The Best Stand Mixers | Equipment Review
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- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 10 ธ.ค. 2023
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A stand mixer is an investment, but it’s essential for serious home bakers. We find the best options at every price and size.
Buy the Ankarsrum 7 Liter Stand Mixer: cooks.io/3MSolWZ
Buy the KitchenAid 4.5 Stand Mixer: cooks.io/3MQHGrf
Buy the KitchenAid 3.5 Stand Mixer: cooks.io/3sKcEdZ
Learn more: cooks.io/3ui9iPE
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I currently have a KitchenAid. I was shocked by this review. If it ever breaks and they do not respect the warranty, this review is going to help me know what I need to buy next. Thank you so much ATK & Lisa. I really admire all that y'all do.
Well all the plastic in the gearing simply isn't going to last through stress or heat.
@lightdark00 a plastic gear is there to protect your expensive mixer motor as it can burn out if that gear didn't take the stress and break.
Garage door openers have the same breakdown gear!
@@lightdark00You can buy the Professional model if you want the all-metal gearing. KitchenAid (correctly, IMO) reasoned that amateur cooks who buy the lower-end Artisan model are more likely to not know what their machines can handle, so in the event they're overstressed the point of failure was engineered to protect the far more expensive motor from damage
@@lightdark00The only "plastic" gear is one kevlar-reinforced-composite gear which is designed to strip itself to protect the rest of the motor, and to also protect body parts from mutilation! The professional mixers have all-metal gears, but even they have one softer metal gear designed to purposely fail for the same reasons.
The drivetrain in my car uses metal gears, not plastic.
My grandmother's stand mixer is in my aunt's care since about 30 years, and it still works flawlessly. My grandmother baked a LOT so she used it almost daily for more than 30 years. It's an old Electrolux, and the model is nowadays sold as Ankarsrum.
Yepp, the Anskarsrum is pretty amazing and built like a tank. It's not cheap. But it will last a lifetime.
I have both a tall 600 Watt Kitchen Aid that blew out on speed 2 when mixing bread dough. I bought the Ankarsrum Assistent and am 1000% satisfied. I won't ever again buy the Kitchen Aid again now that they have cheapened every part they could, even down to eliminating the stainless washer and spring to prevent the mixing tool from flopping around making a racket. I have the broken Kitchen Aid that will cost me more than the mixer cost originally to repair. It looks like brand new but it blew the gears and ground to a screeching halt. I won't get it repaired...
We got the Ankarsrum after seeing it featured in another ATK video earlier this year. It is far and away the best mixer we’ve ever used, and very easy to clean. The quality of the mixer, the packaging, and even the reading materials is insane (it came with a hardback recipe book). The 7 year warranty is also fantastic, though I don’t see this thing dying anytime in the decades to come.
I have managed to strip the gears on my whisk assembly. So, yes, it is in principle possible to damage this mixer, if you abuse it sufficiently badly. But the good news is that it's an easy part to replace. And it doesn't require any actual repair work. This is a component that you take out for cleaning anyway. So, if you are a stubborn like me and try to whisk a batter that is turning out to be almost as stiff as cookie dough, then other than having to shell out the money for your mistake, you are quickly back in business.
@@gutschkeI do think that they should make metal components for those mixer and whisk parts for those who want them, so they never have to worry about problems like gear stripping that’ll leave them out of action for a few days
They are great for dough, but my whisk assembly broke the first time I used it , and I've broken 3 replacements. They are useless as a mixer.
Appreciate all the above comments. Currently we have 25year old Bosch. Wife does not like the mixer over the bowl setup so kitchenAid isn't really going to do it for her.
The Swedish mixer is an investment appliance for serious foodies. Not for me though, $750 plus another 77 for sales tax is a tremendous amount for me at this time.. I inherited my dad's Kitchen Aid that I've barely used in twenty years. He worked in food service and said the best mixers were, of course, the commercial grade, large batch ones. Absolute workhorses but too expensive and too large for home use
I'm kind of shocked about the KitchenAid warranty void parameters. I often make dough that has to be mixed at medium high for 7 minutes.
Mine was voided for using an attachment at the front part to grind beef. I used one off my old kitchenaid from 2 decades ago since the designs haven't really changed, and they said that's why. They have no backwards compatibility according to them. I now have a 2 year old mixer that bogs down and overheats all the time but cost me $500.
Yes! My beloved rolls take 8 minutes! 😮
I've heard the newer models are significantly worse with much lower power motors more prone to burning out.
Absolutely! KitchenAid unfortunately “dumbed down” their previous great motor and manufacturing standards…..so glad I bought mine years ago - continually use for 10-15 minutes at a time (set at #2 as directed)….but again, it’s when their product was superior
@@meikgeik that's ridiculous. If they aren't designed to be backwards compatible they should have changed the fitting so they aren't interchangeable. Especially when the brand/model has existed for so long and has been recommended for having such a wide array of attachments.
i have to agree that the quality of KitchenAids has decreased over the years
i had to upgrade to a commercial version to do bread doughs after going through two of the regular ones where the gear teeth broke
If you use your mixer for bread doughs, the Ankarsrum is really hard to beat. It's a completely different design from typical American standmixers, but it works exceptionally well with large batches of heavy yeast dough. I also find that it is considerably easier to clean than many other models. Overall, I agree with ATK that the Ankarsrum is an absolute workhorse of a standmixer and can tackle almost all tasks that a home baker would encounter.
Having said that, I discovered that in recent years I have gone back to basics. I still cook and bake as much as before. But it is a very rare day that I pull out my standmixer. For basic mixing, blending, or processing needs, I use either my blender or my trusty Krups 3Mix (unfortunately no longer sold in the US). Faster to set up and to clean, and does the job just as well if not better than a stand mixer. And for kneading, I either use no-knead recipes or knead by hand. The ChainBaker TH-cam videos have shown me how efficient and fast that can be. I get results that are as good or better than with machine mixing, but I simplify my cleaning job. It's such a breeze. It does admittedly take a little more practice and technique though. So, I understand why people like their stand mixes. And of course, if you make bread at an industrial scale, all of those mechanized tools are a must-have. But home bakers rarely deal with more than double or triple batches. And those are easy to do by hand.
