Author: Maurice Savaryego, M.Sc.Eng. (Learn More)
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Comparing the Cuisinart, KitchenAid and Ankarsrum Stand Mixers
(**): Included Accessories:
- Cuisinart: Chef's whisk, dough hook, and flat mixing paddle.
- KitchenAid: Burnished flat beater, spiral dough hook, pouring shield and stainless steel wire whip.
- Ankarsrum: Dough roller, dough knife, dough scraper, dough hook, dust cover lid, a 3.5 liter BPA/BPS Free Tritan plastic mixing bowl, multi-wire balloon and single-wire cookie whisks.
Detailed descriptions of the three stand mixers and final recommendations follow below.
Cuisinart 5.5-Quart SM-50 Precision Master Stand Mixer

The unit has a tilt-back head that allows easy access to its 5.5-quart mixing bowl, while the included splash guard prevents messy countertops.
It comes with a chef's whisk, dough hook, and flat mixing paddle.
The mixing bowl and all accessories are dishwasher safe, and the stand mixer is available in 7 colors: ruby red, white linen, sky blue, onyx black, periwinkle blue, robin's egg, and silver lining.
Finally, the unit is equipped with one power outlet for optional attachments. If needed, you can purchase a variety of attachments for the unit, such as a pasta maker, meat grinder and desert & ice cream maker.
An instruction/recipe book is included with the purchase, and there is a limited warranty of 3 years.
KitchenAid Professional 600 Series Stand Mixer

The mixer's 10-speed slide control ranges from a very slow stir to a very fast whip, while its soft start mixing function minimizes ingredient splatter after start-up. The multipurpose attachment hub, equipped with a hinged cover, flips open to allow for easy installation of optional attachments such as meat grinder, slicer/shredder, etc.
An electronic speed sensor helps maintain a constant mixing speed, even when adding ingredients. The mixer automatically shuts off if overload is detected. There is no timer functionality. It comes with one year warranty on parts and motor.
Accessories include a professional wire whip, a spiral dough hook, a flat beater, and a pouring shield.
Ankarsrum Original AKM 6230 Stand Mixer
Also known as the Verona and Electrolux Magic Mill Assitent

The speed control knob allows for a seamless transition from 45 to 130 RPM, and the electronic speed sensor automatically adjusts motor torque to the load. Thanks to the 12 minute timer, the unit will do its work while you do other tasks, stopping automatically when you want it to.
The powerful 600 watt motor runs smoothly and quietly.
Depending on the loaf size you prefer, this machine can make enough dough for anywhere between 7 to 10 loaves of bread as it can hold up to 21 cups of flour. It efficiently emulates the kneading by hands. While the scraper folds steadily the dough, the roller delivers a powerful kneading action. The resulting dough is smooth, supple and pliable.
It includes the 8-quart stainless steel bowl, a dough roller, dough knife, dough scraper, dough hook, dust cover lid, a 3.5 liter plastic beater/mixing bowl, multi-wire balloon and single-wire cookie whisks. These mixing attachments are gentle enough for gluten free batters and perfect for higher hydration dough.
- The sturdy dough hook is designed for dryer, heavier doughs and kneads by stretching, pulling, and folding the dough around the hook as the bowl turns.
- The 3.5 liter beater/mixing bowl is made from BPA/BPS FREE Tritan plastic, a durable plastic that is safe to use with boiling sugar syrup and will not leave a fatty residue after whipping cream.
- The multi-wire balloon whisks are perfect for cream, egg whites, meringue, marshmallows and any other light batter you wish to whip and aerate.
Note that a variety of optional attachments transforms the Ankarsrum Original into a complete kitchen center, eliminating the need for a separate food processor, meat grinder, or slicer.
When you compare stand mixers, the Ankarsrum original stands out as an exceptionally strong dough mixer with excellent reliability. The entire motor enclosure is made of metal, while the bowl is made of stainless. It is heavy duty and will not move on your kitchen's counter while it's running. Finally, it also comes with a 7-year manufacturer's warranty on the motor assembly and 1-year on attachments.
The only negative is really the somewhat steep price. But as they say: you get what you pay for!
So which Stand Mixer to buy?
As the above product descriptions show, all three stand mixers considered here stand out as good products, and they will do well the job they are designed for. However, you should keep in mind the following points before you get the right one for yourself:
1If you are planning to use your mixer for making large batches of bread, you should definitely get the Ankarsrum. Not only does it have the largest bowl of all, but its motor and gears are able to handle much better large repetitive loads of dough.
2Note that the Ankarsrum is equipped with a timer and shuts off when the set time has elapsed. The KitchenAid and Cuisinart stand mixers shut off when they are turned off or when there is overload or overheating.
3Though the Cuisinart and KitchenAid stand mixers provide you each with a good number of speed choices (12 and 10 respectively), the Ankarsrum stand mixer allows you to select any speed from 40RPM to 140RPM.
4Finally, warranty differences should also be considered when you compare stand mixers. The best warranty comes with the Ankarsrum (7 year manufacturer's warranty on the motor assembly), followed by the Cuisinart (5 years for the motor and 3 years for other parts) and followed by the KitchenAid (one year for everything).
In conclusion, we can safely claim that the Ankarsrum is the sturdiest of all stand mixers and can handle the largest repetitive batches of dough. It is definitively the best bread mixer on the market!
The above compared Stand Mixers are available below on Amazon
Please Note: For non-US customers, when you click the links below, you will be provided with the Amazon links for your country (such as Canada or UK), if the product is available in your country.
Cuisinart SM-50
Precision Master
Ankarsrum Original
AKM 6230
KitchenAid Professional
600 Series
(Prices vary according to finish & color.)
For more information on the KitchenAid Artisan, please click below: