Kitchen Mixer Help

KitchenAid–I’m sold! - KitchenAid 325 Watts K5SS Heavy Duty Commercial Stand Mixer I used an older Kitchenaid mixer when I prepared dinners for 150 people. I have a K-Tec in whose performance I am...

Just couldn’t be without it - KitchenAid 325 Watts K5SS Heavy Duty Commercial Stand Mixer I will start by stating that I have had my KitchenAid K5SS for 12 years now. I received it as a wedding gift so I ...

WHY ANOTHER KITCHENAID MIXER?

At first, I wasn’t going to buy another KitchenAid mixer.

I was thinking about buying the Electrolux. But then I thought I’d try this one out first. Also, the Electrolux has an 8-qt. bowl, which qualifies it to make up to about 20lbs. of dough, and I’d probably never be able to eat that much bread unless I gave some of it away. It would spoil before I got a chance to eat it all. And there’s no room in the freezers for all that bread anyway.

I’ve been hearing a lot of bad news about KitchenAid mixers, especially the bowl-lift models. And a few of the tilt-head models as well. Several deciding factors have helped me determine whether I wanted to buy another KitchenAid Mixer. But I found out that this machine is still solidly built the way it always was!

Epinions.com labels this machine as a commercial stand mixer, but the label under the machine states that it’s for household use only, though I’ve seen this machine in commercial kitchens. The mixer was and probably still is the choice of professional chefs in home kitchens as well as commercial kitchens.

I had thought about it a few years ago. But as of late, some of the members here have written reviews on the machines saying that they were truly dissatisfied with the machines because they broke down too soon during use, and that they are supposed to last for many years. True, a KitchenAid mixer IS designed to last for many years. My K’Aid K45SS Classic has.

There have been some discrepancies about the plastic cover that’s used to house the machinery in the mixers. People do not trust the company like they did before it was sold by Hobart to the Whirlpool Corporation in the mid ’80s.

WHAT THEN?

I once considered getting the Artisan mixer, since it’s a 5-qt. model with a 325-watt motor and a 5-qt. bowl. But the K5SS mixer also has those exact same things, along with the bowl-lift function, which the Artisan does not have. Also, NONE of the K’Aid tilt-head models can accommodate the water jacket, which the bowl-lift models can! And I’ve already bought the water jacket for this model!

Whereas the Artisan mixer has the tilt-back motor head, the K5SS model has the bowl-lift feature and the motor head remains in the fixed position. There was also the question has to whether the transmission in these models are as durable as the transmission in the Pro 500 & 600 models.

The transmissions in all KitchenAid mixers below the Pro 500 & Pro 600 models are nylon gears, while the ones in the Pros 500 & 600 models are metal gears.

I’ve been using my KitchenAid K45SS Classic for almost twenty years and thought that it had a metal transmission.

But I found out later that it has nylon gears instead. But it’s still going strong even today! Nothing wrong with that one.

WHAT ELSE?

I was tempted to go inside and see just what this machine has in it. But I just refrained myself to taking off the

bubble-shaped vent cover located at the back of the machine. It pretty much looks the same as the K45SS Classic. And it still has a METAL cooling fan like the K45SS Classic. Surprised at that!

I already know that this machine uses nylon gears and was told by KitchenAid that if an abnormal undue strain was ever placed on the machine, that the nylon gears would strip, but the motor would still be protected, saving the cost of getting a new motor. Which would outweigh the cost of simply replacing the gears.

The thing that I’ve just found out it that this machine does not have the infamous plastic cover for the transmission. But I’m much too afraid to try to gain access to the machinery inside for fear that it won’t work or that I might break something in the process!

Also, it probably matters none anyhow, since the gears are made of nylon. Nylon is much tougher than ordinary plain plastic gears anyway, which I don’t think KitchenAid would stoop that low and just use cheap flimsy plastic for the gears.

WHAT ABOUT THE APPEARANCE?

The appearance of the machine on the outside still looks pretty much the same as it always has in the many years since the machine has been in production. One small feature was added that it didn’t have before - an adjustment screw that adjusts the bowl so that the beaters are not too far from, or too close to the bottom of the bowl. Otherwise everything else remains pretty much the same.

WHAT WERE THE DECIDING FACTORS THAT MOST INFLUENCED THE PURCHASE OF THE MACHINE?

I’m presently in training through a Culinary Arts coarse with other students. We’ve begun hands-on training for both cooking & baking. In the bakery section of the kitchen, there are five Hobart mixers. And in the main kitchen, there’s a KitchenAid K5SS stand mixer quite similar to the machine I just bought.

This career move has inspired me to get back into home baking like I did years ago with the K45SS Classic. So I thought that I’d buy another mixer to supplement the one I’ve always had. So I went to Filene’s, since they are now planning to close the store for Macy’s to take it over and are having an “everything-must-go” clearance sale at their downtown Boston store.

