Review by James Bergstrand:

I recently purchased this mixer because I was questioning whether or not to purchase the much-celebrated Kitchen-Aid Artisan Mixer. My reasoning: “for far less money, I’ll purchase this mixer and see how often I really use it, and if it warrants a larger purchase in a year or two.”

I opened the box and promptly made a batch of cookies which turned out delicious! Two weeks later I made cupcakes and the batter was COMPLETELY smooth, no lumps and NO handmixing. I really enjoy that the bowl spins while mixing, the power is substantial, and it is not a large appliance and can be left out on the counter if desired.

I haven’t used the dough hooks yet, but plan to make pizza with it soon, perhaps I’ll add to this review at that time.

For now, I am completely satisfied with this purchase and would definitely recommend it to occasional bakers who don’t want to shell out three times as much $$ for something they will only use a few times a year.

Review by Phoenix:

I just started working with this mixer. It’s working pretty well for a hand/stand mixer. The only thing that may make other people consider other mixers is the fact that this one spins around the outside of the bowl. That leaves the ingredients in the center needing a little extra hand mixing, which is fine with this machine. I can detach the mixer from it’s stand and just mix through the remaining ingredients.

It’s working fabulously for me so far. It has a 3.5qt flat bottomed bowl, a spatula, 1 set of beaters, dough hooks and a bubble whisk. For the price it’s great. I’m hoping this one will last. It’s got the retro styling and is compact enough to stay on my counter without taking up too much space.

Review by R D:

Unlike many of the reviewers, I’ve only had this mixer for about a year, and it’s this specific model, the 250W 4.5 quart mixer (the bottom of the Kitchenaid line). It was a real splurge at the time we purchased it, but it has turned out to be well worth it.Before the Kitchenaid, I didn’t do much baking. I tend towards more “manly” cooking techniques: the hotter the fire, the spicier the recipe, the better as far as I’m concerned. But this machine is as satisfying to use as any power tool in the garage — there is something about using the *right* tool for the job, and I’ve found no tasks that one might consider using a mixer for that the Kitchenaid doesn’t excel at. But it’s especially good for baking, and once you start using it, you’ll have your oven running a lot more than you used to.The big difference between this mixer and the standard “two beater” models you may be familiar with is that it uses a single mixing attachment that rotates in two motions- it not only spins on its own axis, it also is rotated around the edge of the bowl. This does an extremely effective job of mixing ingredients without need for the bowl rotating, since the mixing motion covers the entire bowl. For most mixing jobs, it also requires no scraping of the sides with the spatula. IE: when it’s mixing, you can ignore it and work on other stuff.The first attachment I’ll mention is the dough hook, which is a godsend for kneading. In the last day, I’ve made pizza dough, bagels, and whole wheat bread. Although this is the least powerful machine Kitchenaid makes, it kneads stiff dough (like the aforementioned bagels made with high-gluten flour) that would turn your mother’s mixmaster into a smoking, stinking heap of fried motor components. Machine kneading takes a *lot* of the effort and variability out of making bread… you never “knead in” too much flour to keep it from sticking to your hands, and the 20 minutes you normally spend working the dough turns into 10 minutes you can use to clean up the kitchen.The other two attachments are the paddle and the whisk. The paddle is the all-purpose “workhorse” beater, and works extremely well for creaming sugar and butter together, mixing cookie dough or cake batter, or any other general-purpose mixing job. With the orbital motion, it comes right up to the edge of the bowl, so it is effectively scraping as it goes. The whisk is great for egg whites and making whipped cream. I’m sure it’s good for something else, but that’s what I’ve used it for.As for capacity, the 4.5 quart model is suitable for pretty much any “normal” home recipes. It’s a “standard mixer”. It will easily knead enough dough at once for two loaves of bread, or mix a double-batch of cookies.As for downsides: this thing is HEAVY. You won’t be moving it once it’s in place. If you knead very stiff dough, the bowl sometimes will get tightened to the extent that it is very difficult to remove from the base. It’s OK if you remember to leave it a little loose beforehand, but I always forget and I end up wrestling with the machine to twist it out. The metal trim band on the mixer right above the bowl has come a little loose on my model- the machine got a bit hot after some heavy kneading, and I think some adhesive got soft. It’s held in place well by something else, but sometimes it will slip when I’m wiping the machine off. It’s purely cosmetic from what I can tell, and it’s the only thing that feels cheap in any way about this machine. Other than that, I honestly haven’t had a single complaint.In summary: this is an expensive mixer, but it is very well worth it. Even novice cooks will find it’s use enjoyable, and it will inspire you to explore new things that you probably didn’t do before because of the time and effort involved.

