Hello all! I finally got up the nerve to ask this since I keep reading posts about burning up handmixers and even how many batches of icing they can make at one time! Well, I started baking and decorating March of this year and up until about mid-May or early June I was using my grandmother's Sunbeam Mixmaster hand mixer. After several batches of buttercream and royal icing I finally burnt it up. My husband bought a refurbished KitchenAide off Ebay since he saw that I was sticking with my new hobby. I had that only 3 weeks when it just died out of the blue - no warning. KitchenAide customer service was great though and told me they would send me another refurb at their expense and the warranty would still be good for another 6 months from the time the replacement was shipped.

In the 2-3 weeks I was waiting for my replacement, I burnt up a friend's handheld Sunbeam MixMaster trying to make buttercream and my MIL's handmixer trying to make royal (all for my final Course III cake)! Can you believe that I used my grandmother's mixer (that was at least 12 years old!) all that time before I got the first KitchenAide and these measly newer handmixers couldn't stand up to one attempt each?

Sorry about that, here is my question: Have any of you purchased a refurbished KitchenAide and do you have any problems with making a double batch of icing (I use the "The Best White Icing Ever" recipe I found here on CC). Oh, by the way, I have the 325 watt 5 Qt mixer. So, it shouldn't get bogged down in this icing, right? Okay, maybe I don't want to know that!

I have bought several reconditioned/ refurbished power tools in the past. All have been great tools and I havent had any problems with them. I use them quite regularly, they have held up great. Usually refurbished items are ones that have been returned to the factory with problem switch didnt work, missing part, ect the problem is corrected and the item is returned to factory new condition. It is then resold as refurbished / reconditioned. Generally the warranty period on refurbished items is less than that of a new item but some companies will treat the item like it was straight off the assemble line with a full warranty.
I personally have a 5 qt 325 watt kitchen aid, it does fairly well with a single batch of butter cream you have to keep you eye on it when doing a double batch, mine seems to bog down a little bit once i start to add the last pound or so of powdered sugar. I think as long as you watch it and dont let it bog down too much youll be ok. One time I heard somewhere is mixing something thick like buttercream try to make sure the total in the bowl isnt over ¾ of the way up the paddle. I know that if anything happens to my current kitchen aid I am going to buy the most powerful one I can afford. Luckily if mine ever goes out I can borrow my moms whenever I need a mixer.

I have a friend that bought and buys nothing but refurbished stuff when she can. It saves lots of money and they are still going strong... and if it has been refurbished in a authorized shop it may hold a warranty!

This may sound silly but, I have never seen a refurbished kitchenaide!! I would love to know where you can get them from.

Andrea - They are all over EBay! We got the 5Qt for only $20 something dollars more than the 4 1/2Qt. We saved over $150 getting the refurbished one. You have to read down the ad carefully to see the refurbished note - as they sometimes will say "brand new-straight from the factory-still in factory packaging" but then add a little line in there somewhere that they are "KitchenAide Factory Refurbished...". We knew that we were getting a refurbished product before we bid. Another thing I noticed is that the funky colors (Aqua [which I loved], Tangerine, Pink, Lavendar...) were going a little bit cheaper than the primary colors - or neutral colors I guess you would say.

Alan - Yep, that's what my mixer did, it bogged down. I quickly turned it off and stirred it around with a spatula and it went right back to work. Do you ever use the wisk attachment when making cakes and icing. I read on the instruction manual that for heavier mixes such as batter and icing that you use the paddle. Would the wisk leave too much air in the icing? I have no idea what I would use the dough hook for since I don't make bread! Hey, I saw a guy on the Food Network the other night that was making a cake and he had a KitcheAide with a custom paint job!! It had flames all over it!! Too neat! I want one like that. I guess if I keep bogging it down there will be flames, but not the ones I want.

To All - Thanks for the comments. That made me feel a lot better about my refurbished KitchenAide. Like I said in my initial post, I can't believe I made it through the first few months of baking with just a hand mixer!!

Thanks all! Tarina

i bought one on ebay last christmas and mine sounds funny. i can't get another one because the 6month warranty has expired. i don't know about anybody else, but i'll never buy refurbished again.

I have a refurbished one and it is doing great. I've had it for over 2 years with no problems. I use it constantly. I can fill it to within a 1/2" of the rim and it still runs great. I got mine from a dealer here in town, though. I do wonder a lot why it was sent back to be refurbished. I wish they would put that info with the refurbished mixer when you buy it.

Tarina- I havent used the whisk attachment for icings or cake mixes, I have only used it for potatoes and meringue. I think that for icing and cake mixes it would put too much air into the mix. For icings I would be afraid of destroying the whisk might be too thick.

As far as baking goes the only time I could think of using the dough hook besides for making dough would be for possibly fondant. I havent tried making any yet but someday I may give it a shot, however if it starts to bog down I will take the mix out of the bowl and finish making it by hand.

I have a refurbished kitchenaid that I got off of amazon.com believe it or not and so far, knocking on the nearest piece of wood, no problems and I have had it for six months now.

Sarah

Thanks! I'll have to check out Ebay! I would LOVE a pink one

I bought a refurbished Ultra Power KitchenAid, which only has 300 watts of power, last year and have made many double batches of BC in it and it's still going strong. I love it and now my DH also likes to use it.

I have a refurbished kitchen aid 5 qt. 325 watt mixer that i bought almost 10 years ago. I use it constantly for cakes,icing etc. I always make double batches of BC in it and have never had a problem with it.

I cant wait until christmas so I can get mine...... all I have is 2 hand mixers!!!!

I have a red refurbished heavy duty 325 wt KA and I've had it for close to 4 years. I have yet to have any problems. I have used the dough hook for various doughs and mmf.,the whisk is great for whipped cream and pudding,and I too have madedouble batchs of butter cream in it. It is very very used almost everyday here..LOVE IT

debsuewoo, yours maybe singing, but mine is a piece of junk. it shouldn't be making cranking noises. it didn't do that when i got it, but only after the warranty expired.

i'm not knocking the KA brand, i just won't buy a refurbished one anymore.