I realize I probably need to duck after saying something like that...but I bought a 6qt. professional KA. Was very excited to use it. Well, I hate that the top doesn't tilt and I have to dig around to get out the beater blade..and I can't scrape while it is mixing. I had a cheapo $89 sunbeam from Wal-Mart that I loved...except the mixing bowl wasn't as big as I'd like. Anyone else feel my pain?

One more thing....it doesn't mix the very bottom of the bowl....I always have unmixed cake mix laying there...........

this will help cause I do feel your pain....there are new blades with "fins on them that scrape the bowl for you....veen the bottom. They are sent from heaven. I was given one as a gift so I'm not sure where to get one but I feel certain that someone else on here can point you in the direction of one!

i have that mixer and I love it! Look at the book that came with it, you may need to adjust the paddle beater so it reaches the bottom of the bowl. i had to do that on my older KA.

Susan

don't have a kitchen aid, I have a hamilton beach and I love love love it. I can't imagine not being able to lift the top up to scrape the sides. Do you have to get a more expensive ka to get that? But If you mix your liquid ingredients( eggs, oil, water) first and then add dry ingredients you shouldn't have the problem with the cake mix at the bottom. I had the same problem when I first switched to a stand mixer.

Have you adjusted the screw that controls the beater? You normally have to do that before you use it, the instructions are in the book.

I LOVE my KA. You can scrape while it is mixing, you just have to get kind of smallish scrapers. I found mine at Crate & Barrel on sale for $3. Just use that, and kind of plan for when the beater is on the other side of the bowl, and it turns out fine. HTH

Ok...I went to adjust the paddle..which I hadn't seen the screw before (I'm not good at reading directions), but it seemed close enough to the bottom. Do you find it difficult to mix one batch of cake mix or will that magic scraper paddle help? One batch just seems too little to use a 6Q mixer for. I did make SugarShacks 6qt batch of BC icing tonight. That was nice to be able to make that much at a time.

I'm having a love-hate relationship with my new 6 qt. KA also. I love the size and power, but hate that it's so hard to get the paddle off. I love using the splash shield and spout to add ingredients, but hate having to remove it to scrape the sides of the bowl. I kept my old 5 qt KA, so it's nice having 2 mixers.

Ohhh I hate to hear you say that...I do think the reason they are so beloved is because they are tough...can handle a heavy work load, although I am on my second one...I put the first one to the test. Hang in there maybe you will grow to love it!!

So glad to see this thread! I just inherited a brand new KA Pro 600, and was wondering about reducing the mixing time, as well as which speed to mix on. The instruction book said to mix at #6 and that the KA shouldn't take as much time to mix as recipes normally call for. 6 seems so powerful, and I wasn't sure if I was overmixing.

I have a love-hate relationship with it, too. I agree that it seems silly to fire up this industrial strength mixer for one tiny cake recipe, or for one batch of Wilton practice icing. It is good, though, for the monster size batches.

After a while you will get used to the head not tilting. I learned to bake with my grandma's old bowl lift so when I had the 4.5 QT tilting head I HATED it.


If it makes you feel any better about the head being solid that's part of what makes the bowl lifts capable of handling so much, if you compare the 5 QT tilts to the lifts the tilts can't handle as much flour. My mechanic hubby says that the top being one solid piece instead of on a hinge helps keep the motor from overheating and stuff.

ddaigle,
I'm a Sunbeam Mixmaster girl from way back! I loved my Mixmasters. I had several of them over the past 32 years. My last one broke, and my parents gave me my mother's 6 qt KA. It's bittersweet to have her mixer because she has Alzheimer's disease and can no longer bake. She was a fabulous baker.
Anyhow, I have the same complaints about the KA as you. And I find it awkward to use because I'm short and it's tall. I call it "the monstrosity". It doesn't fit anywhere in my kitchen. In fact, I'm having a carpenter cut out a section of my upper cabinet so I can put it somewhere.
I loved the Mixmasters, but found Sunbeam's customer service to be lacking. They did not respond to the letters I wrote them about problems with the last two mixers. And that's why I decided to give the KA a try.

Yes CuttheCake..my little 'ol sunbeam has "shut down" many times making royal icing! It just couldn't hang. I am going to try to bond with this monster....I'm just glad I got it on a HUGE sale so if I do pack 'er up...I won't feel as bad.

here's the link to one of the paddles but there is also a newer version out I am looking for....but for $25 all your troubles will melt away!

http://www.sideswipeblade.com/solution.html#model

heres another model...

http://www.beaterblade.com/

A while ago, I read somewhere--maybe the KA website--that they recommend that consumers not use blades, or any other accessories, not made by KA. Naturally, THEY want to provide the parts. $$$$ But I also read somewhere that bakers ruined their mixers using blades not made by KA because they are not a perfect fit. So if you do use the blade, be aware of the potential for problems.

Well I ordered the scraper paddle. Don't think it is made by KA but if is FOR my KA. It's my last hope before putting it in the garage on a shelf. I'll let you know after I use it if I have bonded with my KA....or not!