I have a 5 qt. kitchen aid mixer that I have had for about 25 or 30 years. It was used in my parents restaurant to mix all kinds of things on a daily basis. I then used it for catering for about 10 years and now I use it to shred chicken mostly. I think they will last forever. I've mixed cookie dough, meatloaf, bread, cakes, meringues, mashed potatoes, and who remembers what else.

Use it and enjoy it. Don't save it.

bk

From what I understand, the KA mixers of today are not as strong as the ones of old (which were made by Hobart.)

If you are serious about mixing up big batches of dough, you might want to look into getting a Ktec Mix-n-Blend or a Bosch mixer. Both are excellent for doing 5-6 loaves at once. We have a Ktec and it works well. I have a small 300 Watt KA and I feel that it's underpowered for mixing doughs. It's awesome for cakes and frostings and such, though.

I make bread and focaccia dough frequently using my twenty year kitchen aid with dough hook, I do this at low sped but easily for 6-8!minutes or more. No problem. Still going strong. Be mindful of how many cups of flour you use though ... My limit is about six cups of flour and 2.5 cups of water at one time.

MIne is the KA 600 Professional. It is 5 yrs old and I just had the worm gear replaced as I made a double batch of bagel dough ! I knew better but did it anyway. sigh...was 75.00 but now the machine is like new again !!! The KA's are made to do bread dough if you buy the professional ones and the new commercial ones are very well rated. Look on Amazon. I will link below. It depends on what you have now as to what you can do with it. I have no problem with anything I have thrown at it. I regularly use it to make 3 loaves of sourdough and the brioche that needs to be beaten for 10 min. I also can make my bagel dough for 8 bagels...shouldn't have tried to double it...my fault not the mixer. I wouldn't have the Bosch or the other Ankasaram either after reading reviews. As I said the commercial KA is what I would have if I ever have to replace this KA . I will link below. c

Here is a link that might be useful: commercial 8 qt KA

Yes, mine was made by Hobart.

bk

I had a KA 6 quart Professional - it blew the motor on a small batch of white dough (I ran it on level 2) in the first month. It was still under warranty, so KA sent me a new one quite quickly. That motor lasted a couple years, but it too blew on bread dough. Although it was out of warranty, KA gave me a great deal on a new one. I gave it to my daughter who doesn't do bread and bought a Cuisinart stand mixer - and have had NO problems with double batches of whole wheat bread. If you are serious about baking bread, I would not buy a KA - the old ones were champs but not the new ones.

I use my Kitchen Aid for batters, whipped cream, and cookies only. All of my bread dough (which I make on a regular basis) is made with my Bosche.

I use a Bosch mixer for bread dough (unless I'm feeling squishy and then I do it by hand.)

Pay careful attention to the motor wattage and the head: bigger motor and a lift-stand is stronger than the tilt-head versions.

I use mine for bread dough and it does great. It's the Pro600 model, with a 575 amp motor, lift-bowl.

They specify to not use it at speeds over 2 or 3 for bread dough. You need the torque of the low speed.

Thanks so much for the info! Mine is just a 300W version, so even though it came with a dough hook I think I will save it for cookies and cakes and... all that other stuff I don't really need.

Since there are such knowledgeable owners here- has anyone used the pasta attachment? I have tried it and it just seems so fast. I will admit I am comparing it to my old method of a 5 year old turning a hand crank machine, but am I missing something?

Thanks again

I recently bought the 5-qt. Artisan. It felt a bit like overkill for a single batch of choc chip cookies, but they turned out so well (perfectly chewy) that I'm a believer. Then I made one loaf of bread, using their recipe, which I halved because I didn't want two loaves. Kneaded 5 minutes on #2 and it sure beat 5-10 mins. by hand.

I realize the motor may not be as heavy-duty as it was, but one of the reasons I bought it (other than because it's the cutest thing on my counter) was to make bread. I'm following the KA guidelines so if it fails, I will expect a repair or replace.

farfromhome: do not bother with the KA pasta maker. read the reviews. make a single batch pasta dough in the mixer, and get an old fashioned imperia pasta roller.

