KitchenAid Artisan Stand Mixer Review: Best for Most Home Bakers

KitchenAid Artisan Stand Mixer Review: Best for Most Home Bakers. In my larger tested evaluation of the finest KitchenAid stand mixers, the Artisan Series 5-Quart Tilt-Head Stand Mixer was my top selection. Here’s how the legendary model got such great praise.

It’s difficult to go wrong with any KitchenAid stand mixer. The brand’s classic models are top-of-the-line machines with quality craftsmanship and timeless style that might win a permanent home on your kitchen countertop. I can safely pronounce the Artisan Series 5-Quart Tilt-Head Stand Mixer as the greatest KitchenAid mixer overall after putting five major KitchenAid models into a series of culinary tests. This streamlined, versatile mixer handled every one of my recipes—whipped cream, kitchen sink cookies, pizza dough, and sponge cake—with power and precision, indicating that this best-selling model is well-deserved.

The Artisan Series 5-Quart Tilt-Head Stand Mixer is the greatest KitchenAid model overall, thanks to its power and adaptability.

The Artisan passed all of my tests with flying , thanks to its 5-quart size, that’s ideal for family kitchens. When I made the loaded kitchen sink cookies, it expertly combined all the mix-ins. It left no clumps of ingredients behind, creating cookies with uniformly distributed raisins, chocolate chips, walnuts, coconut, and oats. The machine kneaded the tough dough into a smooth ball without bouncing in the pizza dough test. Thanks to the Artisan’s intuitive tilt-head design, which makes the entire machine streamlined, I found adding extra ingredients and swapping out attachments easy.

The only way to know if you’ll get a good deal of money is if you’re willing to pay for it. Once you’ve decided to buy this model, the most challenging aspect of the procedure is picking the color you want: The Artisan is available in 27 appealing colors, one (or many) of which will undoubtedly complement your kitchen’s decor.

KitchenAid Artisan Series 5-Quart Tilt-Head Stand Mixer Features

Powerful And Versatile

The Artisan is up to whipping up rich buttercream or kneading stiff bread dough. During testing, I was blown away by the mixer’s versatility—it mixed everything correctly, from delicate cake batter to tough bread dough. When I used the provided wire whisk to make whipped cream on high speed, none of the heavy cream splashed over the sides; after 5 minutes of running the machine, my bowl was full of , billowing peaks. During my kitchen sink cookie test, the paddle attachment effectively included all of my mix-ins; I was proven incorrect while I expected to find a dry patch or clumps of raisins. The Artisan did not bounce around my countertop when I used the dough hook to knead pizza dough at high speeds, as many inferior machines do. Instead, the mixer’s body remained constant while it churned the dough into a tight ball that generated airy, crispy pizza dough.

When it came time to be gentle, the Artisan responded appropriately—and expertly. I made a typical sponge cake batter using the paddle attachment, which is a very demanding mixture; if you overwork the batter, which is easy to do in a stand mixer, your cake might become tough or collapse. The Artisan produced an amazingly light and soft cake. I paired it with mint whipped cream and macerated strawberries for a simple yet gorgeous dessert.

Intuitive To Use

The Artisan is a tilt-head machine, meaning the mixing bowl is locked into the body’s base, and the head tilts backward. Overall, this design was quite easy to utilize. Throughout my testing, I utilized all of the provided attachments—the beater, whisk, and dough hook—and when it came time to swap them out, they were easy to remove. Rather than having to remove the bowl, I could adjust the attachments while the bowl remained secured in place. It was also simple to put the machine on hold so I could scrape the sides of the bowl or add extra ingredients.

The Artisan comes with a tool that makes it straightforward to add ingredients to the mixer while it’s running: a translucent plastic pouring shield. This attachment not only fits on top of the bowl to prevent ingredients from flying out while the machine is running but also has a tapered spout on its side where you can easily add ingredients. I found this tool very useful when creating pizza dough because it allowed me to add flour to the mixer as it kneaded the sticky dough, saving me from a large mess.

