The best KitchenAid mixers, according to experts

KitchenAid’s mixers are some of the most well-known appliances, and the brand is synonymous with durability and performance. Some features are constant with KitchenAid mixers, whether it’s the Artisan, Classic, or Pro line. For example, most will either have a polished steel or brushed stainless steel bowl, as well as 10 mixing speeds. Many—but not all—will also be compatible with KitchenAid’s other attachments. But beyond that, there are numerous differences between the various models, and being aware of these differences can help you choose the best KitchenAid mixer for your needs. 

• Best overall: KitchenAid Artisan Series 5 Quart Tilt Head Stand Mixer  
• Best hand mixer: KitchenAid 9-Speed Digital Hand Mixer  
• Best for beginners: KitchenAid Professional 600 Series 6 Quart Bowl-Lift Stand Mixer  
• Best for large batches: KitchenAid Pro Line Series 7 Quart Bowl-Lift Stand Mixer
• Best for small batches: KitchenAid Artisan Mini 3.5 Quart Tilt-Head Stand Mixer
• Best budget: KitchenAid Classic Series 4.5 Quart Tilt-Head Mixer

How we chose the best KitchenAid mixer

As a freelance journalist for over 10 years, I’ve reviewed home and tech products for publications including Forbes, CNN Underscored, NBC News Select, Popular Mechanics, Architectural Digest, Tom’s Guide, The Daily Beast, USA Today’s Reviewed, TechRadar, Better Homes & Gardens, and Bob Vila. For this article, I sat back and enjoyed a nice cup of coffee as I researched numerous KitchenAid mixers and enlisted the help of several experts.   

The best KitchenAid Mixers: Reviews & Recommendations

Whether purchasing your first—or your next—KitchenAid mixer, you’re undoubtedly looking for a powerful mixer that fits well in your kitchen space. But there are also other factors that you’ll want to consider. “When choosing a mixer, particularly from a reputable brand like KitchenAid, you’ll want to consider a number of features—capacity, motor power, attachment compatibility, and design,” says Emily Laurae, pastry chef and recipe developer. Based on extensive research and the factors explained at the end of this roundup by Laurae and our team of experts, these are the best KitchenAid mixers.

Best overall: KitchenAid Artisan Series 5 Quart Tilt Head Stand Mixer  

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Why it made the cut: This KitchenAid mixer is not too big, not too small, and has the features that most people would want.

Specs

• Type: Tilt-head
• Capacity: 5 quarts
• Weight: 22.8 pounds
• Power: 325 watts
• Attachments: Flat beater, dough hook, wire whip

Pros

• Handle on bowl
• Dozens of color choices  
• Pouring shield

Cons

• Doesn’t have Soft Start feature

We think the KitchenAid Artisan Series 5 Quart Tilt-Head Stand Mixer is the best stand mixer for most people. The 5-quart bowl is not too big, yet not too small, and can, for example, mix nine-dozen cookies in just one batch. The polished stainless-steel bowl also has a handle, which makes it easier to control and maneuver.  In addition, the tilt-head design of the mixer allows it to automatically lift the machine’s head to swap out accessories easily. Then, it can be tilted back in place and locked. And this model also has a one-piece pouring shield that keeps ingredients from splattering and making a mess.

The 325-watt stand mixer provides enough power to meet most people’s needs easily. With 10 speeds, a flat beater, dough hook, and wire whip, it’s also versatile enough for both occasional and avid bakers.

The KitchenAid Artisan Series 5 Quart Tilt-Head Stand Mixer also comes in over 20 color choices, ranging from Passion Red to Blue Velvet to Matcha to Scorched Orange. However, it doesn’t have KitchenAid’s Soft Start feature, which starts at a lower speed to help avoid splashing and splattering the bowl’s contents.

Best hand mixer: KitchenAid 9-Speed Digital Hand Mixer  

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Why it made the cut: Weighing only 2 pounds, this 9-speed hand mixer is quick and easy to use and requires no heavy lifting.

Specs

• Type: Hand
• Capacity: N/A
• Weight: 2 pounds
• Power: 100 watts
• Attachments: Whisk, dough hooks, blending rod

Pros

• Lightweight
• 9 speeds
• Soft start

Cons

• Not best for large batches

KitchenAid’s smallest stand mixer weighs about 14 pounds. And, sometimes, it’s just more convenient to mix with a hand mixer, especially if you’re trying mixing and blending smaller batches. The KitchenAid 9-Speed Hand Mixer is ideal for blending a smoothie directly in your jar, and it can also whip, knead, and mix into a bowl. With 100 watts of power and 9 speeds—including a slow start feature—it can handle everything from cookie dough and bread batter to mashed potatoes.

