Will I *really* use a KitchenAid Stand Mixer??

[TheReader]

I need honest answers, not "sell TheReader on one of these" answers, pretty please 🙂

I don't bake much. A boxed cake mix for family Bdays, and not always that, even (sometimes we go out instead, sometimes the bday person picks a store bought dessert). I don't make bread. I mash my potatoes by hand. I own a hand held mixer and pull it out......maybe 5 times a year??? 

DH makes waffles and pancakes. Sometimes pies. He has made biscuits from scratch, but not often. 

I've looked at them in the past and thought "well, they sure are *pretty* but I can't imagine using one...." 

BUT. I was given a set of pasta attachments for one, as my gift from my dad/stepmom. I'm sure stepmom believes I own one (she does, my sister does, my niece does). The pasta rollers/cutters is a thoughtful gift; she knows I've gotten a new authentic Italian cookbook, mentioned that it has recipes for homemade from scratch pasta in it, knows I've been trying recipes from it, knows we went to Italy.....she thought a pasta roller would be a fun thing for me.

She's right; I'd love to try it. Enough so that I'm pondering my options. 

The attachment came from Amazon; there is a way to exchange it for a gift card, if DH can find the gift receipt. We may end up doing that, and perhaps buying a motorized, stand-alone pasta roller/cutter thing. I know I don't want a hand crank one. 

I also know that it's not like I'd *always* go to the trouble of homemade pasta every time I wanted pasta; I'd still mostly do store bought, and only make my own for special occasions. Which goes back to, would I actually use a Kitchen Aid enough to justify buying one in order to keep this gift??? 

There are other attachments....yes. Do I want to spend *more* money to turn this thing into something useful for me? Would I use "just" the mixer and paddles it comes with often enough that I would be *glad* that this gift caused me to spend an extra $200-$300???? 

The pasta attachment says it will fit a few models by Cuisenart as well; those are about $160 or so, and while I trust Cuisenart for a lot of things.....if I'm going to get a mixer, I would rather have a KitchenAid. (how do you spell their name anyway???). Right? 

So. It's tempting. but I'm better off exchanging the pasta attachment for something else, right?? 

Owning one doesn't magically turn a person into a baker, does it?? (My sister swears I'll use it tons, that she never thought she would, but then she got one, and she's used it once/week since, and she's had it for over a decade, and......but, it's easy for her to spend other people's money, so I really need an honest answer from other people on this....)

What else do people use these for??? My sister said cake mixes, bread, muffins, cookies, wet ingredients for soup (??), mashed potatoes......of course the pasta.....I assume dh could do his waffles, pancakes, and pie batters/dough.....? We maybe eat pancakes/waffles once/month. Pies maybe twice/year. Cakes on bdays. Fancy pasta would be bdays/anniversary. I'm thinking once/month-ish we'd pull this thing out.......(oh, that's another thing....I don't think I'd move any of my current permanent counter residents to make space for this, so it would have to be pulled out, so that would even more reduce it's use, right...)? 

Are there really other things I'm missing, that I'd do with it (w/o going into all the other cool attachments for it)? That would bump it above once/month use?? 

Educate me, please, and tell me I either need to buy the Kitchen Aid, or return the pasta attachment for something I actually will use, what do y'all think? 

[hjffkj]

From the way you describe how you cook I imagine the kitchen aid mixer isn't worth it to you. This coming from someone who has the pasta attachment and loves it. It only gets used two or three times a year but the kitchen aid itself gets used multiple times a week. My dad makes pizza dough with it weekly. Dh makes waffles or pancakes from scratch weekly. The kids make bread, cake, cookies, or other stuff weekly. I myself never use it though.

[sassenach]

I just gave away one that I inherited from a friend. It took up too much space and we rarely used it. I prefer the old bowl and handheld mixer set up.

[Farrar]

I also can't imagine with your description that you'll use it enough to justify the money - and more importantly the cabinet and counter space. And I say this as someone who has gotten a ton of use out of mine. I love it. But not everyone needs one.

There are cheap (or not too expensive) hand cranked pasta rollers. I'd go that route if you can swap it.

Edited December 26, 2019 by Farrar

[TheReader]

Just now, hjffkj said:

From the way you describe how you cook I imagine the kitchen aid mixer isn't worth it to you. This coming from someone who has the pasta attachment and loves it. It only gets used two or three times a year but the kitchen aid itself gets used multiple times a week. My dad makes pizza dough with it weekly. Dh makes waffles or pancakes from scratch weekly. The kids make bread, cake, cookies, or other stuff weekly. I myself never use it though.

