KitchenAid KV25GOXER Professional 5 Plus 5-Quart Stand Mixer, Empire Red

I purchased this Kitchenaid Professional 5 stand mixer after having been given a Sunbeam stand mixer for my birthday. The Sunbeam was the type with two beaters, and it was a disappointment. The first time I used the Sunbeam I had to remove the dough from it and use my trusty old hand mixer to finish. After trying with one other recipe with the same result, I decided it had to go. So I took it back to the store and got a refund. Then I hit my computer with a vengence. If I'm going to spend quite a bit of money on something, I'm going to get the best product for the best price. I did extensive research on all different types of stand mixers. Of course, Kitchenaid is the best in consumer line stand mixer. There are some more professional, much more expensive brands; but I don't run a business, so I don't need those. To me, all of the stand mixers (that are worth anything) cost a lot. I took a long, hard look at the Hamilton Beach stand mixers. But they are not known for being a stand mixer company, like Kitchenaid. I wanted something that will last. I can't afford to buy this type of item every year. So I decided on the Kitchenaid, for reliability, quality, and reputation (all of the Kitchenaid reviews were great). So I searched and searched until I found information that made my decision for me. Most of the consumer line stand mixers, the tilt back styles, have one gear that is plastic as opposed to all metal gears. It is designed this way so that if the motor comes under too great of a strain, the plastic gear breaks shutting down the machine. So the plastic gear breaks instead of your motor. If the motor goes out, you might as well buy a new mixer. The professional models, mostly the bowl lift types, have all metal gears and the motor has a built in safety to shut itself off if it becomes too hot from strain. You turn off the mixer, unplug it for a while, then turn it back on & it works. No calling a repair man to replace the plastic gear (minimum $70 service call). So for me the Professional 5 was the way to go. Also, I got a pretty good price with free shipping. Amazon.com was & still is the cheapest I have seen online. So far, I have made cakes, biscuits, cinnamon rolls, and cookies with my stand mixer. I even used it to mix up meatloaf. It did an awesome job of combining the dry ingredients with the meat. It did just fine with the thick cookie dough (using the flat beater), as well as the cinnamon roll dough (using the dough hook). I would recommend this stand mixer to anyone interested. I have had no problems with it at all. Update 12-22-09: I just wanted to add that I recently made a coconut cream pie and used my Kitchenaid stand mixer to make the best whipped cream ever! I wanted to make a nice stiff whipped cream to top this pie, and this mixer made the best whipped cream in just a minute or two. NOTE: I had to adjust my mixing time and baking time for the cakes I always make for people (birthdays, special occasions, etc.) because they were coming out a little dry at first. I started cutting the mixing time in half (or basically as soon as all of the ingredients were thoroughly combined) then checking the cake earlier, and I found that I have cut a least 5 - 10 minutes off of the original baking time; then they are moist & delicious!

So, my KitchenAid KV25G0XMC Pro 5 Plus 5-Quart, Metallic (matches my other appliances) mixer arrived today at somewhere about 3:00 pm. (Thankfully, it didn't wait until Midnight to get here! - Thanks Amazon Prime! :) ... ) And it was unpacked, cleaned up, and my first batch of dough was rising before 3:30 pm. Traditionally, We've always done Pizza dough 'by hand' in our home. (That's what we learned, way back in the '70s.) And recently, we've started to make our own bread in an effort to avoid unwanted preservatives (primarily, bromate) and to create some more healthier breads. We started with our typical recipe for Pizza Dough, which would make a couple of 8 - 10 inch pizzas, but the same quantities of flour and other ingredients