My husband got me a Special Edition 6 qt Kitchen Aid stand Mixer in Vintage Red for Christmas. We moved shortly after from our previous location into our new apartment so I've only recently been able to use it. I've had plenty of experience with these machines from culinary school and throughout my cooking career and I must say that I am never disappointed by Kitchen Aid stand mixers. Ive tried their 5 qt, 7 qt and 20 qt machines and they always have the best performance out there. The motors are like cadillac engines! The machine doesn't just spin the attachment in a circle but also in a spherical criss cross shape to ensure proper mixing, whipping and/or folding of your ingredients. The machine comes with 3 standard attachments (whish, paddle and hook) but you can buy separate attachments for the machine for more specified jobs such as a pasta maker, a sausage stuffer, a meat grinder, and ice cream attachment and even a juicer! Not to mention, a Kitchen Aid in the special edition red makes any kitchen counter top look so much more welcoming!
I want a stand mixer really bad. I love to bake, and I know that I would benefit from having one. Plus I saw where you can make your own pasta using one. I really want to try that. The only problem is that they are too expensive for me. We have only 1 income right now, and I am a full time student. I made a huge mistake and bought a cheap knock off brand. I will never do that again. It broke after a few uses. I wish Kitchen Aid was cheaper, but maybe when I graduate I will be able to afford one.
If you can't afford the full blunt of the initial price you can get one and pay little by little at Macy's if you have a Macy's card. If not you can try Kmart, they have a layaway plan which can definitely help you by giving little payments. I had to wait for this gift because I could not afford one either but honey let me tell you..... TOTALLY WORTH IT! Take a look and see if there are coupons online for KitchenAid Prducts. That might help too.
I hope I get a Kitchen Aid stand mixer for Christmas this year! I have been wanting one for years and have yet to make the investment. I did not know about all the extra attachments you can get, and now I want one even more!
I love to use mine to bake, make bread, and pizza crust dough. What I have recently discovered is how to save money buying in bulk and processing; I do things like shred bulk cheese from Costco, and make juice from mine and neighbors citrus trees_ they love the payback of fresh OJ! I have other ideas when we harvest our garden; processing and canning, etc.
Cashorcheck - you are way ahead of the game my friend. Not many people are into this and the way the economy is looking we should all be getting in to preserving and making the best of our resources. Have you considered purchasing a FoodSaver? My husband purchased his 6 years ago and I have to say it is worth it. Your food will last you up to 5 more weeks than usual and that's only in meats and fresh produce. Herbs, spices, nuts etc can be stored in dry environments for up to half a year and stay preserved since they are in an anaerobic environment. You should look into this - it might help you save much more than you know.