I saw the machine there and bought it. But what I’m really doing with the machine is testing & evaluating it to see if it is as reliable as KitchenAid says it is, since Whirlpool owns the division. Also, to see it it lasts as long or nearly as long.

CONSTRUCTION & FEATURES:

1. Solid very heavy all-metal construction. Body and stand are still made of heavy cast metal for durability.

2. Powerful 325-watt high-torque ball bearing motor.

3. Heavy duty high-torque transmission. Automatically adjusts itself for constant power as mixing load increases. Is designed to last for many years!

4. Planetary mixing action. Beater revolves around the bowl counterclockwise and rotates clockwise for a more thorough more faster positive mixing in less time than ordinary mixers using two beaters at the same time.

5. Five-qt. stainless steel bowl with handle. Can be lifted or moved.

6. Large capacity has the power to handle enough dough for two loaves of bread, or a double batch of cookie dough.

7. Heavy duty bowl lift with lift lever that raises or lowers bowl at a touch.

8. Comes complete with dough hook, wire whip and flat beater as standard equipment.

9. Four rubber feet help protect counter and helps machine remain steadfast during use.

9. Instruction manual gives clear precise instruction on use of the machine. Has recipes near back.

10. Can use optional accessories such as food grinder, can opener, slicer / shredder and pasta maker when hooked up to the power port that’s in front of the machine.

11. Hassle-free one-year replacement warranty.

12. Ten speeds range from stirring to whipping and anything else in between. Slide lever control.

13. Cleans easily. The best time to do it is right after you use it. That way, cake batter, frosting or other mixtures that has splattered about can be cleaned up before it has a chance to dry and harden!

14. Made in USA.

15. Optional Water Jacket accessory can be hooked onto bowl lift that which aids in mixing, whipping and beating things that must be kept hot or cold.

16. Strong stability. Will not walk on the counter or table when mixing heavy doughs and batters!

MY EXPERIENCE SO FAR:

I’ve already made bread dough and cake batter with the machine, and so far, it works as it should! There were no problems. As I said before, I’m really evaluating it to see if it holds up like it should, so this is mainly an experiment with the machine.

WHAT ABOUT NOISE?

Noise level is relatively low and quiet.

ARE THERE ANY SHORTCOMINGS AT ALL?

Wire whisk not dishwasher safe. Hub will darken if washed in dishwasher. Comes in white only.

Also, this machine is extremely heavy, since it’s still made with an all-metal body!! It’s not the kind of mixer that you’d want to be carrying around when you are about to use it.

OVERALL?

Overall, I’d say that the machine is holding it’s own so far. Epinions.com lists this machine as a Commercial Stand Mixer.

IN SHORT:

It has been a very long-standing long-selling long-running model next to the K45SS Classic for many years.

FINAL THOUGHT?

If you want a very heavy duty powerful machine that can walk the walk, this mixer is is the one to get!! The best way to know IS to buy it and test it, since you’d be using it anyway if you were to buy it.

I’m relieved to know that the solid reliable quality is still in this machine!! I’m just testing the waters with it though. I’m kind of forced to anyway, since I bought the machine already. But I’ll report back now and then to let you know if the machine is still performing as it should.

WHERE TO BUY THEM?

I bought this mixer at Filene’s. The Boston store is having a final clearance sale, so everything in the store is marked down. But you can find the machine just about anywhere else.

Target, Kmart, Walmart, Kohl’s, Filene’s, Bed Bath & Beyond, Best Buy as wells as Williams Sonoma and Cooking.com may sell it as well.

PRECAUTION!:

You may want to find a permanent home somewhere on your counter for this machine since it DOES strongly demand a considerable amount of kitchen real estate.

Since the body is made FROM 100% CAST METAL IT IS EXTREMELY HEAVY - 30 pounds to be exact!!

You wouldn’t want to have to drag the machine out every time you want to use it.

Always stop machine and lower bowl first before scraping bowl down.

Never come in contact in any way with any of the rotating beaters!! This machine is extremely powerful, and it could snap a small hand or finger off with no problem!!!

Failure to adhere to any of these precautions may result in serious injury or broken bones!!!

-=-=-=-=-

I checked KitchenAid’s website and this model is not shown or listed there with the present models, so it appears that this particular machine is no longer in production. But it’s still available in some stores such as Filene’s. Once it’s gone, that it. You’ll have to try to find a used one somewhere.

Thank you for reading this review.

~Daquan.

-=-=-=-=-

I found out that this machine does not have that infamous plastic cover for the gears, since most of the gears are nylon anyway.

It’s still made the way that Hobart made it!

-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-

Update, Dec. 25, 07;

I’m happy to report that I just found out at Chefscatalog.com that this machine is now back in production, but is now under a new model number - the KSM-500!

And in addition to White, it is also available in Empire Red, Onyx Black and Silver Metallic. For the same price that I paid for the machine.

It STILL has that same great style that the K-5SSWH has and still has the same great powerful motor - a 325-watt one. The same great style and motor power has been kept intact.

So it is still available for those who would like to get one. Only difference is the model number.

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