When deciding on the right kitchen mixer, it can feel a lot like buying a car. It’s big, it’s expensive, and when you pick one, you’re probably going to have to stick with it for a while. That’s why it’s so important to choose the right one.
Here at The Great Bake, we put kitchen mixing as a priority. Whether you’re spinning a pizza dough, baking some cookies, or whipping up a signature frosting, the mixer you use plays a significant role in whether or not you’ll get a good batch.
KitchenAid is one of the most popular kitchen appliance brands. Their products are available all over the world and range from large home appliances to smaller handheld units. The Kitchen Aide Professional 600 is one of their top-selling kitchen mixers, and so we decide to give it a little review.
The Specs
In this section, you’ll learn all the technical information you need to know about the KitchenAid Professional 600. You’ll find useful info about its measurements, varieties, attachments, and settings/how to use the mixer.
Measurements
This machine is big. It will take up some significant real estate on your countertop and isn’t easy to store on the shelves below. Keep that in mind when you buy. If you have limited kitchen space and don’t typically mix large batches, you might want to consider another mixer.
Height: 16.5”
Width: 11.25”
Depth: 14.5”
Cord: 45”
Weight: 29 lbs
Power: 575 W
Maximums (for 6-quart bowl):
- Flour = 13-14 cups
- Cookies = 13 dozen
- Potatoes = 8 lbs
Varieties
There aren’t too many different options for the KitchenAid Professional 600. However, there are a few customizations you can make.
First of all, you can decide on bowl size. The two most popular sizes of the 600 series are the 6 quart and 8-quart options. The type and price of KitchenAid Professional you buy will also determine the number and type of attachments it includes.
Probably the most diverse option you can make for your KitchenAid Professional 600 is the color. The product comes in more than 30 shades ranging from doll-house pink to creamsicle orange. Pick a color that matches your kitchen!
Attachments
There are four standard attachments that your Professional 600 will probably include: A metal flat beater, a spiral dough hook, a six-wire whisk, and a plastic pouring shield.
- Metal Flat Beater: This tool mixes things like frosting and cookie dough. The kitchen aid attachment is made from burnished metal, which means it will need to be hand-washed. If put in the dishwasher, the metal will become discolored and unusable.
- Spiral Dough Hook: After you finish mixing your pizza or bread dough, you’ll use the dough hook to knead it into a neat ball that is ready for baking. The dough hook is also made from burnished metal.
- Six-Wire Whisk: The six-wire whisk is for making things like whipped cream and frothing egg whites. It is made from stainless steel and machine washable.
- Plastic Pouring Shield: The plastic pouring shield fits on top of the mixing bowl. It prevents contents from spilling out when you add them while the machine is running. It is also machine washable.
Setting/How to Use
Like most countertop mixers, the Professional 600 has a “stir” setting and then a list of numbers that determine rotation speed. For this particular mixer, those numbers range from 1 to 10, which allows a lot of speed variety for specialized recipes.
To use the mixer, lower the metal arm on the central pillar side and remove the bowl. You’ll see a small knob at the top of the mixer where you can click your attachment into place. Once the attachment is in, you can replace the bowl and raise the arm back up. Then just select your speed/setting, and you’re good to go. If you’ve never mixed before, we recommend starting at a lower rate then working your way up. What number you start on depends on the recipe. Cookies require a start speed like “4,” while with whipped cream, you can begin at “1.”
One useful tip on the KitchenAid Professional is that it also has a height adjuster. Located behind the bowl in the center of the middle column, you’ll find a small screw. Turning this screw will raise and lower the mixer’s overall height. When using the flat beater, you shouldn’t have any trouble reaching the bottom of the bowl. With the dough hook, you might need to adjust slightly depending on how the factory aligned the machine.
Pros
Now that you know the mixer’s specifics let’s get into why it might be the right purchase.
It’s fast and efficient.
When using the mixer, it only takes about three minutes to make whip cream, slightly above the average time. It also does excellent with kneading dough and mixing frosting, getting both done around the average time.
With some mixers, their rotation pattern or energy supply isn’t sufficient to meet these prep time standards. It’s good to know that the Professional 600 won’t be a machine you’ll have to be waiting on.
It shuts off automatically.
If you’ve used a countertop mixer before then, you know how important this is. Too often, people pour just a little bit too much flour into the bowl and end up with a white Christmas all over their floor and countertop. With this feature, the KitchenAid Professional 600 will shut off automatically if it feels destabilized, preventing messes or spills.
The automatic shut-down is also great for safety. While kitchen mixers might not be the first thing that comes to mind when we think of gruesome cooking accidents, getting your hand stuck in one is a situation to be taken seriously. With the automatic shut-off, your hands and fingers will be kept safe.
Attachments are included.
Kitchen mixers are expensive. To get a quality brand that will last, you can end up spending close to $1000. If you’re making that kind of investment, you don’t want to spend an extra $30 – $50 on an attachment.
This stand mixer comes with all the standard attachments, so you can start cooking right away when you buy it. A flat beater, dough hook, and wire whisk are all you need to make everyday recipes like pizza dough, whipped cream, and bread. They are also made of quality materials and come under the same warranty as the machine.
Cons
No machine is perfect. Take a look below to see where we thought the KitchenAid Professional 600 could use some improvement.
You need to give it a good clean before use.
Like with most kitchen utensils and machinery, it’s a smart idea to give your Professional 600 a thorough wipe-down before you start using it. During the assembly process, a lot of dirt and chemicals can get stuck in the bowl’s grooves.
This problem is why when you wipe it with a tissue or paper towel, you’ll see a small amount of black residue. If you use the machine without washing it two or three times, you might end up with some black spots in your pizza dough or whipped cream.
This is only an issue because of the price you pay for the mixer. You would expect the manufacturer to give the machine an acid wash or thorough cleaning before boxing it up to be sold at such a high price tag.
It only works well with large batches.
When using the mixer, it’s essential to only use it for recipes with a large volume of ingredients. In YouTube demos of the mixer, you’ll see massive ingredient loads being dumped in that fill the bowl’s full circumference.
When we used the mixer, we found that smaller batches lead to many of the ingredients getting stuck on the sides of the bowl, and we had to use a spoon to push them back into the middle. If you typically mix smaller loads, then a different model is probably right for you.
Wrap-Up
Overall, like most of KitchenAid’s products, you won’t be disappointed with this purchase. You can see from the “Specs” sections that it has everything you look for in a stand-up mixer. It might be a bit big, but it has all the attachments you could need and a quality brand that you can trust not to break unexpectedly.
Don’t be dismayed by the negatives section. Most mixers will have some factory residue when you buy them, and the ingredient volume is only an issue if you’re making a relatively small quantity of baked goods.
The things that make the mixer stand out will tell you if it’s the right model for you. If you’re looking for a stand-up mixer that will get the job done efficiently, include all the necessary attachments, and will keep your kitchen cleanliness and appendages safe, then the KitchenAid Professional 600 is right for you.
We hope you enjoyed this review. Feel free to peruse more blogs on our website to find useful baking tips and recommendations.