO 600 that sells here in Canada can be much different from the one sold in the US.

Can anyone think of good arguments to help me convice KA to stand behind their product. I have had the mixer for 1 year and 3 months. Warranrty is 1 year.

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Unfortunatly, I was informed that the extended warranty only applies in the US.  KA Canada does no want to hear about it. 

I don't quite see how the PRO 600 that sells here in Canada can be much different from the one sold in the US. 

Can anyone think of good arguments to help me convice KA to stand behind their product.  I have had the mixer for 1 year and 3 months.  Warranrty is 1 year.

It never hurts to ask the vendor you purchased the item through. They have more incentive to keep you as a customer and a lot more leverage with the manufacturer.

SB (it don't hurt to ask) :wink:

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Unfortunatly, I was informed that the extended warranty only applies in the US.  KA Canada does no want to hear about it. 

I don't quite see how the PRO 600 that sells here in Canada can be much different from the one sold in the US. 

Can anyone think of good arguments to help me convice KA to stand behind their product.  I have had the mixer for 1 year and 3 months.  Warranrty is 1 year.

It never hurts to ask the vendor you purchased the item through. They have more incentive to keep you as a customer and a lot more leverage with the manufacturer.

SB (it don't hurt to ask) :wink:

I did! I went to the store where I bought it (in Ottawa). They listened to my story, called the KA rep. I now have a new mixer!! They did not even ask for a proof of purchase. Wow!

Thanks

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Unfortunatly, I was informed that the extended warranty only applies in the US.  KA Canada does no want to hear about it. 

I don't quite see how the PRO 600 that sells here in Canada can be much different from the one sold in the US. 

Can anyone think of good arguments to help me convice KA to stand behind their product.  I have had the mixer for 1 year and 3 months.  Warranrty is 1 year.

It never hurts to ask the vendor you purchased the item through. They have more incentive to keep you as a customer and a lot more leverage with the manufacturer.

SB (it don't hurt to ask) :wink:

I did! I went to the store where I bought it (in Ottawa). They listened to my story, called the KA rep. I now have a new mixer!! They did not even ask for a proof of purchase. Wow!

Thanks

Congratulations! :smile:

Like I say, it never hurts to ask, especially if you're pleasant and reasonable about it. Good companies stay in business by going that extra mile.

Like the old saying; You'll get more flies with honey than with vinegar. :wink:

Of course, you'll get ever more flies with dung, but that's assuming you literally want flies. :rolleyes:

SB (likes good customer service better than flies)

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I'm on my third KA stand mixer ... First was a 5 qt. "Epicurean" which I had for about 6 years, but I only used it for cakes and cheesecakes. When I finally got around to using it for breads, it died. I replaced it with a KA 600 Pro in Aug of 2006 only to have the metal shavings problem mentioned earlier. I took it back to the store I bought it from and they gave me a new KA 600 Pro, although I did have to pay 1/2 the difference in the regular price vs. the sale price I picked up the original one for. I haven't had a repeat performance of the metal shavings yet.

That being said, it certainly makes it's faire share of "grunting and groaning" noises when I am kneading bread. I normally no longer go above 2, but even at speed 2, it can be quite noisy. I've already started keeping an eye out for a nice used Hobart 5 qt. mixer on eBay. Hopefully I can find one soon.

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Okay, my memory is a little fuzzy on this, but I remember an episode of America's Test Kitchen last year where they made bread in new, stand up mixers. Every one of them died during the kneading process except, MAYBE (this is where the memory fails) I think the Kitchen Aid pro. They took different lengths of time to die-some crapped out pretty quickly, while others lasted longer (maybe longer than many people would use them for), but I was really surprised to see how common engine burnout is. If anyone's interested in this maybe you can google for more info, since I can't remember the details.

Cooks Illustrated did a rating of standing mixers that can be found here. The KA pro 600 comes out best, next to the DeLonghi DSM5 and the Hobart N50.

I work in a museum that has a special exhibit for children. As one of the standard activities, we bake little challa breads with the kids. We make the dough in a KA Artisan, which I think was mainly bought because of its pretty looks. It makes a lot of noise, it doesn't really knead well because the dough all clings to the hook within seconds and after a heavy kneading session the bowl has twisted itself so firmly onto the base that it requires a lot of force to get it off. :angry:

I know that the machine broke down in its first week of use but I wasn't there when it happened so I don't know what the problem was. (I must say that I don't think KA delivered a faulty product; I feel the person in charge of buying the equipment should have done a bit more research and bought a machine that's really designed for the heavy job it's supposed to do...)

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My two cents... I have one of the lower powered KA stand mixers, a refurb 300 watt model that I got from Amazon for under $99. I have only recently started using it on doughs, and only pizza dough recently. The motor casing does get warm if it runs for 20-30 minutes, and that is at level 4. The machine seems pretty tough, but I would go for the higher power models if you're doing doughs with more than a few cups of flour - I don't know how much headroom my mixer has, but I'm not going to burn it out in a blaze of glory! But for less than a c-note, I'm happy with the purchase...

Good luck with your choice!

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