Which stand mixer?

a 275 Watt sunbeam stand mixer was under my christmas tree this year. I sighed at first, as it was not a Kitchen Aid. Im over that now.
Reason one: I make bread once a month but I enjoy kneading by hand. Im not challenging the mixer with anything it cant handle.
Reason two: there is a slider on the base that adjusts to fit small and large bowls. Using this slider, i can move the beaters as close to the side of the bowl as i want. So that means it is scraping the side and bottom perfectly and i dont need a spatula to cream butter and sugar. Kitchen Aids get very close to the bottom, but the beaters clearance from the side cannot be changed.
Reason three: The beaters are better designed than those old kitchen aid x-shaped beaters. Sunbeam's beaters do not have a metal rod down the center so they are easier to clean. In other words, the center is hollow and its easy to scrape anything off. Still, kitchen Aids "K" beater is even easier to clean.
Reason four: Power Boost. Delivers extra 150 watts with the slide of a button. Greatly useful feature.

All in all, understand the limits you will put your mixer to and spend money accordingly. And wait for a sale.

I recommended this in response to another post. Kitchenaid outlet store has a refurbished KA600 stand mixer in red or blue right now for $239. It's the last mixer you'll ever need to buy and is a great deal. It won't gallop off your counter. It'll give you nothing but pleasure. And in addition, KA customer service is great if you ever need it. I have KA600 myself that I got refurbished and have never had a second thought. In addition, I have a Hobart/Kitchenaid mixer that's more than 50 years old and still works like a charm when I pull it out for a quick, small job. I love Kitchenaid mixers and wouldn't settle for anything else. Buy it once, use it forever.

P.S. The new spiral dough hook that comes with this model is so much more effective than the one that comes with the smaller Kitchenaids. If you look, you can see the difference.

My first recommendation is that you do a search right here at Cheftalk. We've had several meaningful discussions on stand mixers, and I'm sure you'll gain insights that way.

In a nutshell, there are a few criterium to consider when buying a stand mixer:

1. Intended use. The fact is, the KA Artisan is all the mixer most people need. The exception is if you do a lot of bread making, in which case a different machine makes sense, because the Artisan doesn't have the capacity nor the power to do a lot of bread dough.

2. Features. I, for instance, abhor tilt-head mixers. So when it came time for a new one I choose the Pro 600 because of its bowl-lift mechanism. Actually, I was going to go with the similar 500, but found the 600 on sale. So you need to give thought to how you use a stand mixer, decide on the size and features you need, and choose based on that.

3. Budget. If you watch for sales and KA rebates you can often do very well. When I bought the 600, for instance, Bed Bath & Beyond had it on sale. In addition there was a $50 KA rebate being offered. Net result: I paid only $259 for it, brand new, out the door. I've never regretted it.

Food Dude

Hey Vetclone, sorry to hear about your Sunbeam walking off the counter...It happens. I've had a KA, K5SS (5-quart bowl) since 1989, and it's a champ. I bake whole wheat bread at least twice a month (5-6 cups of flour per batch) and pizza dough,and have never had a problem. The only time the machine bogged was when I tried to mix a double batch of oatmeal cookies at once. When looking at KA models, I prefer the five quart mixers over the 4 1/2 quart size (stronger motor, more wattage). If your budget allows and you are a serious large-scale baker, do look at the 6-quart model. Your Sunbeam was a good model. For most applications it is a very good choice. It may not be able to handle the larger batches of tough tasks like thick cookie dough, but if this is the brand that is in your budget, then don't be dissapointed to get one. I actually collect old Sunbeam stand mixers. I like the retro, "Flash Gordon" look of the machines. I use them for single-loaf bread recipies (5 cups of flour or less) and for small batches of cookies.

Have fun, keep baking.