Review by M. Baker:

A word of warning – the Kitchenaides made in the past 10 or so years have a less powerful and durable motor than the older ones. If you like making homemade bread (like I do) purchase a professional mixer to knead your dough (or do it by hand like I do now). Kitchenaides used on a regular basis to make homemade bread (especially using whole wheat flour) will destroy your motor. When you send the mixer in for repairs (under warranty) they will say you’ve been using it commercially and refuse to stand behind their warranty. If you tell them you use it to make bread they’ll tell you it’s not made for that (they can’t explain why they provide a dough hook though or neglect to provide any warnings against breadmaking in particular). I’ve always loved Kitchenaide appliances, my sisters is 15+ years old and going strong but my poor 4 year old mixer overheats and strains doing the same recipes. My next mixer will be a Magic Mill DLX Kitchen Machine, its twice as much, but will last like the old Kitchenaides do. I have to give 2 stars for the lousy warranty service and lack of honesty in their manuals.

Update: August 2004

Haven’t been using my KA for bread since (bought a breadmachine to mix my dough). Only using the KA for light use abut 4 times a month. Now it makes a grinding noise continuously while in use. Cookie doughs seems almost too hard for it too. My sisters is now over 20 years old and going strong (even with bread). I wish they made them like they used too……..

Review by Kathleen:

My wedding gift mixer (a Sunbeam Mixmaster) turned 33 a week before Christmas, and my husband thought it was time for me to have a new one. He gifted me on Christmas with the KitchenAid 5 Qt. Artisan in white. I love this mixer and leave it out on my counter, something I never did with the Mixmaster. I recently purchased the citrus juicer attachment from Amazon and am very pleased with it as well. I have not read all 109 previous reviews on this site, but I have read a few that were disgruntled because their Artisans did not mix well. I initially had the same problem with the beater/bowl clearance. It is very simple to remedy. There is a beater adjustment screw on the mixer and the manual describes how to make the adjustments. I got even better instructions by calling customer support at KitchenAid. The technician told me to drop a dime into the empty bowl, turn the mixer on (about setting 2) using the flat beater, and it should move the dime 1/4″ to 1/2″ each time it rotates around the bowl. This is the right clearance for the beater to mix everything at the bottom of the bowl, but not low enough to cause wear on the beater from constant friction with the bottom of the bowl during usage. I tweaked the screw setting 1/4 turn each time until I got that dime moving. At this setting, I can now beat a single egg white to stiff peaks in the 5 qt. bowl. That’s impressive.
This mixer is as sturdy as a tank, and you can hear the quality as it mixes. Although I had previously purchased a KitchenAid mixer for my daughter as a gift, I would never have splurged on one for myself. I am so happy my husband thought I was worth it!

Review by :

I love this thing! I have friends who’ve had KitchenAid mixers for years and they’ve always raved about their quality and durability. Well, I finally went for it and I have absolutely no regrets. You want to talk about a solid piece of kitchen machinery? This is the epitome of what “Made in America” used to mean! Unlike all the cheapo mixers out there, I’m completely confident that this thing will even outlast ME! The only problem is now I’m wondering why I waited so long!—–> This may help some of you – I read a review somewhere in which the reviewer gave this mixer a poor rating because it left dry ingredients in the bottom of the bowl – read the instruction booklet, people. It clearly states that if this occurs (or if the attachments scrape the bowl), there is an adjustment screw that raises or lowers the mixing assembly. I had to slightly lower mine and it now incorporates everything into the mix. The KitchenAid mixers are well worth the money….or you can keep buying junk mixers every couple years…the choice is yours.

