Erik wrote requesting an alternate mixer for his bread, and recounted
his horror stories of KitchenAid. While I agree with him that the
mixers aren't what they used to be, I was quite surprised with the
lack of customer service. I am currently on my third of the new
mixers. The first one just quit no reason I know of. The second
one also quit but I suspect in this case it was because we were using
the vegetable puree attachment. Liquid was backing up into the motor
and poof it was history. For each of the above-named problems, I
was sent an immediate replacement machine KitchenAid's warranty
calls for that an immediate replacement, none of those repairs that
stretch out forever. Each replacement machine starts the warranty
period all over again.
I am sorry to say that we no longer use our KitchenAid
attachments. We used to use a grain mill but the process was so hard
on the mixer (and so slow), we bought a stand-alone mill. We also
used to use the food mill attachment a LOT now I notice that this
product is no longer included in their advertised "attachment
pack". With the new mixers, apparently food backs up into the
machine, although the company vehemently denies that. Well, except
for one person we spoke with who said that we needed to cook the
tomatoes first and couldn't push them through, rather let the auger
bring them down. Well the auger doesn't work like that, the
instruction book says the tomatoes can be raw, and what's the purpose
of the wooden push tool if not to help the product along to the
auger. So we bought a stand-alone food mill as well. I "do" still
use my KitchenAid but only for occasional quick breads, cakes or
cookies. But the expensive attachments (over $250 retail) languish.
A word of note on those "wide-bowl" mixers. Indeed, it is much
easier to pour ingredients into the bowl but the bowl needs to be
scraped! Never had that problem with my old KitchenAid - which still
works but that's a whole nuther story!
Bev C