KitchenAid Classic Vs. Artisan

If you’re considering purchasing a new KitchenAid stand mixer to help with the most important part of your day, the blog “30 Days In The Kitchen” has a detailed review for you. The blog’s writer does not recommend the “Classic”, but says that the “Artisan” is an upgrade which offers more than just convenience — it grants better results, better flour handling, and better mixing capabilities.

In fact, the “30 Days” reviewer praises the artisan mixer as being, “…the best kitchen purchase I have ever made aside from a quality knife. It sits on my counter and is a daily workhorse that has easily paid for itself in saved time and better results.”

The KitchenAid Artisan model can be purchased at most home improvement stores for about $400, which is $100 more than its cousin the “Classic”, but if you pick up a “30 Days In The Kitchen” magazine you’ll find it’s worth every penny.

Here are some highlights:

The artisan is all metal where the classic had plastic top and bottom.

The artisan has a flat back so you can use it in a cabinet without blocking the door.

No center selector dial or plastic knob.

Faster speed from 300-450rpm.

Better flour management with the sliding feed tube and rocker arm lift and stop. Side handle for better control when kneading bread dough. Plastic screen for spaghetti like strands instead of metal screen that rusts and gets coated with flour dust. Solid metal bowl. Stainless steel dough hook that comes apart for cleaning or dishwasher safe . Plastic timer illuminates the entire work surface to make it easier to see how long you are kneading bread dough or how many minutes pasta needs to be cooked al dente.

A 4-cup glass measuring cup which is removable and dishwasher safe.

The artisan comes with a 1-year warranty and can be purchased at most home improvement stores. So if you’re looking for a KitchenAid mixer that has everything you need — speed, power, flexibility, control, convenience, durability and quality — the Artisan might be what you are looking for. And if this is your dream mixer then I have some amazing news: it’s also on sale on Amazon.com under the search term KitchenAid Artisan .

If you have a cake recipe or dough in mind already and are unsure of which mixer to purchase, this article’s author recommends going with whichever product you’d feel most comfortable using — if nothing else, at least from them both will be easier on your wallet.

I’m going to discuss two KitchenAid mixers in this article — the Artisan vs. Classic. I’ll go into detail on a few major differences and how they will affect you as a consumer, but only if you’re doing some serious baking and need your mixer to do everything for you. The purpose of this article is to help you decide which type to get, not what one is better than the other (this goes back to the title).

If you’ve ever shopped around for a stand mixer before, I’m sure you’ve noticed that there are three different types: the Artisan (KSM75), Classic (KSM150), and Pro (KSM75WH). If you’re completely clueless about the differences between them, you’re not alone; I’ll be your guide.

I’ll go into detail on a few major differences and how they will affect you as a consumer, but only if you’re doing some serious baking and need your mixer to do everything for you. The purpose of this article is to help you decide which type to get, not what one is better than the other (this goes back to the title).

The Artisan has a bowl that can be removed from its base for easy mixing of smaller batches. The Classic’s bowl cannot be removed without disassembling it, which makes cleaning more tedious.

The Artisan comes with a flat beater, dough hook, wire whip, and pouring shield. The Classic has the same attachments, but they’re shaped differently and don’t fit on the Artisan.

The speed configuration is different between the two as well. The Artisan holds six speeds: slow stir/whisk, stir, mix/knead, 1st speed (for kneading dough), 2nd speed (for heavy batters), 3rd speed (for whipping cream), and 4th speed (slow to fast). The Classic has only four speeds: slow stir/whisk, stir, mix/knead and fast whip.

I’ll start with a few tips that can help you analyze what type of stand mixer you need. First off, if you’re just a beginner in the kitchen, don’t get the Artisan. It’s definitely more convenient, but it’s not as powerful as the Classic (which is why they’re on completely different bases). Baking is an art and the Classic can handle almost anything thrown at it. Sure, you can whip cream and make light batters with the Artisan, but why waste your money if this isn’t your primary focus?

Secondly, if you’re doing substantial baking where most of your mixing needs to be done in batches (e.g., for breads), go for the Classic. It has a bowl that can be removed from its base, which will allow you to mix in smaller amounts of ingredients without dirtying another dish.

The Artisan has a bowl that can be removed from its base for easy mixing of smaller batches. The Classic’s bowl cannot be removed without disassembling it, which makes cleaning more tedious. The Artisan comes with a flat beater, dough hook, wire whip, and pouring shield. The Classic has the same attachments, but they’re shaped differently and don’t fit on the Artisan.

Can KitchenAid Artisan handle bread dough?

Yes, the Artisan can handle bread dough as long as you adopt certain techniques. It takes some getting used to, but a little effort on your part will go a long way. You’ll get better at it with practice and ultimately be able to achieve the same great results you’d get with a Classic.

Disassembling the mixer head and hand-kneading (using dry ingredients) is one of the most important things you can do to achieve high-quality results. Break up your bread dough into smaller balls (about 12 oz.) and place each ball in its own bowl. Mix all of the bowls together until they’re consistent in texture, then dump them back into their original bowls.

Is KitchenAid Classic good for bread?

The Classic is a great choice for bread-making because of its flexibility. You’ll be able to make loaves of bread without the hassle of a lot of rising. The dough hook will give you the consistency you need to knead your dough, so it will develop into a nice loaf shape.

How can I remove the wire whip from KitchenAid Artisan?

The wire whip has a flexible base that will disable it unless it’s on its side. If you need to replace it, there’s no disassembling process for this attachment as well. You’ll have to take the entire unit apart and reassemble it in a different order.

What speed should I use to knead dough in KitchenAid?

If you don’t want to overmix your dough, keep it on the slow speed. If you want it to be a little more kneaded and less sticky, use the medium speed. If you want this dough to stick together (as in traditional bread) just use the bread setting–this will help incorporate all the ingredients at once and make for a heavier loaf.

Can the KitchenAid Artisan knead dough?

The Artisan has a four-speed setting with one of speeds dedicated to kneading. If you’re going to use this speed, you’ll want to make sure the dough is soft and pliable. The speed range is low–about half of the kneading speed on a Classic, so it’s important to reduce the amount of time you spend on it if possible.

What is the difference between KitchenAid Classic bowl and KitchenAid Artisan bowl?

The inside diameters are slightly different, which means that the attachments that come with each mixer will fit differently as well. The Artisan also has a pouring shield that can be removed from its base for easy pouring when making small batches or adding dry ingredients quickly.

CONCLUSION:

The Artisan and Classic both have their advantages and disadvantages, but will have to make your own decision as far as which one is better for you. The Artisan will be able to handle kneading, whipping and other light mixing tasks, but it’s not powerful enough to do heavy baking. The Classic is versatile enough for almost any baking task you’ll encounter, but the attachments take a bit of getting used to.