KitchenAid Artisan Series Stand Mixer

The KitchenAid Artisan Series Stand Mixer is recommended for serious bakers with plenty of counter space. It may be overkill, however, for those who only bake occasionally. The mixer comes with three attachments -- a flat beater, a whisk and a dough hook -- and has a 5-quart bowl with handle. Several add-on attachments are also available for purchase. The mixer carries a one-year warranty.

Performance

A workhorse that kneads, mixes and whips with ease. Reviewers say the KitchenAid Artisan Series Stand Mixer has enough power to handle large quantities of ingredients and consistently outperforms other models when it comes to mixing stiff dough or whipping ingredients. It can mix dough for up to nine dozen cookies at a time or dough for four loaves of bread.

In its latest review, Australia's Choice magazine gives the KitchenAid Artisan Series Stand Mixer perfect scores for whisking egg whites, mixing cake batter and kneading pizza dough. Likewise, it is named the top performer by Good Housekeeping, whose editors say it performs excellently at all tasks. However, editors at Cook's Illustrated magazine aren't as impressed. In their test, the Artisan struggled with such tasks as kneading dough and mixing dry ingredients like oats to make cookie dough. Editors say it does an excellent job of whipping and creaming, though.

The KitchenAid Artisan Series Stand Mixer is the top choice of owners at Cooking.com and is the highest-ranked stand mixer by more than 2,000 users at Amazon.com. Owners at these retail websites call this mixer a workhorse and report very few durability issues, although some say the mixer can bog down when mixing extremely heavy doughs, such as gluten-free mixes.

Ease of use

A cinch to use. Reviewers say the Artisan Series mixer is a versatile, simple stand mixer. Attachments are easy to change, controls are clearly marked and the mixer is easy to clean. All of the parts, aside from the whisk attachment, are dishwasher-safe.

According to reviewers, there are a few drawbacks. At Good Housekeeping, reviewers say the machine splatters a lot on high speed and it has too many crevices to clean, while editors at Cook's Illustrated magazine say the narrow bowl mouth "hindered the tidy addition of dry ingredients." However, users say the included splash guard with chute easily solves this problem.

Appearance

Complements your kitchen decor. At nearly 14 inches tall and 14 inches deep, the KitchenAid Artisan Series takes up a lot of counter space, and reviewers say this 26-pound appliance is a beast to move. Fortunately, most owners agree its sleek design (available in 25 colors) justifies keeping it out on the counter.

Noise

Average noise level. Any machine with a lot of power is bound to make a bit of noise. The Artisan Series mixer is no different, especially when put to use mixing heavy bread and cookie dough with lots of ingredients. That being said, testers have mixed opinions about the noise level it produces; some say it's too loud, while others say it's comparable to other models.

The bottom line

The KitchenAid Artisan Series Stand Mixer is a top-rated choice because it is built to last. This powerful stand mixer kneads, mixes and whips with ease. It's also easy to clean and has a stylish, classic design. On the other hand, the mixer is heavy and takes up a lot of counter space. If you prefer something smaller -- or you bake infrequently -- experts recommend a hand mixer such as the Cuisinart Power Advantage 7-Speed Hand Mixer (*Est. $60).