I got a Kitchen Aide about 3 years ago when I caught the cooking bug again. I don't regret it, it's had plenty of use, but I realised about 6 months ago that it isn't up to my breadmaking ambitions any longer in either capacity or power for larger batches or more intensive kneading. Ankarsrum will definitely be my next. That said, like you I have discovered Chainsbakers wonderful channel and make a lot by hand now too. I feel like making another brioche in my Kitchen Aid would be its death knell, but I now make a fully enriched brioche using his no-knead method which is absolutely perfect.
The KitchenAid mixer that I had (from the late 1980s) is still performing like the day when I bought it. My sister has it now. But I wouldn't buy their mixers today as the quality has gone down substantially. Does your Commercial KA give you problems when mixing bread dough? I've read some bad reviews about them not lasting all that long, either, so I hope your get better mileage.
I inherited my mother's mid 1980's tilt head Kitchen Aid in 1998. We temporarily lost the wire wisk, so bought a new one in the early 2000's. Found the original and there was a big difference! Old wisk is more heavily constructed with thicker wires and has a much sturdier attachment mechanism.
@@gutschke good points. But some people have arthritis in their hands which is why they use a bread machine or stand mixer. I have a commercial Kitchen Aid and a Zojirushi bread machine. I like them both but would probably buy an ankarasum stand mixer next time. I seldom use the attachments.
I gave away our old Kitchen Aid and replaced it with a Bosh. The Bosh is much more powerful and operates with a very different principle than the other stand mixers. When using the dough hook, it is direct drive, but when using the cake/cookie/or whisk, it incorporates a high speed gear drive. Because it drives from the bottom, I think it is safer and easier to add ingredients while mixing. It has suction cup feet, but has never moved an inch under load when I use it.
I have recently purchased a NutriMill mixer, which is a duplicate of the Bosch, but slightly smaller motor and overall smaller price. I have made 3 loaves of bread in one mix, and let the mixer run 10-12 minutes for kneading.......No problem. This mixer also used to make quadruple batches of cookies, all without issue. You should have included these mixers in your review, as they are truly great. I have two Kitchenaid mixers (an Utra Power and a Mini), which are both great for the lighter jobs, but don't really do a good job on heavy bread dough, or very large batches of anything.
I too have Bosch universal, I do 4. Kg doughs most weeks, kneeling for a min of ten minutes…so far, so good
Been using Bosch for decades. I mix & knead 5 1.5# whole wheat loaves at a time. It never struggles and never moves. I had a Kitchen Aid for a while and gave it away - waste of space. Love the open top access of the Bosch for adding ingredients and the full cover for eliminating flour flying about the kitchen. Rarely need to scrape the bowl and clean up is easy. ❤
Did they review the Bosch? I was surprised to not have it highlighted.
See, this is the stuff I was expecting when I clicked on this video. Test kitchen Total failed on this one. I have a kitchen aid, and have often wondered if I should get a bosch instead, because so many people say it's better
I was disappointed that the Bosch stand mixer's performance was not included. I was curious to see how it compared to the Ankarsrum. 🤔
Amen! There is nothing like it for bread!
Yeah, the Bosch is the one that I keep hearing about.
Was hoping to see Kenwood in the mix
Kenwood's doesn't sell to the US. @@jemmaj2919
Which Bosch mixer?
Thank you, Lisa. Another ATK excellent review. I love my Ankarsrum. As I understand it, they are reputed to be so great and long lasting you can pass it down to the next generation. As a result, I let my daughter pick the color. But, as I plan to live forever, she may have to just go out and buy her own. Merry Christmas, ATK!
The Ankarsrum is simply the best for making dough, and you can scale up to 11lbs of dough. You can also run it at top speed for hours and it won't overheat. Using a KitchenAid on level 2, and only for two minutes at a time, with no more than six minutes total, as Lisa said KitchenAid specifies, is not enough time to make any decent dough. So to make dough in the KA you have to risk voiding the relatively short warranty. Ankarsrum has a 7 year warranty. I bough mine about 6 months ago and my Bosch and KA haven't moved since.
I have the kitchenaid 7 quart bowl lift, handles bread dough with ease, I knead for 8 to 10 minutes, have done so for years. I do not believe any tilt head mixer is powerful enough for double batches of dough.
We have the KA pro
6 qrt. Been working just fine for over 20 years now. If for some reason it decides to go kaput, we know what to get next.
Agreed.@@laneromel5667
@@laneromel5667 I have the same one with no problems either making challah
What else can an Ankarsrum do besides mix dough? Does it have any attachments like a kitchenaid.
I gave my mom a Cuisinart 5.5 quart stand mixer last year for Christmas and it's worked flawlessly for her. She makes good old Newfoundland style bread in it quite often so it handles the heavy duty kneading that she can't do herself anymore, she also makes a lot of other things like deserts with it. I'd say it's a great product.
You should have included Kenwood in your tests. It checks all your boxes, has been top rated for years in the UK and is available at Costco in the U.S. on a regular basis.
I love my Kenwood Chef Titanium (5 quart). Very sturdy, nothing bogs it down.
I agree. I have had the chef major 7qt for around 10 years and it's still chugging along. Have used it tons.
I was going to ask about this as well. British made Kenwoods are great. No time limit on them.
No Kenwoods are British made ..they haven't been since 2005. @Radioman.
