Do I need a kitchenaid, and if so help me choose?!

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It's my DH's bday next week. He has sort of hinted he'd like one (I think... It was a very subtle sort of hint!!) anyway he likes to cook, and bakes with the children but he wouldn't be cooking or baking all the time or doing anything terribly technical. We've always quite fancied an ice cream maker which obviously this has... But do we need one, really??

And then if you all think it's worth it, how on earth do I pick a colour! Our kitchen is all bland beiges etc, we are hoping to do it up in a few years (when I've paid off the kitchen aid ) so what colour do I go for? I think new kitchen will be lovely slate and grey and black and clean lines etc... But I've no idea really. So do I go for black, or something exciting like electric blue? I suppose I should get a manly colour as its for DH??!

Oh help, I've thought about it too long and am now incapable of making any decisions! Any suggestions?

Oh no... It seems I'm going to actually have to make a decision myself?? Surely not?!

Can i join you?

Am seriously thinking about a Kitchen Aid to replace my 20yr old mixer. I like the idea of changable bowls.

Is that sad?

I have crystal blue and it's gorgeous

If you buy one before the end of September you'll get a free glass bowl. I just bought a KitchenAid for our beach house, it's the electric blue which we like but there's an ice blue which I like as well. Steamer Trading, Lakeland & John Lewis are all doing the deal. The icecream maker add on costs about £70 if I recall correctly.

No sadder than me (ahem I mean Dh) wanting one because they look pretty, beanbags - at least you sound like you know what you're talking about!!

Electric blue, Ice blue, crystal blue... All lovely, covering them all at the moment, then changing my mind!

Yes, I saw the free bowl offer, ends sept 28th I think. So will definitely try and get it before then!

I have one and it's awesome! If you think he'll want a "manly" one, they do a lovely grey.

I've had mine for aaaaages, it's cherry red and I love it!

And are you all magnificent baker types, baking bread and fancy things every day? Does it inspire you to bake more? Just not sure we'll use it enough to justify it...

DH makes a loaf of sour dough bread at least 5 days a week. DDs bake at least once a week. I bake when necessary but usually DDs bake for us,

I bake bread every weekend but i don't use either my old mixer (even though it has a dough hook) or my bread machine. I love kneading it by hand.

Normally i bake a sweet thing once or twice a week as DH is gluten free so it's hard to get good cakes.

Question is - will a KitchenAid make life better?

No it won't make your life better. Why don't you wait till your current mixer breaks & then get a new one? My Magimix is 25 & still going strong, toasted cheese sandwich machine is 28. Guess who was given practical birthday presents! I never had a KitchenAid until 13 years ago when I got a blue one. DH has made more dough to rise overnight this evening.

Seriously no you don't need a Kitchenaid.

I have a very good Magimix food processor that does all my pastry and cake mixes plus a good hand blender with various whisk and mixer attachments. I have an old bread maker to make my dough in.

The kitchen aid is a bulky piece of kit that I am sure will live in the cupboard.

I have a kitchen aid. wish I had a magimix or Kenwood chef instead.
although my kitchen aid is very pretty.

Maybe i'll just save the money then and wait until the old mixer dies.

I recently bought an Andrew James mixer from amazon for £80. Its red and shiney and has different attachments, makes nice cake and bread. Looks nice.

I have a kitchen aid, I don't do loads of baking (maybe once every other month) but it just looks so pretty! Currently between homes so we don't have space to have it out in our tiny kitchen. I'm hoping once we are in the new place I will be inspired by it's beauty to bake more often!.

I didn't buy one in the end, just got a really nice kenwood k-mix hand blender which I think we will use lots more and if we get in to it, can always get a kitchenAid for Christmas/next year!!
Wouldn't mind spending the money if I thought we'd use it lots but in my heart of hearts I don't think we will.

And the Kenwood cost less than 1/8th of the kitchenAid... (I know it's like comparing peas and carrots but still) thanks for your advice, all, glad I saw sense!!

I just saw thread to come on and say I just got an almond cream one and have used it probably every 2nd day so far. Lots bread. I'm loving it.

Mine is 10 years old, MIL bought the pro size one for me as a gift (she is generally OTT). It is very nice and I go through phases of using it a lot and then not at all (currently in not at all phase but I will be baking 4 cakes for Macmillan next week). Obv V good for large batches when you have to do them.

I wouldn't spend my own money on one unless I planned on becoming a domestic goddess type ... which I don't.