Pizza dough might make it worth it. Hmm. 

We used to do homemade pizza in Brazil, when we had the brick oven. DH has resisted returning to that here b/c, no brick oven. (somehow, his logic goes that if we don't have the brick oven to do it all the way right, why even bother w/homemaking the dough.....). But perhaps I could convince him.

Then again....if I am looking for things to change about how I cook in order to justify buying this thing....probably that's a sign that we should save the $$$ and just exchange the pasta attachment. (and what you said about the pasta attachment is what I think would happen here, too.....it's awesome sounding, but no way I'm doing homemade pasta every time I want to eat pasta....). 

[teachermom2834]

I use mine but mostly for cookies and cakes which I do a fair amount of. I don’t use it for waffles or muffins. Those I just do by hand.

I use a bread machine for pizza dough/cinnamon roll dough. If I didn’t have the bread machine I’d use the mixer. 
 

It does not sound to me like you would use it much.

[TheReader]

1 minute ago, Farrar said:

I also can't imagine with your description that you'll use it enough to justify the money - and more importantly the cabinet and counter space. And I say this as someone who has gotten a ton of use out of mine. I love it. But not everyone needs one.

There are cheap (or not too expensive) hand cranked pasta rollers. I'd go that route if you can swap it.

Well, I know I don't want/won't use a hand crank pasta roller, but I think I can easily exchange the attachment for an amazon gift card, and from what I'm finding when I look this up, unless she got it on a lightning deal or something, the gc should be enough to buy a motorized pasta maker that's decent. 

(well, I will check with a friend that has a hand crank; maybe it's not as bad as I'm imagining). 

[PeterPan]

15 minutes ago, TheReader said:

I was given a set of pasta attachments for one, as my gift

I have a KA and like it, but you don't seem to want/need one. You can take the pasta attachments to a store that sells them and exchange them for a pasta machine (hand, electric, whatever) and be just as happy. Then you won't need a KA to operate. I have a pasta machine (the metal thing that you roll dough through), and it's FUN!!!

Just take them to Macy's or some place and trade for a gift card and get what you really want.

[ScoutTN]

I don't use mine often, but I'm glad to have it for bread, pie crust, and a few cookie recipes. I use it about 20x a year. It has been worth it to me over the years, but I also only paid $115 for my basic model over 20 yrs ago. 

From your description, it doesn't sound like you'd use it lots or love it, so I'd return the attachments for something you know you're likely to use and enjoy often.

Edited December 26, 2019 by ScoutTN

[TheReader]

1 minute ago, happysmileylady said:

I never had a stand mixer and was never interested in one.  I am not a "baker" in that I don't make,pies, cakes etc all that much and rarely from scratch.  And while I do make bread, I use my bread machine for that.

I *do* cook for my family.  I do make waffles, pancakes, biscuits, muffins, and so on.  I had a hand mixer that I basically never used.  I hated that thing.  I don't know why I kept it around when it did die, I never replaced it.  I just used a whisk or spoon to mix up those sorts of things.  

I really do like having my KitchenAid.  I didn't buy it, my SIL gave it to me.  When my MIL passed, my SIL took MIL's stand mixer, but then after 4 or so years, she gave it to me because she never used it (because she already had one....I don't know why she kept MIL's if she already had one.)  Anyway, Once I got it and used it, I found it really really nice and if it does die, I will be replacing it, I use it at least twice a week.  

I will say....it is HEAVY.  Like.....*HEAVY*.    I don't move it at all.  If I had to put it away and take it out, I would never use it, because of how heavy it is.  If you don't intend to make space on your counter for it, I would recommend against getting one. 

So, do you mainly use it for the things you mentioned? waffles, pancakes, biscuits, etc? 

Or do you use it for other things as well since you have it? 

My sister keeps sending me info such as "Oh, also, you can......" (mashed potatoes; soups; shred cooked/boiled meat; etc)  Because even the stuff I mentioned, we still only do about once/month. And once/month is not enough to clear the other things off the counter (the coffee maker lives there, along with the coffee grinder, iced tea maker, bread box, and coffee/tea box). Right?

