The new KitchenAid Lift and Tilt mixer is on the market now, providing great usability in a new way and making it easier than ever to create difficult tasks like meringue, whipping cream or light cream cheese.
But with all of these innovative features comes some initial confusion. Whether you’re considering this purchase for your kitchen, or picking up the first one you see on the shelf because it looks cool, let’s take a closer look at the differences between these two machines.
KitchenAid’s newest mixer offers several innovative features that set itself apart from other mixers on the market.
I started with a review of the features, then work my way through some of the common questions and concerns people have. This article will cover everything you may want to know about this machine, including:
How does the tilt and lift work?
How does it compare to other machines? What about plating/baking vs. mixing?
What’s the difference between the KitchenAid Classic and this new mixer, and what are the pros/cons to each model? More than 30 years of experience in mixing has helped us develop a line that is essential for home cooks who do not want to compromise performance or versatility on their mixers.
I’ve included links to the new Tilt and Lift mixer, as well as some of its competitors. Feel free to ask questions in the comments section below, or even shoot me an email if you need additional information.
How does the tilt and lift work?
This is a great question- many people are interested in putting their mixer up on a stand, and this model definitely provides that opportunity. To tilt the bowl, you simply turn a knob on the base of the machine and move the bowl up or down. To lift it up and out, you simply flip a lever at the top of the machine and it lifts right off. This means you can use all your attachments to make great desserts or hard-to-make foods, like hard sauce or whipped cream.
Many people are also interested in lifting and carrying their mixer as they walk around their kitchen while they mix. The Tilt & Lift model has a small handle just above where you normally put your hand on a lift. If you don’t want to carry it, you can easily remove the handle to convert it into a flat base. You can also fit this machine on a shelf or cabinet if needed.
How does the Tilt & Lift compare to other machines? What about plating or baking vs. mixing?
This is a great question- I think that most people have been confused on this point because they think of one machine as being completely different than another. Just like any other kitchen tool, the pros and cons are very dependent upon your needs.
The Tilt & Lift model is best suited for people with small kitchens, people who have a stand or cupboard they want to store their mixer on, as well as folks who make a lot of hard-to-make foods. Here are some reasons why:
The tilt and lift function makes it easier to pour out the bowl and really get in there when mixing rubs or batters where you need more coverage. No more pouring the bowl out through the spout to try and get at the bottom of your mixture.
You can put the bowl up on a shelf or cabinet and it is still easy to use. Some other tilt and lift models only have a stand where you can’t put the bowl up on anything.
The handle makes it easier to lift and carry the mixer. For some people, this is an absolute necessity when mixing in large quantities of ingredients. Tilt & Lift allows you to use a handle so you don’t have to worry about damaging your fingers or hands as you try to control the mixer.
By utilizing both the tilt and lift, it is more versatile than other mixers that are just tilt-only, or just lift-only.
The three-pronged beater makes it easier to incorporate ingredients like shortbread dough and makes it easy to clean in the process.
KitchenAid Classic Stand Mixer The new KitchenAid Tilt & Lift Stand Mixer is here! What can you make with this powerful tool? How does it compare to its predecessor, the classic tilt-head model? Learn more here >> Classic Stand Mixer The classic stand mixer has been around for over 50 years. Buy it at Amazon.com >>
If you want to make sticky dough, pastry cream or meringue, then you’re better off with a standard stand mixer. But if you don’t mind the additional space needed for storage and storage space is not a big concern for you, then this one is the perfect model for you.
What about plating vs. mixing?
This is a great question- I think that most people are confused on this point because they think of one machine as being completely different than another. Just like any other kitchen tool, the pros and cons are very dependent upon your needs.
There are two main differences between these machines, when it comes to plating. There is the obvious difference in the power level, but there’s also one about accessories that make plating easier on the Tilt & Lift machine.
The Classic model weighs 12 pounds, so if you make a lot of hard-to-make foods like pastry cream and whipped cream, this model will give you more power than the Tilt & Lift. It also has nine total speed settings (12 with the tilt head), compared to only four speeds on the newer model. The extra speed selection is nice for things like making bread dough or pie crusts where you want to vary your speed depending on your needs.
