KitchenAid Stand Mixer - Which Attachments Are Worth Buying?

Questions on how we spend our money and our time - consumer goods and services, home and vehicle, leisure and recreational activities
Post Reply
Topic Author
OnTrack2020
Posts: 1423
Joined: Mon Mar 20, 2017 10:24 am

KitchenAid Stand Mixer - Which Attachments Are Worth Buying?

Post by OnTrack2020 »

We recently purchased a new KitchenAid mixer. It came with the slicer/grater attachment. I didn't realize they had so many other attachments. I noticed they have a flexible beater which can be purchased separately. Am assuming this scrapes the dough from the side of the bowl? If so, is that worth purchasing? Also, are any of the pasta attachments worth buying? Would love to hear what attachments you've purchased and if you use a particular attachment often.
User avatar
Bogle7
Posts: 1984
Joined: Fri May 11, 2018 9:33 am
Location: In the Witness Protection Program

Take your time

Post by Bogle7 »

Wait.
Add an attachment to a list.
If you still want it a year later, then buy it.
Old fart who does three index stock funds, baby.
dukeblue219
Posts: 4074
Joined: Fri Jan 29, 2016 11:40 am

Re: KitchenAid Stand Mixer - Which Attachments Are Worth Buying?

Post by dukeblue219 »

The only true attachment we use regularly is the meat grinder. I don't consider the different blades to really be attachments, but we have the one you described as well.

Our pasta maker has never left the box...
JS-Elcano
Posts: 992
Joined: Wed Jun 10, 2020 7:29 pm

Re: KitchenAid Stand Mixer - Which Attachments Are Worth Buying?

Post by JS-Elcano »

I got a stand mixer a few months ago and use it mostly to make bread and pizza dough with the dough hook, so I have not purchased any bowl attachments yet (like that scraper). But, I did buy the pasta attachment - the proper one from kitchenaid, not one of the others that are all over amazon - and I love it. I got the one that rolls the pasta dough into thin sheets, the one cuts fettucini and the one for spaghetti. They came in a set. I also picked up the pasta extruder for spaghetti, buccatini, etc, this weekend during their sale, but haven't tried it yet.
Dilbydog
Posts: 161
Joined: Mon May 23, 2016 10:17 pm

Re: KitchenAid Stand Mixer - Which Attachments Are Worth Buying?

Post by Dilbydog »

Replace the included cast aluminum dough hook, whisk, etc. and replace with SS and enamel coated equals, which are dishwasher safe.
turnturnturn
Posts: 92
Joined: Mon Feb 16, 2015 3:18 pm

Re: KitchenAid Stand Mixer - Which Attachments Are Worth Buying?

Post by turnturnturn »

The pasta maker attachment is discounted right now on Amazon for Cyber Monday.
techiegirl
Posts: 101
Joined: Sat Nov 07, 2020 10:02 am

Re: KitchenAid Stand Mixer - Which Attachments Are Worth Buying?

Post by techiegirl »

After years of owning the Kitchenaid, we bought the pasta maker and meat grinder over the weekend. The meat grinder was the best, and I wonder why we didn’t buy one until now. We used the pasta maker once already, but I wonder if we would be using it much in the future.
JS-Elcano
Posts: 992
Joined: Wed Jun 10, 2020 7:29 pm

Re: KitchenAid Stand Mixer - Which Attachments Are Worth Buying?

Post by JS-Elcano »

techiegirl wrote: Mon Nov 29, 2021 10:21 pm After years of owning the Kitchenaid, we bought the pasta maker and meat grinder over the weekend. The meat grinder was the best, and I wonder why we didn’t buy one until now. We used the pasta maker once already, but I wonder if we would be using it much in the future.
what do you use the meatgrinder for? Instead of buying ground meat you grind it yourself?
techiegirl
Posts: 101
Joined: Sat Nov 07, 2020 10:02 am

Re: KitchenAid Stand Mixer - Which Attachments Are Worth Buying?

Post by techiegirl »

JS-Elcano wrote: Mon Nov 29, 2021 10:24 pm
what do you use the meatgrinder for? Instead of buying ground meat you grind it yourself?
That’s exactly it. My aunt never believed in buying ground meat, and she always chopped it herself. I never got the hang of chopping meat, but this meat grinder is awesome.
dukeblue219
Posts: 4074
Joined: Fri Jan 29, 2016 11:40 am

Re: KitchenAid Stand Mixer - Which Attachments Are Worth Buying?