would only make a single loaf of bread. I can't describe to you what a surprise it was to make a 'double batch' so we could bake two loafs at a time, rather than just one. But we did succeed and the bread came out just fine. Reflecting back, however, it was (as all the more modern people might be able to tell you in a matter of seconds) a whole lot of work. Well since that time, we've been working toward getting some kitchen tools to help out. And the main one is the KitchenAid Pro 5 Plus. I did some looking around, but my brother has a beautiful Artisan, I believe, and he's been super happy with that. But, realizing what a job it is to do a couple of loaves of bread, and appreciation for a little bit of 'over-engineering' for what you need to give your machine a bit of extra longevity, I wanted a little bit bigger machine. On the other hand, I'm not running a restaurant, or a bakery, so I didn't want to buy a machine that was way too big for what I needed. (Otherwise, I would be looking at a Hobart). So, with our successful family experience with KitchenAid and my own tendency toward a bit of over-engineering, as well as a bit of experience (a long, long, long time ago) in the bakery industry and food industry, lead me to select the Pro 5 Plus. I didn't buy one of these, blind. I checked out a lot of "You Tube" videos, including what they are like new, where they break and what it takes to fix them. I can tell you, though, I'm totally impressed with the fact that you can actually buy the parts off the shelf and fix them yourself, with just a bit of mechanical ability. My kind of "Good Stuff". Out of the box, and on the table, and working, I'm already so impressed! And I'm becoming endeared with the machine. (Yes! ... I think you can love a machine). I have a few minor-minor-minor issues; 1) the machine didn't come with the 'shield'. Although, if you are careful, follow directions, and "CAREFULLY" control your speed, you can likely avoid splattering your hard work all over the place. But I went back and ordered one anyway. There was a "You Tube" video where the lady used a towel to cover, even over the 'splash shield'. (I also ordered the 'Cover' for the machine ... due to arrive tomorrow). AZ is, after all, a dusty place. 2) Some of the videos I viewed had a bowl with a bit beefier handle on the Stainless Steel Bowl. I was a bit disappointed in the handle that comes with the Pro 5 Plus, that it wasn't all that 'beefy'. It is stainless steel as well, and it's well done, but it's just kind of a flat piece of metal. Another video was a 'rant' where the case of the machine was cracked, which caused the gears to strip, and then, of course, it doesn't work right. But I can tell you, that my machine didn't arrive with any cracks. It was well packed, and operated incredibly well out of the box. But, time, only, will tell how it holds up. 3) The AC Power cord (120 VAC) is 4 ft. long. [If you need 220 VAC, you will likely need to obtain a 'step-down' transformer to convert 220 VAC to 120 VAC to make it work]. One of the most difficult things to decide when you are engineering a product is how long to make the cord. There are so many varying conditions to take into consideration. If it is too long, you have to figure out where in heck you are going to put all the extra cord. If it is too short, then it doesn't make it to the wall socket. ... Well, a 5 ft cord would have been 'just right' for me. But 4 ft is so much better than it would be if it was a 3 ft cord. ... "'nuff said" I mention those issues so that you can curb your expectations to the proper degree, and if you want 'more' you can get something else (like the next model up???), but I'm willing to live with the minor-minor-minor shortcomings and maybe upgrade later, add an extension or whatever. But the minor-minor-minor issues are not enough, to me, to drop even half a star. My closing impression, though, is that it is an incredible machine. I am so looking forward to using it to create some really, really good stuff! I hope it helps you in making your decision for whatever machine you buy.