I have an Ankarsrum and I love it! I’m able to mix and knead bagel dough (40 %hydration) which my old KitchenAid couldn’t do. It’s like kneading modeling clay. The motor is in the base, so the center of gravity is low. I did have to adjust the order in which I add the ingredients (wet first, then dry) and there was a learning curve with using the separate bowl and dual beaters/whisks for things like cake and cookie batter. But I’m pleased with where this has taken my baking.
I'm currently trying to choose between Ankarstrum and KA, and I'm torn. I mostly do layered cakes and cupcakes (lots of batter and buttercream) but would like to get started on my bread making. Do you mind my asking what you use instead of paddle attachment on the Ankar? That's honestly my main gripe, as it's the attachment I use the most!
I've had a bowl lift KitchenAid since about 1997. Never had an issue and I make a decent amount of bread and pizza dough with it.
That’s right about the time they started cheaping out on their gearboxes.
Old kitchen aids are literally tanks.
New ones are kinda lame
After being disappointed with my KitchenAid epicurean I went out and bought a
Thunderbird ARM-01 this mixer is in a whole other class and I have never regretted spending the $$$.
Recently I purchased a used KitchenAid Commercial - OMG this is what a KitchenAid is supposed to be ! From small batches to heavy duty dough work this mixer does it all and does not sound like it’s going to explode.
I would love to see ATK do a test on higher grade mixers for home or semiprofessional baking.
I agree. The KA commercial mixer should be compared to the ankarasum.
@@karing2171
So how does one ( or many ) approach ATK to suggest such a comparison ?
@@joedyhicks9415 Not sure. My commercial 8 quart Kitchen Aid with the DC motor is working fine. It is approxximately 5 years old. So, I'm not rushing out to buy the Ankarsum but would consider it in the future. But I did think comparing the KA Artisan to the Ankarsum was like comparing apples to oranges.
I have a 6 qt bowl life KitchenAid and an Ankarsrum, which I initially bought just for large batches of sourdough. Now I almost never take my KitchenAid out of the closet because Ankarsrum outperforms it in almost every way.
Many years ago I gave away my small Hobart-made mixer & bought a larger Kitchen Aid. After 5-6 years it died when I was whipping egg whites for an Angel Food cake. KA customer service promptly sent me another mixer with instructions to put the broken one in the new box & send it back. I didn’t trust that mixer & read a good thread on The Fresh Loaf about Commercial KA mixers. I managed to buy a refurbished one about 15 years ago. The Commercial is MUCH more heavy duty than the “Professional” sold in the stores. It’s got heavy stainless dough hook, paddle, and an orange heavy duty electrical cord. We took the tops off & compared the motors & my DH said the motors were very different - the “Commercial” being much more heavy duty. It naturally has a clicking noise when running, and will do anything I throw at it! In 1986 Hobart sold Kitchen Aid to Whirlpool - KA has not been the same since. So imo, Lisa is right here!
Yes, but I think a commercial KA and a Bosch should have been included otherwise they are comparing apples to oranges.
Great review and appreciate the info. I will say, we've had our KitchenAid 5 qt Artisan series stand mixer for 20 years. And we make a decent amount of dough in it. Never had an issue with it ever.
Hold on to a vintage KitchenAid model like the rare treasure it is! They've been progressively cheapening the quality of the transmission parts for years, which has brought us to this sad state where kneading dough can burn out your "premium" mixer.
After 20+ years with my kitchen aid artisan I bit the bullet and brought the 7 qt bowl lift professional, What a beast double opr quad batches of cookie dough it did not even faze it put in 2 lbs. of butter and the assorted sugars etc. and it works like a dream never needs more than# 4 speed
Glad I made the move.
Been using the Kenwood Master since 2017. Standard paddle, hook and balloon whisk. No hassle. Trouble free.
I have the Kenwood Chef Titanium, and I love it. Very strong.
@@SashineB it's reliable, good after sales service, ample of spare parts, a real no brainer to use and own.
@@drananth Yes, and I enjoy mine very much, especially with the stainless steel beater, dough hook and whisk. Very powerful.
I bought a Cuisinart SM-50 mixer about 4 or 5 years ago. I got it for a lot less than a KitchenAid and it can do everything a KA can do as the hub is compatible with KA accessories. The only thing I didn't like about it was that it came with a coated aluminum beater and dough hook. Options were limited since this mixer is not as popular as KA. But recently on Amazon, I found a stainless steel beater and dough hook made for the Cuisinart mixer. I bought both and now I don't need to worry about aluminum residue getting into my food.
I also have that mixer, and love it. I did buy a KA over black Friday, and I'm having more issues than ever. Cuisinart replaced my hook and paddle for the same reason. It's truly a great mixer.
I have never appreciated a TH-cam video more in my life! Thank you!!
I have had the KitchenAid tilt head mixer for about 15 or 20 years and it has worked perfectly so far. It is powerful and use it a lot. So far so good.
Hi from Sweden!
The Ankarsrum has been around since 1940 and there are lot of people that still use the machines from 1940.
My mom bought the machine I have in 1963 and I use it twice a month and I have never had a problem with it.
It is in the second generation and I will pass it on to my son.
The fun part is the the bowl, the scraper and the paddle is comparable on all models they have made through the years.
Why change something that works.
They are built to last.
I have an Ankarsrum. It’s lovely for breads. However, the extra plastic bowl and plastic components for mixing is atrocious. Beaters AND bowl broke while making cookie dough. COOKIE DOUGH. I bought a Bosch and it is fabulous. It stands up to anything I give it. And it comes with awesome attachments like a blender, juicer, etc. I have had 4 KitchenAids in 20 years. And the motor runs out every time. Even on the larger ones. It’s Bosch for me. It does everything. I wish I had bought it first.
