I have been wanting a new 5 quart artisan KitchenAid mixer. Yes it is refurbished but I know I know I took a chance because of the price was finally within reach. I love to bake and I can’t wait to I have been wanting a new 5 quart artisan KitchenAid mixer. Yes it is refurbished but I know I know I took a chance because of the price was finally within reach. I love to bake and I can’t wait to cook make bread with this new mixer in. I know this mixer will be able to work the dough it was beautiful there was no scratches. Every piece was there that was said to I have used it probably 10 times making mountains of cookies for my grandkids. It is awesome because I can easily double the recipe and the bowl and machine can handle it, do what I did take a chance on this it’s amazing thank you

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So glad I purchased this!

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Good Product

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I was a little concerned that as I purchased it as refurbished that there would be material defects such as scratches or dents. However it came in pristine condition and works beautifully!

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I've always had a Tim Taylor attraction to quality kitchen appliances, and have always dreamed of owning a good Kitchenaid stand mixer. About 10 years ago while in grad school, I needed a stand mixer for some of my baking and kitchen experiments. The Kitchenaids were priced well out of my reach, but I was able to get a Sunbeam Mixmaster, which still had a good reputation as long as it was operated within its limits. That Mixmaster has served me well until I started experimenting with pizza making lately. The poor Mixmaster got pretty hot while kneading dough. Finally, the other week, a puff of smoke came out, and it was no more. I had already bookmarked this factory-refurbished Artisan on my Amazon wish list. I gave my wife a chance to veto the purchase, but she realized that losing my stand mixer was like losing a few arms and legs to me, and told me to get blue. (And she accused me of purposefully killing the Mixmaster so I had an excuse to the get the Kitchenaid!). I placed my order.

The Kitchenaid mixer has always had a good reputation, and is mentioned in several cooking books and web sites. In GEAR FOR THE KITCHEN by Alton Brown, host of the Food Network's GOOD EATS, Alton highly recommends the Kitchenaid, as well as Dominick DeAngelis in THE ART OF PIZZA MAKING. Alton highly recommends a tilt-head design, as this allows easier bowl scraping, and specifically mentions the Artisan by name. The Artisan is Kitchenaid's most powerful tilt-stand mixer. (The more powerful models are bowl-lift.)

With the Kitchenaid mixers, I really like the one big beater. It's infinitely easier to clean (and lick off) that trying to clean inside the tines of the two smaller Mixmaster beaters. The Kitchenaids have an accessory drive, which may be of dubious use for me, and of course, have the power to do the job (the Artisan features 325W) and the reputation for holding up. The bowl locks to the base, and the head locks down. The machine is heavy and doesn't walk across the counter while kneading dough like my old mixer did.

On the downside, if you are like me and believe, in the manner of the priests of Old Testament Israel whom were allowed to stab a fork into the boiling sacrifice and keep for themselves whatever meat came up, that whatever is left on the beater is yours, you may be disappointed at how it just sheds dough. I am also used to the fact the bowl of my old Mixmaster rotates, which made it easier to scrape. As for the Kitchenaid accessories, they are expensive. It may save a little counter space to add a can opening attachment, but a good, easier-to-use stand-alone model costs a third as much. In GEAR FOR YOUR KITCHEN, Alton Brown recommends the Krups ice cream machine which costs less than just the attachment for the Kitchenaid.

This is a factory-reconditioned model. Often, factory-refurbished products prove more reliable than new because someone has carefully examined and tested the unit. There were minor cosmetic flaws. There were scuffs in the bowl as though it had been used before, and a barely-noticeable dent as though the beater and head were dropped into the mispositioned bowl. Also, there are minor scuffs on the base of the mixer as though a monkey struggled with getting the base of the bowl into the base of the stand. I would have scuffed the bowl by now myself. You are warned in the description that there may be minor cosmetic flaws. The mixer comes with the manual and all the packing material as though it were new, but with a specially-printed box clearly indicating that this is a reconditioned unit. A sticker in the manual points out that the warranty is only six months.

In the years since I bought my Mixmaster, Sunbeam has REALLY upped the ante. For two-thirds the price of the Artisan, the new Mixmaster features 350 Watts, a head that locks down, and a bowl that locks on. What did the Kitchenaid give me for a 50% more? A drive for overpriced accessories that I may never use, 25 fewer Watts of power, the nice, single beater, and one bowl. (Mixmasters have always been supplied with two bowls.) I went with the Kitchenaid anyway. Probably has to do some with its excellent reputation, (just because the Mixmaster can put out 350W doesn't mean it can do it for a long time.) the image it projects of its owner, and the fact that I always wanted one. I went with the Artisan, but as an alternative, you may want to consider the new Mixmaster.

I AM very pleased with my Artisan, and, in fact, my mother is ordering one for my sister, and we will probably get one for my mother. Buying factory-refurbished just can't be beat.

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Reliable, looks good, but is heavy

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I need a new beater for my mixer so I searched my old orders to see what model I have. It looks like I bought my 5qt Artisan in November 2005. I've used it several times a week since then with no problems. I've never even had it serviced! It's been a great mixer. I gave it a 4 for cleaning because there are few crevices where the bowl sits that you actually have to pay attention to to clean. Otherwise, it's perfect.

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A couple of weeks ago I finally caved and bought a reconditioned Kitchenaid Artisan after years of wanting one. Between the free shipping, the great Amazon.com price and the instant $25 off coupon from Amazon, I got it for $135 bucks delivered. Great, right?

The mixer came in a few days and it was in very good shape. The only issue I could see was a slight bit of chipping on the paint around the silver band. The bowl had a tiny dink in it, but not enough of a dent to interfere with the beaters. BUT, the paddle that came with the mixer was broken.

I immediately called Kitchenaid, because the mixer came with a 6 month warrantee. And yes, they were willing to send me a paddle for free. BUT, they were backordered and wouldn't be able to get one to me for several weeks, even with a rush put on it.

Given that the paddle is the most important attachment, I decided to call Amazon and return the whole unit for another one. That was a bummer, but I will say that Amazon handled it beautifully. Once I located a phone number, (By Googling it, incidentally) I spoke to a very nice woman who offered to send out a replacement with expedited delivery.

It came yesterday.

This time, the attachments and the bowl were in perfect condition. The mixer, however, had a couple of gouges on the paint where it appears a bowl jammed into during shipping at some point. Again, purely cosmetic.

Now, about the mixer:

It is absolutely amazing. I have been completely thrilled and even with a broken paddle managed to make a chocolate cake and soft oatmeal cookies. The dough hook is wonderful. I whipped up homemade pizza dough in about 4 minutes, including the kneading time. I have cleared a space on my counter and installed hooks to hang the attachments and couldn't be happier with my purchase.

The Bottom Line:

At the time I bought the reconditioned mixer, Amazon.com was having a sale on the new ones. In the end, a new one would have been $40 bucks more after all the discounts. For that $40 I would have saved myself the hassle of the return, gotten 6 extra months of replacement warranty AND would have received the pouring shield. I think, if I had it to do over again, I would probably pony up the extra few bucks. As of this writing, however, the sale is over and the new ones are about a $100 bucks more. For that difference in price, it is well worth the inconvenience and slight cosmetic blemish to get an excellent reconditioned product.

I am very happy with my purchase.

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Great machine. Brand new mint condition. Works like a charm. Love it!

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