It’s corded, but depending on your workspace and hand preference, you can set the cord to lock on either the left or right side of the mixer to keep it out of the way. Also, the mixer has a soft grip handle to provide more ergonomic support and make it easy to use. The lightweight mixer, which weighs only 2 pounds, also comes with a pro whisk, dough hooks, blending rod, and a storage bag. You can choose from five color choices with this model.

Best for beginners: KitchenAid Professional 600 Series 6 Quart Bowl-Lift Stand Mixer  

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Why it made the cut: It’s a professional-style mixer that is quite easy for novices to use as well.

Specs

• Type: Bowl-lift
• Capacity: 6 quarts
• Weight: 29 pounds
• Power: 575 watts
• Attachments: Flat beater, dough hook, wire whip

Pros

• Pouring shield
• Handle on bowl
• Soft Start feature

Cons

• Really heavy

The KitchenAid Professional 600 Series 6 Quart Bowl-Lift Stand Mixer may seem a curious choice for beginners—but hear us out. Novices tend to make mistakes when first starting to use appliances. However, you don’t want to ruin an expensive KitchenAid stand mixer during your trial-and-error period. With a 575-watt motor, there’s enough power for you to make mistakes as you learn the tricks of the trade. If you happen to include too many ingredients or run it too long, you won’t have to worry about overheating the mixer or otherwise damaging it.

The bowl-lift mixer has arms that raise and lower the bowl using a lever. When making larger batches and/or including heavier ingredients, this provides sturdiness and stability. The stand mixer also has 10 speed settings to handle everything from adding flour and milk, to mixing batter, beating, or creaming, and whipping eggs or cream.  The generous 6-quart bowl, made of polished stainless steel, also has a handle that makes it easy to handle the mixer. In addition, it includes a pouring shield to keep the ingredients from splashing. The stand is compatible with over 15 attachments and comes in over 10 color choices.

Best for large batches: KitchenAid Pro Line Series 7 Quart Bowl-Lift Stand Mixer

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Why it made the cut: This is the largest and most powerful mixer among the brand’s offerings and can easily handle sizable quantities.

Specs

• Type: Bowl-lift
• Capacity: 7 quarts
• Weight: 29.2 pounds
• Power: 970 watts
• Attachments: Flat beater, dough hook, wire whip

Pros

• N11-wire hook
• Pouring shield
• Bowl has handle

Cons

• Very heavy

While most KitchenAid stand mixers have a 6-wire hook, the KitchenAid Pro Line Series 7-Quart Bowl-Lift Stand Mixer has an 11-wire hook, which is designed to integrate the most amount of air – thereby decreasing the amount of time needed to mix ingredients. In addition, the 970-watt motor can handle plenty of dough and knead it without overheating. This makes it a good choice for bread, large batches of cookies (up to 14 dozen), and other heavy and large-quantity goodies as well.

The bowl-lift feature ensures the stand mixer is stable enough to be sturdy and keep from moving around when creating large batches. Also, the polished stainless-steel bowl has a handle, which makes it easy to maneuver. In addition, the Soft-Start feature allows the mixer to start at a lower speed to avoid splashing and splattering the contents all over you and your countertop. Keep in mind that at 29.2 pounds, the stand mixer is quite heavy, so this isn’t something you’d want to move around on a regular basis.

Best for small batches: KitchenAid Artisan Mini 3.5 Quart Tilt-Head Stand Mixer

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Why it made the cut: Relatively dainty and petite, the KitchenAid Artisan Mini Stand Mixer is compact but still loaded with features.

Specs

• Type: Tilt-head
• Capacity: 3.5 quart
• Weight: 14.3 pounds
• Power: 250 watts
• Attachments: Flex edge beater, dough hook, wire whip

Pros

• Lightweight
• Bowl has handle
• Soft Start feature

Cons

• No pouring shield

For small quantities, and also those looking for a smaller model, the KitchenAid Artisan Mini 3.5 Quart Tilt-Head Stand Mixer is more than equipped to get the job done. It has a 250-watt motor, and the tilt function allows you to tilt it back while easily swapping out accessories and then tilt it back forward and lock in place. The 3.5-quart capacity, combined with 10 speeds, makes this perfect for small batches. It can mix up to 5 dozen cookies in just one batch, and comes with a flex edge beater, dough hook, and wire whip. In addition, the slower speed of the Soft Start feature keeps the bowl’s contents from splashing all over the place.

Speaking of the bowl, it’s polished, stainless steel—and has a handle, which also makes it easy to maneuver. Weighing only 14.3 pounds, it’s on the lighter, smaller side, so it doesn’t take up much space on your countertop and is easy to store in a cabinet or pantry if you have a small kitchen. In addition, the stand mixer is compatible with over 10 attachments and comes in over 10 color choices.

Best budget: KitchenAid Classic Series 4.5 Quart Tilt-Head Mixer

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Why it made the cut: The most economically-priced model is a great value for the money.