Streamlined For Home Kitchens

Making room for a KitchenAid mixer is one of the most difficult aspects of adding one to your kitchen arsenal. And, while the Artisan isn’t the brand’s smallest model (the Artisan Mini is a terrific model for novices or occasional bakers), its streamlined tilt-head design makes it easier to move and store than bowl-lift models. The Artisan weighs 26 pounds and stands around 14 inches tall, whereas models in the latter category weigh around 30 pounds and stand over 16 inches tall. Furthermore, in my testing, I found the Artisan to be just as efficient as a bowl-lift model with the same capacity: the Professional 5 Plus Series 5-Quart Bowl-Lift Stand Mixer. While the latter functioned admirably in all of my tests, I didn’t find that the additional weight on the Artisan Series made it more functional.

How Does The KitchenAid Artisan Series 5-Quart Tilt-Head Stand Mixer Compare?

This model receives five out of five gold stars. The Artisan proved to be just as efficient and versatile in my culinary tests as larger, more expensive models with nearly double the watts. However, the streamlined form of this model makes it ideal for household kitchens. It’s easy to use and store because it’s more compact. And, while this mixer isn’t designed to handle enormous quantities, I never wished it was larger throughout testing. A 5-quart capacity is ample for various culinary projects, from delicate cakes to thick, dense breads. Furthermore, unlike the other models I tested, the Artisan is available in 27 lovely colors, including Lavender Cream and the iconic Empire Red.

How I Tested The KitchenAid Artisan Series 5-Quart Tilt-Head Stand Mixer

To find the finest KitchenAid stand mixers, I put five different models (including the Artisan) through a series of culinary tests to see how well they handled a variety of doughs and batters. First, I made whipped cream in the Artisan using the wire whisk. This Test showed me how easy it was to adjust speed settings because I switched between medium and high speeds. I also noted how soon the machine beat the heavy cream into medium-stiff, fluffy peaks.

Next, I made chunky kitchen sink cookies to see how well the mixer handled a variety of mix-ins, including raisins, almonds, chocolate chips, walnuts, and coconut. I then put the Artisan through its paces with a batch of pizza dough to test how it handled tougher dough. Because substandard stand mixers frequently bounce around on the countertop when mixing dense doughs, this Test let me evaluate each machine’s stability; if a machine bumped or rattled, I noted it. Finally, I made a conventional sponge cake, during which I noticed whether the Artisan overmixed the batter or carefully folded the ingredients with the requisite elegance.

My Expertise

As a former professional chef who has worked in catering and restaurant kitchens (as well as my home kitchen), I’ve used KitchenAid stand mixers extensively over the years to whip up sweet and savory items. I also hold a culinary arts degree from the Institute of Culinary Education. Using my knowledge and experience, I’ve spent the last five years testing and assessing many types of home kitchen equipment. My work can be found on the Food Network, Food & Wine, Taste of Home, and People.com. I also interviewed Joanne Chang, owner of Boston’s Flour Bakery & Cafe, and Jürgen David, pastry research and development director at the Institute of Culinary Education, for this piece.

What Is the Difference Between The Artisan Series Stand Mixer And The Classic Standard Mixer?

The Artisan Series 5-Quart Stand Mixer is identical in size and functionality to the Classic Series 4.5-Quart Tilt-Head Stand Mixer, with the former being slightly more raised and designed for home cooks who want a bit more style and efficiency. The Artisan mixer has a 5-quart capacity, while the Classic mixer has a 4.5-quart capacity. Also The Artisan also comes with a handy pouring cover, reducing mess and making adding ingredients easier while the mixer is running. Both machines have the same mixing speeds, but the Artisan is slightly more powerful—it has 325 watts of power, while the Classic has 275. Furthermore, the Artisan is available in 27 brilliant colors, while the Classic is only available in black and white.

What Attachments Come With The Artisan Series 5-Quart Tilt-Head Stand Mixer?

This mixer arrives with a beater, dough hook, wire whisk, plastic pouring shield, and the 5-quart metal bowl. However, if you wish to enhance the machine’s capability, the Artisan is compatible with a wide range of KitchenAid accessories that link to the universal power hub on the head of its stand mixers, such as the pasta maker and meat grinder. It should be noted, however, that additional attachments and accessories are supplied separately.

What Is The Best Way To Clean The Artisan Series 5-Quart Tilt-Head Stand Mixer?

All KitchenAid mixing bowls and most common baking attachments are dishwasher safe. Hand-washing is recommended for more delicate attachments, such as the wire whisk. It’s also a good idea to clean the mixer’s base and head after each usage; wipe the machine down with a moist towel.