Hi All!

I just started baking/decorating and my birthday is in a week, so my husband has decided to buy me a nice mixer... Problem is: I've been looking at previous posts and cannot decide which one to buy. From what I've read KA works awesome if you are using a 4.5 qt and/ or older models, app. a lot of the new ones are having issues with the motor. I had never heard of Breville until I researched here and it seems to have good reviews but I'm hesitant about buying an "unknown" brand to me. And then I've read a lot of good reviews about Cuisinart but it doesn't seem to be a favorite...

Please help me decide!!! I've been looking online and need to make up my mind.

Thank you

Hi KemleD,

I am a Cuisinart fan. I have had mine for over a year, and have never had an issue with it. I absolutely love it! I have the 7qt mixer and can mix up to 4 batches of icing at one time. If I could afford it, I would have my counter tops lined with Cuisinart mixers. Good luck with your research.

Cuisinart all the way.

I purchased a Kitchen Aid Pro 5 wide bowl about 5 years ago and haven't had any issues with it. I love it. I haven't used any of the others though. Happy Birthday and hope you get a great mixer!!

Thank you for your responses! and the birthday wish!

I've decided on a KitchenAid Artisan 5qt. Retail is $349.99 but I found a used one on Craigslist for $120.00

My next mixer is going to be a Viking.

I had a Kitchen Aid and didn't like it. It now resides in my cabinet in the garage. I purchased a 7qt. Kenwood Mixer ten years ago and I love it. It listed for 800.00 but I got it on clearance for 225.00 from William Sonoma thanks to a group of cake decorators who posted a message about the great deal on a cake thread. They are mostly sold in Europe.

I was looking at the Viking mixers (drooling) but I just couldn't bring myself to spend the money. My husband used to tease me about my Kenwood mixer because Kenwood used to be a popular brand of stereo equiptment back in the 80's.

Personally, I'm most familiar with mixers like the Sony MXP-series, like the one set into the middle of the desk to the left of the notebook computer

http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Audio_console,_Fisch_gibts,_h1-Studio_Hannover.jpg

Or maybe a Mackie, like this one:

http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Mackie_CFX12_Live_Sound_Mixer.jpg

Oh. Not that kind of mixer?
<Emily Litella>That's very different. Nevermind</Emily Litella>

Seriously, I've always just used a hand-held electric mixer for batters (ours is a Hamilton Beach 6-speed; I just looked), and a common dinner fork for frostings and cookie doughs. I get more exercise that way, and it doesn't take any longer than dragging out the mixer, mounting a set of beaters on it, and cleaning up after it.

Hahaha, I doubt you want me to throw eggs, sugar, and flour, etc on those.

Started out with a KA Professional HD about 4 years ago. Bought it to mix bread dough because when I bakes bread I bakes bread. . .24 loaves in a day about once every three weeks. I loved the KA and when I started caking, I loved it even more; used it for everything, including MMF. Then it decided to chew up its own (plastic) gears. I cried, I found a repairman, and while I waited the three weeks for it to come back I bought an 800 watt 5.5 quart Cuisinart. I used the Cuisinart till the KA came back, but don't like it for bread mixing. It just sounds like its working too hard. I have continued to use the old KA until this week when it kept turning itself off due to over heating. Went out and bought the KA Professional 5 Plus. I can already tell I'm not going to like it as much as the old one. The bowl is much wider and more shallow which means batters will splash out at higher speeds, though it will probably be ok for doughs, so it looks like the Cuisinart is going to come into play more often. The bonus is the new KA does not have plastic gears, but I'm going to find a repairman and have the old one reconditioned one more time. Had all three of them lined up on the counter today to mix a cream cheese version of Charlotte's whipped topping (its a two part buttercream) and some Dutch whip and I can honestly say that if I didn't make bread and MMF any one of the three would be good but I still prefer the KA professioal HD.

I have taught baking and had kitchen aid and viking mixers( I have used cuisinart ),not to crazy about them. I really dislike the vikings, they were way to loud and the everything got caught on the bottom. My fav is the kitchen aid 6 quart, bigger bowl. I have had my 6 quart kitchen aid for 4 years, I know for a while they were lacking in quality, but I have not had a problem.

I had my first Kitchenaid Aritsan stand mixer for 22 years and loved it. Last year, I upgraded to two KitchenAid 6 qt professionals and I wouldn't have anything else. I found them on sale at Kitchen Essentials on sale for 199.00 each!

KA a have mine 7 years and I am in love

You can't go wrong with a KA. You are so lucky to find used one. Got mine for my wedding 6 years ago and love it!