We're in Australia and had to seriously weigh up the pros and cons of buying a new mixer from the USA. My wife had admired the Kitchenaid mixers available here, but after doing some research discovered the ones sold here, other than those sold for chefs and larger commercial kitchens, are nowhere near as powerful as those available in the USA. She then started cake decorating classes with a lady who uses a 5Qt Kitchenaid Heavy Duty mixer that she purchased and brought to Aus from the USA a couple of years ago, and which she's been very happy with. The cake decorator explained that she'd burnt out three other mixers (different brand) in making gum/sugar paste. However her Kitchenaid copes with it extremely well. So after checking out the options, reading reviews etc my wife decided she wanted the Professional 5 Plus. It arrived on exactly the date advised by Amazon, which impressed us greatly given the distance it had to travel, and in A1 condition - packaging was perfect. We'd checked the dimensions and knew it would fit nicely on our benchtop and we also purchased the Kitchenaid cover for it. Both are red and look fantastic in our kitchen. When she first saw the bowl my wife expressed some concern about its width compared to others she'd used, and the first time she used it I was highly amused by the amount of icing sugar that ended up on the benchtop rather than in the mixer. However she's gotten used to it. She's since purchased the pourer shield (again from the USA as they're not available for our mixer here) and found it to be an excellent accessory: all ingredients now end up in the mixer, which is a good thing. When she first used the Pro 5 Plus, my wife admitted to being taken aback by the 'slow start' feature, but she's adapted to that too. One major area of difference is in the noise made by our Kitchenaid as its working. My wife has had what is reputedly the best Kenwood Chef mixer ever produced since about 1973 (it still works). It also has all metal gears etc and is very noisy. Compared with our noisy old Kenwood which our neighbours can probably hear when it's working, the Prol 5 Plus hums as it works. It's so much quieter than our old mixer. The difference in power is unbelievable also. The Pro 5 Plus literature advises users to be aware that mixing etc won't take as long due to its beater action and power, but my wife says she didn't expect it to be so much faster than our old machine. She was also a little concerned that such a large, wide bowl wouldn't work well with a small amount of ingredients. However she's also been pleasantly surprised in that area. She hasn't used it for anything extra heavy yet, but is intending to do that in the coming weeks. Hopefully it will continue to impress. One thing that must be noted: In Australia we have 220-240volt power, so we had to purchase a converter in order to run this mixer. Even with the additional cost of the converter and freight to Aus, this mixer is a excellent buy in our view. It's a much larger, more powerful Kitchenaid than we can buy here, and it cost around the same as it would to by an Artisan (300w motor) here. We've now bought a number of accessories for it - some in Aus and some from the USA - and are looking forward to many years of service from our KV25GOXER Professional 5 Plus mixer.

After waiting too many years, I am so very happy that we decided to purchase this professional quality 500 Series Kitchen Aid Professional 5 Plus 5-Qt stand mixer. I have admired K/A Mixers forever and have recently been drooling over all the colors the Artisans come in. After much research and reading MANY product reviews from various sources, I decided on this well built, Bowl-Lift Mixer with 450 HP, and Professional Transmission. I couldn't be more delighted and satisfied with it! I was going to get a 600 series, but the height was prohibitive for my counter-space clearance so I chose the next size down. I absolutely LOVE it. It doesn't come in as many colors as the Artisan, but I decided on White on White anyway, as all my other appliances are White and it will always match. I have some mobility issues so my cooking chores are often difficult for me. This mixer is so powerful and FAST it is cutting down my work time significantly! The bowl and beaters are easy to clean, even by hand they are a breeze. So far I have made Cheese Balls, Pizza Dough, Mashed Potatoes and Strata- all with great ease! It is literally saving my arms from using a hand mixer as I have been doing for years. I wondered IF I could manage since it is so large, but it is NOT a problem for me. Even if all I did was look at it, I'd be happy to have it after all these years, but using it pure JOY! *I'd like to make an important NOTE HERE in hopes of saving another shopper the ERROR I made regarding the POURING SHIELD ATTACHMENT which did not come included with my Mixer.. The Amazon Information was NOT CORRECT in describing the Pouring Shield # KPS2CL as fitting ALL K/A 4 1/2 & 5 Qt Stand mixers. It does NOT fit this 500 Plus Model- it's about 6/10s of an inch too small and just falls into the bowl! It DOES FIT the 5 Qt Artisan perfectly and I was happy to give it to a relative who could use it. THE CORRECT POURING SHIELD for this 500 Plus Mixer is # KN256PS. I confirmed this with Kitchen Aid Customer Service before ordering from Amazon, as Kitchen Aid has recently changed the part Number from the one listed in the "Attachment Booklet" that came with my Mixer. I am happy to report that indeed it does fit perfectly! The Amazon Product description for "Kitchen Aid Pouring Shield with Wide Chute" has the correct item number and that's the one I ordered. I also ordered the K/A Cloth Mixer Cover too, which also fits just fine, but I sort of hate to have it covered as I enjoy seeing it... In spite of the little mix-up with the Pouring Shields, I remain a satisfied Amazon Customer over several years now. I'm not letting that little blurp rob my absolute JOY in having my long desired Kitchen Aid Mixer and fun of discovering how helpful it really is! I am doubly happy that is is MADE in the USA!! Enjoy! Thank You!