I recently got an Akarsrum. There is a metal bowl available as an accessory to replace the plastic one (I think it really should come with it). The beaters and bowls break because your butter is too cold. When they say it needs to be room temperature, it needs to be very room temperature. My old Kitchen Aid, it just had to be out for about an hour and it was good to go. With the Ankarsrum, I'm leaving it out for at least 3 hours before making cookies. I will say that I don't cut it into smaller pieces, so it does take a while to warm up. This is a common problem, and they used to have excellent videos about it, but they seem to have taken them down. I have creamed butter and sugar in the regular bowl and it takes a little longer, but it does work just fine.
@@ericjohnson3218 Thank you for your comment about room temperature butter. It will be helpful for those that do not know this. Since I have been baking for 40 years, this is something I already know. Coldness was not the problem. The plastic beaters, bowls and gears are inferior. If it cannot handle an easy chocolate chip cookie recipe, nor whipped ganache (not due to coldness) it is not worth it. I have the new metal bowl. I have yet to use it as the Bosch is more convenient and does a better job with EVERY kind of dough and other baking needs. My Ankarsrum is now just for bread.
@@pinkshamrock5590I don't understand why everyone thinks they know everything. So, you've been baking for 40 years. How does that translate into you know everything and there's nothing else to learn? I've been baking for over 30 years. You don't see me trying to brag about it, or say I know everything. There's always something to learn and I am always looking for something new. I have made chocolate chip cookies with the Ankarsrum, both with the cookie whips and with the bowl and dough roller. Didn't have any problems.
@@ericjohnson3218 I never said that. You are making assumptions. After you lectured me and wrote a whole paragraph on room temperature butter, I thanked you for telling people that don’t know that. I also wanted to let you know that cold butter had nothing to do with the problem. So your assumption of me and my knowledge was incorrect. Bragging? After you yourself stated you have baking for 30 years? Nope. Just letting you know I know something as basic as what you are suggesting. It’s interesting that you chose to be condescending in telling someone you have never met what the problem is and how to fix it. You not only made assumptions and were condescending, but then you accuse others of what you do. Yes. There is something to be learned here… manners. Especially in an environment where you know nothing about someone else.
That's the weak link with the Ankarsrums -- plastic bowl and plastic-geared whisks. I saw a video recently with the US rep for Ankarsrum and she said it is their No. 1 warranty issue (breakage) and that they know they have to come up with a new design.
I am so glad that you have started adding the Ankarsrum mixers! I have had problems mixing a simple pasta dough in the kitchen aid mixer and finally just did the research and got one a couple years ago. It definitely has a learning curve but I can definitely trust it to mix just about anything I have tried to in it.! They are a beast. When my daughter got married she wanted me to make the wedding cake and there is no way the kitchen aid would have coped with the amount of egg white icing or the triple batches of cake batter. This mixer just powered through with no problems.
Wow, I wouldn't even think to mix pasta dough with kitchen aid 😮so the Swedish one can do that? Egg pasta too?
@@a_l_e_k_sandra the ankarsrum has no problem with a double batch.
I went from a KA professional 600 that started smoking in my kitchen. I was making a double cake recipe. I couldn't get it out of my house fast enough. I replaced it with a bosch. Big upgrade. Very smooth and quiet. I don't see it having issues anytime soon. I am buying a Ankarsrum as well. I cook and bake with my daughter-in-law. After baking and cooking over 55 years i only want the best.
I’ve had my standard Kitchen Aid mixer for 15-20 years now. I don’t use it a lot lately. I’ve been tempted to get one in another color. Based on the comments about quality, I’m definitely sticking with what I have.
I’ve had a 7 qt kenwood (delonghi) stand mixer for 15+ years.
They used to sell it with a 1000w motor but went down to 800. Not sure if the newer model is any different but I put mine through the wringer and it still works fine.
People always talk about kitchenaid here but do some research and see what other brands are good in other countries and sell here.
Totally agree! I LOVE MY KENWOOD!
@@Kks12grandchildren I love my Kenwood Titanium Chef mixer, too. I also have the blender and food processor attachments, and they are terrific.
Thank you SO much for this review. I’ve been REALLY wanting to buy a Kitchen Aid for years because it seems EVERYbody has them and they are THE mixer to get. I’d never heard of the Ankarsrum brand. That is now on my wish list. Thank you SO much for curing me of the Kitchen Aid ! I currently have two mixer - one small and one large - that’s working just fine for me but when the big one breaks, I want something that is EXCELLENT quality that will LAST ! Thanks again so much for this review !
I've been looking at an Ankarsrum to replace my 23-year-old Kitchen Aid Mixer. This is primarily because I became a bread baker. Thanks for the helpful video.
If you don’t want to buy another mixer, you could invest in a Zojirushi virtuoso plus bread maker and use the dough setting and bake the bread in the oven. They are nice machines. Just a thought.
@karing2171 I have thought of another bread machine and appreciate the referral. But I wanted to avoid buying another large appliance and use the Ankarsrum for mixing and kneading. Try as I might, most bread doughs are not as light without the machine kneading. My Kitchen Aid is not what she used to be, so I am just thinking out loud. Thanks for the referral.
What you overlook and probably we all overlook lately in our mad dash to always have shiny new toys is how remarkably long lasting and easy and cheap to fix the Kitcheaid is. But still great quick review video.
I absolutely love my Ankarsrum. It has a steep learning curve, however, as it functions completely differently than a planetary mixer.
This is a terrific review! I could never pull the trigger on a stand mixer because I didn't have the knowledge of how to choose one. Now I do! Thank you so much ATK! Happy Holidays!
Check out a Bosch for bread before you buy!!
That's all why I still have a 50 y/o KitchenAid and wouldn't consider replacing it.
That's great! They don't make them like they used to. Poor performance and craftsmanship on more modern appliances with a high cost plus tax. No thank you.
Same here, though mine is only 40 years old ❤
Excellent review. I have the Kitchen Aide 5 qt. stand mixer, and it works great whenever I use it, which is usually only during the holidays for making cookie dough.
