One thought is... If you're in business, you'll be far better off to spend the money and get a used Hobart 20qt now than waiting since you're planning on investing into a mixer (can pick them up used for around $1000-1500 a lot of times if you're patient and watch for bakery/restaurant/food service/ebay auctions in your area and most places are understanding if you want to fire it up first to make sure it runs properly)... The time that it will save you to load your oven up in one mixer run and the same goes for icing is going to pay for itself in time saved (aka your most expensive cost because as much as we love it, we all need a life outside cake deco)..
Then again, I just got done doing a table cake wedding this past week and was just stuck thinking about how much quicker it would be if I didn't have to dink around with three batches of cake to fill the oven instead of just doing one, oven's full in 1/3 the time (which when you've got 46 layers of cake to bake and can only put 12 in the oven at a time because you were one pan short of being able to put 16 in at a time..)
I fully recognize the value of investing in the right tools--the hubby is a finish carpenter and he absolutely will not fiddle with a tool that costs him time. But, it's just me, myself and I doing the cakes and I'm just not sure I want to do even a dozen cakes a week. We've got a good restaurant supply warehouse here that gets good deals on stuff like that. I don't mind spending the money, I just don't want to get something that would be overkill for me right now.
I have a KA 4.5 quart and the 6 quart, would die to have the 20 quart to make frosting but if I were dead then I couldn't bake 
, Don't have an oven big enough for all that cake that couturecake does, I envy her. Don't have that much business either.... 
I hardly use my 4.5 cause it doesn't hold anything but 2 cake mixes I can't do a double batch of frosting in that either. So happy hunting, I would go with the 6 quart KA though for sure. They last a long time.
My friend that was in the donut business dropped by this weekend. He told me that Cuisinart has a new 7 quart out that he's heard good things about. It has a 1000 watt motor, which is bigger than the KA 6 quart. I've been trying to make my own fondant, partly for taste, partly because I'm fairly rural and it's hard to get anything other than Wilton. I've read a good strong mixer will mix the fondant. If that's true, it would sure be a time/back saver. I did read the Cuisinart will shut itself off if the motor gets over stressed.
I personally love KA!!! The motors last for a LONG time. I'd love to get a professional grade 20 qt mixer. I personally have never had much luck with Cuisinart items. They certainly can't handle my frosting batches. Especially when I need to make massive ones for shows.
I have a 5qt KA and I love it. I can do 2 batches of frosting in one go. I've never had issues with the motor. I made 1500 mini cupcakes for a show and never had a problem.
I only take one wedding cake order per week, so it's not like I'm doing a huge amount of volume, the volume I do take on is a focus on quality. Before I got my licensed space I loaded my little ole' home oven up with 12 cakes which amazingly enough is the same I can really put into my commercial oven right now because of how tempermental that thing is.
The point is, if you save yourself 1/2 to a full day of extra baking time what is that worth financially to you.. Even if it's only you, your time is valuable. Wouldn't you rather spend the time on the cake making the decorating perfection instead of "let's just get this done by X:00!". Even if you invested into a 10 or 12qt mixer, that's still going to cut your mixing time in half.
What it all amounts to is reducing your stress level in any way possible. I have only a 5qt now and it's just at that point after having done only a few wedding cakes with it that it's causing more stress to not be able to get that oven loaded quickly because it cuts into the time I can spend on the decorating since because I have to rent space I'm limited on when I can be in there.
I too vote for Kitchenaid. Unless you have a business, the 6quart is plenty big. I just got mine last week! I ordered it from kitchenaid.com, refurbished and the price was under $250! That mixer usually retails for $500 or more. They still have a warranty and several colors to chose from. For me it was the way to go. It sits next to my KA 4.5qt, so I can be doing bc in the big one, and a filling or mixing color in the other one! Love it...
The bottom line is, how often are you making cakes and are you going to start your own business. I personally have the KA 5qt and it is just enough for me. I'm not doing wedding cakes yet and don't know if I want to. I make 2 batches of icing in my mixer and it works wonders for me. I also make cookies double batch, no problem. Whatever you decide, happy shopping.
I'd love to have a 20qt or even a 12qt. I jsut got done baking 14 1/2 sheets and that sure was a pain in the KA 6qt! Don't get me wrong, I love it, just not for large cake orders.
I'm kicking myself right now because one of dh's coworkers was trying to sell a used 20 qt. Hobart for $500 and I just wasn't ready at the time! DOH!!!
I have a Kenwood 6 qt mixer which I love. It's 1200 watts, gotta love that! BTW, Kenwood is now Delonghi.
Courtney
I just got a Vking 7 quart, and I'm in love. I do have a KA and a 20 qt. Hobart, but the KA is staying at home and the other 2 will live at the shop.
My situation is there is a small college in town and they subcontract out for cakes for different events. I think I would have an opportunity to pick up some jobs from them. So that makes me think I should consider the Hobart. I've just heard good news all along on the KAs. I was think that 20 qt Hobart could knead fondant, too, and I do sort of like making the fondant myself. I think I'm going to invest in the KA first and see if my business grows in a direction toward the Hobart. I could always resell either one, right?
I have them all! 
Only because I own a shop but started out of my home first. If you have the money to spend, the Hobart 20 qt. is the way to go...especially if you want to grow your business. I also have a Viking that we use for small stuff and it's a great machine. The older Kitchen aids (made by Hobart) are wonderful. The newer Kitchen aids I have not had good luck with.
Minette
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