KitchenAid stand mixer - are they worth the money?

[MacDuffsMuff]

I've been saving up for a KitchenAid for a long time and hoping to get one in the Black Friday sales.

Anyone have one? Are they worth the money? I bake a lot and want something that will last and look good on the worktop. I've considered a Kenwood KMix too as I think they're great too from whay I've heard but my heart always goes back to the KA. They're SO expensive though and although I've saved up the money now I don't want to waste it if they're not worth the expense!

My heart said ka as they're prettier but my head said kenwood. The kenwood is a real work horse and I'm so pleased with it. When I was looking a few years ago, there were far more attachments available for the kenwood than for the ka.

I bought a KMix during the first lockdown; I coveted the KA though... but reviews pointed me to the Kenwood. I use it 3 or 4 times a week and I'm very pleased with it

I've got one that has stood up to 6 months and counting of professional use (equivalent to many years of normal household use!) and is still going strong.

Keep an eye on Amazon Warehouse deals too - it's mostly customer returns with substantial discounts

I have a kitchen aid at home and a kenwood at work . I much prefer the kitchen aid it’s simple to use and works better.

Honestly, no it's not worth the money. Looks nice but takes up a huge amount of space and does nothing I couldn't do with the £30 hand mixer. Note that people who rave about them all say you need X and Y attachments which are even more £££ - sunk cost fallacy, I reckon.

A £30 hand mixer would struggle with bread dough.

It looks gorgeous and I do use it loads but it doesn't cope brilliantly with dough. It's only ok on that. There again neither does my DM's Kenwood! Maybe it's the fault of my baking?

If I could afford it (and could justify the expense) I would get a Teddy

I have a copper kitchen aid. I only dabble in baking so I fully admit I bought it for its looks. Works well anyway!

True @Knittedfairies but I generally make bread by hand

Our Kenwood Chef is the best part of 30 years old and is used frequently. It is robust, heavy and I love it.

I had a look on JLP website and see that Kenwood now do a retro looking one in a quartet of colour options for £299 - KMX750. I ran the compare option for that and the cheapest full sized Kitchen Aid - 175 Artisan(£399 minimum.)

The Kenwood has a slightly larger bowl (4 litres against 3.8 litres.)
The Kitchen Aid has far more speed options (10 against 2.)
The power of the Kenwood is 1000W but the Kitchen Aid is just 300W!

The power advantage of the Kenwood would decide the matter for me OP!

I absolutely love my Kitchen Aid. I always used to think they’re pointless as I had an electric hand whist but a stand mixer makes everything so much easier and quicker. I think they’re generally much of a muchness so I think if your heart says KA and if you’ve been saving for so long, I think you’d be disappointed with a Kenwood even though they’re just as good!

OOPs - read specifications again - that Kenwood one has "six speeds plus fold function."

Watching with interest OP, I'm in a similar boat, hoping to get one in Black Friday after wanting one for years but it's so much money to make the wrong choice

Kenwood every time.

You're paying for the logo on the KA.

I have an annoyingly strong feeling my husband has bought me one for my birthday.
I do think they are lovely to look at but I really don't think I'll use it, I make all my cakes, dough and pastry by hand, only use my ancient £5 Asda hand mixer for whipping cream.

The deciding feature for me might be the cost of a second bowl. Cos I'd love one, but they are a ridiculous amount.

I don’t think there’s a wrong choice here - I do believe the Kenwood is a better bit of kit, but the KA does pretty much everything whilst also looking so beautiful on your counter. I’ve had mine 10 years now and still like seeing it sat there. It’s great for most home baker needs, if it’s what you saved for op then I say go for it and enjoy it.

@Twobrews - Oh no! has no one ever told your husband to never buy a woman a piece of household equipment for her birthday?

(Mine asked me if I wanted a cordless drill for Christmas! His ears are still ringing from my response!)

I love my Kitchen Aid, and it does a great job. And I like it looking purty on the bench.

Mum's Kenwood has been going for donkey's years, and does a great job too.

I've had mine 7 years, it's used at least three times a week.

We have a Kenwood, love it, really well built machines.

Oh, and as to buying domestic equipment for a birthday - my father (idiot fool that he was), bought my mother an axe. An axe! He's so damned lucky that she didn't use it to lop off vital equipment! He never made quite such a foolish mistake again. . .

Between the KA and the Kenwood KMix, the KA looks nicer but the KMix is a better mixer

Kitchen aid looks nicer but the kmix, in my opinion, is far superior x

I have a kenwood prospero and no complaints. Have had it a few years now, and mixes well. Also has processor and blender attachments.