However, the tilt-only machine has the advantage when it comes to accessories, like the bowl scraper and the dough hook. Both of these tools make plating much easier by allowing you to scrape down to remove any sticky bits, or not having to cover your hand with dough in order to push it away from the blades. Having an extra tool like this can be nice if you want to plate your food but don’t want to run a spatula across your beautiful creation.
I hope this post has helped to clarify which model is best for your needs! If you have any questions, please don’t hesitate to ask- there is nothing too crazy about this machine.
Why does my KitchenAid mixer not reach bottom of bowl?
This is a great question- this is the most common complaint about KitchenAid stand mixers. Here’s what’s going on:
Since these machines are so powerful, the motor needs somewhere to go when it amps up. This means that you have to put ingredients into the bowl before it, in order for it to reach everything in it. It’s just like a car. If you try and put something in the trunk and then you close it, you can’t get at whatever goes in there. Many people don’t put ingredients into their mixer bowl before they put the beater on, or they add ingredients while they are mixing- both of these cause problems during mixing.
In the first case, if you don’t add ingredients on the bottom, you will have a gooey mess at the bottom of your bowl and all over your attachment. In the second case, you will just end up taking up space in your bowl with nothing to hold it in place. The best way to combat this problem is to make sure that you pre-fill your mixer bowl before adding any attachments. This way, everything gets mixed and there are no problems with too much air or ingredients. I often have recipes that call for a few ingredients to be added at an intermediate stage of mixing- like when I’m making cookies and I want to add granulated sugar halfway through.
How do you tilt a KitchenAid mixer?
We don’t have to start by asking- it’s pretty intuitive, right? But just in case, here is the cheat sheet:
Move the knob on the bottom of your mixer toward you. This will move the entire mixer up and down (tilt). If you want to tilt one side up (which would be when you want to scrape down the sides of your bowl), then simply turn the knob directly to that side. You can go back and forth between these two positions until you get used to where your bowl should be when it is ‘in line’ with your mixer.
Why does my KitchenAid mixer bounce?
When mixing dough, the motor of the mixer is going so fast and so strong that it can actually cause a mini earthquake with all the vibrations. There are a few ways to get around this issue, but the most common is just to put a piece of wax paper underneath your bowl, put it up on a shelf or cabinet, then turn off you mixer. This will stop all the shaking.
Why doesn’t my KitchenAid mixer sit at an angle?
When your bowl is tilted, one side will be higher than the other side if you tilt your bowl upward. Any bowls that are meant to be held upright (like pasta bowls) will treat this as if it were level and not tilted. In order to keep the bowl from tilting, simply make sure that it is in line with the attachment you are using.
Why does my KitchenAid mixer run slowly?
Sometimes when you’re making heavy doughs like bread and pie crust, your mixer might actually run slower than it usually does. This is a common issue for people who don’t put their ingredients in first, so there isn’t anything to hold up the dough as it hits the blades. Just be sure that you add your ingredients before attaching the beater, which will solve this problem!
Should my KitchenAid mixer shake?
No, by default the machine doesn’t shake. But when you are doing something that needs a bit of extra muscle (like kneading bread or working out the dough for pizza), this could be a bad thing. You can always add weights to the bottom of your bowl to add some weight, but if you don’t have anything at all, then most people just turn on the motor only (see question at the beginning of this post).
Why does my KitchenAid mixer get hot during mixing?
This is a really good question- as previously mentioned in this post, we don’t want your mixer to run too fast or too hot. If it does, this can cause the motor to burn out and you’ll have a bunch of burning plastic in your bowl. Many people find that when they add attachments like a dough hook or pasta attachment, then their mixer will get very hot. This is a good thing! If your mixer got hot during the recipe, that means you’re getting enough power to mix the dough properly. Try moving the attachment to another place in your bowl, but if it still gets warm there then move it back up so you have room below it (see question at the beginning of this post).
CONCLUSION:
As you can see, there isn’t a lot to be concerned about when buying a stand mixer, but there are a ton of people who don’t realize that their kitchen appliances are as sturdy as they are and end up with problems. With that being said, if you follow these guidelines then you should be getting an awesome appliance that will last forever. As I finish up this post I would like to say thank you to all the readers! This is the first time I have ever been able to do this and it has been such an incredible experience.
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