Anyone who loves to bake knows that there are lots of times when you really need a helping hand to mix, stir and aerate.

A stand mixer is ideal for this purpose and really you can’t go past a KitchenAid Artisan 5 qt Stand Mixer. I really don’t know how I would manage without my stand mixer. It is so useful for making  home made sausages and pasta, plus all that slicing and dicing of salads when I am entertaining. Batters are also no problem when you use your stand mixer.

The Artisan series is one of the most popular in the KitchenAid mixer collection and for good reason. This updated version is larger than the previous 4.5qt mixer and comes in a gorgeous range of colors including the attractive shiny red color as shown.

And talk about performance plus,  the KitchenAid Artisan 5qt mixer easily manages up to 9 cups of flour which makes it the perfect family sized mixer. It has a 325 watt motor that means it has all the power you need to mix up even the heaviest dough recipe, and the 10 speed control gives you complete control over the mixing process.

• one practical, functional attractive KitchenAid Artisan stand mixer.
• one flat beater for mixing  batter
• one  dough hook for stirring and mixing and kneading even the heaviest dough mixture.
• one wire whisk that beautifully aerates meringues, cream and anything else that needs whisking

What We Like

• This mixer has 10 speeds providing the perfect amount of control.
• The Artisan series boasts the best beater-to-bowl coverage which means that foods are mixed more thoroughly all the way to the edge of the bowl.
• The pouring shield allows for the easy addition of ingredients and prevents foods from splattering around your kitchen.
• This mixer has a strong 325 watt motor.

The KitchenAid Artisan Stand Mixer comes with so many practical  attachments that are sure to attract and delight home bakers. In addition to the  three attachments that are included with the mixer, Artisan owners can purchase more than a dozen optional attachments designed to meet a huge variety of cooking needs. These additional accessories can transform the Artisan into an ice-cream maker, a pasta maker, a citrus juicer and much more.

The three attachments that come with the KitchenAid Artisan Stand Mixer are ones home bakers frequently use: the flat beater, the dough hook and the wire whip.

• The flat beater is used for mixing normal to slightly heavy or thick batters, including cake mixes, cookie doughs and pancake or waffle batters.
• The dough hook is used for mixing and kneading bread, pizza or other yeast doughs,
• The wire whip is perfect for mixing recipes that incorporate egg whites or for creating whipped cream.

With the KitchenAid Ice Cream Maker Attachment you can make up to 2 quarts of  delicious, soft-consistency ice cream in about 30 minutes. The attachment includes all parts needed to make soft or hard ice cream at home, including the drive assembly, dasher and specially designed Freeze Bowl. All ice cream maker attachment parts are machine washable except for the Freeze Bowl.

The KitchenAid Pasta Maker allows you to easily make thick or thin spaghetti, macaroni, lasagna or flat noodles. This attachment includes a food grinder as well as a cleaning tool. There are several additional KitchenAid stand mixer pasta making accessories you can purchase that include a sheet roller and cutter sets for making a wide assortment of pastas and ravioli. The sheet roller is particularly handy for making large quantities of pasta quickly and easily.

If you’d like to transform the KitchenAid Artisan stand mixer into a slicer, the  Rotor Slicer with Shredder attachment is ideal. This accessory can slice firm fruits and vegetables as well as cheeses into thick or thin slices. You can also use the shredder attachment to create coarse or fine shreds.

The KitchenAid Food Grinder and Meat Grinder attachment enables you to grind your own meat at home. You can also grind firm fruits and vegetables with this attachment.

The  Citrus Juicer is another popular accessory for the KitchenAid Artisan mixer. This attachment makes fresh-squeezed orange juice or lemonade a snap to make. You can also juice lemons and limes for cooking or to use in beverages.

Keep in mind that the KitchenAid Artisan stand mixer  is quite a heavy mixer and some may find it difficult to lift in and out of a kitchen cupboard.  But it is really too nice to hide in the cupboard so why not leave it on display if you have room on your kitchen bench.  There is a rather nice  quilted cover available which will keep out any dust.

Where is the Best Place to Buy a Kitchenaid Artisan Stand Mixer?

We found that Amazon has the best price for the mixer.

Some of the Attachments that are available for the KitchenAid Artisan Stand Mixer: