Comparison of Kitchenaid's Bowl-Lift Stand Mixers 

Thank you for "validating" the fact that I was completely surprised and put off by the incredible noise of the Pro 600 - purchased it from Costco. It was delivered today and it's going right back. Whoever product tested these did not do so in a normal residential kitchen. Wow. Kudos to you for making such an informative video. thank you very much.

Thank you Zack. This was just what I need to know. Your comments about the loudness of the Pro 600 let me know that I need to get the 7 quart model. The loudness and the capacity to double my bread recipe are the two most important factors for me.

4 years later, your video is still helping people out. I just canceled my professional 600 order to order a artisan mini. I would LOATHE that noise. Thanks, dude!

Before I say anything else, let me just say - WOW. Finally, someone has clearly, and accurately, explained the differences between these models of KA machines. No guessing, no anecdotal nonsense, no 'touchy-feely' self-rationalization as to purchase justification, etc., etc. Just good solid facts. I only wish those many folks [who legitimately] have model-difference questions would come here - and pay attention - I think all will be answered. As for myself, after originally owning a 5-quart bowl-lift mixer, the same vintage as yours, and used it for about 18 years with no issues, moved-on to a 6-quart "Professional 6" mixer for added capacity. But 16 months later I decided to upgrade once again to the 7-quart Proline mixer, not only for the additional capacity, but to avoid the many issues [some folks seem to experience] with the Pro 6/Professional 6 mixers. So, my history is similar to yours, but instead of 'collecting them' (I'm not certain how I avoided that one...) I passed-on my first two mixers to some deserving, loving homes. The decision to ultimately go with the 7-quart mixer not only involved presumed greater reliability, and the added capacity, BUT the ability to use ALL stainless steel attachments: Flat Beater; Dough Hook; and Elliptical Wire Whip (provided as standard) - which are available for the 7-quart mixer - and all three come standard on the 8-quart capacity models. I'd like to again emphasize, in one place, some important points you covered in your talk... As you surmised - the 6-quart; 7-quart; & 8-quart bowl-lift stand mixers ALL have the same profile, case size (w/*minor* design variations to accommodate specific features), bowl support; bowl support movement; distance from bowl support to bottom of the beater shaft in both upper & lower positions. In other words - as long as a specific bowl size was properly-paired with its designed attachment(s), any of the bowl/attachment-pairs will work on ANY of these machines. (Understanding, of course, using an 8-quart bowl/attachment on a Pro/Professional 600, fer instance, and loading the bowl to capacity will not magically have the performance of the 1.3 HP motor of either the 7 or 8 quart models, and will make quick work of damaging the undersized 6-quart motor/transmission if the mixer is straining). The diameter of the bowls for these three models are identical - the only difference being the height - to accommodate their respective rated capacities. Put another way - if one presently owns a 6-quart capacity bowl lift mixer, and has few, if any, issues with, say, beating a single or two egg whites - the performance with be identical using either the 7 or 8-quart mixer. Some other food for thought when considering a model with a glass bowl. Sure, they look cool, and have fairly legible gradations boldly embossed into the glass, but even empty, these bowls weigh over 6#. Compare that to around 3# for a stainless steel bowl. That unwanted additional weight can become rather burdensome when least expected. So unless you plan on shooting videos and producing your own cooking show where a glass bowl offers a nice 'touch' - think twice. Also, the glass bowls designed for bowl-lift mixers incorporate a stainless steel support band encircling the bowl, containing the attachment points that mate with the locating pins of the bowl support. That band prevents these glass bowls from being placed in a microwave oven - perhaps the only real advantage of a glass bowl. Another drawback - these glass bowls require F-series beaters and whisks and that series has a bit more limited support in terms of options. KA does make an all-stainless steel wire whip for their 6-quart, S/S bowl-lift mixers, which also has additional tines for quicker whipping times. Again, Zachary, thanks for this most-informative tour of these bowl-lift KA mixers.