[PeterPan]

5 minutes ago, TheReader said:

(well, I will check with a friend that has a hand crank; maybe it's not as bad as I'm imagining). 

Well obviously a machine would be nice, lol. I got mine manual one years ago. I think just go with the money. You can probably do more with an electric one, sure. But if you just want noodles and flat sheets to make ravioli, the hand unit will get you there.

[TheReader]

Just now, PeterPan said:

Well obviously a machine would be nice, lol. I got mine manual one years ago. I think just go with the money. You can probably do more with an electric one, sure. But if you just want noodles and flat sheets to make ravioli, the hand unit will get you there.

It's not too hard to use/too much cranking?? 

Mostly it would be just noodles, maybe ravioli. We don't actually eat pasta tons even bc dh periodically decides to hate carbs. (I would eat pasta all.the.time. if it were up to me....) 

[TheReader]

3 minutes ago, PeterPan said:

I have a KA and like it, but you don't seem to want/need one. You can take the pasta attachments to a store that sells them and exchange them for a pasta machine (hand, electric, whatever) and be just as happy. Then you won't need a KA to operate. I have a pasta machine (the metal thing that you roll dough through), and it's FUN!!!

Just take them to Macy's or some place and trade for a gift card and get what you really want.

I need to find if a local store carries the brand of attachments she bought. That would be so much easier than Amazon. 

[PeterPan]

1 minute ago, TheReader said:

My sister keeps sending me info such as "Oh, also, you can......" (mashed potatoes; soups; shred cooked/boiled meat; etc)  Because even the stuff I mentioned, we still only do about once/month. And once/month is not enough to clear the other things off the counter (the coffee maker lives there, along with the coffee grinder, iced tea maker, bread box, and coffee/tea box). Right?

If there's not space, then just say sorry no space,kwim? Now if your person had included the KA, we wouldn't be having this discussion, lol. Are you sure she's not giving you one? 

I use my KA *less* than once a month. I have plenty of room on my counters, and I've had it for 20 years and don't mind having it. But no anything I can do with a hand mixer I do with a hand mixer. If you don't have room and haven't noticed the lack, I don't see the point. My *main* reason for having a KA is bigger batches than what you can do with a hand mixer. Or something where the texture really matters, where the special beaters make a difference. But that's like every other month. Sometimes it's a whole bunch of batches one day every three months, lol.

[PeterPan]

4 minutes ago, TheReader said:

It's not too hard to use/too much cranking?? 

Mostly it would be just noodles, maybe ravioli. We don't actually eat pasta tons even bc dh periodically decides to hate carbs. (I would eat pasta all.the.time. if it were up to me....) 

So the nice thing about the crank unit is it takes up very little space. You can throw it in the back cupboard or pantry and just pull it out a couple times a year to do something really special.

I always make my grandma's noodle recipe. So eggs, flour, on the counter, knead a little, and start running it through. It's more just messy with flour everywhere. The results are so good it's worth it. But for me that's like once a year for holidays, lol. That's why I was saying get the hand unit, put it away when you're not using it, and use the extra money to get spatulas or something. My dd got me these metal handled spatulas last year that are the bomb.

But if you have the space, the electric unit sounds fun, sure!!

Edited December 26, 2019 by PeterPan

[PeterPan]

4 minutes ago, TheReader said:

I need to find if a local store carries the brand of attachments she bought. That would be so much easier than Amazon. 

Yeah, it's a really interesting thing I hadn't thought about, that amazon basically ensures less returns, haha.

[TheReader]

1 minute ago, PeterPan said:

If there's not space, then just say sorry no space,kwim? Now if your person had included the KA, we wouldn't be having this discussion, lol. Are you sure she's not giving you one? 

I use my KA *less* than once a month. I have plenty of room on my counters, and I've had it for 20 years and don't mind having it. But no anything I can do with a hand mixer I do with a hand mixer. If you don't have room and haven't noticed the lack, I don't see the point. My *main* reason for having a KA is bigger batches than what you can do with a hand mixer. Or something where the texture really matters, where the special beaters make a difference. But that's like every other month. Sometimes it's a whole bunch of batches one day every three months, lol.

No, this is definitely the only gift; she just I think really thinks I already have one. 

I've never thought "man, I wish I had a stand mixer" (well, the other day when I was using my hand mixer and flour went everywhere, I wondered if a stand mixer would have done the same thing or if i did something wrong....)