KA Pro 600 here - 575 watts. I've had it about 5 years. I use it for bread all the time. It seems to have no problem with even a dense pumpernickel. I don't make double batches though.

We've got one of the 20 yr old kind--pasta maker works just fine, rolls out pasta, etc, etc. (pasta maker's only about 4 years old)

i have the set of three pasta rollers that are metal. one is flat to roll the dough and the other two are for different width cuts. I only use the rollers and they are amazing. if it rolls to fast just turn the speed down.

I've been through one Kitchen Aid mixer, and am on the second. The first was the tilt head Artisan- and it quickly lost it's ability to lock the head in place. It's still in use, as far as I know, with someone who only bakes things like cakes and meringues.

The replacement was the bowl lift model from Costco (575 watt motor). It's much more durable and I feel more secure that my bread dough won't overwhelm it. The bowl is gigantic though, and I had to get a hand mixer to do the smaller stuff.

I have a 20 plus year old K45SS model, KitchenAidî Classic Series 4.5-Quart Tilt-Head Stand Mixer. It says it was made in St. Joseph, Michigan. I see that new versions sell for about $229. I can't imagine I would ever need a bigger and more high-priced model, unless they don't make the new models as well as my existing model. I've had no repairs in more than 20 years of hard use.

I use it almost daily (cookies, egg whites, pizza dough, bread dough). When I make pizza or bread dough I can't make a batch that requires more than about six cups of flour. I always finish the kneading with about three to five minutes of hand kneading on the counter.

I should have added that my model is listed at 250 watts. No problems with kneading bread.

This post was edited by francoise47 on Wed, Dec 18, 13 at 8:03

I should have added that my model is listed at 250 watts. No problems with needing bread.

Francoise47...My model is about the same age as yours, got it in 1988. I have had no repairs. Just this past weekend, the plastic knob that covers the attachment cap on the front broke in half. Other than that, it has run efficiently in all the time I've had it. Meatloaf, LOTS of christmas cookie doughs, etc. I don't make bread, and have never tried to use it for that, but mine has far outlasted my expectations. I've been looking at the newer 575 watt ones, but can't bring myself to get rid of mine. I haven't looked to see where it's made though. Will do that today.

Francoise47...My model is about the same age as yours, got it in 1988. I have had no repairs. Just this past weekend, the plastic knob that covers the attachment cap on the front broke in half. Other than that, it has run efficiently in all the time I've had it. Meatloaf, LOTS of christmas cookie doughs, etc. I don't make bread, and have never tried to use it for that, but mine has far outlasted my expectations. I've been looking at the newer 575 watt ones, but can't bring myself to get rid of mine. I haven't looked to see where it's made though. Will do that today.

I have a 5 qt pro and a 6 qt pro and just got a 7qt pro. The 5 and 6 qt have made many bread doughs, cookie doughs, pasta and more. The 7 qt is supposed to be more powerful -- designed to have more torque. Not sure that I need it, but it will be good to have.

Gosh, I don't have even one. For some reason I am following this post and feeling like I need one.

Romy, do you use a hand mixer? I haven't owned one for more than 10 years.

I use my 18 year old KA stand mixer (5qt, "pro" 350 watt) several times per week to mix batters and dough including small batches of bread and pizza dough. I have 2 bowls which is great for recipes that need folded-in egg whites. Stripped the worm gear twice abusing it with too much whole wheat bread dough, totally my fault and fortunately easy to have repaired. I also have a bigger, more powerful mixer called an Electrolux dlx, not sure if they are made anymore but I was really into whole wheat bread in large batches for awhile and that was the right mixer for that job. I use my grinder attachment on the KA for making very lean ground beef.
I bought the best KA mixer available at the time on my father-in-law's advice, he said I would have it for a long time and he was right. That experience shaped my vitamix decision, the extra dollars spent are negligible on a per month of use basis.
I really like appliances and don't strictly need all that I have. But I do use what I have. Every meal made from scratch (rather than packages, or take-out food) is much healthier for our bodies and our wallets. Better for our lifestyle, too, as we have four busy children and cooking at home is the closest we get to gathering around the hearth.