Specs

• Type: Tilt-head
• Capacity: 4.5 quart
• Weight: 22 pounds
• Power: 275 watts
• Attachments: Flat beater, dough hook, wire whip

Pros

• Soft Start feature
• Compatible with all attachments
• Durable

Cons

• No handle
• No pouring shield

The KitchenAid Classic Series 4.5 Quart Tilt-Head Mixer is the most economically priced of the KitchenAid Stand Mixers. It has 275 watts of power, which is less than the typical 325 watts found in the majority of KitchenAid mixers. However, it’s still quite powerful—more than enough for stirring, mixing, and other functions.  The stand mixer has a 6-wire whip, flat beater, and dough hook. In addition, the classic mixer has 10 speeds, and can be used with over 15 attachments.

The 4.5 quart brushed stainless steel bowl is designed to be durable—and it’s dishwasher safe—but keep in mind that it doesn’t have a handle or a pouring shield. Since it’s a tilt-head stand mixer, it isn’t as heavy and doesn’t take up as much countertop or cabinet space as a bowl-lift stand mixer, which makes it ideal if storage space is a problem.  However, this model is only available in KitchenAid’s two “classic” colors: Onyx Black and White.

What to consider when shopping for the best KitchenAid mixer

There are many features to consider when shopping for a KitchenAid mixer. Below are the factors we considered most important when selecting which models to feature. Cost was an additional consideration, as KitchenAid mixers can get expensive.

Bowl type

KitchenAid stand mixers come with either a tilting head or a bowl-lift design (and the handheld mixers don’t come with bowls). “With a tilt-head model, the head of the machine can lift up, making it so you don’t have to remove the bowl to add ingredients or scrape down the bowl,” explains Jürgen David, director of pastry research and development at the Institute of Culinary Education. 

“Bowl-lift mixers have a lever that raises and lowers the bowl to give you access to it,” says David, who prefers bowl-lift mixers. “That’s what most professional kitchens have and what I have the most experience using.”

Alina Eisenhauer, owner at Chef Alina, tells us that she prefers the bowl-lift mixers and finds them more durable.

KitchenAid’s tilt-head stand mixers can range in weight from 14 to 26 pounds, whereas bowl-lift mixers tend to weigh 28 or 29 pounds.

Bowl size

KitchenAid’s stand mixers range in size from 3.5 quarts to 7 quarts. “Determine the mixer’s size relative to your typical batch sizes, as smaller mixers suit occasional bakers, while larger ones accommodate frequent or larger quantities,” explains Nicole Pomije, founder of The Cookie Cups. 

And, David says, a 5-quart bowl should be sufficient for most home cooks. “If you pick a machine that’s too large, the attachment won’t reach the ingredients well and won’t mix as effectively for smaller batches,” he says. 

Attachments

KitchenAid mixers tend to come with three attachments. However, if you want to use additional attachments like pasta makers or food grinders, Eisenhauer recommends checking to be sure that the stand mixer you’re considering is compatible.

Pomije agrees, adding, “Evaluate the available attachments that come with the mixer or can be separately purchased,” she says. “Attachments can greatly expand the mixer’s versatility, offering options like pasta makers, food grinders, and vegetable spiralizers.”

Speed settings

Both Pomije and Eisenhauer say a good mixer should have variable settings. All of the KitchenAid stand mixers have 10 mixing speeds, and the handheld mixer has 9. “These variable speed settings can accommodate different recipes, so you’ll want a range from low for stirring, to high for whipping. “

Price

“Establish a budget that aligns with your needs and expectations,” advises Pomije. We’ve included KitchenAid models at various price points.

Brand reputation

“KitchenAid is known for its quality mixers, great customer support, and has been the choice of most professionals for years,” says Eisenhauer. “There are other reputable brands as well, so read reviews and consider brand reputation when making your choice.”

FAQs

Final thoughts on the best KitchenAid Mixers

• Best overall: KitchenAid Artisan Series 5 Quart Tilt Head Stand Mixer  
• Best hand mixer KitchenAid 9-Speed Digital Hand Mixer  
• Best for beginners: KitchenAid Professional 600 Series 6 Quart Bowl-Lift Stand Mixer  
• Best for large batches: KitchenAid Pro Line Series 7 Quart Bowl-Lift Stand Mixer
• Best for small batches: KitchenAid Artisan Mini 3.5 Quart Tilt-Head Stand Mixer
• Best budget: KitchenAid Classic Series 4.5 Quart Tilt-Head Mixer

KitchenAid makes a variety of mixers, designed to meet every need. Depending on your baking frequency, budget, preference for tilt-head or bowl-lift, and your desire to color-coordinate the appliance with your kitchen décor, there’s likely a mixer that meets your needs. Hopefully, our recommendations have helped introduce you to the right choice for you.

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