Excellent information! Have a K45ss and simply love it. Been running over20 years flawlessly.

Such a pleasant voice. Great video 👍🏼

I retired from Hobart Corp about 14 years ago and have worked on a ton of the K45 and K5 mixers. When Hobart first switched the Kitchenaid mixer motors to a solidstate controls the motor noise doubled. Older mixers before the K5SS models were very quiet mixers. I even qot to work on an old K3 mixer that the body was all chromed and it was a beautiful. Good video.

Thank you for sharing your insight and knowledge!! This is one of the best comparison video's I've seen in a long time. I am so glad I returned that 6qt model and got the 7qt instead. Thanks again. Well done!!

Would you make a similar video on the Artisan series, including a comparison of Artisan vs Pro, please?

YOU JUST COST ME $150! I ordered the ProLine 7 today instead of the Pro 600, based on your video. Thanks. UPDATE: My Pro Line 7 qt mixer arrived yesterday, and I've had a little time to "play" with it. WOW! That $150 was well spent. You kept me from making a mistake Thanks again for the good advice.

Not flashy, not in-yo-face, not super cut, not multi-takes, and not sponsored by anyone. Just simply informative with honest opinions and personal viewpoints - I am glad I clicked on this and sat all the way through. Based on this review, I canceled my Pro 600 order and went with a Pro Line 7. Running all the machines for noise comparison was great. Thanks Zach!

Thanks to this video, we went from looking to buy the Pro 600 to buying the Pro Line 7 Qt. Thanks a lot for such an insightful review.

Thank you, Zack! Just the info I needed to help make a purchase decision. Your comment about relative wattage was enlightening, also. Who would have thunk 325 watts might do a better kneading job than 575! I also believe the noise issue with the 600 is a killer - I've seen quite a few comments about this problem and you amply demonstrated it. As for the accessories, what were these marketing dolts thinking when substituting burnished metal that needs to be hand washed for what used to be stainless steel. Just incredibly stupid decisions. But in any event congratulations on your first video, it sets a high standard for what product reviews should look like.

Thank You for taking the time to create and share this wonderfully informational and helpful video with us all ❤️.

Thank you Zack. I wish I had seen a video like this video before I purchased. I bought the pro 600 about 10 years ago. I haven’t had any trouble but I don’t use it daily. If I were to buy today I would purchase a different model.

Thank you so much for making this video, Zach. It's so helpful.

I certainly appreciate this professionally made video!! Great job!! I bought a Cobalt Blue Tilt Head Stand Mixer off my sister years ago and it is amazing!!! I am so reluctant to buy a new one to enable me to do much larger batch mixing capacity. I have NEVER had an issue with my mixer and don't want to part with it. So, this has been extremely helpful if I go in the direction of buying a new one. You would appreciate mine as it is a beast. Thanks again Zach!

00:00 Intro 00:36 K5 01:25 (No) Screw adjust bowl height 01:50 KSM5 02:00 KSM55 02:55 Covers for motor brushes 04:41 J Dough Hook 05:28 5qt Coated Flat Beater 05:39 Wire Whisks 06:49 Pro 500 06:52 NOT Pro 5 Plus 08:32 Pro 600 Deluxe (Glass Bowl) 10:42 Wattage Advertisement 12:20 Pro 600 Design 13:37 Sound test 13:52 Sound test KSM5 (old AC) 14:15 Sound test Pro 600 (new AC) 15:10 Sound test Pro 7qt (new DC) 16:45 Silver knobs (mostly) all DC 17:40 Pro 7 refurbished 22:51 11-Wire Whip

What a great video you really cleared up a lot of things for me on what I should do with my NOISY Pro 600. The noise is in the motor and not the gearing. You covered all mixers well and my wife has a KM5 that is at least 40 years old and the only thing that was done was added brushes. SO, I was geared {bad pun} to fix the gears on my mixer and now I will be looking to buy one of the old KM5 or 70qt. Thanks for the greatest and informative videos..