It for sure wouldn't live on the counter unless I started using it more than the other stuff, which I don't see happening. But the crockpot is heavy too and I have boys who can haul it in and out if we decide to get one/use one. 

But I'm really thinking we wouldn't use it often enough to be worth it. 

[ScoutTN]

I only use my KA for things not easily done otherwisr.

We do waffles, pancakes, quick breads and some cookies by hand. 

I use my hand held mixer for egg whites, icing and other small, light things that need high speed whipping. 

 

Eta: Williams Sonoma carries many KA things.

Edited December 26, 2019 by ScoutTN

[ktgrok]

I use it for shredding meat for pulled chicken, chicken tacos, pulled pork, etc often. I use it to mix up meatloaf. I use it for baking, obviously. If you don't do those things often it isn't worth the counter space. 

[TheReader]

1 minute ago, PeterPan said:

Yeah, it's a really interesting thing I hadn't thought about, that amazon basically ensures less returns, haha.

Yep. :sigh: 

There is a way, and I know we *got* the gift receipt, and so if DH can find it, we can do it, and we'll get issued a gift card (and I *think* she won't know I returned it.....not sure). 

Or, I can call her and let her know "oh, I was looking at this more closely, I didn't realize it's for a kitchen aid...." and see where that conversation leads (*maybe* it would lead to them sending one...???) (but still, even then....would I use it....? probably not). 

But we did think of that this year, sending things via Amazon....that's the one big drawback. The recipient can't easily exchange it for something else, and it's not always stuff you can find at a local store. 

[PeterPan]

3 minutes ago, TheReader said:

It for sure wouldn't live on the counter unless I started using it more than the other stuff, which I don't see happening. But the crockpot is heavy too and I have boys who can haul it in and out if we decide to get one/use one. 

But I'm really thinking we wouldn't use it often enough to be worth it. 

I don't see how you'd ever get around to using it under those circumstances. A crockpot if a feather compared to a KA, lol. 

Maybe use the money and update your crockpot? If it's very old, it might be time. The linings are better and they have some nice new features with timers.

[PeterPan]

So for the cost of the KA and the counter space it deserves, you could buy yourself a fully electric ice cream maker and change your life.   Like if you're going to spend $200+, spend it on something you really want, lol.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B006UKLUFS/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&psc=1  There you go, a Cuisinart countertop, fully electric unit is $178. You could use it every day. 

PS. Then your sisters will be jealous. 

Edited December 26, 2019 by PeterPan

[PeterPan]

The spatulas I mentioned were Tovolo.                                             Tovolo Flex-Core Stainless Steel Handled Spatula, Removable Head, Heat Resistant, Stratus Blue                                     

They come in a bunch of sizes and colors. They're a little $$, but so sturdy and nice. Don't take much space, and they'd get tons of use. And they'd go great with your new ice cream maker. I mean, dude, if your dh was offering to spend $200 on something, don't pass that up, lol.

Edited December 26, 2019 by PeterPan

[TheReader]

1 minute ago, happysmileylady said:

Agree.  I find my KA so heavy that even though it lives on the counter, I actually even just move it less when I am wiping down the counter.  I move other appliances (both crockpots, food processor, etc) to wipe behind and around, but rarely does the KA move even for counter wiping.  

 

A quick google tells me that a KA weighs like 20 o 30 lbs.  A crockpot weighs less than half that.  

oh, sheesh. Wow. 

Okay, that's good to know. I was picturing it living on top of the fridge where the mixing bowls currently live, and pulling it down as needed. Hmm. This would require a massive counter rearrange to accommodate one......

[TheReader]

8 minutes ago, PeterPan said:

The spatulas I mentioned were Tovolo.                                             Tovolo Flex-Core Stainless Steel Handled Spatula, Removable Head, Heat Resistant, Stratus Blue                                     

They come in a bunch of sizes and colors. They're a little $$, but so sturdy and nice. Don't take much space, and they'd get tons of use. And they'd go great with your new ice cream maker. I mean, dude, if your dh was offering to spend $200 on something, don't pass that up, lol.

Ah, see, that's the rub....he's not really offering and is wanting me to explain why to spend the money to use this thing. 

I'm thinking we will end up doing the Amazon exchange, as hassle-ish as it will be. 

But you're onto something; we did win an ice cream maker (not a $200 one, but still....) at his work Christmas party, and that sucker I'm sure we'll use. 

