KitchenAid Artisan Stand Mixer

With 325 watts of power, this KitchenAid KSM150PSWH Artisan Series 5-Quart Mixer has enough power to quickly whip butter, knead dough, or make a brownie mix. Of course, don't forget cookie dough! This mixer can make a giant batch of cookies, all at once. With a 5 Quart bowl, you'll even have enough left over for the neighbors!

The featured model above comes complete with all the attachments you could possibly need: a flat beater for batter and other viscous textures, a wire whisk for beating eggs, making mayonnaise, or any other whipping tasks, and a kneading hook for bread and other types of dough. These are not cheap plastic accessories, but solid, durable items that will last for years. They secure easily to the main unit which just a twist.

The bowl, a 5 Qt model, is secured to the base unit with a locking mechanism. When you're mixing several ingredients into the bowl, you'll enjoy the convenience of the pour shield, which guides things into the bowl without any spilling.

The whole unit is just under a foot and a half tall, about one foot deep, and fits easily on most kitchen counters.

The KitchenAid Mixer's special design uses a beater which spins clockwise while the shaft itself goes counterclockwise; this helps the mixer get total coverage over the whole mixing bowl. That means no missed spots, even if you aren't supervising the mixing directly. Furthermore, the 10 speed design leaves you with a lot of flexibility over how you use the mixer.

Not only does it perform great, it's also a stylish kitchen appliance. With your choice of several beautiful colors, you're sure to find something that matches your kitchen decor.

There are several other companies that make competing stand mixers. Cuisinart and Sunbeam both make good models, although they're not as popular (and easily recognizable!) as the KitchenAid models. Both of these models, however, are significantly less expensive than the KitchenAid models. Another option is a Hamilton Beach mixer, which is also a bit less expensive than the KitchenAid stand mixer.