Dude, you're great at these videos. Thanks for a very informative video. Really helped me with my X-mas gift decision.

Wow learn something every day and today was the day. Thank you for the very informative video.

Awesome comparison and explanation of the 3 KitchenAid bowl lift stand mixers. The KitchenAid KSM7586PSR 7-Quart Pro Line Stand Mixer is actually America's Test Kitchen winner when they tested multiple stand mixers ranging in price from a couple hundred dollars to over a thousand dollars. Your description of each mixer's motor, gears, bowl, speed, torque, etc. really helps to understand the price differences.

Zac, thank you for putting this video out. I am researching the stand mixers because it really is difficult to decide which model is best. The places they are sold don't offer much information.

An excellent presentation from someone who knows his equipment inside and out. If the newer bowl-lift models start to bend with using attachments, it is nothing when compared to the permanent downward bend our tilt-head Kichenaid mixer now has! We used it to peel apples with the appropriate attachment, but failed to notice 'the bend' until it was too late. I checked the internet and Kitchenaid website for any information on fixing this to no avail. Kitchenaid should issue a warning that the use of some attachments can result in the permanent loss of using the mixing bowl because the permanent bend causes the beaters to be too low to be adjusted through the adjustment mechanism. Anyway, thanks for providing direction for my next purchase (and it won't be a tilt head model!)

Great video. Just ordered the Pro 500 then saw the 600 was $30 cheaper at Costco and was agonizing over whether to get that, thinking more power the better, but I see now I'm better off just sticking with the 500. Thanks.

Very good information; thanks for teaching us. It’s sad that when a company has built a great, quality brand over the years and then sells it - the new company changes it. Why would you do that when you have a sure thing. Maytag sold to Whirlpool and quality went right down.

Fantastic and thorough in detail review. Thank you!

I love my Kitchen Aid. I have the first one ... K5 in White purchased back in the 80s. I rarely use it. So it’s still in good shape.

Somehow you are the James Hoffmann of mixers. That's a compliment.

Awesome! Great info Zachary!!! Love the video!

Thank you, very informative and your very easy to understand.

Very helpful, valuable video! Many thanks to you for making it and sharing it with us!

14:21 - That's the face an expert makes when they know what they are talking about.

Thank you SO much....I do not like the burnished metal on my wire whip, and I have never put it in the dishwasher, but it still looks cruddy after 10 years....and yes, its loud...not popular with the family since we moved to an open concept house! I cant justify the 7 qt but I WANT it! New subscriber! Thanks again!

Hi Zack, thank you so much for this video. I have been researching for the past few days I own an artisan 5 quart that just doesn’t cut it. I was going to purchase the 6 quart professional series at Costco it is $249 right now in comparison to roughly $500 for the 7 quart pro line but it looks like I will be getting what I paid for with the pro line you really helped me. This video was very informative.keep up the good work thanks again, Maria

I’m in the market for a mixer and I haven’t been able to find any that would top KitchenAid. Now, the difficulty is trying to decide which model to go with. The pro or the artisan. However, after seeing your video all I want is a vintage imperial gray like yours 😩lol. Thank you for your video 👏🏼!

Thanks for the video. I own KM25GOXWH5 commercial version (metal gear), K5SS (plastic gear ) and Costco Pro 6 590W. The KM25G is the nosiest compare than other. I've service both KSM25G and K5SS.

ENJOYED THE VIDEO, IM A KITCHENAIDE OWNER OF THE 7 QUART, THE MINI, AND THE 5 QUART ARTISAN. NICE TO GET DETAILS AND SPECS ON THE ONES YOU SHOWED.

I inherited a KA Model 4C from my Mom which she inherited from my grandmother. It never fails & never breaks down. My Mom told me KA mixer was purchased when she was in her teens ( late 50's early 60's). I would hand this down to the next generation when the time comes. 14:14 Sounds like a UFO depicted in movies.