Great video. One critique I wish you would have included the Bosch stand mixers especially the compact model. I got mine for $100 refurbished and it’s my favorite mixer to use for small to medium batches hands down
We also have a Bosch for bread kneading and it's amazing! Too bad it didn't get a chance to compete in the test :(
ATK included a compact Bosch in their testing several years ago and it wasn't their favourite. That review is no longer available on their website - likely because this one superseded it - but there are videos from those reviews available. I believe ATK recommended it with reservations - it worked well, but took longer than others to complete a task. They thought some people would appreciate its light weight.
I quit using KA machines years ago. I burned out 2 of them making bread. Then after research I tried Anksrum loved it. BUT then I tried a full sized Bosch and never looked back.
What do you like about the Bosch that is better than the Ankarsrum? I've often wondered if people prefer one over the other. Thank you.
@@SashineB the Bosch is better for me because it is lighter and easier to maintain and get additional parts if needed.as to dependability either is fine. For versatility both are far better than KAs.
@@tonymiller9544 Thanks for explaining. Have a good day.
I agree with you. Bosch is the way to go!
I got an Ankersrum almost 3 years ago, I love it, great mixer.
I worked in a small bistro where we used a kitchen aid classic everyday for multiple batches of bread as a complementary basket for guests as well as for other needs. Over the course of 7+ years of use it never failed us and is still going to this day. I have the same model at home I have had for 15 years and swear by it. They are little tanks!
They used to be like tanks. Not anymore. Take good care of it, you won’t be able to get a new one like it.
I noticed you didn't test a Bosch Mixer, which is belt driven underneath. I don't believe this test was made with enough knowledge of underneath driven mixers available for the Bakers.
Bosch is the best! I am shocked they did not include it
ATK refuses to say the "B" word. Maybe,
the KA payola is still in effect!
steve
@@steveskouson9620 Gotta pay the rent/mortgage for all those thousands of square feet in the chi-chi Boston Seaport area.
You can safely ignore the kitchen aid guidelines. I made brioche yesterday. 20m on level 2, no problem.
They're also easy to repair and don't cost three times as much lmao
I've seen a lot of people reporting motor burn out with new kitchen aid stand mixers where it wasn't an issue with older models. Also i don't know where you got your pricing from but the Ankarsrum is only ~20% more than the kitchen aid not 3x the cost. The kitchenaid has an RRP of $1049 in Australia compared to the Ankarsum at $1299. If i'm already spending $1000+ on a stand mixer i sure as hell am not spending it on one that is likely to suffer burn out from mixing dough more than 2 minutes. A 20% surcharge is worth it to me to have durability.
@@TheNickmista Canada. Kitchen aid is 350ish. 1k for the ankatarum whatever
Surprised the Bosch Unviversal wasnt tested. I've heard good things about Kenwood too
Yes, Kenwood is very good, but it's not sold as much in North America, although it can be purchased online at Costco and Amazon. I have one and I love it. It's very strong, and it comes with heavy stainless steel whisk, beater and dough hook.
@@SashineB I wish I could see it in a head to head but like you said it's much less common
Still love my Kitchenaid Pro 600 bowl lift. However I now make bread regularly and deal with very heavy dough. For this task hands down the Ankarsrum is amazing!
A number of years ago kitchenaid swapped out their metal internal parts for plastic. For most users, especially people who dont make bread, this change went unnoticed. But, if you were ever interested in making bread and especially bagels, you learned a long time ago that kitchenaid isnt interested in making a product for you.
That’s not true, the tilt head models have always had a single plastic composite gear as a fail safe in case someone gets their hand jammed in there or to prevent overheating the motor.
@@MattDollin now that is slightly true as the gear you speak of is designed to break by a great blunt force shock like getting your hand caught. Yet if you compare an older motor, say from the 90s to a modern-day one, there is a huge difference in parts and the electric motor.
Recently got an Akarsrum. I do make a lot of bread, so that was a huge factor in my decision. I was not disappointed. I have even tried some breads that were hand mixed and kneaded in it and they come out great. There is definitely a learning curve and things work differently, but for breads, it is great. For creaming butter and sugar, the biggest thing is the butter needs to be extremely soft. Cut it into pieces and leave it out for 3-4 hours. I've seen other people that recommend leaving it out overnight. I really hope that ATK starts putting out recipe variations that are tested with this mixer.
Switch to Ankarsrum from kitchenaid and haven’t looked back. Ank is the workhorse in my kitchen turning out large batches of bread dough with ease, my kitchenaid sounded like it was gonna blow out with one batch. I’d say kitchenaid is good for cookies, and creams, Ank is good for everything! Makes huge batches of cookie dough with the roller attachment. It’s pricey but worth every penny!
I have a Kitchenaid Classic and bought a refurbished Wolfgang Puck mixer similar to the Bosch mixer it has timer and speed displayed it out does the Kitchenaid for about $80.00.
On the Kitchenaid classic tilt-head, I have yet to see a review that addresses what I consider to be a flaw in the design. When using to mix and there is some walking or vibrating, the pivot hinge pin walks itself out. It may be slow but it almost always needs to be pushed back in.
If you lay the stand mixer flat, you’ll see a screw that connects to that pin. All you need to do is tighten it. It all goes back to normal then. I’ve had to it a 2-3 times over that last 10 years.
I have used Kitchen Aid stand mixers for more than 40 years. The only ones I've used are the crank-up bowl types. I was about to order a new $700+ Kitchen Aid mixer and actually placed the order for it. But then I said wait a sec, this is a lot of money. Let me look into what other mixers are available. I eventually found the Ankarsrum Swedish "Assistent" developed in the 1930's by the famous Electrolux Company. (I still have my Electrolux canister vacuum that has lasted me, without fail, since the mid-1960s so I DO know the quality). After reading the reviews (mainly complaints) on the cheapening of the quality of Kitchen Aid and the rave reviews on the Ankarsrum, I canceled the order with Amazon and bought the Ankrarsrum from Pleasant Hill Grain who had every color they make. I have used this on the heaviest rustic bread doughs including bagel dough all the way to lighter everyday uses, beating eggs, whipping butter, etc. It just is an incredibly amazing machine built to last. I am so pleased that I bought the Ank. There are so many UTube videos reviewing the Ank. One Happy Customer who's 1000% satisfied!