Review by Lisa Rivera:

I refused to pay 0.00 for a standmixer, and am glad to have found this one ! The glass bowls are very roomy and the height of the mixer allows ample room to work. The assortment of beaters should allow everyone to mix away ! The 350 watts of power helped blend a peanut butter cookie which can become thick. I found clean up quite easy with the glass bowls and the shape of the beaters, not alot of crevices for sticking.

The only negative is I was expecting a metal cast mixer. This one has alot of plastic/pvc to it. This makes me nervous as far as durability over years of use, as mentioned in the other reviews I was looking for one just like my Mom had. So far it has performed as I expected.

Review by OWEN:

Needed a basic mixer that will actually mix what I throw at it. This does and I didn’t have to spend 200 bucks to make me happy.

Review by ut158:

I already own a 5 Qt mixer from the “Artisan Series” but decided to upgrade to this model so that I could make larger batches of bread dough. For my recipe, a single batch is 2 cups of bread flour. I tried making a double batch (4 cups) in my new Pro 600, but after about 15 min. of kneading, the motor just turned off. I thought I had burned it out, but after consulting the instruction manual, it seems this is normal. Normal?! Yes, that’s what it said–all I needed to do was wait for the motor to cool off (it’s also “normal” for it to get so hot it is uncomfortable to touch) for 30 min. and then try again. I find it hard to believe that this mixer could make bread with 14 cups of AP flour, as the box says. Having said that, here are my thoughts on this mixer vs. the “Artisan Series” mixer I already own:

1. The motor consumes over 50% more electricity (and is certainly more noisy) in the pro 600, but how much of that is being converted to extra torque, I’m not really sure. What I do know is that I can only do a single batch of bread at a time in either mixer.

2. As has been mentioned in other reviews, the Artisan mixer came with a “coated” paddle and dough hook, whereas the pro 600 has “Brandished steel”. This means the Artisan’s implements are dishwasher safe but the pro 600′s are not. I had assumed those bright, shiny implements that I saw in the store display were stainless steel, but I guess not. If it weren’t for this problem and the huge price tag, I would have given this mixer 5 stars.

On the plus side…

3. I love the new spiral dough hook–it is much better than the C shaped one in my Artisan

4. The soft start feature is a nice touch. Then again, it would be even nicer if there was a speed lower than the lowest one provided.

5. The larger bowl is nice

6. There is more of a difference between speeds 7-10 than the Artisan

Things I’d like to see changed in the next iteration:

–A gear box. I have a cordless drill that has a high and low gear. As could be expected, low is for more power, high is for more speed. Why don’t these mixers use a simple gear selector like that? This would be a HUGE improvement–it would not only provide more power, but the lower speed I would like, as mentioned in point 4.

–Stainless steel implements as mentioned in point #2

CONCLUSION:

A very nice mixer, but so is my “Artisan”. If you are going to buy a new mixer (and don’t have an unlimited supply of money to throw at it), I wouldn’t recommend the Pro 600–get one from the Artisan series instead–it is much cheaper and does just about as good a job. There are small advantages to the Pro 600, but even all together, I don’t think they are worth the added price.

Review by Living it up:

Due to the very high number of complaints about the problems people were having with heavy duty tasks (which is what the mixer should have been made for!) due to cheap plastic housing holding the heavy duty metal gears, I contact KitchenAid to find out if this design flaw has been fixed. It has been and here is their response (note that they are saying that if you receive one of the models with the plastic housing they will replace it under warranty with the new metal housing. It is also important to note that the people who’ve had the problem have almost all stated that KitchenAid had great customer service and replaced their mixers with no ones with no problems.

