KITCHENAID Professional 600 Stand Mixers, 6 quart, Matte Velvet Blue

I have never owned a stand mixer before, but I knew I wanted to use it to make larger amounts of bread dough than my bread maker can handle. I chose the Pro 600 after reading all the reviews that said you'll need the increased wattage to handle dough.First of all, make sure you have enough headroom wherever you want to keep it - you'll need at least 17" under the cabinet to be able to use it in place. This may be important for many people as this mixer is bulky and heavy to move - over 30 lbs. But since it has the bowl lift feature, the head does not tilt back so you don't need extra clearance - 17" will work fine.The first thing I used it for was an angel food cake and I have to say, the results were amazing. Using the wire whip, the egg whites whipped up higher than I have ever achieved with my hand mixer and in half the time! The cake was much higher and fluffier, too. The plastic bowl collar makes it easy to add ingredients during the mixing process without making a mess.Next, I made a double recipe of yeast rolls. I used the spiral dough attachment and, as directed, never went above speed setting 2. It performed very well and my rolls were perfect. I referred to the tips in the owners manual for fast rise yeast breads. The machine didn't seem to strain or struggle and the resulting dough was lovely.I also made 15 lbs. of mashed potatoes. Following the recipe and directions in the manual, the potatoes were very good. I made them in 2 batches, first using the flat beater attachment and then switching to the wire whip. It seemed like a lot of work and switching when I read the directions but actually, it is quite easy and quick to stop the machine for a moment to scrape down the sides of the bowl or change attachments. Also, the included clear plastic collar keeps things from flying up and out of the mixer when working with large batches. No more mashed potatoes across the front of my shirt!The bowl lift mechanism works smoothly and easily and is very convenient. The 6 qt. bowl has a well designed handle and is thick, sturdy stainless steel. I love the slow start feature! The mixer starts slowly before coming up to speed so you don't get the big cloud of flour bursting up at the beginning of making dough. I got the meringue color, which is a soft white that is a matte, powder coated finish. I took mine in the back of my van to the relatives for Thanksgiving, where it got banged and bumped, and the finish suffered no damage.The 3 included attachments are heavy aluminum and KitchenAid recommends hand washing them. The bowl is dishwasher safe. I haven't purchased any additional attachments but I plan to, along with an extra bowl, which I think would be very handy during the holidays.UPDATE: 10 years later, this mixer is still going strong and I have had zero issues with it. I'm so pleased with it, I bought one for my son and daughter-in-law.

I performed extensive "Review" research on this product, along with other KitchenAid models, as well and other manufacturers products. I also consulted with several friends who have KitchenAid mixers. My primary usage of this mixer will be for making bread, therefore, I selected the Prof 600 series primarily because of the larger and heavier duty motor. The bowl-lift model vs the tilt-head model was also a big consideration. It seems like the more Reviews I read, the more elements of consideration were introduced.The Reviews talk about everything from not being able to put the beater attachments in the dishwasher, to the noise of the motor, issues surrounding an old problem of self-destructing gear boxes, lift vs tilt head, and bowl height adjustment. I guess I am one of the lucky one because I have not experienced any pain from any of these "Review" issues. The KitchenAid Professional 600 stand mixer which I received was in perfect physical condition, all attachments (as advertised) were included, it runs fine, and makes great bread dough. I am very pleased with the product. The lift mechanism takes conditioning, only because it is different. Once you get used to it, it's fine. The larger mixing bowl and a strong motor is a must if you are mixing large quantities (6+ cups flour) of bread dough.Where to buy from....... The Prof 600 and/or similar custom 'packages' are available from multiple sources. I narrowed down my purchase selections to Costco or Amazon. Costco's custom package for this unit does not include the bowl splatter shield, which is a nice feature when adding flour. Costco and Amazon's prices were very close - at the time I believe Costco was $11 more, but Costco will run specials from time to time (for example today, you can get the same mixer for $249 at Costco - that's a savings of $50). Since I live five hours from the closest Costco, shipping was a consideration, however both Amazon and Costco offer free shipping - so that became a non-issue. Costco has a, 'no questions asked' replacement / return policy, which from my experience, Amazon is similar. It came down to the bowl shield and I chose to order from Amazon. Keep in mind; I selected the white model, which was significantly less expensive on Amazon ($288) than the color models ($320 - $400). You can get the color model at Costco for the same price as the white model. At the time I purchased, KitchenAid was offering a $40 Rebate, however I have yet to receive that check (8 - 10 weeks you know....) Also as a word of caution on Amazon, watch for "Remanufactured" mixers. They are less expensive, but that is a risk and decision you will have to consider.The mixer was on my door step in two days - w/ free shipping! Incredible.

growing up my mom had one and i loved hers, so i wanted one of my own. i was so happy to get the bigger bowl. i love how sturdy it is, and the opportunity it brings is endless! can’t wait to try out all the attachments

Good product my wife loves it

Other than the great colour, there's a reason this mixer is always one of the top rated. Great if you do a lot of baking. The only thing I don't like is the beater doesn't hit the bottom of the bowl like a hand mixer so you have to keep scraping the bottom.

Finally got one and haven't been disappointed. This is good value considering it is built extremely well to last. Powerful motor mixes everything. Lots of attachments.

bought it on sale and i can not say enough great things about it