My best friend just got one for her birthday. needless to say that i am very jealous... she just called me after setting it up and asked me if hers sounded normal. She was running it at 2nd speed with nothing in it and it sounds like its working hard. My question to all you lovely kitchenaid owners... did you have to break your motor in? and did it ever sound like it was working in over drive at the beginning?
We're thinking of packing it up and taking it back to the store for an exchange but would love to know if this is normal first.

thanks guys
carla

mine is very noisy I have the professional one my daughter has the artisian and hers isn't as loud.

I have the artisan and mine isn't very loud at all.

my accolade has a slightly high-pitched humming, just a tad louder than my mom's 25-year-old bowl-lift that gives off a more subdued (but comforting) hum. neither of the two are extremely loud that my husband or my dad will get annoyed when they're in use

for shristmas I got the professional one and it is a little louder I was wondering the same thing. Glad to hear its not just mine. Sounds like this might be normal.

For Christmas I got the Classic Plus and it is louder than the Artesian. There is also not much difference in the last 2 speeds. Seems like when I change it there is no difference.

I got a second one when our Kohl's had them on sale and it sounds nothing like my first! I have just a regular 5 quart black one and the one I bough on sale was the 5 quart artisan. Actually I had one and took it back for the whole noise reason it sounded like it was whirling and rubbing in the motor{didn't sound right at all}. But the one I exchanged still doesn't sound like my other one. I do have a vintage Kitchen Aid that sounds better than all the rest and it's over 50 years old.

I have the professional and it is loud but it doesn't sound like it it "working hard". I would go to the store and ask them to plug one in so I could listen to it and see if it sounds the same. Hope this helps.

Have her call KA customer service. They will get all the info and have her run it so that they can listen to it. If they think it's not right, they will send her a new one and she will have to send that one back to them (they just say to put it in the box the new one came in and they have UPS come get it- no cost to you). The store might not take it back since it says to deal with KA regarding problems/defects (has to do with the manufacturer's warranty).

This is what I did (mine sounded pretty funky from the start) and I had the exact same model arrive in less than a week.

thanks guys your all such a great help. I guess we are just used to the professional ones we had in highschool baking. They were noisy but were also 10 years old.

I have the professional 6 qt. It is loud, but not like it is working overtime. It is not too much overbearing than my sunbeam that I have. So I believe it is normal. My aunt has a smaller KA and it sounds just a little quiter.

LinB