KitchenAid Classic vs. Artisan vs. Professional

With all of the many KitchenAid stand mixers on the market, it can be difficult to know exactly what sets each model apart.

Many of us are first unclear about which kind of mixer would best meet our requirements. The fact that certain aspects of the various classes overlap might contribute to the confusion.

As a result, I’ve chosen to write out the most significant distinctions and similarities between each of the courses. Hopefully, this will make the decision-making process a little easier.

KitchenAid mixers are divided into three categories: Classic, Artisan, and Professional. Let’s go over them one by one to better comprehend each lesson.

KitchenAid Classic Stand Mixer

As the name suggests, this is the traditional, basic stand mixer that has been around for years. Of course, the design and construction have evolved throughout time, but the fundamentals remain the same.

When it comes to cost and convenience of use, this mixer definitely shines. The Classic is the most affordable class of KitchenAid mixers, making it an excellent option for those on a tight budget who yet want the quality and dependability that KitchenAid is known for.

It’s also quite user-friendly, making it excellent as a beginner mixer for individuals who are new to stand mixers.

For those of us who bake mostly for our own families, the Classic mixer is ideal. Because it has a smaller motor than the other versions, it struggles with greater volumes, but it excels at little baking jobs.

A dozen cookies, a birthday cake, or a few loaves of bread? This mixer is up to the task!

Pros:

• Smaller size: making it easy to store, lift, and move the mixer.
• Most affordable class of KitchenAid mixers
• Easy to use
• The tilt-head design facilitates the addition of components while mixing.
• The coated dough hook, wire whip, and coated flat beater accessories are included.
• Covered under a 1-year warranty

Cons

• The bowl lacks a handle, which makes pouring a little more difficult.
• While strong, the 275-watt motor will strain greater volumes or denser doughs and mixes.
• Because it is only available in two colors, it is not as adaptable to individual kitchen decor.

Who is the Classic mixer best for?

The Classic is ideal for home bakers who usually bake for their immediate family.

This is an excellent alternative for individuals who want to use their mixer just once or twice a week and want a machine that is durable and dependable without being too huge or pricey.

KitchenAid K45SSOB 4.5-Quart Classic Series Stand Mixer (see on Amazon) is a recommended classic model.

KitchenAid Artisan Stand Mixer

If you’ve ever wanted a stand mixer in the precise hue of blue that matches your kitchen, the Artisan may be the solution.

This mixer, which comes in over 40 various hues, will satisfy the designer in all of us. However, aesthetics aren’t the only thing that distinguishes this kind of mixer.

The Artisan, with a little bigger bowl than the Classic and a stronger motor, may be considered of as a somewhat improved version of the Classic. You can bake in bigger batches and knead heavier, thicker doughs with the Artisan.

However, the pricing reflects these enhancements over the Classic. The Artisan is a somewhat better mixer, but it is also slightly more costly. The same is true for size.

The Classic weighs roughly 24 pounds, while the Artisan weighs around 26 pounds. Again, it’s not a big deal, but if you’re attempting to raise it onto a high shelf, you’ll see it.

Another advantage of the Artisan is that it has a pouring screen that goes around the bowl. This is useful when rapidly adding items to the bowl or combining lightweight materials like flour or powdered sugar that tend to fly out of the bowl.

The shield performs an excellent job of keeping everything in the bowl, making cleanup a breeze.

But there is one thing to keep in mind here. Although the Artisan comes with the pouring shield and the Classic does not, bear in mind that the shield can be bought separately and fits both.

So, if this is the main reason you want an Artisan rather than a Classic, you may want to consider purchasing the pouring shield separately for your Classic, which is substantially less costly.

Pros:

• Bowl has a handle, making pouring easier
• This class includes a 1-piece pouring shield in addition to the wire whip, coated flat beater, and coated dough hook.
• Available in over 40 colors
• Larger bowl than the Classic, letting you to mix more at once.
• The 325-watt motor can knead denser doughs and batters.
• This, like the Classic, features a tilt-head design that makes adding ingredients while mixing easy.
• Covered under a 1-year warranty

Cons:

• More pricey than the Classic, but still less expensive than the Professional
• A 5-quart basin, although enormous, is nevertheless insufficient if you are baking for a large group.
• The motor is adequate for most tasks, but it will struggle with the most difficult tasks, such as kneading big volumes of extremely thick dough.

Who is the Artisan mixer best for?

This kind of mixer is ideal for frequent home bakers who use heavier ingredients or bake in bigger batches. It’s also ideal for individuals who value style, thanks to the variety of hues offered.

KitchenAid KSM150PSMA Artisan Series 5 Quart Tilt-Head Stand Mixer (link to Amazon) is a recommended Artisan model.

KitchenAid Professional Stand Mixer

Almost everything that was missing in the Classic and Artisan series mixers is improved in the Professional. It features the largest bowls and the most powerful motor, allowing it to tackle the greatest tasks.

This kind of mixer can handle daily kneading of hard doughs and can make batter for up to 13 dozen cookies at a time.

Keeping this in mind, it is crucial to mention that this class has several drawbacks. If you haven’t guessed, the pricing reflects these additional capabilities. The Professional is frequently several hundred dollars more expensive than the Artisan.

Similarly, although the Artisan is heavier than the Classic, the Professional is up to 3 pounds heavier than the Artisan. At 29 pounds, this isn’t a mixer you’ll want to move about often.

This machine finds a permanent home on the countertop for the majority of Professional series customers.

Another distinguishing feature of the Professional series is the bowl-lift design, as opposed to the tilt-head style of the Classic and Artisan series. Because the Professional is meant to undertake the most difficult labor, combining and kneading huge quantities at once, the bowl-lift design makes it more durable because it lacks the extra hinges required to tilt the head.

This sturdiness will not be noticeable in simple icings and batters, but it will be appreciated in thick doughs.

The disadvantage is that it takes a little more effort to add components and modify attachments. Throughout the procedure, you must crank the bowl up and down using a lever on the side.

To be honest, it’s quite simple and fast to execute, although significantly more difficult than with tilt-head mixers.

Pros:

• Mixing bowl has a handle, making pouring easier
• Supercharged 550 or 575-watt motor (depending on the Professional variant)
• Very roomy 7-quart bowl can handle huge projects
• The Professional series may not have as many colors as the Artisan series, but it does have more than 20.
• In addition to the wire whip and coated flat beater, this class includes the PowerKnead spiral dough hook, which works well with thick dough.
• The bowl-lift design prevents the mixer from vibrating and moving around during vigorous kneading.
• Covered under a 1-year warranty

Cons:

• The heaviest and biggest mixer class, making transportation and storage more challenging.
• pricier than the Classic or Artisan courses
• While the bowl-lift design is advantageous in numerous ways, it makes adding ingredients and changing attachments significantly more time consuming.

Who is the Professional best for?

The Professional class is ideal for individuals who often use their stand mixer, want a robust engine for thick doughs, and routinely bake in big amounts.

KitchenAid KSM7586PCA 7-Quart Professional Stand Mixer (link to Amazon) is a recommended professional mixer.

Final Thoughts

So, in the KitchenAid Classic vs. Artisan vs. Professional showdown, which class wins? As you may have guessed by now, the answer is that it genuinely depends.

Each class has advantages, and although one individual may want a Professional mixer, another may be content with a Classic.

Consider your own specific requirements, and then look for the suggested mixer in the class that is appropriate for you.