I have the Kitchen Aid mixer with the grinder attachment and used it to prepare my tomatoes for sauce. It makes very good chunky style sauce. I am hoping to get the strainer attachment before next years harvest because I can't stand peeling and seeding anymore, my hands get tired.
I love my KitchenAId and it is well worth the investment.

Diane

It's kind of like comparing apples and oranges because the KitchenAid is multiple-use while the Victorio is single-use. No multiple-use is going to be equally efficient at everything, but for the money and space you get many more functions.

I have an old (30+) KitchenAid with the attachments, and I use it all the time during canning season for slicing, shredding, grinding and straining. It works just fine for me and the attachments are very user-friendly. However, my old mixer was made by Hobart while the new KitchenAids aren't. Some newer models have had repair issues; some also strain under loads, which is the last thing you want.

Ideally you'd have a chance to look at both machines close-up. If you are looking seriously at KitchenAid, Cooks' Illustrated gave their top rating for stand mixers to the KitchenAid Pro, which is a 6-quart model. There's a price difference, but it's minimal given the greater power and capacity.

Carol

The KA has a limited sieve assortment, as I believe there is only a single one available. As to the Villaware, they do have a pasta motor that will fit its crank, so it can be electrified. There are several different sieves (a very fine, for small seeds of raspberries up to a nearly 1/4 inch hole for chunky salsas) as well as a shorter grape spiral to pass the large grape seeds without jamming.

I have the kitchenaid and while I like it, I will end up buying the villaware one of these days. Once we land back in florida, we will be growing muscadine or scuppernong grapes and I will need the grape spiral. I do like the attachments for the kitchenaid, and of course, also use it for its original purpose. We have used the meat grinder and the sausage stuffer, in addition to the strainer. I dont use either of those often enough right now to justify a stand alone version.

I love my KitchenAid stand mixer and it's one of the few appliances that gets to live on the counter. I have the grinder & use it for meat, but I don't use it for canning. I use the Villaware to make applesauce and strain berry seeds. It's not difficult to crank like a meat grinder is; it's even easier than a crank apple peeler.

I know Malon has used the KA strainer on blackberries with great success, but I read reviews on amazon.com from people who broke the strainer doing blackberries & found out that it's not recommended for them. Somewhere on here Melly posted pictures of the KA screen & the Villaware berry screen...I don't know if the KA is flimsier, but the reviews said a replacement is expensive. I've never heard of anyone breaking a Villaware screen.

I find the Villaware easier to clean than the KA grinder, and the KA strainer would be the grinder with extra parts. The Villaware wasn't too expensive, either. I like it better for canning.

On the other hand, never let it be said that I recommended against getting a KitchenAid stand mixer. I love mine for making my best cakes and sometimes even for kneading bread. It makes butter really fast too. Definitely an investment worth making, and it gives you kitchen cred.

Melissa

I have the KA with grinder & strainer and also an old foley mill. Personally I think the foley mill has less waste after straining i.e. tomatoes & apples for sauces, though it is more work. But it is easier to clean up. Also, as stated, earlied you shouldn't strain berries, I almost ruined my KA by straining raspberries when all of sudden it seized up. It took my DH and a rather large wrench to undo. I've made a note no more berries, so now DS won't be getting anymore seedless jams or syrups. But I couldn't live with out my KA so I guess I'd vote to have both. I will continue to use the KA for sm to med batches because I won't have to stop and clean out the strainer 1/2 way through, but for large batches (which is usually the case) I will use the foley mill.

JMHO,
Karen

I have the old-style KitchenAid colander/strainer attachment, which I use continually. Think of it as a motorized Foley. It's pretty much trouble-free compared to the new-style strainer. Unfortunately it's not made any more, but it's a hot seller on ebay.

Carol

Noticed the title mentioned 'Victorio'. I believe that the brand is no longer in production. Villaware, as well as a few others make the same food strainer, but some have varied the strainer and crank shaft design. Some of the very old Victorio ones had limited coverage over the strainer screens, and tended to spatter everywhere. The newest ones have twist on strainers and the crank shaft is sealed against leakage near the handle and housing. All have cast aluminium housings and stainless steel screens, with the earlier ones having big wing nuts on the sides to hold them onto the housings. If you want to get all of the liquid out of the waste, ruin that waste through a second time and it will give you more juice with less loss out the end of the strainers. There is also a snap on clear plastic cone that fits over the smaller end of the strainers, which helps to keep the waste away from the strained food. Even though the newer units can be motorized, the motor unit is a bit more costly than the machine itself, unless you also buy a Villaware pasta machine. They use a couple of pieces of metal and a couple of screws to hold the motor unit against the shaft opening on the Villaware. When I do a bushel of tomatoes with it, I prep them first by cutting the tomatoes in half, and scoop out some of seeds and liquid. A bushel takes me about 10-20 minutes, but its just to empty the pan they get strained into.

Last night my husband bought me the KA Artisan Mixer. We didn't buy any attachments yet, but I am sure that will follow soon. We found them on sale for $287.99 at Kohls and then my MIL had a coupon for an additional 20%. We ended up getting it for $245.37(including tax)! Woohoo! I am going to hold off on opening until I see what kind of deals everyone offers for the day after Thanksgiving Sales. I have a coupon for 20% off at BBB.

Anyways, hope you all have a great day!
bluejean in ohio

Bowls, dough hook, meat grinder are all good accessories for the FS. They also have wire wisks as an optional beater set. The KA is quite the machine, but does tend to be pricy. For many years, they never had a tilting head, as they used a device that raised and lowered the bowls instead. I think that some of the higher end units still have no tilting head. I am partial to my Oster Kitchen Center. Its cost was less than half the KA, and it came with quite a few attachments. They don't make it anymore though, so I have a collectors item.