If for everyday/occasional use... go with whatever fits your budget!?! NEVER thought I'd shell out $200-ish for a mixer until SIL MADE me take her's home on T-Day... with strict orders to return it the following weekend. Standard, tily-head model. When I cranked out cookie dough for 4-5 different types with butter that wasn't really soft... I was sold. A few years ago, found a "vintage" (faded yellow) KA stand mixer (crank up/down) at Good Will. Had paddle, dough hook and whisk and ran just fine. Was marked $39.99... since I already HAD a KA, was ready to pass. BUT it was half price and just couldn't leave without it. I cleaned it up really well (wasn't cruddy or anythiing to begin with), taped everything off, and sprayed it out flat black with left-over out-door gas grill paint. It's a work horse! Then found a spare BOWL for a few $.

Hubby said the other day that our new kitchen will be complete once it has a stand mixer collecting dust on the countertop (he's hoping for homemade bread and goodies, I'm sure!). And so.....here I am, back on Appliances searching the archives for stand mixer info. If I'm gonna get one, I might as well get the higher wattage one---don't want to get one and then complain about it. Am I reading this thread correctly---that if you have 18" of clearance under your upper cabinets, the Pro 600 WILL fit? I saw the measurements of one, and I couldn't figure out which number is what dimension (I'm sure there's a std. way of writing measurements, but I don't remember it). I thought that the higher number was the height, but it looks like I'm wrong (19.4")??? What color looks best collecting dust (just kidding--I guess I should get a cover for it)? The cinnamon looks nice (I have medium cherry cabs, dark peacock granite, and SW Blonde walls; an accent color in the adjacent room is a clay or browned pumpkin color). Amazon has them for $300. I can get one at Kohl's for $310 after coupon and rebate. Is it better to get one local (but only 3 color choices--black, "nickel", and something else like nickel). Are these good prices? Thanks! Tracey

I have mine on a lift in the island. I think it is great, because it is such a heavy item, dragging across the counter and dusting it was a drag and it is so nice to pull it out, do my thing and then slide it back into obscurity. I don't miss the storage space, as I have lots of other storage, but I do miss the additional accent color in my kitchen, as it was the "inspiration" color for our kitchen in the first place! But now if I want to change accent colors, it will not be a problem.

The new Hobarts were not as well reviewed in that article. While they said it worked well with anything they threw at it, they added -- "Narrow bowl mouth (the narrowest) made it awkward to add ingredients, and turning off power to change speeds was a painÂbut not as much as transporting the 55-pound beast." And then there is the price tag. I think availability and actual pricing may be a deciding factor as well as features. I'd never seen a Cuisinart mixer before when I got mine. I know I can get service and parts on a KA, but don't on the Cuisinart -- which makes that warranty more important, but what will it mean if you have to put it into play? I still don't know where I could actually go and see the Cuisinart mixer -- maybe Williams Sonoma? Also, the KA pro model is listed at $399 -- more than the Cuisinart, but mine was under $250 at actual purchase. And I had a choice of colors. Bottom line, I don't think you're likely to go wrong with either of them -- and probably not any of the top models. Best bet is to see if one feels more comfortable to you or a color pulls at your heartstrings. Have fun deciding. :-)