So, how good are KitchenAids?

[redllamayellowllama]

We've just moved to a much bigger place where I finally have the space for some appliances to make my life easier.

I cook and bake a lot and have so far got by with a whisk and a bowl! I have got a bit of a thing for KitchenAids, but what am I going to use it for and will it really revolutionize my life.

I haven't got a big blender (a v. basic, v. old Tesco Value hand-held blender) and have coped without one. Again, what will that do for me? Worth having one?

I'm happy to spend a bit on something that I'm going to be using a lot in years to come - any advice much appreciated.

Also, our local cookery shop has a special offer on at the moment - a Kmix and a hand-held blender for £349 - can anyone offer any advice on these?

TIA

i love my kitchenaid. mostly because it is pink!

tbh, if you're thinking of blender and stuff you may be better off with the kenwood chef. doesn't look as cool, but has a lot more attachments than the KA, including a blender

i have a blender, but I NEVER use it.

Well this is the thing, I know I would use a mixer a lot as I love baking, but what would I use a blender for?

i really don't know! we bought ours so we could make cocktails really quickly! haha

My sister has a kitchenaid food mixer and blender and swears by them; I would have got a kitchenaid just for the gorgeous retro look of them, but for the fact that I've always had a soft spot for my mother's Kenwood Chef, which is still going strong after 35 years of extremely regular use. Now I have one of my own I wouldn't be without it.

But I don't think you can go wrong which of the two you get - the aesthetics of it matter as much as the usefulness, and you've got to live with the ruddy thing!

(Blenders are really good for soups and smoothies, btw)

We mostly use the blender to make smoothies.

For soups I use a stick blender, so it can be blended in the cooking pot.

I love my Kitchenaid and use it all the time for baking. It makes baking so much quicker because you can get it started with the butter and sugar while you get the rest of the ingredients ready, prepare the tins etc. And it's so very very pretty.

I love my Kitchenaid - I have the classic (white) and was only £149 from amazon when I got it 2 years ago.

I use it every week and I could not live without it now.

As Zachary said, it's great because you can do other things while it works.

It makes great pastry too with no effort. Great for whipping cream etc

Thank you all - I'm glad it's ok to be seduced by the aesthetics of the Kitchenaid over a Kenwood Chef.

I'm the type of person who makes smoothies every day for a week and then doesn't do it for 6 months, so I reckon I could go for a more basic blender (although Kitchenaid blenders are a bit tasty too) and splash out on a Kitchenaid. I'm thinking red.

absolutely, William Morris once said something along the lines of
"have nothing in your house that you do not know to be useful or believe to be beautiful"

well the kitchenaid ticks both boxes I think!

I love my Kitchenaid. Mine is on its last legs (motor sounds very unwell) but it is 10 years old and has been used a helluva lot. Will replace it with another for sure.

We also bought lots of attachments (mincer, and other bits) but have barely used those.