This is a timely presentation for me ... thank you. I love cooking, but I'm not an avid baker. For my needs, a hand mixer is fine. Lately, I've been thinking about baking my own bread, as some recipes seem to be so very simple. However, I don't want to spend 10 minutes kneading dough. I'll watch this, again, and think about a stand mixer being worth the WEIGHT, and STORAGE SPACE for me.
Research the type of bread you want to make first. Many recipes require very little kneading and you might not need a mixer at all.
Thanks for the terrific explanation of features and impacts
I have the Ankarsum and love it!
So glad I found this review! Would have missed so many details otherwise
Surprised you didn't include the Bosch Universal Plus in your testing. I knead dough for five loaves in mine, and have done so without any issues for the last 12 years.
We have a Kenwood XL Chef, it's got a 1800watt moter, it handles a double batch of dough, cheers from Melbourne Australia 🇦🇺
My Kitchen Aid commercial bowl-lift mixer is heavy as heck, but it's a beast! I don't mind scraping the bowl between egg additions, since it is so powerful and works so well otherwise.
I’m glad I saw this. My kitchenaid has worked well for 20+ years now (definitely leaves unmixed ingredients in the bottom of the bowl when I do a double batch of cookie dough) but it has developed a short and I received a mild shock when it was running and I brushed against the accessory port. I’m going to seriously consider replacing it with an Ankarsrum instead of investing the money in repairing the kitchenaid.
If you do go ahead and buy an Ankarsrum, or already have(?), just remember to start with liquids first, then yeast and the rest 👌🏼
I remember a bowl-lift KitchenAid at a frat house I used to live in. There was supposed to be a metal stop to hold the lip of the bowl in place when the mixer is running. Well, what happens if the rivets holding that stop snap off? You get a bowl that goes tick tock tick tock tick tock when you're mixing something.
KitchenAid putting a "Don't knead past our specs" in the fine print of their warranty means the right to repair is important to home and professional cooks as it is for tractor operators and consumer electronics. If you can find a good, dependable repair person in your area, they can be worth their weight in gold because they should be able to fix your mixer, even if KA declared the warranty void.
KitchenAid has always said never leave speed 2 for the dough hook, that being said, i had the 6 quart bowl lift and the planetary gear wore out, almost bought a Hobart N50 but broke down and got the 7 quart
Thank you so much for such informative information!❤
I wonder how the Bosch mixer would compare
I have used both. Bosch is the best.
Yeah very surprised to see bosch not included
I agree. But it appears they don’t want to even consider Bosch in their testing. I grew up with Bosch and have had my own for decades. My sisters all bread makers like me. We all have Bosch.
nice review!! I have the kitchen aid pro 600 and the Ankarsrum....both of them are great!! BUT...the Ankarsrum is for me the big winner!! of course, its a different way to proceed.....but the motor of the machine wont let you down!!! there is a 12 mins timer ....its stable....the extra bowl is also a nice addition.....so you can go for it!! you will be at the beginning a bit lost!! but you wont be disappointed !!!
I hope you make a full review of the Ankarsrum. I've always seen videos where they make breads but I'd like to see if it passes the other tests, like mixing small amounts or if all ingredients are mixed properly
I'd really like to see you do grain mills and other machines for grinding and flaking etc your own grains for people who'd like to make their own flours, cornmeal, different kinds of oats etc basically any tools for people dealing with whole grains. bonus if you include tools for things to harvest type processing for the full process for gardeners (example best tools to shuck the corn you grew then get the kernels off and turn them into cornmeal). Gear for sprouting your grains or doing microgreens etc would also be great. you could do a mini series of related ones on these topics. With lots of people interested in whole foods, farm to table, specialty ingredients, getting the most digestable form, nutrition and flavor out of their food etc. these would be great. Fermenting gear/tools would be another good topic =)
What about the BOSCH mixers?
I bought a new Kitchen Aid Classic at Sears 7-8 years ago for the closeout/discontinued price of $89.00. Its reputation is well- deserved.
Great review, you really need to know what you'll need your machine for. I personally love my Kenwood Titanium Chef Patissier XL. It's powerful and very versatile. With the included scale and heat induction area I can do everything from pizza doughs and cakes to swiss meringue buttercream (and so many more things).
Yeah mum loves hers, she kneads all the time
I just wish they were available in North America. I've seem them used by European chefs on TH-cam, and it handles bread dough nicely.
Kenwood is owned by De'Longhi and their mixers are certainly available in the USA under that name. @@SashineB
Great review, I turn to ATK for all my equipment needs! But one question I have is how the attachments compare between the ankarsrum and the kitchenaid - particularly the pasta roller. I have depended on my kitchenaid for this capability but I’m worried if I upgrade to an ankarsrum I will be less impressed. Please let us know if you test this! I would so appreciate it 🙏🏼
Great work as usual, Lisa.
Ive been extremely disappointed with my KitchenAid. I bought the larger pro model specifically to handle dough. It always struggles, the motor quickly gets hot and starts to smell, and the transmission has too much plastic. I've had to replace the full gearing already because it wore out. Shame on them for selling a dough hook on a machine that cant run long enough to make dough.
The pro machines don't have any plastic gearing, they are all metal.
@@kappadappa Ah, you may be right, maybe I was thinking of my moms smaller mixer which I've also had to rebuild. I went back and looked at the replacement parts I bought and they were all metall. uwhich actually is more disappointing.