I'll look at your spatulas; I could use those.

[TheReader]

11 minutes ago, happysmileylady said:

I don't mash potatoes in it.  I tried it once, I don't like the texture.  I don't shred meat in it (and am not sure how it works.)  I will say that I do find that I make meatloaf more often specifically because I mix up meatloaf in it.  I hated mixing meatloaf by hand and it just doesn't do so well using a spoon.

I made 2 ingredient no machine ice cream with it and I know I wouldn't have made that without it.  We like the ice cream it makes so I make it probably once every other month or so.  But I didn't seek that out just because I had a KA, it was more something I found and tried because I had it.  

I make up my own homemade bisquick and while I had made that before, I find it easier to make in my KA than in my food processor.  

For Christmas eve, my oldest made pirogis.  Last year, she made them by hand at her house, and when she did them this year, she said she was just astounded at how much faster the stand mixer made the mixing of the dough.  And I think that's really part of it.....it does just make mixing/dough making easier. 

  

 

Okay, that's good info. 

I do prefer mashed potatoes by hand (I don't even use the hand mixer, we like them more lumpy vs creamy/whipped). 

DH won't eat meatloaf b/c he finds it too greasy (even when it's not, he has a mental block since it cooks in loaf form). Though I'm imagining if you can do meatloaf you can do meatballs?? That is one thing I'd make with it, if I had one. 

We just won an ice cream machine, so we wouldn't need the KA for that. 

I've never made pirogis.....we might would go back to homemade biscuits (I do miss doing those). 

I feel like....if I had it, I'd be looking for ways to use it so I could justify it. And maybe going homemade on some of these things would save us $, but.....bah, I don't know. 

To explain the kind of cook I am --- I once tried to make pavlova using a fork to whip egg whites. (it didn't end well). 

[Farrar]

When we were rearranging the kitchen, I moved mine to the top of the fridge with the Crockpot and so forth... and then moved it back a couple of months later. It really is not portable enough to do that. I was concerned that I would injure myself moving it around, honestly.

I don't have a hand pasta roller, but I've used them... they're not difficult. The majority of the work is the dough and the feeding it so the hand part is only a portion and not that hard.

[TheReader]

1 minute ago, happysmileylady said:

Yes, meatballs.  I totally mix meatballs with it and I whip up a big batch of those (to freeze) probably once every other month or so also.

 

 

I don't know what a pavlova is? lol

It is a dessert from New Zealand, which is basically a meringue that has fruit on top. 

My kids found it in an old Sonlight cookbook, the year we were doing "everyone pick a recipe" for Thanksgiving (in Brazil); oldest had been doing Eastern Hemisphere that year and picked that. It was quite the hilarious disaster, trying to make meringue with a fork (because back then I didn't even own a hand mixer... I used *that* so rarely that it didn't make the cut to go to Brazil). 

(confession: I don't really know what perogi is, either.....)

Meatballs I would probably make; I buy the frozen, precooked ones often. I don't know if that's enough use for this. (although if I could talk DH into the pizza dough, too......). 

Mostly, I *want* to want this/use this enough to want it........they are very pretty......but I really don't know if it's a wise use of our funds right now. 

[happi duck]

The ka would be great for meringue and imo bad for biscuits.

Do you have a Kohls?  I think they handle Amazon returns.

[TheReader]

2 minutes ago, happysmileylady said:

One thing I will say, if you have  a food processor...........it's a MUCH easier thing to clean up than a food processor.  There are plenty of things I use my food processor for that I can't use the KA for, like shredding cheese.  But I know some people use a food processor for mixing things (like mixing up biscuits, cutting in the shortening etc) and if you do use a food processor for that sort of stuff.....the KA cleans up much easier.  

We do have one; we mainly use it only for shredding meat up. I *hate* putting it together/cleaning it up. 

I don't think we use it enough to justify swapping it for the KA, either, though. A few times a year. 

[TheReader]

3 minutes ago, happi duck said:

The ka would be great for meringue and imo bad for biscuits.

Do you have a Kohls?  I think they handle Amazon returns.

We do; it's complicated for the return only since it was a gift, I think we have to go through sending it to Amazon. But that's okay, we can/will do that. (well, we may still be able to do the drop off at Kohl's, I'm not sure)

Wouldn't the dough hook thing be good for the biscuit dough? 

