If you love your bake-offs, you'll need the best KitchenAid stand mixer to make delicious cakes and bakes. With its iconic, retro appeal and impressive power to quickly beat, knead and whip up a storm, the KitchenAid stand mixer is a home essential and gold standard.
It’s no surprise that the KitchenAid ranked highly on our best stand mixers guide, which makes it more of a worthwhile purchase. But deciding on which KitchenAid mixer to buy can be tricky. Do you want a tilt-head or bowl-lift stand mixer? Also, what capacity bowl do you need and what accessories does it come with? Typically, all mixers come with a flat beater, whisk and bread hook, but you can purchase additional attachments to get the most out of your KitchenAid mixer. You should also ask yourself if a hand mixer might better suit your needs. If you need help with this, check out our guide on hand mixer vs stand mixer.
So whether you’re a home baking connoisseur, amateur or simply want some eye candy for your countertop, we've rounded up the best KitchenAid stand mixers right now.
If you love all things KitchenAid, KitchenAid’s new Blossom stand mixer color is a show-stopper.
Best KitchenAid stand mixers to buy now
If you’re a regular home baker, the KitchenAid tilt-head will get the job done and is the best KitchenAid stand mixer for most people. It comes with a generous bowl size of 5 quarts, which is large enough to fit up to 16 cups of flour — this is more than enough capacity for your large batch-baking treats.
What’s more, it’s a beast of a machine, making light work of whipping up batters and cream to kneading tough dough mixtures. Bear in mind, it is heavy to lift and store, but why would you want to store such a beauty in a cupboard anyway?
For any bread making lover, this KitchenAid mixer bowl-lift is an ideal choice for kneading bread. Thanks to its powerful 575-watt motor, it can quickly knead dough (without damaging the mixer) and handle large cake mixtures in one go. The bowl-lift design gives it a more thorough mixing performance, while the soft start feature ensures you don’t get flour or ingredients spilling everywhere.
Since it weighs in at 30 pounds, it is incredibly heavy to lift and store. So if you’re going to invest in this premium model, be sure it’s in a designated spot in your kitchen where you don’t have to keep moving it. Considering that this is a sizable stand mixer, it would be overkill for those only baking small batches.
If you’re new to the world of baking, this KitchenAid Artisan mini makes for a great entry-level stand mixer. This miniature version looks exactly the same as its larger counterparts, but it's designed to be more space-friendly. It has a 3.5 quart bowl, but considering its small stature, it does pack a punch.
With its 250-watt motor, it has ample kneading power to quickly rustle up cakes, cookies, brownies and other small batch recipes. In addition, this is also a suitable stand mixer for children to help out in the kitchen (and lick the bowl at the end!). It may not be as powerful as the other models, but it will certainly get the job done well. Those with small kitchens or with cluttered countertops will appreciate this KitchenAid Artisan mini.
What should I look for when buying a KitchenAid mixer?
- Tilt-head or bowl-lift? — These two main styles to determine how the mixing bowl is attached and how you access it. Tilt-head mixers hinge back, and the bowl twists on and off at the base. A bowl-lift’s head is stationary and has arms to hold up the mixing bowl. The handy lever raises the mixing bowl up and down, so you can add ingredients by lowering the bowl. The tilt-head is easier to access and add ingredients to the bowl (for quick small to medium baking), while the bowl-lift is more sturdy for heavy dough mixtures.
- Capacity — Do you make regular small batches or bake-up a feast? Another factor to consider is bowl capacity. A tilt-head stand mixer starts from 3.5 quarts to 5 quarts and is ideal for home bakers who often rustle up small quantities or cater to small households. The bowl-lift mixers start from 5 quarts up to 7 quarts, which is great for making up large batches or big families.
- Power and weight — Typically, KitchenAid stand mixers start from 275 Watts, which are powerful enough for small-medium batch baking. Bowl-lift mixers, designed to handle heavy dough mixtures, have 575-Watt motors. Bear in mind the larger the mixer, the heavier they are to carry or move around your worktop. So if you have a compact kitchen space, it’s best to buy a KitchenAid Mini to easily move or store.
- Colors — KitchenAid stand mixers are known for their range of vibrant, retro colors, and there are over 40 to choose from. Classic colors include, Empire Red, Blue Velvet, Pistachio, and Black Matte.
- Dishwasher safe — It’s worthwhile checking which parts are safe to put in the dishwasher. Generally, the bowl, coated flat beaters and dough hook are dishwasher safe. But, you would need to handwash the wire whisk.
- What else can I do with my KitchenAid stand mixer? — The KitchenAid stand mixer can make much more than a mean cake or brownie batch. From pasta and sauces to ice-cream, there are plenty of handy accessories available as add-ons. You can purchase attachments such as a pasta maker, a food grinder, food processor, blender, spiralizer, and citrus juicer.
Before you buy, check out our KitchenAid promo codes to save money on your order.