Great video Zach! Super informative.

Doesn't looks like you did this first time video. Great job!

Good job, Zach.

Hi Zach, great video, thank you very much! I bought a pro 600 at Costco last month (specifically KP26M9PCCU) and interestingly it came with the accessories that you show for the 7 quart: 11 wire whip, the dough hook without the rounded hub (maybe the bullet nose hub is for glass?) and the standard and flex edge beaters. Also interestingly, your pro 600 has a rather loud Variable Frequency Drive (VFD) (the high pitch whine) are they all like that? Mine sounds more like the DC model but it is a 2020/21 model so maybe they redesigned the VFD. I've wanted a kitchenaid since I was a kid, my grandpa was a restaurateur who passed in a car accident when I was 4, I grew up on his farm and one of the things from a previous restaurant he owned was a HUGE kitchenaid mixer that was stored in the barn loft. I have no idea about the quart capacity but the bowl was at least 18-24" across. Too bad that it went with the farm when my grandma eventually sold it :(

thank you for making this video. I've been researching standing mixers for too long. I took the plunge today and ordered a refurb. wish me luck! :)

After watching this I’m sure my solid, beloved white KitchenAid stand mixer that burned in the 2020 Napa Valley wildire was a K5. I bought it from a chef friend in early 2000’s after he closed his restaurant…. I want that exact model!!!! Had two bands of stainless around the front like your KSM5… Will be searching for a refurb/used….

Awesome video...

Good video. I have the KMS5. I have used it for 25 years never had a problem. The only thing I didn't like about it was bowl was too small. I used to make 4 & 5 loaves of bread at a time when the family was home. Now it's perfect for the two of us. Mixer still going strong. Thanks for sharing your info.

Just stumbled on this video. I received the 6 qt as a Christmas gift but havent used yet. Currently have a Hobart from the 70s probably, I don't know really how old it is. We upgraded because I have the ice cream attachment and it will not work on the old models. I fell in love with the glass bowl and just had to get it. :-)

Great work!!!!! I think the pro line 7 is for me

Excellent introduction

Wonderful Zach! Thank you. I'm having to replace my mothers 1980's 4.5 qt. lift head Kitchen Aid, that I've been using to make bodycare products. It is such a workhorse, heavy, but the motor is starting to get hot. I've been looking at the commercial 8 qt. but might consider the dc Pro line 7. If I knew where you were, maybe I could get my 80's one tuned up.

This video helped solidify my decision to go with the 700. Great info!

Great video old was always the best.

thankyou for your knowledge, and teaching us about the kitchen aid, appreciated!

Awesome video. Very helpful.

excellent detail-I got the 6 quart model and planned to give my old 5 qt to one of my kids but I HATE the sound of the motor. It's a refurb so I thought it had issues, so thanks for explaining. Looks like the 6 qt is going on craiglist and I'll get a 7 or go back to the 5.

Wow, thank you for this super thorough review! As a pastry chef of over 30 years, I did not know this. I had an old K-5 that I purchased in the 80s with babysitting money I saved and it was amazing! It actually carried me through my whole career and 10 years into my business. I sold that business and started a new one 5 years ago and the one I bought at Costco was noticeably wimpy compared to that. Still use it today in the shop, but it’s not as good. My question to you is; I have heard that the Costco KAs are made more cheaply, using plastic interior parts, which is why thy are not as good. Is this correct, to your knowledge? I am ready to buy a Pro-500 as you said is the new model, as they are on sale, but want to make sure where to buy. Also, what do you think of the artisan series vs the pro 500? This will be for my home and not for the shop. Thank you kindly for your input here!

Hi Zac, Thank You very much!! This Video is very helpful!

