Despite the hefty price tag, many of the equally capable rivals in the market are similarly priced, meaning quality and stability are still expensive commodities. This classic machine may do fewer things compared with many of its cheaper all-in-one counterparts, but it does them very well. The splashguard and the sizeable bowl make this a good investment for a baking enthusiast at any level of experience. Verdict

At this stage it’s worth pointing out the mixer does all of that with minimal noise, which is especially handy, as my best baking usually happens at quarter past midnight. While venturing into the more dangerous (officially not recommended) territory of speed 4 with a dough hook results in more wobbliness, the general vibration and noise levels are fairly low compared with a lot of other mixers out there. However, all the speeds have a soft-start feature, meaning the stand mixer automatically starts on a lower speed to help avoid turning you into a floury snowman. The mixer then seamlessly increases to the selected speed. The recipe itself is perhaps overly optimistic, not requiring to chill the croissant dough overnight. As for the results, Paul would say they were too close-textured and Mary would probably have called them “a little informal”, but they were definitely edible.The final test was macarons, for which I made up my own recipe. This time I went rogue and threw in the sugar with liquid egg whites straight from the fridge. In 9 minutes at increasing speeds, I achieved a beautiful, stiff meringue I could easily hold upside down above my head. The ceramic flat beater is meant for normal to heavy mixtures, such as cake batter and mashed potatoes. The wire whip works equally well for egg whites and whipping cream, while the ceramic dough hook is best for mixing and kneading yeasty doughs.

When it comes to the weight of the beast – 11.17kg, to be precise – the extensive range of colours starts to make sense: this mixer will have to be the centrepiece of your kitchen. It’ll be difficult to fit its bulky shape in any of your cupboards, even if you are inclined to attempt to lift it. You’ll need some counter space to keep it out, but if you’re a keen baker, this shouldn’t be a problem.Of all the stand mixers I've tried (which is a lot!), this is the one I would buy for myself. It's not quite as pretty as the KitchenAid, but it's a lotcheaper and has twice the power. Extras such as a glass bowl and sturdy splash guard are also included in the price, whereas you'd get a stainless steel bowl if you went for almost any other mixer on the market. In addition to the whisk, dough hook and flat beater, this mixer comes with a 4.8-L stainless steel bowl. It's also possible to buy a range of separate accessories to use with the mixer, including differently sized mixing bowls, a juicer, an ice cream maker, a spiraliser, a pasta roller and a vegetable slicer. Stand Mixer Prices UK

This version of the mixer comes with a stainless steel bowl rather than glass. While I’m fairly used to stainless steel bowls and don’t expect to see every movement my stand mixer makes, I can understand the appeal of the glass bowl on previous versions. Compared with many of the cheaper multi-functional blender-chopper-mixers, the KitchenAid Artisan 4.8L mixer only comes with three attachments. But it’s quality over quantity, as the machine beats, whips and kneads with speed and efficiency, equally pleasing the time-poor and noise-sensitive.

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This classic mixer stand has a robust and durable metal design and a smooth rounded finish. This makes cleaning it a breeze. It's direct drive motor is silent and long lasting, and the original planetary action provides fast thorough mixing. The splash guard is innovative and very effective, and while it's heavy, the owl means you can keep a knowing eye on your bakes as they mix. I also enjoyed the range of speeds, and how powerful they can be if you turn them up high. If you wanted to make a meringue, it would be perfect. About this review, and the reviewer While the mixer is advertised as having 10 speeds, only six of these are highlighted on the machine as well as in the instructions: 1 for stirring, 2 for slow mixing, 4 for mixing and beating, 6 for beating and creaming, 8 for fast beating and whipping, and 10 for fast whipping.

speed settings ensure fast, thorough and precise mixing. The direct drive motor in the head ensures the power is driven directly to the attachments and accessories. The Stand Mixer is efficient, reliable and long lasting. Since cooking is a multi-stage process, the Artisan Stand Mixer is designed as the most versatile kitchen tool. A wide variety of attachments and optional accessories can simply be plugged in. The single multi-purpose hub will allow you to mince meat, slice vegetables, roll and cut pasta, squeeze, chop and process… Do all this and much more with just one appliance!. Adapts to your needs - Choose from a whole range of attachments. Simply plug them in and you're ready! Create any dish you've ever wanted to make. Next up was lemon and earl grey chiffon cake, which included copious amounts of beating and whipping. The mixer held its own during the whipping on speed 8, to the extent that a spoon balanced on top of it didn’t move. The egg whites came out stiff in no time and my chiffon cake was light and fluffy.Do the twist - It's never been easier to add ingredients into your mixture, thanks to the original planetary action of our stand mixer. Low-effort and high-quality results go hand in hand.The beater rotates in one direction while its whisk turns in the other, constantly pushing ingredients towards the centre of the bowl. I started with croissants, using speed 1 to slightly mix the ingredients before going on speed 2 for the proper kneading. The mixer stayed stable with only a slight wobble. Millie Fender heads up all things small appliances at Ideal Home. There’s nothing she loves more than testing out the latest and greatest cooking gadgets, for indoor and outdoor use, from toasters to air fryers. Millie lives in South London and is constantly squeezing more appliances into her modest kitchen. If it makes it onto the kitchen counters full time, you know an appliance is worth the hype.