[TheReader]

1 minute ago, happysmileylady said:

pirogis (and honestly, i never spell it right and spell check never fixes it for me so I don't know how to spell it lol) are basically, Eastern European ravioli.  A pasta dough, though thicker than a regular noodle dough.  Fill it with savory things like a mashed potato mixture, or sauerkraut.  You can also fill them with sweet stuff like cherries or whatever.  Basically, like ravioli, you can fill it with pretty much whatever.  Anyway,  you roll the dough out, cut circles, fill it with the filling, pinch the dough together in a half moon, boil it, then pan fry it in butter to your desired texture.  

Well, now, these sound amazing. 

That I could eat weekly.......hmmm. Would I actually want to *make* them weekly......every other week...?? Hmm. This is an interesting thing to consider. 

[KungFuPanda]

I sort of DID make me a baker.  I'd rather cook than bake any day.  My daughter was the home pastry chef. If I had to mix something I'd often task her with holding the hand mixer.  The kitchenaid was her gift idea when she shopped with DH.  

Originally I used it just for bread and retired my bread machine fairly quickly thereafter.  I'll use it for a boxed cake mix.  It's on my counter and easy to get too.  I do more dessert-type baking with it than I ever did without it.  I make most of our own bread since I don't have to hand knead.  I even use it to mix meatloaf and shred pork and chicken.  I have an attachment that peels and seeds vegetables that I use when all of the tomatoes are ripening at once and I want to can or freeze the puree.  

I also use it for whipped creams, meringues, cream cheese based dips, pie fillings, and brownies.  I don't hate making cookies now.  I never use it for biscuits/scones or pie crusts because I think it would be a bad idea.  

For me, owning a stand mixer DID transition me to a person who baked only under duress to a person who uses a mixer once or twice a week.  I always cooked, so I don't think it would turn a person who hates being in the kitchen into one who loves it, but it did the trick for me with baking.  My sister owns the pasta attachment and has only used it once or twice.  It's such a production that I wouldn't own one just for that.  You might be happier returning it and getting a manual pasta machine or one of those things that is the bread machine equivalent to a pasta maker.  

[catz]

I actually prefer the hand crank roller for pasta over the kitchen aid attachments.   I could not live without my stand mixer but it doesn’t sound like it would be worth it for you.   I hate using a hand mixer now.  

Edited December 27, 2019 by FuzzyCatz

[Junie]

I was gifted a pasta roller attachment several years ago and I ended up never using it and returning it.

I have a KitchenAid that I never use.  It was my MIL's (and my dh is an only child), so it sits on my counter taking up space.  Dh uses it maybe once every month or two.  I would eventually like to give it to one of my daughters.  But for now, it sits and waits for someone to notice it...

As previous posters said, it is really heavy.  I have RA and I really can't move it around.  Also, I am not a baker and having a Kitchen Aid hasn't made me one.

[TheReader]

Okay, thanks, all. You're all pretty much confirming that as much as I'd like to be.....I don't know that I'd be a convert. 

My good friend asked me "have you ever wanted one before??" and I replied (Honestly), "Well, only because they are pretty and come in turquoise......" (serious truth right there; I think it would look very cute up on top of my fridge.....)

We're in such a place of transition right now with kids going off to school/coming home from school/me working more/etc. that I also feel like this is not a great time for adding extra work in the kitchen as I try and justify spending so much on something. (and probably the fact that's how I think of it, is evidence enough that it's not so much for me, isn't it....?)

[May]

Someone gave me one years ago. I only use it to make cookies, banana or pumpkin bread, which I do one a month on average. I use it at Christmas to mix my peanut butter balls. I have the perfect place to put it on my counter so there’s that. Honestly, I’d get more use from a toaster oven, which DH would like. Unfortunately, the KA spot is too small for that. It doesn’t sound like you need one so don’t feel bad for saying that.

[happi duck]

All this mention of storing a ka up high is scaring me!

[MEmama]

2 hours ago, TheReader said:

I need honest answers, not "sell TheReader on one of these" answers, pretty please 🙂

I don't bake much. A boxed cake mix for family Bdays, and not always that, even (sometimes we go out instead, sometimes the bday person picks a store bought dessert). I don't make bread. I mash my potatoes by hand. I own a hand held mixer and pull it out......maybe 5 times a year??? 

DH makes waffles and pancakes. Sometimes pies. He has made biscuits from scratch, but not often. 

