Bests & Worsts Reviews from Amazon

A word of warning - the Kitchenaides made in the past 10 or so years have a less powerful and durable motor than the older ones. If you like making homemade bread (like I do) purchase a professional mixer to knead your dough (or do it by hand like I do now). Kitchenaides used on a regular basis to make homemade bread (especially using whole wheat flour) will destroy your motor. When you send the mixer in for repairs (under warranty) they will say you've been using it commercially and refuse to stand behind their warranty. If you tell them you use it to make bread they'll tell you it's not made for that (they can't explain why they provide a dough hook though or neglect to provide any warnings against breadmaking in particular). I've always loved Kitchenaide appliances, my sisters is about 15 years old and going strong but my poor 4 year old mixer overheats and strains doing the same recipes. My next mixer will be a Magic Mill DLX Kitchen Machine, its twice as much, but will last like the old Kitchenaids do. I have to give 2 stars for the lousy warranty service and lack of honesty in their manuals. Update: August 2004 Haven't been using my KA for bread since (bought a breadmachine to mix my dough). Only using the KA for light use abut 4 times a month. Now it makes a grinding noise continuously while in use. Cookie dough seems almost too hard for it too. My sisters is now over 20 years old and going strong (even with bread). I wish they made them like they used too........ Update: May 2015 Amazon sent me an update about this or I'd have totally forgotten about it. I love all the comments and would like to respond briefly to them... No, I don't think it reasonable to expect that you'd have to buy the professional model to make bread dough at home for your family. If the standard mixer of their old line was capable, then the standard mixer for their newer line should be just as capable (or should boldly state that it's not). Yes, I did jump on the no-knead bandwagon - it was a fun, delicious trip. It just wasn't as suitable for sandwiches. In about 2010, a dear, older friend gave me her Professional-grade KA with the 525-watt motor. She was downsizing and had never really used it. I passed mine on to a daughter's friend that was starting to learn to bake (not bread). I did find the 525 motor better, but it still slowed down noticeably on a double batch of chocolate, chocolate chip cookies. I still used my Zojirushi BB-CEC20 Home Bakery Supreme for bread. That was until we jumped on the gluten-free bandwagon - don't judge....It has helped. I still use the Professional KA for our GF cookies - and the dough may be a bit stiffer than gluten cookie dough - and it does fine. The Zojirushi makes a great GF bread - although now you can get a model for GF bread. My sister moved on to a Magic Mill DLX Kitchen Machine (now known as Ankarsrum) about 10 years ago - and it has held up very well with multiple wholewheat loaves at a time. Her old (25 year +) KA went to my mom, and it still does great. I do think KA has changed their policy and has possibly made their machines a little better over the past 10 years. I would still recommend the Professional KA models as good entry level mixers for home cooks. I would recommend the Zojirushi for making a few loaves of bread per week. I would recommend the Ankarsrum for serious bakers and breadmakers.