You don't have to have a heavy duty mixer to make good bread. You could do it in the 5 minute a day way. I linked to the "healthy bread", but the regular is good, too. ; ) Scroll down for the video.

Here is a link that might be useful: Healthy Bread in 5 Minutes a Day on Amazon

kksmama, I am hoping my new kitchen with new appliances is going be a new beginning for me & cooking. DH get's home anywhere between 7p-9p with a phone call letting me know he'll be home in 20 min. I'm not all that motivated to whip up dinner that late. We put in a speed oven & a steam oven so I'm hoping that will make a late dinner easier. I have a cheap hand mixer so maybe I need a real mixer. I've never made bread or pizza dough.
I'm going to be following the KAW posts, the cooking forum & the current post on recommended recipe websites. Maybe instead of being TKO, I can become TCO.

I'm with romy. I think I might *need* one for the new kitchen as a finishing touch and a useful tool.......I do love to bake but never bread. Maybe I should start!

I have a 15 year old KA "Pro" (5 qt, 350 watt). It works great for most things. When I knead dough for bread or rolls, it walks across my counter. I have to babysit it and physically move the mixer back on the counter so it doesn't fall on the floor. I find it really annoying, but I keep using it. I expected more from it. That doesn't happen to you guys??

Kksmama-- sounds like we have the same model. Mine says no attachments are available, yet it seems you grind with yours. Attachments must work, yes?

laughable- I almost always have a container of no-knead dough in the fridge - great for a quick pizza or rolls with dinner. Love it. Still use the KA for other breads though.

I saw on another post that romy splurged ;-)
I also never had a KitchenAid but now I have 2!
I plucked one from craigslist for $75
Then a friend gave me a very old one circa late 50s.
I thought I would use the older one, but it must need some adjustments.

a2-that is an awesome find! I might have to start stalking Craig's list for one after we move. For now - need to focus on getting the kitchen done before I can even think about accessorizing it!

In Florida I imagine we could pick up old models at estate sales. But the new ones look really nice, and bigger.

Breezy, mine doesn't walk much but I wouldn't leave it alone while mixing a stiff dough, and maybe my old laminate counters were grippier than solid surface counters? I really need to make bread today and am so out of practice that I might do a small batch in the KA.

I only bought my grinder a couple years ago, and I doubt they have changed the attachment. The paddles, whisk, and dough hooks have changed (because the bowls have) but the attachments go into the hole behind the pretty KA medallion on the front of the head (held in by a screw on the right side). They also have rotary slicer/shredders and pasta attachments, but I haven't used those.

Here is a link that might be useful: grinder attachment

With help from my GW friends, I bit the bullet & got a KA stand mixer. I told DH a few days ago that I was thinking about it. He said "as long as your not getting it to just look pretty on the countertop." I went shopping yesterday & put a backsplash tile in my purse, in case I came upon a KA. I got a great deal on the 7 qt. Pro from Williams-Sonoma, the one with the metal gear casing & the 1.3 amp motor. It was on sale, plus, I got an additional $50 rebate from KA & $120 gift certificate from WS.
I got it in Medallion Silver. I was tempted by the Sugar Pearl Silver, but it is only available online, and the $120 gift certificate was for in-store purchases only.
I can't wait to try it out, maybe pizza dough?

Congratulations, it sounds wonderful! Pizza dough is a great choice. Quiche is another. Banana bread, or an orange-cranberry coffee cake would be delicious, too. Remember to post KAW pics!

I've had a 5QT for 15y and it's like new. It's perfectly capable of handing bread dough but I normally use the bread machine because it's easier. Just dump everything in, put it on "dough" and 2:20 later I can shape and bake however I want it. (Or bake in the machine, but I rarely do.)

I use the KA for everything else, though. I have the meat grinder, fruit and vegetable strainer, juicer, and pasta rollers.

I don't know what the problem with the pasta rollers is supposed to be, but mine is great. I've used a hand cranked machine and a powered attachment for the hand cranked and this is easier and takes up much less cabinet space!

Romy- awesome choice. Now you can use those WS $$ for a vitamix!