I have the bowl lift KA and it’s 20+ years old and still going strong. The pasta attachment is well worth the money, though I usually only use the sheeter. The grinder attachment is good for small quantities but if you need to grind larger amounts it is too small. I also have a flaker attachment for grains that is often used. If you ever eat cookies or oatmeal made with fresh flaked oats you’ll never go back to store bought. I’d get the biggest KA you can afford. If you get into bread baking it’s well worth the money and you won’t need to upgrade unless you start baking in quantity.
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Another 20 yo 6qt artisan KA here. It’s turned out literally thousands and thousands of cookies on two continents and just keeps going. It’s now my son that does all the Christmas baking.
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I am another who would encourage you to find a vintage KA. I got mine in 1977. It is used regularly and has never needed a thing done to it.
As regards Cuisinart, I am not a fan, and here is why. I had the original FP made in France model. It was rock solid, a fabulous machine with amazing power. Sadly it died an untimely death (rather than wearing out). Cuisinart had become a Japanese product, and I replaced the French one with a Japanese one. The controls were improved, but it was not as strong. Over about thirty years of use I replaced worn out parts, but they got increasingly rare and hard to find. I have noted that Cuisinart replaces models with frequency, exacerbating the finding of parts. Eventually I got a Magimix to replace it, basically a rebadged French made version of the one that started the home FP market. It sounds and feels like the original but with better designed parts and controls. I love it. My friends who have stuck with Cuisinart have all eventually had to deal with the aftermarket issues. I have no idea if these issues extend to mixers, but I would be leery of the possibility.
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(meant this as a general reply, sorry)
Absolutely, ScottinPollock says it all, perfectly!
I had a Sunbeam for decades (it was a wedding present). When I bought the KA at Costco (the best price for this area), it was a game changer. I have never looked back.
I can make multiple loaves of quick breads as well as many doughs for my yeasty pülla and other.
I have two bowls, the regular paddle (no scraper paddle, I use the elbow grease method), 2 piece bowl shield, pasta maker and ice cream making bowl, along with the whip and the dough hook.
As they say, “nonpareil”!
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Thanks, everyone, for your input so far!
What is the most you would pay for a vintage KA stand mixer (ideally a bigger one)? I think I need to get more serious about my search here locally at thrift stores and estate sales, and on eBay.
Y’know, I would just be careful about this strategy.
I am all for being extravagantly frugal when it comes to kitchen goods, but for an item that costs something around ~$250-300 new, the time and energy to go looking for a used one would essentially override any savings you get from buying used.
Part of the true benefit of shopping at a thrift store or estate sale (not so much on eBay or craigslist) is that you’re really relying on serendipity to save you money. As in, “hey, look, here’s an old KA mixer for like $20!, wow, this is just what I need”.
But if you go actually hunting for a KA mixer at a thrift store or estate sale, you’ll never find one. Murphy (and his law) pretty much guaranteed that outcome.
TL:DR even if you could save $150 by buying a used KA, the time and energy needed to find that used KA mixer probably isn’t worth whatever money saved from buying used
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Just got my KA (tilt head)and adore the thing. I have had great luck with Cuisinart products in the past, and feel they’re a mark of quality. In the mixer business, I’d biasly go for the KA just because stand mixers are their thing, and they tend to last, and are often easily repaired. the analog thing is real. Like linkage compared to sensors in cars. Lasts longer and can be repaired more easily. Then, again, when considering price, maybe the Cuisinart is the better value for you.
What I’m seeing is $250 compared to $330. As someone who scored a deal on the KA, I can say I might just pay for the KA; but I know the thing now. I don’t know the Cuisinart.
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The point is looking for/buying a used one, since the quality is better, not to get a better deal necessarily.
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A very cursory search of eBay shows some reasonably priced models.
https://www.ebay.com/itm/115921909906?hash=item1afd7bf892:g:HbcAAOSwTDhkc7mx
Yes, if the quality is better, and it seems it is with older KAs, the time spent vs. money spent is not at all equivalent. It’s not about spending time to save money; it’s about spending time to get higher quality.
We use a very old KA very occasionally that came from my mother-in-law and it’s probably over 50 years old. It’s hard for me to lift and I’ve had to adjust to some quirks, but the motor doesn’t come close to overheating and there is no way to compare it to a KA manufactured within the last 20 years.
Apples aren’t oranges. Or lemons.
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I wouldn’t go for vintage and just for the reason parts and repair needs in my area woukd be nonexistent and I would not buy online. Best of luck!
Absolutely, and I agree with everything you said. I no longer buy new Pyrex, will only buy the older stuff. I won’t even use the new due to safety reasons. If necessary, I’ll pay more, happily in many cases!
Well, a little bit of both. It sounds like just one gear was switched to plastic in newer models as a failsafe…?
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Debatable.
And, in my opinion, not true.
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NOT debatable. Indubitable!
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In the 5qt Artisan, I make pizza dough with about 2c of flour with the dough hook. You have to start it a little by hand, but then it picks up and works fine.
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Yes. If that breaks it’s easy to replace.
But honestly, if you are using it even a couple times a week to make cookies, cakes or small batches of bread for the family, I doubt you’ll have any real issues. And if you do, it will either be right in the beginning due to a manufacturing flaw (in which case it should be covered by the warranty), or it will be way down the road after you’ve made tons of stuff.
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And the factory part is actually kevlar reinforced nylon:
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Yes, understand, was hoping the word “necessarily” would convey what I meant, but it wasn’t adequate. In any case, hope you score a great deal on a sweet vintage KA. Please let us know what you decide on when the time comes.
I respect your opinion, but I wish I had my old one back. As to the gear, that’s my understanding.
