Hi Robert,
I had my Kitchen Aid professional mixer serviced three times before I
finally switched to a Viking mixer. I bake bread several times a
week, and the Kitchen Aid just wouldn't stand up to my wetter doughs,
especially the notoriously wet ciabatta. When I called the company
the first time the mixer broke, they told me I shouldn't be mixing
bread dough past speed one on the mixer. Since I find that speed
inadequate for sufficient kneading for most doughs, I continued to
use it as I had been, and I had the mixer serviced another two times
as a result. After the fourth breakdown, I left it on the curb. I
have now been using a Viking mixer for about three years, and I have
not had one problem with it. I was fortunate to have tried out the
Viking at the BEC at King Arthur, and it sealed the deal for me.
Happy baking!
Steph