RESPONSE FROM KITCHENAID: Thank you for visiting the KitchenAid website!

I would like to reassure you that our engineering and product teams have addressed the gear box issue. In fact, we have already implemented a change in the manufacturing of the Pro 600 Stand Mixers to a metal gear box. Although these will be changed out on additional 5 qt bowl-lift models that include all metal gearing, the time line on that is not known at this time. Although a transparent change, this will insure the long-term durability we expect.

I would like to emphasize to you that should you purchase a Stand Mixer (with all metal gearing) which has not been assembled with the upgraded metal gear box, and you should have a problem with your mixer (as a result of the plastic gear box (failure), we will most certainly extend your warranty to resolve the issue properly and effectively.

If you have additional questions, feel free to reply back to me. Or, you may contact either our KitchenAid Customer Satisfaction Center at 1-800-541-6390, or you may visit our secure KitchenAid Live Chat.

Review by Lana:

I was a little skeptical buying a non-KitchenAid mixer, since they seem to be the mixer that every chef has. However, I really liked the look of this one, and it’s less expensive, and it has a 3-year warranty as opposed to a 1-year, so I took my chances. Unlike the reviewer before me, I was pleasantly surprised when I pulled it out of the box. It was slightly bigger than I expected (bulkier than our KitchenAid Artisan), but it can still fit under the cabinets even when the head is lifted, and the finish is beautiful. It looks like brushed metal, but it has a glossy coat to make it smooth. The mixer seems very well-made. I had received a KitchenAid commercial style mixer previously as a gift and returned it, because the quality seemed really poor (the finish had numerous scratches and unfinished areas of metal) and it was really big and loud. I was amazed at how quiet the Hamilton Beach mixer was. It’s quieter than our Artisan mixer – you can barely hear it at all when it’s on lower speeds. I made a batch of cookies and it mixed up fine. I didn’t have to scrape the sides any more than with the KitchenAid. One complaint I have is that the bowl feels pretty cheap and doesn’t lock as securely as the KitchenAid, and I don’t know if any other bowl will fit in it. I’ve only used the beater attachment so far, but I’m impressed with it. The white coating on it feels really nice and smooth – I was expecting plastic from the picture, but it’s actually sturdy metal covered with some kind of glossy enamel. I’m still getting used to the quick-release button in the back as opposed to the lock on the side of the KitchenAid, but I think once I get used to it, it will make things quicker and easier. I was worried I’d regret going with a company I wasn’t too familiar with instead of KitchenAid, but I don’t regret it at all. It’s gorgeous!

Review by busymom:

I originally intended to purchase the Kitchen Aid mixer. After reading the recent reviews of kitchen Aids product, I wasn’t so sure about spending so much money on a questionable product. I have 2 daughters that are on special diets that require wheat-free products. I make almost everything from scratch and my little hand mixer was just not cutting it any more.

I am so happy with this purchase. The breads I make are gluten free which makes them actually thicker and stickier than other breads. This mixer whips up a double sized batch with out any problems. I am often surprised that I don’t have to scrape the sides! Putting the wet ingredients in first seems to do the trick. My time spent baking has been cut so much. I also like that my kids can help because of the bowl attachment. I no longer worry about their fingers getting caught in the beaters. Clean up is sooo easy I now use the mixer for small jobs like making a pudding or even salad dressing.