I've looked at them in the past and thought "well, they sure are *pretty* but I can't imagine using one...." 

BUT. I was given a set of pasta attachments for one, as my gift from my dad/stepmom. I'm sure stepmom believes I own one (she does, my sister does, my niece does). The pasta rollers/cutters is a thoughtful gift; she knows I've gotten a new authentic Italian cookbook, mentioned that it has recipes for homemade from scratch pasta in it, knows I've been trying recipes from it, knows we went to Italy.....she thought a pasta roller would be a fun thing for me.

She's right; I'd love to try it. Enough so that I'm pondering my options. 

The attachment came from Amazon; there is a way to exchange it for a gift card, if DH can find the gift receipt. We may end up doing that, and perhaps buying a motorized, stand-alone pasta roller/cutter thing. I know I don't want a hand crank one. 

I also know that it's not like I'd *always* go to the trouble of homemade pasta every time I wanted pasta; I'd still mostly do store bought, and only make my own for special occasions. Which goes back to, would I actually use a Kitchen Aid enough to justify buying one in order to keep this gift??? 

There are other attachments....yes. Do I want to spend *more* money to turn this thing into something useful for me? Would I use "just" the mixer and paddles it comes with often enough that I would be *glad* that this gift caused me to spend an extra $200-$300???? 

The pasta attachment says it will fit a few models by Cuisenart as well; those are about $160 or so, and while I trust Cuisenart for a lot of things.....if I'm going to get a mixer, I would rather have a KitchenAid. (how do you spell their name anyway???). Right? 

So. It's tempting. but I'm better off exchanging the pasta attachment for something else, right?? 

Owning one doesn't magically turn a person into a baker, does it?? (My sister swears I'll use it tons, that she never thought she would, but then she got one, and she's used it once/week since, and she's had it for over a decade, and......but, it's easy for her to spend other people's money, so I really need an honest answer from other people on this....)

What else do people use these for??? My sister said cake mixes, bread, muffins, cookies, wet ingredients for soup (??), mashed potatoes......of course the pasta.....I assume dh could do his waffles, pancakes, and pie batters/dough.....? We maybe eat pancakes/waffles once/month. Pies maybe twice/year. Cakes on bdays. Fancy pasta would be bdays/anniversary. I'm thinking once/month-ish we'd pull this thing out.......(oh, that's another thing....I don't think I'd move any of my current permanent counter residents to make space for this, so it would have to be pulled out, so that would even more reduce it's use, right...)? 

Are there really other things I'm missing, that I'd do with it (w/o going into all the other cool attachments for it)? That would bump it above once/month use?? 

Educate me, please, and tell me I either need to buy the Kitchen Aid, or return the pasta attachment for something I actually will use, what do y'all think? 

No, owning one does not turn a person into a baker. I only have one because I kept it after selling our cafe 20 years ago, and I can count on one hand how many times I’ve actually used it. 

If you don’t bake—a LOT—I honestly wouldn’t bother. I agree they are pretty, but they are also huge, heavy, awkward and a pain to clean. 

[Joker]

I used mine a lot when the kids were little and I baked a lot, but it just takes up space now. I think I only used it once this whole year and that was when I decided to make  macarons - which I don't think I'll ever do again! I now understand why they're expensive but now they seem worth the money. I'll probably get rid of mine this next year and be happy with the extra counter space.

[Robin M]

3 hours ago, TheReader said:

Then again....if I am looking for things to change about how I cook in order to justify buying this thing....probably that's a sign that we should save the $$$ and just exchange the pasta attachment. (and what you said about the pasta attachment is what I think would happen here, too.....it's awesome sounding, but no way I'm doing homemade pasta every time I want to eat pasta....). 

Hubby bought me a pasta attachment after we got our kitchenaid.  He thought it would encourage me to make our own pasta.  I've never used it.  I use our kitchenaid all the time for cookies, meatloaf, yorkshire pudding, but never pasta.  If you don't make pasta now, then it's probably not worth the expense.  I'd buy some new cookbooks and experiment with lots of different dishes that didn't require making ingredients (like pasta) from scratch. 😘

[Carol in Cal.]

I don't make my own pasta anymore, and I never did it very much.

I love my KA.  It is so much more powerful than a hand mixer or my mom's Mixmaster.  It just goes and goes, powerfully, like a Mercedes.  I love its solid reliability.