Thanks for the video, you have supplied us with great info. (I know now to avoid the Pro 600). I think it would be great if you did a maintenance video. I have had my KSM5PPWH (branded as Kitchen Aid "Heavy Duty") for close to 20 years, that I got from a cafeteria when it closed. Im sure that the grease is long over do to be changed.

Liked the video! As usual, seems you get what you pay for.

I have a KSM circa 1976. Still going strong. I was considering an upgrade to the Pro600, but after watching this, I think I’ll stick with the tried and true.

Nice Video Zach, very helpful. Do you have any recommendations for good overall maintenance for a 7qt Pro Line Mixer. I purchased a refurbished model like you suggested and I don't think the mixer will be used as often. I spoke with Samatha at the Chattanooga KitchenAid sales center. She instructed me to run the machine on ahigh for a minute or so if it hasn't been used in a month or longer. She stated the grease thickens up when it sits for a while and by running it on high heats it up enough to where it's nicely lubricated before placing a load on the mixer. Do you have any helpful tips to maintain these mixers?

Hi Zach, thanks for sharing your knowledge with us. I have huge question to ask: I’m from Europe and we don’t get those models here. We get the Artisan bowl lift 5KSM7580X ,the Heavy Duty 5KSM7591X and the Professional 5KSM7990X which is supposed to be a commercial mixer like the KSMC895WH you get in the U.S and Canada with lower wattage.Could you shed some light on this ? They all come with a 6.9L bowl (7Qt) they all come with a 1.3Hp motor although the wattage is different between them but other than that I really have no clue what the differents is between those models. You seem to know a lot so maybe you can help. Thanks

Great info… thanks. I’m researching to upgrade my old KA. Either K5 or Pro7, now to decide

great video content, a deep understand of the proline mixers. just ordered Proline 7 Quart. pretty excited to have it. thank you!!

Hi, Zach, I must really like this video because I have watched it several times for details I missed prior. Splendid job! Top notch. Listening to them work was an eye opener. I do have a question that has come up in so many reviews I read on the Pro 7. So many people complain and post videos of a click. Not consistent across the line. Some have none. Some just when the dough hook is mixing. Some all the time. Any idea why there is a click and more importantly, how do we fix it? I just today bought a Proline 7 for my daughter-in-law. I want it to be pleasant to use. Thanks so much.

Hi. I know this video is old so not sure if you still answer questions. I have the old KSM machine from the early 90s. It has never been serviced. I bought a pro 600 yesterday and after listening to it and watching your video, I packed it back up to stick with my old one! I am going to bake out daughter’s wedding cake, and i do bake a lot of bread in winter. Should I upgrade to the 7-quart or just be happy I have a good old Kitchenaid? I live in California. Where could I get my old machine serviced? Ideas?

Great Information I should have before making my purchase! Thank full it's not to late to exchange.

Thank you for the video!

Thank you so much , I've had a kitchen aid KSM90, 300 watt for almost 30 years but I learned more from this video than I ever knew...you have a big future in videos, 'can't believe this is your first one!

That second one sounds like a UFO. I have a kitchen aid mixer that my husband bought for me Christmas of 1999. I'm still using it in 2023. I worked in bakeries for 16 years decorating cakes and they all had Hobart stand mixers. They are incredible too. Thank you for your insight regarding these machines.

Wow thank you so much! I’m a new subscriber

Great vid! definitely informs my future purchase. Personally I love de DC sound.

Thank you for this review, I will be upgrading my tool from handheld mixer to stand mixer. Previously, I decided to go for 4.8 Artisan but from this video, I will be going to pick 7 qt. 1.3 HP.

I am about to purchase my first kitchenaid, I cannot thank you enough for this informative and expert review! 🤩

Hi! Very informative video. I just ordered a mini. Could you please do a video on minis and what their flour capacity is?

Zachary do you know the difference between the 7 qt (6.9L) 5KSM7580 and 5KSM7590? Thanks!

Fantastic video - thank you so much!