I use this about 4 days a week so I love the 5 year warranty. It stays on my counter and I love that it fits well even with the head tilted up. Great product!! Worth every penny

Review by TamBoorg:

I purchased this unit just over a month ago. It arrived in less than a week. I’ve had no problems with it yet. It is truly all metal except for the splash guard/ingredient chute. To address some other reviews that had me concerned. The head doesn’t slap around. That is a warranty issue for her. It does walk with big stiff dough recipes such as a two loaf all wheat. Simple physics, considering size and weight, tells you at medium to high speeds it will. Kinda lets you know it is a powerful electronic speed controlled mixer. I can easily steady the base for the few seconds to finish mixing. All other mixing jobs are done with ease. I, personally, like the tilt head. All stand mixers will require side scraping with some recipes, even the expensive KitchenAids. Although I made a five bar cheesecake yesterday and as I was watching the eggs, dropped in at the side one at a time, they were all fully captured and mixed in. I usually scrape once at the beginning and it spins into a dough ball at the end anyway. There is a dimple at the bottom of the bowl to help pick up added flour during the mix. Speaking of KitchenAid, have you read the reviews of those “attachments”? Besides being expensive they say all of them suck. It seems you can buy better and cheaper items to do the same thing taking up the same amount of space.

So far I’ve made 4 loaves of baguettes, 4 loaves of wheat, 2 loaves of sourdough, numerous cakes, batches of cookies, and of course a large cheesecake since I’ve had it with no problems. (Now you can see why I needed a strong stand mixer! My church loves me now too!) The key is to read the instructions more than once to ensure you understand how to operate this model. It has some cool recipes in there too! And yes, it is very easy to clean as well.

If you want a mixer to crank out mega-loaves of all wheat bread daily, (commercial), then this is not it. If you want to make great bread, dishes and pastries for your family then this can’t be beat at this price range with this much power. After all, as one consumer already stated, this is a “Consumer Reports best buy”. I’ve had a Sunbeam Heritage, (like the one shown on the Cookin In Brooklyn show), and contrary to popular belief there is NOT a motor under the bottom pedestal. It’s great for everything else but gluttonous bread dough’s. A white loaf every once in a while, maybe. But, I wanted to be more artisan and organic with my breads so I upgraded.

Note: the short time I’ve had it is the only reason I’ve given it 4 stars. For me, longevity counts as one star.

Hobby Baker

Review by Grendel:

I bought this model instead of the comparably priced Kitchenaid because of the 400 watt motor. Of course the watts rating just means how much electric current the motor draws, not how much power it delivers, but I figured it had to be better than the 250 watts or therabouts the Kitchenaid rates.

The good news is this mixer works large batches of bread dough with no signs of overheating. But the workmanship is unimpressive. My biggest complaint is the hinge that connects the motor assembly to the base has loose tolerances. The result, when you make bread dough or anything thick, the top part slaps back and forth and the mixer walks across the counter, even though it is quite heavy. This happens consistently at speed 6 and sometimes on 4. I’m concerned that eventually the hinge will fail, probably a few weeks after the warranty expires. Also, there is too large a gap between the bottom of the dough hook (or whatever attachment you use) and the bowl, and there is no way to adjust it. This means more scraping, and using a higher speed to help keep the dough in contact with the bowl (which leads to the “walking” problem above).

It does the job, more or less, but I regret buying the thing.

Review by Steven J. Rickard:

I’ve been a long-time fan of the KitchenAid mixer. My grandmother has been using the same KitchenAid mixer since the late 50s, and it’s still going strong. I was thrilled to get a KitchenAid “Ultra-Power” mixer as a gift about seven years ago, and it worked great for occasional use. Over the past couple of years I’ve been doing more and more baking, and about a year ago I began making my own bread. After about six months of using my KitchenAid to knead two loaves of whole-wheat bread every week or so, it made a terrible grinding noise, and stopped working. I decided I’d better buy a new KitchenAid with a more powerful motor, and went online to see which was recommended. Much to my surprise, the reviews for the KitchenAid were no longer as positive as they had been. People were complaining about a decrease in quality and customer service. The biggest complaint was that some metal parts had been replaced by plastic, and while it sounded as if the company had recently started making the parts out of metal again, people were giving tips on how to determine if the model you were purchasing had the metal or plastic gearboxes. On top of that, Cooks Illustrated ranked the Cuisinart mixer above KitchenAid in a March 2008 review.