I researched and investigated all of the stand mixers that are available currently. The KitchenAid Professional 5 Plus came out as the winner in the reviews. After using the mixer for 9 months I am thoroughly convinced that it is the best. I was totally sold on this KitchenAid the first time I used the mixer to knead a large batch of whole wheat bread dough. The KitchenAid Pro 5 was more than able to easily handle the 8 minutes of kneading. In addition, it whips egg whites beautifully and made easy work of turning out homemade marshmallows. On the down side, the unit is heavy. It is definitely easier to have a place set aside on a countertop as the mixer's "home" than to have to lift/move it from a cabinet or closet. One feature that this KitchenAid mixer offers is the bowl lift lever. On the Artisan mixer the whole top part of the unit tips back to allow access to the bowl and then tips forward to place the whip/whisk attachment into the bowl for usage. On the Professional 5 Plus (and several other KitchenAid mixer models) the whole top portion of the unit moves up and down to accommodate moving and removing the mixing bowl. This mixer has a lot of power and looks great, too. And the Amazon price is the best I was able to find. Sometimes KitchenAid offers a rebate and you can really get a great appliance for a very reasonable price.

This KitchenAid blender is great. It tackles a lot of kitchen mixing requirements and is sturdy enough to be relied upon for most if not all of our baking requirements. We've read about some of the tougher doughs being beyond it's capabilities. However, we haven't had to try that theory out. So for now it is a great device that deserves your consideration. We got the addition of the plastic "beater blade." which has the spatula scrapers fused into the beater edges for better coverage. However, the weakness of the plastic compared to the metal leaves us doubting it's effectiveness over the long term. Lastly the mixer takes up a lot of counter space. Find a corner section to stuff it in if you can. Putting it in a cabinet below the counters is a tough proposition, because it will require either removing a shelf, or yet again, taking up a lot of valuable cabinet space. If you've got a decent sized kitchen and can afford to give up the counter space, then buy it. It's worth the up front costs to have a durable and powerful kitchen mixer. Those cheap Oster and B&D food processors will always have more failure points than this machine. Start with a KitchenAid. | | UPDATE 11/18/2013: After a year and a half of use, we've hit our first bump in the road with this mixer. Since we started using it to knead bread a few months back it has been put to the test as far as load on the motor goes. Well just a couple of days ago we were mixing a double load of dough in the mixer (not exceeding 2 on the dough hook per directions) and the motor housing started to get extremely hot. Furthermore oil started dripping from the mixer shaft that extends out of the planetary (the section on the bottom of the mixer head). We did some reasearch and many sites said not to mix more than 8 cups of dough at a time in the bowl. This dough batch was about 6 cups. So I would say don't mix 6-8 cups of dough. If you're thinking of doubling up loaf mixing, just don't do it. Keeping the machine at 2 is fine, but listen for the sound of motor strain. We noticed before we shut it off that the motor was sounding sluggish. If you hear the motor straining, then just shut it off and let it cool down. As for the oil leak, it is food-grade grease inside there so don't freak out. At the same time, the grease has been in there for over a year so it's no longer the bright yellow vaseline-looking stuff. It's now dark black and brown due to heating over and over with use. The oil dripping out of the space in the planetary mixing shaft is due to the heating of the grease inside the gear box. The grease will separate as it heats (just like melting butter or lard). So as the motor and gears heat up to the upper tolerances and beyond, you can expect that a bit of oil might leak out. Do not freak out about it. Just monitor the machine for further leaking on subsequent uses. If it's still leaking you'll have some more small appliance repairs ahead of you (don't worry they're so easy that a caveman could do it). KitchenAid recommends that on mixers that sit for a long time unused, you run the motor on high once in a while to agitate the grease and keep it congealed. Apparently sitting for very long periods (months?) can lead to a breakdown in the grease. Now for the good news...KitchenAid mixers are realitively easy to fix. It usually requires just replacing a part (or grease). We took the cover off of ours to see if there was a grease leak inside. We were pleased to see that there