Just ordered my 7Qt after watching this video. Great video!

Very detailed.. Thanks

The K5 has a DC motor in it. AC motors are brushless. The Black screw covers hold the DC Brushes in place.

I’m a little late to the party but thought the information you gave was great. All my questions answered in one video. Thanks man!

I own the ProLine KSM5 purchased in 1998. We are moving to Australia and needed to know if I should take it with me and buy a transformer. I am taking it with me.

Hi Zach 🙋‍♀️, Awesome professionally made thorough video! You're a natural in front of a camera!! I have your favourite Admiral Gray KSM5 Pro Line Kitchen Aid mixer. I bought mine from William Sonoma in 1985 & I love it! I've made many awesome recipies & never had any issues, even double batches of oatmeal based cookies. I would give the machine rests during the mixing process, just a habit I suppose. Now I have had double wrist surgery, so this machine is even more appreciated 😁. Just curious, when did you first start collecting Kitchen Aid Stand Mixers? You know so much about them. I'm very impressed! Do you still do repairs? I've never had mine serviced & I'm wondering if I should. If you don't do servicing, what questions should I ask if I can find a repairman? I don't know if there are certified appliance repairmen in S. Florida. Thank you so much for sharing your expert knowledge of Kitchen Aid Stand Mixers! You are a gem! 🙆‍♀️

Have a K-5 Kitchen Aid Mixer, also a 1971 K-5 Chevy Blazer, kept both via my divorce agreement, she got everything else, except the dog. Love my Dog, Chevy and Mixer.

Nice review much appreciated

Great video. Thank you !!!!

Great video. I learned a lot! Thank you so much!!

great video!

I think I know why your 7qt has the non-roller handle. It looks like it's from a KSM8990 (which probably can't have the roller due to NSF cert).

Hola Zack, looking to make a black Friday purchase for kitchen aid tilt head.. Looking for good quality, not to loud when running... Thanks for sharing, & have a bless Holiday...

Thank you very much for your video, so helpful! I’m searching for a piece of information that I can’t find on the net: which is the minimum amount of flour it kneads? Does it manage a 500 gr of bread dough (250/300 gr of flour)? Thanks again 🙏🏻

I like your video very much. Some guys go on and on forever before getting to the point. Your video was full of meaningful and informative material. I wondered if you could help me with a problem I'm having with a 6 qt bowl-lift stand mixer. Its top loosened and started to wobble. I took it apart and tightened it up which appeared to fix the problem but, after a few days, I noticed that it started to leak oil at the front. I took it apart and found that one of the gear cover screw holes was stripped and oil was puddled in some of the recesses of the housing. I think that it's leaking oil because the grease broke down and needs to be replaced. I'm guessing that KitchenAid sells a grease kit. I wondered if you agree with my diagnosis and if you know of any fix for the stripped screw hole. I hope I don't have to buy a new housing. I couldn't find anything on RU-vid specific to the KitchenAid.

Thanks a lot, very informative, now I can purchase with confidence. So, I’ll probably get the 1st (500) or the 3rd, (700) 👍🏾👊🏾✌🏾🇳🇬🇺🇸

Hi I enjoyed your video and all the wonderful information you have on the KitchenAid mixer‘s my question for you is I have the KitchenAid pro 600 design 6 quart with the glass bowl I want to replace the glass bowl because it’s too heavy can you tell me where to get a stainless steel bowl my model kf26m22sr and will the mixer operate the same with a stainless steel bowl thank you for your help Cecilia

Thanks for the info Zach! Helped my pick between the 600 pro and the 7 qt pro for my wife's gift!! (the 7qt)

Zach, great video. Enjoyed it very much :)

I need one! Mainly for bread,pizza. Just so expensive.

We are waiting for the "more" videos about the mixers!! :D :P /*2020

is $25 worth it for one of these mixers. It is a red Kitchenaid. I was told it works perfectly, just no longer needed.