I'm not saying that the Hobart 5qt isn't a good machine in a residential application. I'm just saying it isn't worth the extra you pay over the cost of a KA mixer.
Hobart is the undisputed king of food mixers and that's why I started to buy the 5 quart for the school instead of KA. Within 2 weeks the first Hobart failed. When the service tech came to fix it I was incenced and I said to him, "I spent $1,200 for the Hobart name and quality and the damned thing didn't last any longer than a KA at 1/3 the price. Why am I spending all that money?" His response was, "I don't know. Why are you?"
I'd be willing to bet too that the materials and manufacturing processes today are very different from those in 1947.
Jock |