Reasons to buy high-watt KitchenAid stand mixer?

I have probably the best advice to help you with your choice on mixers - or not.

My husband bought me an original Artisan (not called that at the time) in the mid 90's. I used it all the time, bought attachments along the way etc.

About 3 years ago he bought me the high power model and I loved it until I tried to grind some hamburger like I did with my old one and seized the motor.

When I sent it in to be repaired - to the tune of $300 - the technician told me I should have kept my old one because it had all metal gears. Mine had hard plastic - he assured me he replaced them with all metal parts because I clearly used mine and didn't have it sit on my counter top like a decoration as most people do.

He said that when whirlpool bought kitchenaid a lot changed including sending the machines to be built overseas and with cheaper parts.

My advice would to be buy an older one if you can.

I love mine tho - still use it all the time and according to the 'new and improved' directions I was given by the man who fixed it. I wasn't using the correct speeds for what I was doing etc.

Buy the Artisan if you plan on making bread recipes using less than 6 cups of flour. I does just fine. If you plan on more - buy the bigger wattage - that mixer holds up to 12 cups of flour.

It does bread dough very well as well as batter for cakes and cookies as well as mashed potatoes.

I have the meat grinder attachment, the pasta attachment, the sausage stuffer, and the grater.

If this one goes out - I'm buying a professional Hobart mixer.

325 Watt Kitchenaid Mixer

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Reasons to buy high-watt KitchenAid stand mixer?

The Artisan model looks great at 325 watts. Are there good reasons to go to the 500+ watt models? Will the Artisan handle heavy, low-moisture dough, like pasta? Will it knead bread dough well? Any chance of burning out the motor? For occasional at-home use, any reason I might one day regret going...

Hi Cal, I don't have experience of these particular mixers,but if I am buying one and there is a choice I usually go with the one with the more powerful motor. If the mixer comes with a dough hook then you can usually take for granted that it will mix bread or pasta dough - otherwise it is not fit for purpose. I suppose if it is only going to be used occasionally then you could go with the lower model. It is usually better to knead your dough by hand after you have mixed it. that way you will get the "feel" of it. I hope this helps,all the best. Rab

That's your chance with lower wattage mixers. My mother-in-law had the 325 watt and when I got a hold of it (Baking for Christmas) it burned the motor out. Remember, you get what you pay for.

Have the Artisan. Haven't bogged it down yet (8 yrs). The bigger one has a bigger bowl, but I found it inconvenient to load and unload. That's the biggest reason I went with the smaller.