DH mentioned getting me one for my birthday and I'm trying to figure out if it would be worth it; will I get enough use of it? And will I mind it taking up space on my cabinet? ![]()
If you have one, do you love it/hate it? How often do you use it? Do you cook/bake a lot in general?
What do you regularly use it for?
I'm cooking/baking a lot more in general this year and making as much as I can from scratch, fwiw.
Re: XP: KitchenAid stand mixer; love it or hate it?
i love mine. enough that when i dropped it and it stopped working I cried (ok that might have been a little because I knew we couldn't afford to replace it right now). luckily we were able to fix it. I use it a lot, but I also do a lot of baking. My only issue is that it's really heavy and we have it on the bottom shelf.
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I got one for my wedding (nearly 7 years ago) and have never used it
I do bake a lot, but I like to mix certain things by hand - I swear it tastes different, lol
I used to have the one where it raises up, I ended up trading my mom for the one where the top leans back. If you put it under a cabinet, make sure there's enough room. We have a smaller kitchen and the pop up one wouldn't work. I don't have the attachments but I'd use them if I had them! I love making my own pasta and breads and other things.
I think it's wroth it.
I'm honestly just posting to say "hi" and that Erica's birthday twin is getting so big!!
My mom uses her KitchenAid mixer a lot. She has my grandma's old one...now she wants a new one and has offered me the old one (which still works great....I think these things will last a while). My issue, too, is that I don't have the counter space or really even the cabinet space for it.
Well DH is the cook in our family, so I'll answer for him
Someone he works with recently gave him one! He absolutely loves it. Some of the things he has made: pizza dough, bread, asiago bagels, soft pretzels and honey wheat bread. It has all turned out delicious! He loves using it, and uses it at least once a week. I haven't done much baking recently, but I'm excited to try it when I do. We keep ours in a cabinet so that it doesn't take up counter space.
Logan David 03.27.08
Jacob Riley 05.18.09
{Member since 2007}
I use mine several times a week - it is my most used registry item!
I have the attachments, plus I cook dinner from scratch just about every night (I am not suzy home make we still eat the occasional freezer pizzas too!), and I bake most of my own baked goods too with the exception of bread as I am not a patient girl sometimes
Definately a worthwhile investment if you are planning on making a lot from scratch!
HI!
I love ours! I have the pink one. ;-) We got it for a wedding gift.
I got rid of our hand mixer, so I use it for everything. I didn't even register for it, but I am SO glad that we got one!
Love It!
We make cookies, breads, cakes, etc
Love it! And I dont mind it taking up space on the counter. I have it in the corner by the fridge and just pull it out more when I use it. I dont really bake as much as I'd like too, but I use it for everything that I can use it for.... cookies, cakes, frosting, pancakes, etc...
It's nice to be able to turn it on and do something else while it is mixing. I don't think you will regret it!
We're snowed in here and I've used mine TWICE today (so far!). I made pancakes for breakfast and I just finished making cookie dough.
I have a tiny kitchen so I was keeping it in the cabinet, but I realized that I was hardly using it because ti was so heavy and a hassle to move it up & down. It now sits on my counter and I use it almost weekly, sometimes more -- and during the holidays it was a total life saver!!!
I don't have any extra attachments but I want them!
Well, I'll weigh in with some HATE.
I hate it. I don't get the love. We use it maybe 6 times/year? Maybe if you really bake a LOT, but even then I don't see the advantage. It's not like you can leave it and go do something else, because you have to mix for 30 seconds, then stop it, unlock the top, flip it back, manually stir some in the bowl, then put the top down, lock it, and start it up again. (repeat however many times depending on what you're making). Then sometimes you have to switch the mixing attachment (one for mixing dough, another for mixing in chocolate chips). Much easier to just use a hand mixer or even a spatula.
We have a few attachments, and I don't like them, either. We used the slicer on some cucumbers and carrots, and it was a sloppy wet mess.
We also have a separate breadmaker (that we also almost never use), so I guess that helps us use it less.
It's also a huge PITA to clean up. And the attachments are freaking expensive! If you want to make cake AND icing, you either need to wash the bowl in between or get a 2nd bowl (for at least $50).
And personally, I would HATE to have it out on my counter. Then again, I wish I could have completely cleared counters, even in a pretty big kitchen. When we had to store it in the basement, that was definitely a deterrent to use. (Why would I walk all the way downstairs to lug up a 50 pound machine that I already don't like?) Now it's in the pantry, so it's easier to get to and we use it a *little* bit more, but not much. Honestly, I don't think I'd use it any more if it were on the counter. The cleanup alone makes it not worth it.
This. SO important to keep it out, or you'll never use it! I use mine all the time. I got it as a b'day gift from my parents the summer I was dating DH and he decided he wasn't ready to move in together. It helped me 'nest' in my own apt and be okay with that! Fast forward 8 years, and it is still churning.
As for attachments: we have the ice cream maker, which we rarely use, but it's better than having a whole separate appliance for it. We also have the pasta roller, which we use ALL the time. DH makes handmade pasta at least 2-3 times a month, and it turns out so well.
Thanks for the reviews, girls (and don't hesitate to keep 'em coming)!
I think I'm definitely leaning towards getting one at this point. I could definitely use it for the breads/muffins/waffles, etc I've been making and I've also gotten into making my own pasta (it would be SO much easier with one of these, huh?)
I'm kind of particular about the house and keep a very uncluttered kitchen now, but I've definitely got room for it. The only things I keep out on the cabinet are the toaster and my wooden spoon/spatula/whisk holder thing.
What kinds of attachments does it come with and what would I need to buy extra? (I know the pasta maker is separate)
I love it. I used to avoid using it bc of having to wash the giant stainless bowl, but I got over it. I'd barely use it if I had to get it off of a shelf or something though. Its waaay too heavy. It sits out on my kitchen counter 24/7.
I use it for all baking and for making mashed potatoes.