Mixed blessing or mistake?

Tis the season for holiday baking -- and if you're in the mood for a little mixing there's no better pick than the KitchenAid Artisan Series Stand Mixer. This best-reviewed product consistently receives top marks in both professional and owner reviews. Users love its 10 convenient speeds, powerful performance and bright sunny colors -- so we were psyched to see it on a leaked circular for Sears 2009 Black Friday sale.

The store plans to sell the KitchenAid that day for $270. The hitch: A microscopically small caption states that this price can only be received via mail-in rebate. And even then, Sears is only shaving a measly 20 dollars off the mixer's regular price.



Surprised at this so-called deal, we did a little sleuthing around. What we found: The KitchenAid Artisan Series Stand Mixer can actually be purchased for a lot less right now. Newegg.com and Amazon.com, both currently offer this mixer, finished in white, for $260 -- with free shipping. That's a solid $30 dollar discount plus it comes shipped to your door. No need to storm the door at Sears at 4 AM in a scene reminiscent of a battle montage from the film, 300.

Our advice: Skip the lines at Sears this Black Friday and score a smarter deal at Amazon or Newegg.com.