I know gears need a weak point to control the wearing down and protect the motor, but it shouldn't wear out that fast. I got less than 100 batches of break dough before it crapped out.
@@IAmKyleBrown Yeah but does that pro machine have an AC motor or a DC motor? The DC motors handle the bread dough better. Just a thought.
I used to search for the stand mixer for months and 2 years ago I bought a Bosch MUM9DT5S41 from computeruniverse. I baked 1~2 times On a weekly basis. It works great even kneading up to 2.8kg of dough, it still steadly stand on the counter. It also come with additional accessaries: a juice mixer, a simple food processor (only for shread and slice vegetable, so I bought additional food processor attachment whch can grind nuts、making the cream cheese cake base... ).
Having owned the KitchenAid 7 quart for many years (head lifts) I have to completely agree with this review except for the part where you recommend the less stronger KitchenAid machines
I got rid of those pretty quickly as they could barely do anything they are really only for occasional light baking, and they rock so much when you have heavy dough that I find them dangerous to use
Unfortunately not everyone has the budget for the European style machines but that’s definitely the way to go
The Ankarsrum, the KitchenAid 7 Quart Bowl Lift, KitchenAid Pro Line Series 7 Quart Bowl Lift and the KitchenAid Classic Series 4.5 Quart Tilt Head were all Highly Recommended by ATK, but the Ankarsrum was their overall top pick and the KA 4.5 quart tilt head mixer was their favourite mid-priced model.
What about the Bosch? I’m currently deciding between the Ankasrum and the Bosch. I already have a KitchenAid Pro & Mini. They are fine, but I need something for larger batches & kneading.
I have KA Pro 6 and was in the same boat as you, Ank or Bosch. I went with the Ank - it was a little more expensive, but I preferred something with less plastic. Bosch is a great appliance - either way, you will be fine. If you're serious about it, purchase sooner than later in case they have a/another price increase like the Ank.
I have owned the Kitchen Aid 4.5qt flip top, 5qt pro and have now moved up to the 7qt pro. I have passed all of my previous models on to my children and they are still in use. I also bought that paddle with the bowl scraper and it works quite well, Really reduces the amount of bowl scraping though I still do one final check to make sure nothing was missed. I am retired and I make a lot of pizza dough and bake bread 3 or 4 times a week. The kneading capacity and power is outstanding. I knead on speed 2 for 6 to 10 minutes without a problem. The only time it has issues is kneading butter rich dough when it sometimes has trouble grabbing onto the slippery dough. My paddle and dough hook are nylon coated. I mostly hand wash them but have put them in the dishwasher too. No problems with any chipping. I also like Kitchen Aid for the attachments on the power hub. These machines can be pricey but they live up to their reputations
But I bet your 7 quart has a DC motor like my 8 quart commercial. They reccently discontinued putting the DC motor in the 7 quarts. Better hang onto what the one you have! lol
Weird you didn’t test Kenwood mixers despite them being sold in the US.
I love my Kenwood Chef Titanium. Do you see them in the stores in the US? I know they're online at Amazon and Costco.
@@SashineB The Cuisinart SM-55 is a Titanium Chef with different branding. I love mine. No longer in production.
@@myndexresearchYes, I remember those mixers and how people liked them. I've read a couple of complaints that the newer Cuisinart mixer is not as good as this older one. Glad yours is still working well.
Did you test the Bosch mixer? I didn’t see it in your video anywhere but would love to hear your thoughts.
ATK has NEVER tested Bosch! KA
payola?
steve
@@steveskouson9620 From ATK's full review: "With KitchenAid insisting consumers use their mixers so gently in order to protect their motors, we feel concerned about their durability as well as their unsuitability for many bread recipes."
Yeah - they're totally in cahoots... 🤦🏼♀
I use a bread machine on the dough cycle. I have two Kitchen Aid stand mixers for everything else. I use them for making noodles too. One is an older machine made by Hobart. The other is a newer machine. I have never used them for kneading dough.
Grandma Sue in central Indiana
I have no complaints about my KitchenAid 600. I do follow the speed limit when kneading dough but have left it running way longer than the recommended time limit with no issues. I have seen a teardown from AvE and they are built like a tank.
It's a shame that ATK never tests Kenwood mixers. I think they're far better than KitchenAid.
Yes, I have a Kenwood Chef Titanium (5 quart) and I love it. Very strong, lots of power, no problem with bread dough.
About 4X the money or more, and they're not foolproof. I have one in the box in the basement with a dead electronic control board.. My wife's KitchenAid is in its place right now.
@@ohger1 I know of people who have been using the same machine for 30 or 40 years going strong. The top-of-the-range mixers are built to industrial standards. Like Miele products, you get what you pay for. Worth getting a spare part and repairing.
My mother had a Sunbeam stand mixer for as long as I can remember and she gifted me a new one when I got married. Still works fine after 35 years. I don’t do dough but it does have the hook attachment. Reading the instruction it has a drive to turn the bowl separate from the drive to turn the attachments.
My favorite is the Bosch mixer! I used my first one for over 40 years. During the first 20 years of that time, I made 8 loaves of bread at a time each week. Plus I would use it for other things. This sturdy machine handled all that and more. After 40 years of going strong it only worked properly on the low speed and I thought it was time to get a new one but it might have repairable. I love Bosch. I don't know why you didn't test it.
Lisa cannot pronounce "Bosch."
steve
Love my Kenwood Chef Major 7-Qt. Stand Mixer. Superior to any of the Kitchenaid. I know because I've owned them all. They all broke.
I love my Kenwood Chef Titanium 5 quart. Very powerful, and it has the stainless steel tools, plus I have the blender and food processor attachments, both of which are terrific.
Even though Kitchenaid isn't the absolute best any more the fact is that for most people where they are at most making cookies or cake batters they are just fine in terms of reliability.