wasn't. Furthermore, we were pleased to see that the transmission cover was the higher-grade metal style instead of the black plastic one. So KitchenAid must have caught on about complaints against plastic and just abandoned that part. If you have a black plastic one check it for cracks or breaks. If there are any discontinue use and replace the housing. You don't want the machine breaking any further and costing you more in repairs. Some reviews in the internet at large make mention of a plastic or rubberized worm gear. After scouring the web, it appears that the rubber/plastic worm gear is a part in the "tilt-head" mixer, not this one. Regardless, complaints about that part are unfounded. KitchenAid made the part like that on purpose so that it would fail due to strain before the motor, thus saving you the cost of motor repair (about $90 for the motor). Back to the parts for this mixer though...here's the best way we've found to acquire new parts: 1) Go to ereplacementparts website and type in your model number to find the parts you need. I found the the parts diagrams and listing were very helpful. 2) Come back here to Amazon and look for that same part here. Often you'll find it cheaper, and sometimes with free shipping. 3) Do a video search on the web for KitchenAid mixer repair. You'll find a fair number of videos that walk you through a repair. In most cases it's just the swapping out of a parts. If there's more involved than that, I can't think of how. For those reviewers claiming they've got a 30-year old KitchenAid from their youth, that's great. However, you might consider inspecting the grease inside the motor to see if it needs replaced. It's $25 for a can and even if your mixer still works, prevtentative maintenance will ensure that it continues to do so. Bottom line: The mixer is reliable and heavy duty enough for our very small family kitchen. When it has problems, the internet is a treasure trove of knowledge about how to fix it. Fixing it yourself is very simple if you don't mind getting messy. Plus, it saves you money on shipping and labor to have someone else first investigate the problem ($50) then fix it (another $50-100 plus parts).

I have got to say that this was the best gift I have ever received. For x-mas I asked my husband for the KitchenAid Pro 500 Plus... And he bought it for me early, which is great, cause it will get a work out this TurkeyDay and Christmas. The first thing I made was french bread, the mixer did great. It took me awhile to get use to it, I've never had a stand mixer before. But it did an amazing job, and now knowing how easy it can be to make yummy food, means I will be doing it all the time! I also made some amazing homemade cupcakes and homemade raspberry frosting, the mixer did a great job making everything nice and creamy! I made Lemon Meringue Pie this evening, it did such a fantastic job mixing the meringue! :) If you are wanting a great mixer, with a good motor, this is the one. I am also very glad I got the bowl lift. Mine didn't rock or anything when mixing dough. :) I know that some people say they get the artisan because its cheaper, but honestly, this one is not much more if you search for deals. and the motor is way more powerful. If you are buying something this expensive, you mind as well get something that can do it all! :) I have only had this less then a week, but I am so happy with it. If something happens where I change my mind, I will update my post. But I doubt that will be happening! :D Happy Baking!!!!!

What a fantastic product. I did some research and compare models and this was the one I settled on and I'm so glad I did. This thing is a beast! I make lots of heavy, thick oatmeal rasin cookie batter from scratch and its and arm buster to do by hand. I couldn't use my hand mixer because the batter is simply to heavy. It simply didn't have the torque so I always made them by hand. As soon as I got this I made a double batch and this monster powered through it like it was NOTHING! I'm amazed. It saved me so much time and effort and the batter was mixed so much better than I could do by hand. The cookies are better. I've since made toll house, peanut butter and sugar cookies all with ease. Next I am going to make some bread and pizza dough.This is one of the best purchases I've made in a very long time. The nice thing about the stand mixer vs the tilt head is I can park this right under my upper cabinets (fits with a few inches to spare) and it never has to move to be used. I don't have to pull it away from the wall to tilt the head. The only negative is I have a hard time attaching the bowl. I know it's me and with a little more practice it will be easier! Don't hesitate. If you're going to bake regularly and you need a good stand mixer get this one. Biggest band for the buck by miles.