My Review: KitchenAid Artisan Series 5 Quart Tilt Head Stand Mixer

I’m going to tell you the truth…I LOVE my KitchenAid Artisan Series 5 Quart Tilt Head Stand MixerMixer.  I have the Empire Red model pictured above. I’ve had it for a number of years now and I use it constantly.

The sleek design, the pop of color and durability have made this mixer a kitchen status symbol, displayed proudly on valuable counter space even in small apartments, rather than stored away in a cabinet.

This brand is so iconic that Julia Child’s blue KitchenAid is in “her” kitchen recreated by The Smithsonian Institute for the National Museum of American History.

Despite its pretty face, this thing is a workhorse. Throughout its 100 year history, the KitchenAid has proven to be a piece of culinary equipment that is incredibly strong and reliable. It has been a trusted brand name with some of the highest customer ratings for any product sold online.

In addition to the stellar reputation and high demand, the pricing of their mixer product line remains affordable and accessible to virtually any home chef, as well as the professional chefs, bakers and foodies who have invested in a KitchenAid appliance.

The History of Kitchenaid Mixers

The history of KitchenAid Mixers began with a company called The Hobart Electric Manufacturing Company.

Hobart was founded in 1897 by Clarence Charles Hobart out of Troy Ohio. They specialized in creating powered food production machines for the foodservice industry.

In 1914 Herbert Johnston, an engineer working for the Hobart Corporation came up with the

concept of an industrial-size electric free-standing mixer for the foodservice industry.

The original 80-quart mixer was called The Hobart and proudly served on U.S.Navy battleships in World War I.

In 1918 The Hobart Corporation began testing a new brand new product – A smaller version of The Hobart, intended for home use.  The KitchenAid trademark was registered with the U.S. Patent Office in 1919.

That same year, the mixer that will win the “Oldest Running Hobart Mixer Contest” in 1990 is built and sold to Von Hatten’s Bakery in Fort Smith, AR.

The home models were pricey at $189.00 (the equivalent of $2,800 when adjusted for inflation) and heavy (65 pounds!).  Many stores wouldn’t stock them because of the price so Hobart sold them door to door, using a mostly female workforce.

The brand struggled to catch on due to the high cost and stiff competition. The current silhouette was introduced in the 1930s by an industrial designer named Egmont Arens and when eye-popping colors were introduced in 1955, the brand took off.  The rest, as they say, is history.

My Glorious Artisan KitchenAid Mixer

 

The wonderful thing about the Artisan KitchenAid Mixer is its versatility.  It comes with a flat beater paddle, dough hook, wire whip, splash shield, and a stainless steel bowl..  It has 10 speeds and a tilt-head design that allows for easy access to the bowl.

The Flat Beater Handle

• This is the primary multi-purpose beater and should be used for heavy mixtures such as:

  • 

    Cakes

  • Frostings
  • Cookies
  • Meatloaf
  • Mashed potatoes
  • Shredding cooked chicken, pork or beef

The Wire Whip

• The Wire Whip is meant primarily for incorporating air into:

  • 

    Eggs

  • Egg whites
  • Whipping cream
  • Some candies
  • Angel food cake
  • Mayonnaise
  • Making butter

The Dough Hook

• The dough hook is used for kneading yeast dough such as:

  • 

    Bread

  • Coffeecakes
  • Pizza dough
  • Buns
  • Pasta dough

These are only a few examples of the usefulness of this mixer. All the ways to use these included attachments are limited only by your imagination.

KitchenAid Mixer Attachments

Did someone say attachments?  Ohhhhhh, my! This is where things really heat up.

These 14 attachments will make you rethink the way you cook.

You’ll be able to grind your own meat and poultry to ensure that you get the quality and fat content you desire. 

Pasta making will be a one-stop project! 

Vegetables?  Slice ’em, dice ’em, grate ’em, spiralize ’em, noodle ’em or puree ’em–any way you want.  (Did I just hear you humming the tune to “Any Way You Want It”?)

Oh, and don’t forget to make some ice cream for dessert!

These attachments will fit any KitchenAid Mixer, no matter the model or when it was manufactured.  It will fit your mixer, your neighbors’ mixer (yeah, you better hide ’em), they’ll even fit the mixer Grandma left you in her will.  KitchenAid actually GUARANTEES it!

Attachments:

 Fresh Prep Slicer/Shredder Attachment

Metal Food Grinder Attachment

Pasta Roller and Cutter Attachment

KitchenAid Pasta-Extruder Attachment

Ravioli Maker Attachment

7 Blade Spiralizer with Peel, Core and Slice

Citrus Juicer Attachment

All Metal Grain Mill

Masticating Juicer and Sauce Attachment

Sifter + Scale Attachment

Food Processor Attachment and Dicing Kit Attachment

Vegetable Sheet Cutter Attachment

Tilt Head Flex Edge Beater

But, wait!  There’s more!  After you’ve picked out your perfect set of attachments, let’s look into their assortment of mixing bowls.

Your KitchenAid is a thing of beauty, a sleek, shining piece of art on your countertop but now you can make it even more alluring with a decorative mixing bowl!

The ceramic bowls are titanium reinforced to resist chipping, cracking, crazing and staining, and is guaranteed with a 5-year no-chip limited warranty.  They’re freezer, microwave, dishwasher and oven (up to 475°F) -safe.

The glass bowls are freezer, diswasher and microwave friendly (although they may break more easily than the ceramic style).  Both styles fit the locking mechanism of any of the tilt head models.

Bowls:

Clear Glass Bowl with Measurement Markings and Lid

Ice Cream Maker

Hammered Glass Mixing Bowl with Lid

Quilted Stainless Steel Mixing Bowl

Ceramic Mixing Bowl: Ink Watercolor

Ceramic Mixing Bowl: Confetti Sprinkle

Ceramic Mixing Bowl: Black and White Tapestry

Ceramic Mixing Bowl: White Chocolate

The KitchenAid Artisan Series 5 Quart Tilt Head Stand Mixer is a true classic.  Its original design was so well done it has needed very few alterations since it first entered the market. They come in a full range of attractive colors and possess accessibility that anyone can handle.

From the young, eager chefs just entering the kitchen to professional chefs who want a quality product, these mixers are quintessential examples of an industrial-grade machine disguised in a pretty color. This wide appeal is what helps make KitchenAid Artisan Series 5 Quart Tilt Head Stand Mixers stand out among other mixing appliances.

All my best,

Cynthia
cynthia@cynthiaeats.com

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