Kitchen Mixer Help

A True Classic! - KitchenAid 250 Watts K45SS Classic Stand Mixer I drooled over pictures of this mixer in the cooking catalogs I got every few months. Then finally I worked up the...

good but not big enough - KitchenAid 250 Watts K45SS Classic Stand Mixer I received my Kitchen Aid Classic stand mixer as a Christmas gift 4 years ago and loved it immediately. The paddl...

Whirr, hiccup, crunch, bzzzz… my trusty KitchenAid Classic died! But the 800 number on its side put a brand new Classic on my countertop(via UPS) at no charge whatsoever. And the machine that had put more joy into my cooking, baking, pasta making and sausage stuffing had returned to my kitchen.

The secret to success (and source for grumbles) of all KitchenAid Stand Mixers is their orbital mixing motion. The hub of the mixer rotates in one direction while the beater, attached to the edge of the hub, rotates in the opposite direction. Most mixing chores are exquisitely done in half the time! The parts that need clean up are few and easy to do. For decades, this technical edge has earned KitchenAid joyful reviews and a tendency to overlook shortcomings.

But, indeed, there is a dark side! Orbital gears require a wide, heavy machine to hold them… so be prepared to lift 25 lbs. or so. Orbital gears require extra power… and the 250 watt Classic motor tends to run hot in the upper range of KitchenAid’s recommended load limits. To protect the motor from burn-out, the Classic uses sacrificial gears that are designed to fail when the going gets too tough for the motor. Only the top-of-the-line KitchenAid stand mixers have Reset buttons for thermal protection… and they cost about twice as much as the Classic.

Be prepared for some quirks. The size of the orbital hub and mixer head shape makes adding ingredients awkward. While the pouring shield helps, its light weight and small gap between shield and bowl allows flour to fly out. Also, be sure to adjust the beater distance to the bowl carefully or you will be surprised by unmixed flour at the bottom of the bowl. For all its advantages, orbital stand mixers require a bit more frequent bowl scraping than the handy hand mixer that bumps its beaters on the bowl.

Most folks look at KitchenAid as "Pricey but worth it." The truth is that other orbital mixer sell for much more than KitchenAid… and a little shopping will find a better sales price! The one year warranty is wonderful… except when you need it after the 365th day. In fairness, few products have KitchenAid’s reputation for working long and hard. But, if your use pattern includes heavy breads, I suggest you buy a model with a Reset button. Not only will you avoid disaster, you will also benefit from the extra power… particularly when using the broad range of excellent attachments offered by KitchenAid.

In my case a little extra misfortune proved fortunate. The replacement machine was superficially damaged in transit. This time I used KitchenAid’s web site and the KitchenAid service representative offered to replace it. I asked, via email, if I could upgrade my Classic. The answer was "Yes" and, for a very fair upgrade fee, a Professional Series KSM50P will be delivered to my door. But, that report will have to wait until I put that 350 watt beauty through its paces.

In fairness, it should be mentioned that I am a retired and a former executive chef of a gourmet restaurant. My use of any stand mixer may be more stressful (on the mixer) than more typical households. I believe that you will find KitchenAid’s orbital mixing products to bring more joy and success into your kitchen than any other comparatively priced mixing device. It’s ease of use and superior results will constantly amaze and delight all who can taste the difference. For example, dough gets tougher the longer it is mixed (due to the action of gluten)… KitchenAid mixes thoroughly in about half the time. Helpful hint for orbital mixing: Mix dry ingredients at medium speed before adding wet ingredients and your baking will benefit as if they had been sifted to make a lighter, more elegant presentation of your favorite recipes… and the enthusiasm to try new ones. Though my old Classic bit the dust after nearly a year of joyful service… and to my own hands fell the chore of kneading a batch of authentic San Francisco sourdough bread… which, by definition, is too stiff to knead by hand.

While it could be better, the KitchenAid Classic brings joy to the kitchen of the professional or the novice… and never doubt the power of KitchenAid’s (Whirlpool)customer service department to bring satisfaction when all else fails.

GREAT MIXER! - KitchenAid 250 Watts K45SS Classic Stand Mixer I received this mixer as a present about 13 years ago. I have never had any problems with the mixer, I would have ...

Best gift I’ve ever gotten!! - KitchenAid 250 Watts K45SS Classic Stand Mixer My sweet husband got this for me (white classic mixer) for Christmas as a surprise--granted there was a LOT of hin...

Quality with a capital Q - KitchenAid 250 Watts K45SS Classic Stand Mixer I bought my K45ss in 1966.If you think of all the purchases you have made in that time span and how many you still...

My Kitchen is Komplete! - KitchenAid 250 Watts K45SS Classic Stand Mixer My Kitchen Aid Classic Stand Mixer was a Christmas gift from my adoring husband two years ago. To be honest, I th...

Beat it to death… - KitchenAid 250 Watts K45SS Classic Stand Mixer I have 6 kids, so that makes 8 in my family. Plus we love to entertain! Now where I live this is the only versio...

Wonderful and sturdy - KitchenAid 250 Watts K45SS Classic Stand Mixer K45SSW Stand Mixer: Pros: Is sturdy, you don't have to worry about it wobbling at high speeds. Strong, you can mix...

nagemp - KitchenAid 250 Watts K45SS Classic Stand Mixer

This mixer makes me feel just like Martha Stewart… - KitchenAid 250 Watts K45SS Classic Stand Mixer