KitchenAid KP26M1XVB Professiona

EDIT after 3 months of use:I continue to really like this mixer. It's gotten a little less quiet, but is still "quiet' for a stand-mixer of this size and power. Stand-mixers in general are not quiet appliances, so expecting one which literally makes very little noise is not realistic. I am impressed by the efficiency and power of the bread hook. My ciabatta has improved greatly since switched to this machine.I do want to repeat my warning: This is not a machine you should allow children to use. If I had young children, I would not have one in my kitchen, except under lock and key. I was a kid once, so I remember trying things out even when my parents told me absolutely not to do so. The welts have long faded from the several spankings I got after I absolutely did so. In careless or unwitting hands, this is a dangerous piece of kitchen equipment. You wouldn't let your kids play with good kitchen knives or a food processor, so just add this to the list of NOT FOR KIDS.Original comments:This is in-between a commercial model and the usual stand-mixers I've used. It's not for use by children or careless teens. It's for serous cooks. There are some things about it which could present minor safety issues if you're not paying attention - such as not turning off the mixer before you lower the bowl. To repeat: the motor does not turn off when you lower the bowl. That could cause the beater to catch the splash-guard and break it. It could also splatter batter outside the bowl. However, being able to raise and lower the bowl is something that I find extremely useful, and would be disappointed if there were a switch incorporated into the stand mechanism.I broke the dough hook on my Kenmore 800 Watt 5-quart mixer, and the thing is so old now (15 years), I can't find a replacement hook for it. So I splurged on a new KitchenAid 6-quart Bowl Pro 600 model (a retail "professional" model) for about the same price I paid for the Kenmore 15 years ago. So far, it's been a pleasure. Everything has small tolerances, so that the beater and Whisk come close to the bowl. The bread-hook is exactly like the ones I've seen on commercial models. The mixer is relatively quiet compared to the Kenmore. (As it aged, I started wearing ear-plugs when using it. If I keep it, I will look for new gears to install in it.)The KitchenAid has a slow-start protocol built in, so that when you turn it on (by advancing the speed lever - there is no on/off switch) it doesn't sent a puff of flour in the air or splash liquid out (unless you go immediately to high). The Kenmore I had apparently was engineer with a fast-start; I resorted to starting the Kenmore with the beaters up and then lowering them into the bowl when the mixer had gone to it's appropriate speed. Still, if I had a lot of flour in the bowl of the KitchenAid, I'd start with the bowl lowered, and slowly ight the bowl to reduce splatter, etc.I like it because it's the closest I've seen to a real commercial mixer. I wouldn't be at all surprised if it is used in commercial kitchens for smaller jobs. I have just begun to use it, so I don't know how it will wear. If it develops problems from early wear, I'll be back to report on them.

I have never owned a stand mixer before, but I knew I wanted to use it to make larger amounts of bread dough than my bread maker can handle. I chose the Pro 600 after reading all the reviews that said you'll need the increased wattage to handle dough.First of all, make sure you have enough headroom wherever you want to keep it - you'll need at least 17" under the cabinet to be able to use it in place. This may be important for many people as this mixer is bulky and heavy to move - over 30 lbs. But since it has the bowl lift feature, the head does not tilt back so you don't need extra clearance - 17" will work fine.The first thing I used it for was an angel food cake and I have to say, the results were amazing. Using the wire whip, the egg whites whipped up higher than I have ever achieved with my hand mixer and in half the time! The cake was much higher and fluffier, too. The plastic bowl collar makes it easy to add ingredients during the mixing process without making a mess.Next, I made a double recipe of yeast rolls. I used the spiral dough attachment and, as directed, never went above speed setting 2. It performed very well and my rolls were perfect. I referred to the tips in the owners manual for fast rise yeast breads. The machine didn't seem to strain or struggle and the resulting dough was lovely.I also made 15 lbs. of mashed potatoes. Following the recipe and directions in the manual, the potatoes were very good. I made them in 2 batches, first using the flat beater attachment and then switching to the wire whip. It seemed like a lot of work and switching when I read the directions but actually, it is quite easy and quick to stop the machine for a moment to scrape down the sides of the bowl or change attachments. Also, the included clear plastic collar keeps things from flying up and out of the mixer when working with large batches. No more mashed potatoes across the front of my shirt!The bowl lift mechanism works smoothly and easily and is very convenient. The 6 qt. bowl has a well designed handle and is thick, sturdy stainless steel. I love the slow start feature! The mixer starts slowly before coming up to speed so you don't get the big cloud of flour bursting up at the beginning of making dough. I got the meringue color, which is a soft white that is a matte, powder coated finish. I took mine in the back of my van to the relatives for Thanksgiving, where it got banged and bumped, and the finish suffered no damage.The 3 included attachments are heavy aluminum and KitchenAid recommends hand washing them. The bowl is dishwasher safe. I haven't purchased any additional attachments but I plan to, along with an extra bowl, which I think would be very handy during the holidays.UPDATE: 10 years later, this mixer is still going strong and I have had zero issues with it. I'm so pleased with it, I bought one for my son and daughter-in-law.