If you need a new stand mixer, you might be wondering which type is right for your needs. The KitchenAid Stand Mixer line includes five different models to suit every budget and kitchen space. They each have their own strengths and weaknesses, as well as a set of features that makes them unique in the world of mixers. This article lists down all the pros and cons of these two models, helping you make an informed decision on which one is best for your cooking needs!
The Artisan uses 400 watts more power than the Professional’s paddle attachment, making it suitable for larger mixes such as cookie dough or cake batter but not ideal for small amounts like frosting. The Professional’s more powerful motor is more ideal for smaller mixing jobs such as frosting, cookie dough and bread dough.
The Professional’s return-to-start system saves energy by reducing the voltage going to the motor when it isn’t in use, but it takes up to 30 seconds for the machine to start up from a standby mode. The Artisan has a delay start feature that starts the mixer instantly! This means that you won’t be wasting energy or creating unnecessary heat when you’re ready to use your machine.
The Professional’s tray is dishwasher-safe and easy to take apart for cleaning, but Artisan trays are not reliable enough for dishwasher usage due to their hard plastic material. The Professional’s bowl can go from freezer to warm room temperature in three minutes, while the Artisan takes over two hours.
The Professional’s rubber feet are ideal for a smooth and stable ride on the countertop, but they also make it very easy to slide across the table when mixing more than one bowl of batter. The Artisan’s metal feet help keep it secure while still allowing the mixer to move with ease.
The Professional is heavier than the Artisan at nine pounds, making it difficult to lift by hand since it is so heavy. The Professional has its own stand, while the Artisan can attach onto a power strip or work on a counter top instead of a stand.
The Professional Mixer’s bowl-lift system allows you to use the bowl with no lifting, but the lip on the bowl can get in the way while transporting the machine. The Artisan’s bowl lift is a little harder to use, but it is more stable since there aren’t any leg holders to break off when you’re transporting your machine.
Artisan Pros:
– More powerful motor that’s more ideal for larger mixing jobs such as cookie dough or cake batter.
– One-touch start/stop button for an immediate startup. The Professional has a delay start feature that takes 30 seconds to kick in after it’s turned off.
– Dishwasher safe trays that are also simple to take apart for cleaning.
– Designed to handle cool items like freshly made frosting, a feature that the Professional Mixer doesn’t have.
– Excellent power control system helps you make light work of big jobs and heavier tasks.
– Longer kneading time — 8 minutes as opposed to 5 minutes on the Professional model.
– The Artisan has its own stand, so it can be stored where there is room for its 16″ height on a countertop or in a cabinet without taking up too much space.
Artisan Cons:
– The Professional Mixer’s paddle attachment is more powerful, making it better suited for large bread doughs. For smaller mixes like icing and cookie dough, the Artisan is the only model with a 400-watt motor.
– Because the Artisan has its own stand, it can be stored in a tight space on the countertop rather than taking up too much room on a flat surface. The Professional takes up more space since you need to store both the mixer and its stand separately.
– Lightweight trays made of hard plastic don’t hold up well over time, making them prone to breaking when used in dishwashers.
– The Artisan can take up to two hours to return to room temperature when heating items that have been in the fridge, while the Professional can do it in under 10 minutes.
– The Artisan’s mixer comes with a plastic piece around the bowl that doesn’t always fit right, but the Professional’s bowl is smooth and simple.
– It takes time for the machine to start moving when you turn it on, even if you use the one-touch start button.
Best Buy:
KitchenAid Professional
Although the Professional is slightly more expensive than the Artisan, KitchenAid’s mixers are built to last and with incredible quality, making them worth their price. This mixer has a one-touch start/stop button that makes it much easier to switch away from kneading or washing dishes, and its heavy-duty power and speed controllers make it very versatile for more difficult tasks like pie crust or cookies.
The Professional’s bowl lifts allow you to use the bowl without lifting it up — perfect for when you have other tasks on your hands instead of cooking. The Artisan’s bowl can get in the way when you’re trying to mix more than one bowl of batter at a time, and its hard plastic material makes it less durable (not dishwasher safe) than the Premium’s.