I did more research and found that the warranty was much better on the Cuisinart than on the KitchenAid. So, nervously, I decided to switch from what I had always considered to be the top brand, and I bought the Cuisinart.

My first impressions were mixed. I immediately liked the way the mixer looked, but I was nervous about it, because the body and the mixing paddles are much lighter in weight than on the KitchenAid. It lacks the solid, all-metal feel of the KitchenAid. Since the KitchenAid jittered all over the counter when I was using it to knead bread or even whip butter and sugar together for cookies, I figured the Cuisinart would probably fly off the counter. I decided to use it pretty hard for six months, and then write my review.

I’ve used it every seven to ten days to make two loaves of heavy, whole-grain bread, have made many batches of cookies and several cakes and I’m very happy to write that this is a GREAT mixer.

Much to my surprise, it doesn’t jitter at all, not even when I’m using it to knead bread. Ingredients are more thoroughly mixed, and I don’t need to scrape down the sides of the bowl with a spatula nearly as often as I needed to with my KitchenAid. Counter space in my kitchen is limited, so I keep the mixer in a cupboard, and the lighter weight means that it’s much easier to move around. In my experience, the lighter weight has NOT affected, in any way, the performance.

Once, when I was kneading some heavy dough on speed #4 for about twice as long as the usual seven or eight minutes (I’d forgotten to add salt to the bread and was trying to knead it in) the mixer overheated and shut itself down. It hasn’t done that since, and frankly, I’d rather that happen than have the gears freeze up and completely destroy the gearbox, as happened with my KitchenAid. Another greatly appreciated feature is that some clever person designed the bowl so that it’s easy to remove, even after I’ve used the mixer to knead dough. The bowl on the KitchenAid would lock so tightly after kneading bread that I’d have to wrench it free, usually skinning my knuckles in the process. Some reviewers complain that the bread dough “climbs” the kneading hook, making a mess. I find that the dough actually climbs a lot less than it did when I used my KitchenAid. One reviewer mentioned that she finds the splash guard mostly useless, but I love it — I find it truly useful, unlike the awkward, two-piece splash guard that came with my KitchenAid.

The timer function is nice, especially now that I don’t need to stand over the mixer while it’s kneading, worrying that it’ll jitter its way onto the floor. I don’t leave the room, but now I set the timer and let the mixer do its thing while I prep other ingredients or grease the baking pans. I really like the slow-start feature — no more cloud of flour when I turn on the mixer.

Basically, this mixer does everything my KitchenAid did, and does it better. The performance has been highly satisfactory, and if it breaks down any time in the next five years, it will still be under warranty … unlike my KitchenAid, which was only covered for a year.

I don’t hate KitchenAid — I think the mixers are probably still a good product, overall. I know that I was using mine for more than it was designed to handle. However, I am happier with the Cuisinart and have recommended it highly to several friends.

This is still a relatively early review. I expect stand mixers to last for at least a decade, and ideally for much longer. Six months after my purchase, I’m very happy with this machine. If anything happens to change that, I’ll update this review.

January 29, 2009

I dropped my mixer! I was doing a lot of Christmas baking, the countertop was crowded, I put it too close to the edge of the counter and WHAM, it fell to the floor, landing hard, upside down. While I have no idea how the trauma will affect the overall life of the mixer, it still works fine. The top is a little askew now, and the hinged door at the front that covers the slow-speed power outlet will no longer stay closed. But: the mixer works as well as it ever did. I really wish I hadn’t dropped it, but this is a strong peice of equipment. That was a hard fall from countertop height to a hardwood floor, and there appears to have been nothing more than cosmetic damage. I’ve been baking as much as ever, and it still works beautifully.

Review by Drew K.:

This is a relatively new purchase and it has been used only a few times, but so far everything is working wonderfully. The slow start and fold features are great; it keeps flour-type ingredients from dusting the kitchen counter, and the kitchen floor, and other kitchen appliances – you get the idea. I was happy that it also came with a splash guard for much the same reason! The design is sleek, the control knob works well, overall a good product.