I have some attachments for it but end up just using the basics--the whip for meringue, whipped cream, and beating eggs for other things occasionally, and the mixer for pie fillings, cookies, pizza dough, and biscuit dough.  I use a stick blender or food processor for soups, and a food processor for grating cheese or whatever, slicing large quantities of veggies and potatoes, chopping large quantities of onions, and certain specific desserts that call for it (like from the Back In The Day cookbook.) 

I find my KA too heavy to want to lift up and down.  I either leave it out or leave it in a waist high shelf so I can move it to the counter without lifting it up.  Otherwise I would probably never use it.  Essentially I don't use it extremely often, but when I do it's extremely useful.  I think that most of the attachments are fairly rickety compared to the machine itself, and I would not want the ice cream maker one as it has a very small bowl and only gets to the soft serve point according to the Williams Sonoma clerk.  So the bottom line is, I don't use it super often, but when I need it I REALLY need it, or something similar but weaker, and I'm awfully glad to have it.  I expect that it will last my whole life.

Edited December 27, 2019 by Carol in Cal.

[catz]

Seriously, a kitchen aid stand mixer cannot be safely stored on top of a refrigerator.   😱

[Shoeless]

Skip the KA.  You won't use it.  Find the gift receipt and send it back to Amazon for something you will use.

I have a KA, and I used it a lot when I first got it.  I lived closer to my family then, and they liked coming over for home cooked food.  It almost never gets used now,  We live near the inlaws, who don't like home cooked food.  It seems like a big hassle to use for just me, DH, and kiddo.    

[catz]

20 minutes ago, parent said:

So mine is high up on top shelf of a closet to keep it out of the way.  My husband has to get it up and down which is fine because it is a planned event if I'm using it.  It is too tall and too heavy for me to put below the counter like my bosch.

My mom brain is equating that to bodily injury!  😫😂  I have open chef shelving so mine is stored on there at about chest height.  It is easy for me to grab from there though I’d love to have it on my counter full time. I can’t imagine using it regularly if it were difficult to get out.

[KungFuPanda]

35 minutes ago, FuzzyCatz said:

Seriously, a kitchen aid stand mixer cannot be safely stored on top of a refrigerator.   😱

Why not? It's too heavy to just jump down/slide off, but it's not so heavy that you can't safely lift it. It has some weight, but it's more inconvenient than dangerous.  

[goldberry]

I use mine for one purpose only:  shredding chicken.  I despise dealing with meat (except for eating it!)  I love things with shredded chicken but by the time I was done shredding I no longer wanted to eat or even look at the chicken ever again.  Discovering that you could shred chicken in a KA was a miracle!  That said, I did buy it on craigslist so I didn't have to justify paying too much.  Right now we have the space for items that aren't used all the time.  That might change and the KA would have to go.

But just a few days ago I dragged the thing out to shred chicken, and thought, "I'm so glad I got this!".

[catz]

I personally don’t feel like I could safely move my KA over my head or on a step stool.  That things is WAY heavier than any other countertop appliance I own including crock pot, instant pot, etc.  If it went up high like that,  I can see it getting used  rarely to never.  Maybe I’d go as far to say it’s not worth spending the money if it’s going to need to be stored where it is difficult to access.   But some people are stronger and taller than me for sure so YMMV. I guess I wouldn’t buy one assuming that will work for you.  Department stores might let you lift their floor model for reference.  

[ktgrok]

2 hours ago, Arctic Mama said:

No, I really think you won’t use it enough to justify the price or space.  It makes sense for people who do a lot of baking, but you can grab a stand alone pasta machine or a meat grinder or whatever else attachment for the same cost or cheaper than KitchenAid - like, that only makes sense if you *already* own the base. You’re not saving space or money by buying a mixer you won’t use much for the attachments.

I also feel that the attachments are not as good as stand alone versions. I had the grain mill attachment and it was horrible compared to an actual grain mill. I hear the same with some of the other attachments. 

[Sneezyone]

I use my KA at least once a week and multiple times this week (cake batter, twice baked potatoes, grating cheeses). It largely depends on how you cook. Mine stays on my counter with a cover. I’ve made fresh pasta w/an attachment, ground chicken thighs (I prefer to know what’s in my ground meat) and shredded cheese when I buy big blocks (I package and freeze it...no cellulose!) and sweet potato pie filling. I also make pizza dough in it at least once a month.

Edited December 27, 2019 by Sneezyone