Post by dukeblue219 »

JS-Elcano wrote: Mon Nov 29, 2021 10:24 pm
techiegirl wrote: Mon Nov 29, 2021 10:21 pm After years of owning the Kitchenaid, we bought the pasta maker and meat grinder over the weekend. The meat grinder was the best, and I wonder why we didn’t buy one until now. We used the pasta maker once already, but I wonder if we would be using it much in the future.
what do you use the meatgrinder for? Instead of buying ground meat you grind it yourself?
For me it's not just about grinding meat myself as making all kinds of combinations for burgers. Instead of plain old ground beef I can mix up some brisket, some chuck, and some shortrib to make the perfect, overly expensive, homemade burger.
HomeStretch
Posts: 11419
Joined: Thu Dec 27, 2018 2:06 pm

Re: KitchenAid Stand Mixer - Which Attachments Are Worth Buying?

Post by HomeStretch »

Pasta roller and pasta cutter set
Pasta press for rigatoni, etc.

We enjoy the fresh pasta.
elle
Posts: 215
Joined: Thu Mar 13, 2014 3:13 pm

Re: KitchenAid Stand Mixer - Which Attachments Are Worth Buying?

Post by elle »

I have too many of them but the only one I find we consistently use is the ice cream maker. I hope to get back to the pasta maker when my kids are older. Ambivalent to the rest.
DarthSage
Posts: 596
Joined: Tue Sep 19, 2017 9:39 am

Re: KitchenAid Stand Mixer - Which Attachments Are Worth Buying?

Post by DarthSage »

I consider the rubber-edged scraper/beater to be an absolute essential. We bake a lot in this house, and that gets used constantly. I'm on my second one, the first one wore out.

I just "had" to have the spiralizer attachment. It's never left its box. I'm kicking myself.

I wouldn't use the pasta maker--I rarely make pasta, but have a hand-crank pasta machine that works just fine. It's not all that difficult or strenuous.

I use my Cuisinart if I need to grind meat, but I don't do it very often--maybe ham salad if we've had a big ham.

I have the ice cream maker, and I've used it, but the bowl has been sitting in my back freezer for quite a while now, untouched. Mostly, I have too many ice-cream-loving mouths (5 of us), and it doesn't have nearly enough capacity to make everyone happy. Maybe when I ditch a few of these kids?

Bottom line, I recommend that you see what you would actually use. Try to be honest and not get caught up in "shiny object syndrome" (I'm very guilty of this).
mkc
Moderator
Posts: 3292
Joined: Wed Apr 17, 2013 2:59 pm

Re: KitchenAid Stand Mixer - Which Attachments Are Worth Buying?

Post by mkc »

I bought my first KA in 1987 and got most of the attachments early on.

The only one I still use is the pasta roller set (the Pro-line one, I wore out the regular line one - cracking plastic bits)

The meat grinder was too slow for more than a pound or two and the meat would heat up, fat would start smearing, and the grind became more of a mush. I replaced it with a Cabela's/Waring Pro which is much better. If you only do "to order" grinding, it's fine, but if you want to get into larger quantities, homemade sausage, etc., you're better off with a separate machine.
User avatar
lthenderson
Posts: 8525
Joined: Tue Feb 21, 2012 11:43 am
Location: Iowa

Re: KitchenAid Stand Mixer - Which Attachments Are Worth Buying?

Post by lthenderson »

We use to have the pasta maker attachment but gave it away. We much prefer our dedicated pasta maker. Way easier to use, clean and has a lot more flexibility. As for the meat grinder, we don't eat much ground meat to start with so have never got one. But I no a couple other people who do own it and use it on occasion. They say it works but it pretty slow if you are doing quite a bit.
Independent George
Posts: 1592
Joined: Wed Feb 17, 2016 11:13 am
Location: Chicago, IL, USA

Re: KitchenAid Stand Mixer - Which Attachments Are Worth Buying?

Post by Independent George »

The first question you need to ask yourself is, "Why do you have a stand mixer in the first place?". The attachments worth buying are the ones you will actually use. The answer will be different for everyone.