I wouldn't expect anything less than a commercial mixer to regularly survive dough making anyway especially if you making very dry heavy doughs like hard tack.
KitchenAid has said for decades to only use the dough hook on speed 2. It was in the owners manual of the 6 quart professional mixer I got 20 years ago. I understand taking this into consideration, but it's not new information and lots of recipes were written completely ignoring this guideline. The suggested time restrictions are new though.
The Ankarsrum is great but due to the plastic parts, multiple number of bowls and parts to store, and the fact that it can't cut cold butter into pastry like the KitchenAid - I still decided on purchasing a new KitchenAid when weighing all the pros and cons.
@kappadappa- thanks for info on the plastic parts of the Ankarsrum. I have the 7 qt ProLine (now discontinued) KA. The DC motor makes a difference and I have all stainless steel attachments that I bought for it. The other I have also has a DC motor- the Artisan Mini for smaller jobs. Yes always speed 2- which shocks me that as ATC has been using their beloved 4.5 qt KA and then ProLine 7, for years, they act like it is new info.
KitchenAid has since updated their time restrictions and they no longer say 4-6 minutes. The updated guidelines say that dough can take between 2-15 minutes to knead depending on the recipe.
I have the ankarsrum, kenwood chef xl, and kitchenaid pro 6qt. My favorite is the ankarsrum. I used to use it all the time. But now I just use the breville sous chef peel & dice food processor to make doughs weighing
I also have an Ankarsrum and I love it -- whenever I actually do end up using it. But I have the same issue that you have. A fully featured industrial-grade mixer is frequently overkill, if just making a basic dough. In your case, that means you use the Breville instead. In my case, it means I make the dough by hand. Even faster clean up and with the right technique it's a breeze. I recommend watching the ChainBaker TH-cam videos. He has gone through a whole big journey of exploring different techniques over the years. But they all work without any fancy mechanized tools.
Sad to hear that Kitchenaid quality has gone downhill. I've had my Kitchenaid Pro 600 for 11 years. Motor and transmission still going strong. The Select lever needs replacing, but that looks to be an easy fix. If the time comes, I'll probably be getting the Ankarsrum.
Apparently if you have an old KA, hang onto it. It's the newer ones that aren't reliable. I've had a 4.5 qt. for over 30 years and it still works great.
Id love to see you guys test the new GE Smart Mixer! Its supposed to be pretty good, they say its very powerful, has a uiot in scale, and can create perfect results with their app and such. Id love yo see if you guys agree!
👀🔥🏆That Ankarsrum mixer looks KINGly sitting up there😂
It is a beautiful beast.
@@Enig_Mata
It sure is!🤩
...$749.00 worth..lol
When I decided to get a stand mixer 8 years ago, I skipped the KitchenAid stand mixers and went with the Breville stand mixer and have never regretted it. The paddle attachment does a much better job of scraping the sides and bottom of the mixing bowl than a KitchenAid.
I have a >30 yr old 5qt bowl-lift Kitchen Aid that does just fine kneading pizza dough at near-max speed for 8 minutes. It does warm the motor and tries to walk off the counter, but nothing extreme. I'm sad that Kitchen Aid has decided to offer mixers, even their largest model, that can't handle dough and skirt the issue by telling people to basically not use the mixer for dough.
You finally did the ANKARSHRUM😚
Why is Bosch not considered. I find that Kitchen Aid is for the 8x a year bread baker. Bosch is good and affordable. Ankarsrum is for the pro.
We love our Ankarsrum!
I've already burned out a 6 qt. Kitchen Aid mixer. I think my next machine will be the Ankarsrum. I do a lot of breads that require 8-10 minutes of faster kneading.
You might want to consider a Bosch, too, although they don't include it in this review for some odd reason?
I'm math literate enough to always get a laugh from the phrase "at a fraction of the price". After all, 19/20 is a fraction.
Back on topic, my KitchenAid K5A is 30+ years old and still going strong. I don't use it a lot, but it always does what I need, including long bread sessions and meat grinding. I don't think I'll ever need a new mixer, but given the KA quality decrease, I would buy something different.
Edited to add: I just downloaded a copy of the manual for my K5-A. The instructions on making bread say to mix dough on speed 2 for 7 minutes until dough cleans bowl, then 7-10 minutes more to knead. No cool-downs, no warnings. I WOULD NOT try this with a newer mixer!
Or in the case of the Farberware mixer, that "fraction of the price" was slightly more than 1/3 and that was only comparing it to ATK's favourite mid-priced mixer - the 4.5 quart KitchenAid. It was more like 1/6 of the 7 quart KitchenAids (also highly recommended) and 1/7 of the Ankarsrum's price.
I have the KitchenAid with the bowl lift and I make challah regularly without any problem. The motor is sufficient to handle it and it doesn't get hot. I wonder if this is more for the newer models. Mine is about 5 years old
Was the kenwood chef not included in your testing?
Any testing of The Instant Brands Pro 7.4qt mixer?
I also am surprised about the KitchenAid. Mine is a 30+ years old lift bowl and have to say I have not treated it very gently. About 20 years ago I replaced the “J” style dough hook for an after market cork screw type and regularly kneed double bread recipes for 6-8 minutes on the #4 speed. So far I haven’t had any issues at all. The only issue I have ever had with this mixer is with the “J” style dough hook. Quite often I would set it up to kneed a batch of dough, go off to other things and upon returning would find the dough has climbed up the hook and in a big ball under the disc/shield. I do totally believe that the newer ones might be junk as is the case with most anything that has been continually produced for a few decades. Ahhh… the good old days 😧
I also use mine to grind meat and stuff sausage casings for which it works perfectly. Short of an actual sausage maker I couldn’t ask for anything more. 🥖🥖🥖🥖
I rather a company just keep the quality the same instead of lowering the quality to meet a price target.
And the profit margin. 🤨
Yes. Yes, that helped me, thank you friendly woman.