Hello everyone!

I need some help, and FAST! I'm so torn on which stand mixer to purchase. And i need to purchase today to get it by the weekend. I'm torn b/w KitchenAid and Viking. I would love a 7 qt but KA only makes 6qt and smaller. I also hear Cuisinart is good. The only problem with Viking I see is the fact that it doesnt mix batters at the bottom of the bowl, thats a problem! Please give reasons with your suggestions. PLEASE HELP!!!! I really have a headache over this

In my world, it's a KA 6qt Pro all the way. Love the shape of the bowl, easy to scrape down and it has a handle.

I like the fact that's it's a lift bowl versus a tilt head and I have both.

Depending on what kind of volume you are going to be doing, I can't imagine there being much more than a 4 cup difference (yep, that's my smarta$$ side showing) between the 6qt & 7qt.

When my volume at home increased I found having a 2nd bowl and whip to be a huge help.

That is very good advice misslisa! Thanks so much!

Few threads from CC:
http://cakecentral.com/cake-decorating-ftopic-701956-15-days0-orderasc-.html&sid=e5852ccb6bc37f6979c125a17eb360c6

http://cakecentral.com/cake-decorating-ftopicp-6391426-.html&sid=9075b0d75b2d603fd1a610c5af63a01d


http://cakecentral.com/cake-decorating-ftopict-630663-.html&sid=1af03f5a10efa20c7de778e302df68d7


http://cakecentral.com/cake-decorating-ftopic-704061-0-days0-orderasc-.html&sid=21ac8e971f12ced6d2a476de3c495e2c

http://cakecentral.com/cake-decorating-ftopic-688687-next.html&sid=113f61c3749f2a817f3b53639fee17f2

I love my kitchen aid for home baking

I have a 6qt KA Pro and love it. However, I just received the latest copy of Entertaining Magazine from Cook's Illustrated and they ranked Cuisinart 5.5qt above the KA. Reasons given were that "this machine offers a hoste of modern updates including a digital timer with automatic shutoff and a splashgard attachment with a built-in feed tube."

The prices they quoted were $299 for the Cuisinart vs $399 for the KA.

I frequently refer to Cook's Illustrated for test results and recommendations and value their input immensely. I have to admit that I would LOVE to have a timer/auto shutoff on my KA!

I know this isn't one of your original options, and for some reason, I don't see a lot of people mentioning them on CC, but I am a disciple of Bosch Universal Mixers. You can get attachments/accessories to blend, food process, grind wheat (yes, the motor is that strong), knead bread/fondant, etc. My grandmother's lasted 40 years of homemade bread-making (actually, it's still going; she's just not). I'll never use anything else. Seriously- look into it.

In March 2008, Cooks Illustrated chose the Cuisinart as a better machine. It was at the end of one of their videos, the one that showed you how to make their fluffy yellow cake.

Yes, the timer is a godsend. Plus, a lot of people feel that KA's quality has gone down the drain. They're not the same machines from before the 80s.

I got my Cuisinart about 8 months ago and love it. I do like it more than the KA. I also researched the Viking and while it is very similar to the Cuisinart, they had a variety of negative customer reviews primarly on the functionality and servicing of the mixer. I will also say that the Cuisinart bowl is not exactly optimal but neither is KA.

I LOVE-LOVE-LOVE my 7qt Cuisinart.

I just did a TRIPLE batch of the WASC recipe. Filled that puppy to the top of the paddle and it worked like a charm.

The timer feature is great. The splash guard was included and for the price it was a much better deal than the comparable sized KA. I still have my old KA for smaller batches but the Cuisinart is my fave.

HTH
Kristy

Has anyone with the Cuisinart mixer ever used the kneading attachment when making MMF?

I use the kneading attachment to make bread, lots of it. Never made MMF, but if the other mixers can handle it at less than 500 watts, the Cuisinart 7 qt has 1,000 watts and the 5.5 has 800 watts.

I've made fondant, but not MMF, and I knead fondant by hand.

I love my KA. If for no other reason, go for a KA for thier dependibiliy. People are known to have the same KA still working in perfect order 20+ years later. You'll likely replace in that time, but not because it is not working, but because a newer better model is out.

WOW! All of this information helped me make an informed decision. After researching and reading current reviews, I just purchased the Cuisinart 7qt! Thanks to you all for your advice