There is one complaint I have: the top cover which also hides the accessory attachment area, is easy to remove. So much so that it sometimes comes off accidentally when raising the mixer head if you grab the wrong part. No big deal really, but something that should be looked at for future product development.

The main point I want to make is the strength of the warranty. To have a company stand behind their equipment by giving a 3 year product warranty and a 5 year motor warranty is very comforting. Compare that warranty to the one KitchenAid gives (1 year).

Review by Colleen Slaton:

I have owned and used several different mixers, including the expensive one which I gave away because I didn’t like it at all. Another Famous Brand I owned was so lightweight, it would move around on the counter while in use and would not turn the bowl, therefore, I had to stand there and continously scrape the bowl.

I am only giving the West Bend 41135 four stars because it is not perfect but it does come close! The bowl turns, there is room to add ingredients without stopping the motor, and raising the beaters, it is heavy enough to stay in place, it can be used as a hand mixer, and it has all the speeds anyone could want or need. If the mfg. had just color coded the beaters and the holes they belong in, they could be inserted quickly and easily. But that is no big deal–only a minor thing. I have color coded them myself so now, it is my dream machine! I am a proud and happy owner of this West Bend mixer.

Review by J. Koschmann:

I have had several mixers, and this is a good one. It is quiet, something that cannot be said for many mixers. It does not spatter. It blends really well. Some reviewers have complained about confusion about which beater goes into which hole, and the instruction manual is confusing on this matter. It appears that the beaters and their holes have been changed to remove the confusion, all since those reviews and the instruction book were written. One beater has a hexagonal metal piece at the insertion end, while the other has a circular one. The mixer, in turn, has correspondingly shaped holes, and this removes all potential for confusion. Very pleased!

Review by Joanna Daneman:

I have a KitchenAid and I must say, they are as good as their high reputation. I bought the mixer mainly to make bread, but what makes it even better are the accessories. These convert the stand mixer/dough maker into a vegetable processor, grinder and sausage maker. There is also a grain grinder that really works quite well. Here are the pros and cons of this set, as I see it:Pros:
You get a decent meat grinder with two blades, coarse and fine. This means you can make ground turkey with no additives, ground chicken without added fat, or fresh ground beef. You can also grind meat for sausage (about which, later.)You get a slicer similar to those hand-turned cone types that make cole slaw or waffled carrot slices.Cons:
The sausage nozzle for filling the casings is not included. This is, in my opinion, really dumb. It’s just a couple of pieces of molded plastic. For heaven’s sake, include it. The slicer is a bit clunky. If you don’t put the bowl to catch the shreds just right, you get slaw all over. And sometimes it is hard to get the cone off the flanges of the connecting pin that fits into the mixer attachment point. But screwing it into the mixer and grabbing with a rubber mat usually works for me. I prefer a mandoline, a food processor or even a big board and a really sharp chef’s knife to the slicer, but it does save on counter space. So, this is a good thing to have as an addition to your KitchenAid if you do any kind of prep cooking, such as canning, salads, baby foods, venison processing, or sausages. It’s very good quality plastic and metal, though the cone blade finish seems a bit crude to me. I can recommend it, with the reservations I mentioned.

Review by Eugene Mah:

I use this with my Kitchenaid Epicurean and really enjoy it. Used it to grind our own beef and pork for meatloaf and shredded plenty of cheese for mac and cheese. The motor provides plenty of power to grind and shred through just about anything, and the shredding/grinding blades seem to keep their edge quite nicely.There are a lot of bits to keep track of though, and some of them can be a little difficult to clean properly. I also wish the hopper for the grinder attachment was a little bit bigger.It’s not going to replace my food processor, but when I have a large volume of stuff to do, or for things my food processor’s motor just can’t handle, this certainly does the trick.