The Professional’s paddle attachment has 400 watts of power, making it ideal for larger mixing jobs like cookie dough and cake batter. The Artisan’s much more powerful motor is better suited for smaller tasks like frosting and bread dough, but you won’t need as much power to make these small-scale tasks since the Professional is designed for mixing larger amounts of flour.
The Professional’s bowl is dishwasher safe and also comes with a lid to make sure your ingredients are free from messes, but the Artisan’s bowl can’t go from freezer to warm room temperature in three minutes. The Professional’s power control system helps you make light work of big jobs and heavier tasks, while the Artisan’s speed control takes some getting used to. The Professional Mixer makes it much easier to transport since it has its own stand, but the Artisan can attach onto a power strip or work on a counter top instead of a stand.
Can KitchenAid Classic handle bread dough?
Yes, the KitchenAid classic mixer is more than sufficient to handle bread dough. The Classic can handle heavier tasks like cookie dough and cake batter if you’re looking for a model that can do more than just beating egg whites or whipping cream, but for large batches of bread dough, a better machine would be the Professional.
It’s important to know what you’re getting into before making such a large purchase, so here are the main differences between the Classic and Professional:
The Professional has twice as much horsepower (500 watts) as the Classic (250 watts), meaning it can handle larger batches of heavier ingredients like cake batter and dry mixes. The Professional’s motor is able to handle larger amounts of ingredients at a time, meaning the bowl can spin faster and move the paddle faster. The Classic Mixer’s motor is slower, so the paddle takes more time to create a lighter mix.
The Professional also has another advantage over the Classic because it has its own stand that can be stored nearby or underneath cabinets rather than taking up counter space. The Classic Mixer needs to be stored separately since its legs are removable, so you need to take both your mixer and its stand out of your cabinet when you’re not using it. However, if you don’t mind storing both items separately or fitting your mixer underneath your cabinets, than this isn’t an issue.
Is KitchenAid Classic good for dough?
Although the Classic has a 250-watt motor, it can handle most heavy mixing jobs if you’re not planning on making large batches of dough right away. The Professional mixer is better suited for these heavier batches because of its high 500-watt motor (versus the Classic’s 250 watts).
KitchenAid makes it easy to switch between attachments for different recipes since they’re all stored under the mixer’s top cover. However, this isn’t as useful when you’re using your Classic for cake batter and cookie dough since smaller mixes don’t require as much power to mix them together as bigger jobs like bread dough.
How much dough can a 4.5 qt mixer make?
The Classic can handle almost any task from beating eggs to whipping cream, so it’s more than capable of handling a large batch of dough. The Professional can handle up to 2 quarts of dough at once, but since the Classic doesn’t have a bowl lift system, you’ll have to spend that extra time lifting the bowl and stirring the flour by hand.
How many watts is a classic KitchenAid?
The 250 watt motor in the Classic is enough to handle most tasks, but if you’re looking for a model that can cover more than just small-scale mixed such as cookie dough or cake batter, then you should consider the Professional.
How do I clean my classic KitchenAid?
If your motor is clogged with dough, it’s important to clean both the shaft and the gear teeth on the mixer first before cleaning any attachments. It’s also important to make sure you unplug your appliance before cleaning it since it has a short circuit that could result in an electrical shock. When cleaning your Classic Model, thoroughly rinse all parts under running water (including the stand and paddles) and pat dry with a towel.
CONCLUSION:
While the KitchenAid Classic is a great mixer for someone who just needs to whip egg whites and cream, it doesn’t have enough power or mixing capacity to handle heavy, larger jobs like bread dough or cookie dough. It’s less powerful than the Professional Mixer because it only has a 250-watt motor. While this is ideal for smaller tasks like beating eggs, whipping cream, and mixing cake batter, it doesn’t have enough power to handle bread dough jobs.
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