I personally never use the whisk attachment, and only occasionally use the beater panel (for creaming sugar into butter); meanwhile, the dough hook gets almost weekly use. I expect this to be the exact reverse of most people.
sport
Posts: 12094
Joined: Tue Feb 27, 2007 2:26 pm
Location: Cleveland, OH

Re: KitchenAid Stand Mixer - Which Attachments Are Worth Buying?

Post by sport »

JS-Elcano wrote: Mon Nov 29, 2021 10:24 pm what do you use the meatgrinder for? Instead of buying ground meat you grind it yourself?
We use it for grinding up cooked fruit for use in filled holiday pastries.
User avatar
Watty
Posts: 28860
Joined: Wed Oct 10, 2007 3:55 pm

Re: KitchenAid Stand Mixer - Which Attachments Are Worth Buying?

Post by Watty »

JS-Elcano wrote: Mon Nov 29, 2021 10:24 pm what do you use the meatgrinder for? Instead of buying ground meat you grind it yourself?
The main thing we use it for is for making my Mom's pimento cheese recipe. There is no way to make it without a meat grinder and it is so much different than any store bought pimento cheese it is basically a different food altogether.

The meatgrinder was a gift from my mom when she was still alive so that we could make this since this was her signature recipe that she would not share with people. We do not use the meatgrinder often but it will likely outlast us.

When we used to eat more meat we would also use it to make roast beef spread out of leftover roast beef. This was also one of my mom's "secrets". The secrete ingredient is that you use whole Claussen refrigerated dill pickles that you grind up AND you also put in several tablespoons of the liquid that is in the pickle jar.
Nver2Late
Posts: 727
Joined: Tue Jan 26, 2021 10:30 am

Re: KitchenAid Stand Mixer - Which Attachments Are Worth Buying?

Post by Nver2Late »

Our Kitchenaid is the 1991 version. We use the various mixing instruments, slicer/shredder, and meat grinder regularly.
"Better is the enemy of good." Good is good.
shess
Posts: 2164
Joined: Wed May 17, 2017 12:02 am

Re: KitchenAid Stand Mixer - Which Attachments Are Worth Buying?

Post by shess »

Dilbydog wrote: Mon Nov 29, 2021 10:14 pm Replace the included cast aluminum dough hook, whisk, etc. and replace with SS and enamel coated equals, which are dishwasher safe.
Just realize that they have a variety of models, which aren't all the same size. But they use the same attachment point, and are close enough in size that it kinda works. So if you get a replacement whisk without paying attention to the model number, nine months later you're looking at the bottom of the bowl wondering if there are any downsides to the whisk polishing tiny particles off the bowl into your pies and mashed potatoes. Or the other direction, where your replacement hook is too short and leaves dough stranded in the bottom of the bowl.

I'm mixed on the enamel-coated items, over time bits sometimes seem to chip off, such as on the guard of the dough hook. I think stainless is the way to go, when you can get it.
curmudgeon
Posts: 2630
Joined: Thu Jun 20, 2013 11:00 pm

Re: KitchenAid Stand Mixer - Which Attachments Are Worth Buying?

Post by curmudgeon »

Our KitchenAid mixer is 40+ years old, and gets a fair amount of use. We've had a number of attachments, but most fell into disuse over time. We use the whisk, side-scraping beater, and pouring shield on a regular basis.
hicabob
Posts: 3796
Joined: Fri May 27, 2011 5:35 pm
Location: cruz

Re: KitchenAid Stand Mixer - Which Attachments Are Worth Buying?

Post by hicabob »

JS-Elcano wrote: Mon Nov 29, 2021 10:24 pm
techiegirl wrote: Mon Nov 29, 2021 10:21 pm After years of owning the Kitchenaid, we bought the pasta maker and meat grinder over the weekend. The meat grinder was the best, and I wonder why we didn’t buy one until now. We used the pasta maker once already, but I wonder if we would be using it much in the future.
what do you use the meatgrinder for? Instead of buying ground meat you grind it yourself?
Some people that don't want veins, bits of bones and lean finely textured beef( or LFTB ) in their ground meat tend to grind their own.
aardvark62
Posts: 20
Joined: Sat Jul 24, 2021 11:23 pm

Re: KitchenAid Stand Mixer - Which Attachments Are Worth Buying?

Post by aardvark62 »

+1 for the rubber-edged scraper/beater. Definitely necessary for creaming butter+sugar for cookies or other baked goods.
Post Reply