The stand mixer worth the premium — if you bake seriously
Iconic design, unmatched longevity, and enough power for weekly bread making. Just know you are paying for build quality, not features.
Our verdict
Six months into testing the KitchenAid Artisan 5KSM175PS we have made 14 loaves of sourdough, 9 batches of pizza dough, 3 sets of Christmas cookies and a wedding cake for a friend. The mixer has not missed a beat, the motor does not slow on double batches of bread dough, and it still looks like the day it arrived.
The premium price point (~£400-450) is the hurdle. You can get a competent stand mixer from KitchenAid’s own Classic range for £250, or a Kenwood Chef for £300. What the Artisan gives you over those is the 10-year-plus lifespan, the iconic aesthetic that genuinely looks good on a worktop, and the enormous attachment ecosystem that lets it evolve into a pasta maker, ice cream churner, or meat grinder. If you bake more than once a week, it is worth the money.
Key specs at a glance
- Power
- 300W motor (direct drive)
- Bowl capacity
- 4.8L stainless steel
- Attachments included
- Flat beater, wire whisk, dough hook, pouring shield
- Tilt-head
- Yes, for easy ingredient addition
- Speed settings
- 10
- Planetary mixing action
- 59 touchpoints per rotation
- Attachment hub
- Standard KitchenAid (100+ compatible)
- Dimensions
- 35 × 22 × 35.5 cm
- Weight
- 11.1 kg
- Warranty
- 5 years
Pros
- Build quality is genuinely lifetime-grade
- Handles double-batch bread dough without motor strain
- Huge attachment ecosystem (pasta, meat grinder, ice cream, more)
- 5-year UK warranty — longest in the category
- Looks good enough to leave on the counter
Cons
- Premium price vs Kenwood Chef XL or Bosch MUM
- No built-in scale or timer
- 4.8L bowl is smaller than some rivals’ 6.7L
- Heavy to move at 11.1 kg
Who is the KitchenAid Artisan for?
This is the right stand mixer if you bake seriously — weekly bread, birthday cakes, Christmas cookies — and plan to keep it for a decade or more. The Artisan is an investment purchase that amortises over 10-15 years.
If you bake occasionally (every 2-3 weeks or less), a KitchenAid Classic (£250) or a Kenwood Chef Sense (£300) is more sensible. The Artisan’s extra durability and feature set is wasted on light use.
Dough handling (the real test)
We made 14 sourdough loaves with 600g flour each, mixed on speed 2 for 6 minutes with the dough hook. The motor did not slow or heat up. We also stress-tested with a double-batch of 1.2kg wholemeal dough — which is the upper limit — and the mixer handled it, though you can hear the motor working harder.
For comparison, a Bosch MUM Serie 6 struggles visibly with 1kg doughs. The Artisan is in a different league on heavy mixing.
Cake and whisking performance
Creaming butter and sugar at speed 6 takes 3-4 minutes for a perfect pale light texture. Whisking egg whites to stiff peaks takes 2 minutes with the wire whisk at speed 8. The 59-touchpoint planetary action means you do not need to stop and scrape the bowl as often as with rival designs.
The included pouring shield is a welcome touch — it prevents flour clouds and lets you add ingredients through a chute without stopping the mixer.
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See today’s priceAttachment ecosystem
This is the other reason to buy KitchenAid. The standard power hub accepts 100+ attachments: pasta roller (~£129), pasta extruder (~£99), meat grinder (~£79), ice cream maker bowl (~£79), food processor attachment (~£149), spiralizer (~£79), vegetable slicer.
Most are pricey individually but cheaper than buying standalone appliances. For serious home cooks, the Artisan turns into a multi-function counter workhorse.
Colours and cosmetic durability
KitchenAid’s colour range is legendary: empire red, almond cream, matte black, boysenberry, pistachio, and a rotating seasonal range. The enamel finish is properly robust. Six months in, ours has one minor scuff from a dropped spatula, which wipes clean.
Stainless steel bowl shows some cosmetic wear from the beater paddle over time but is purely aesthetic. No rust, no flaking.
KitchenAid Artisan vs alternatives
Against the Kenwood Chef Titanium XL (~£450), Kenwood has a larger 6.7L bowl and a built-in weighing scale. KitchenAid has better attachment ecosystem and cosmetic appeal.
Against the KitchenAid Classic (£250), the Artisan has a more powerful motor, larger bowl and better warranty. For weekly bakers, worth the upgrade.
Against the Bosch MUM Serie 6 (~£200), Bosch is cheaper and lighter but struggles with heavy dough. For occasional bakes, fine. For bread, no.
Frequently asked questions
Is the KitchenAid Artisan worth the extra £150 over the Classic?
For serious weekly bakers, yes. The Artisan has a more powerful motor, larger 4.8L bowl vs 4.3L on the Classic, and a 5-year warranty vs 2 years. For occasional bakes, the Classic is plenty.
What is the maximum dough size it can handle?
About 1.2kg of flour with standard hydration bread dough, or roughly 2 loaves’ worth at a time. Above that you will hear the motor struggling and should split into batches.
Can I leave it out on the counter?
Yes — that is the design intent. The enamel finish is durable and the mixer is heavy enough not to slide during use. Most owners leave it out permanently.
Are KitchenAid attachments worth buying?
Case-by-case. The pasta roller and meat grinder are excellent and cheaper than standalone appliances. The food processor attachment is slower than a dedicated food processor and not our first recommendation. Start with the basics included in the box and add attachments as you discover needs.
Does the KitchenAid Artisan come with a pouring shield?
Yes, a plastic pouring shield is included in the UK 5KSM175PS model. It clips onto the bowl and prevents flour clouds during mixing.
How long does a KitchenAid Artisan last?
The motor carries a 5-year warranty, but real-world service life for home use is 10-20+ years. KitchenAid parts are repairable and widely available, which is a big advantage over competitors whose machines are effectively disposable after 5 years.
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