KitchenAid Artisan 5-Quart Stand Mixers Review

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(More customer reviews)My wedding gift mixer (a Sunbeam Mixmaster) turned 33 a week before Christmas, and my husband thought it was time for me to have a new one. He gifted me on Christmas with the KitchenAid 5 Qt. Artisan in white. I love this mixer and leave it out on my counter, something I never did with the Mixmaster. I recently purchased the citrus juicer attachment from Amazon and am very pleased with it as well. I have not read all 109 previous reviews on this site, but I have read a few that were disgruntled because their Artisans did not mix well. I initially had the same problem with the beater/bowl clearance. It is very simple to remedy. There is a beater adjustment screw on the mixer and the manual describes how to make the adjustments. I got even better instructions by calling customer support at KitchenAid. The technician told me to drop a dime into the empty bowl, turn the mixer on (about setting 2) using the flat beater, and it should move the dime 1/4" to 1/2" each time it rotates around the bowl. This is the right clearance for the beater to mix everything at the bottom of the bowl, but not low enough to cause wear on the beater from constant friction with the bottom of the bowl during usage. I tweaked the screw setting 1/4 turn each time until I got that dime moving. At this setting, I can now beat a single egg white to stiff peaks in the 5 qt. bowl. That's impressive.
This mixer is as sturdy as a tank, and you can hear the quality as it mixes. Although I had previously purchased a KitchenAid mixer for my daughter as a gift, I would never have splurged on one for myself.I am so happy my husband thought I was worth it!

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The KitchenAid Artisan Series Stand Mixer has a strong 325-watt motor that delivers the power to handle the heaviest mixtures, and mix large batches easily. The 5-quart polished stainless steel bowl with ergonomic handle is big enough to handle large batches of heavy mixtures. Its ergonomically designed handle is contoured to fit the hand and makes lifting the bowl more comfortable. The flat beater, dough hook, and the professional wire whip add to the versatility of the mixer. The flat beater is the ideal accessory for mixing normal to heavy batters. From cake mixes to firm cookie dough, the flat beater mixes quickly and thoroughly. The dough hook mixes and kneads yeast dough, saving both time and the effort of hand-kneading. The wire whip incorporates the maximum amount of air in whipped mixtures for fluffier whipped cream and angel food cakes. This model also includes a 1-piece pouring shield for guiding ingredients to their proper destination, and the bowl itself locks tight to the base. The tilt-back mixer head allows for easy access to bowl and beaters.

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KitchenAid SSA Sausage Stuffer Kit Attachment for Food Grinder Review

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(More customer reviews)I started learning about sausage stuffing in order to make a good andouille for jambalaya, gumbo, etc. Most decent equipment out there will run anywhere from $[...]-$[...] for a decent stuffer. Double that total and you can get a grinder as well. If you're going to make consistently large batches (25 lbs or more at a time) then you're probably going to want to invest in those.
However, if you're just learning and starting out and already have a KitchenAid and the associated grinder, then the stuffing attachment for less than $10 is a no-brainer. I've used it a couple of times now and I can say that it makes high-quality sausage without a problem.
I have noted a couple of negative reviews for this product. Not knowing the specifics of how those people used the product, I can note some things I learned on my own, and from a site. That is an excellent site about andouille and sausage stuffing in general (especially with a KitchenAid).
1. When grinding, make sure the blade is in. I forgot to do this on my first batch and it turned the meat into paste and was impossible to get the grinder to work properly (which is why they include it).
2. Make sure you keep the meat very cold. I haven't had to cool the attachments, although that might help, especially when the meat isn't the coldest.
3. Use the coarse grind plate for sausage. You can the fine grind plate (for hot dogs for example), but I would recommend just using the coarse plate and running the meat through multiple times for a finer grind on your sausage. The grinder can get some tissue wrapped around the feeder and it could require some disassembly and cleaning (might take 3-5 minutes), especially with the fine grind plate. After the first grind, the mixture moves through the grinder pretty quickly anyway.
4. Make sure the screw cap is tight. Meat can escape through the cap if you're not careful. It shouldn't in most cases though. If it is, this is a sign something else is probably wrong.
5. I bought the KitchenAid FT Food Tray Attachment for Stand Mixers as well. It's fairly handy for larger batches and I recommend it, but it's not necessary. I ground 15 lbs the other night and it was helpful in holding the larger amounts.
6. You'll see this other places, but I'll reiterate that natural casings are worth the extra (minimal) effort. There's not much to it once you've used them. Collagen is ok and are less likely to break, but natural aren't as fragile as you might think and they look and taste way better. I was a little leery of natural and bought collagen initially, but haven't used them since my first batch. I don't think I'll go back if I don't have to.
I've stuffed andouille and Italian sausage both with the larger of the two stuffer attachments. If I make some breakfast sausage, I imagine the smaller one will come in handy. If you're like me and you've gotten to this point, next on your list will probably be a smoker. I haven't taken that plunge yet, but it's coming soon.
Good luck and happy stuffing!

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Many people prefer to make their own sausages because this allows them to monitor the ingredients for quality and to use more exotic flavorings such as sun-dried tomatoes or roasted peppers.

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KitchenAid FGA Food Grinder Attachment for Stand Mixers Review

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(More customer reviews)Given all the concerns about e-coli and mad cow, we decided last year to start grinding our own beef and lamb. This grinder does the job perfectly. We grind right into the short round Ziplock boxes (about a hamburger's worth), which go into the basement freezer, and then we turn out the frozen "hockey pucks" onto a plate to defrost in the microwave, or right into the pot for bolognese sauce or sloppy joes. ("Honey, would you bring me up a couple of hockey pucks for dinner?)
Assembly is easy and cleanup is easy (put a slice of bread through after the meat to make it even easier, or grind up an onion if you're making meatloaf anyway). The knife and both plates store inside the screw cap, so I don't worry about losing them (though KitchenAid sells replacements, as does goodmans-dot-net). The grinder even comes with a handy wrench-thingy to help take it apart if it tightens up.
The knife and plates are not stainless (which wouldn't hold an edge), so you do have to dry them off right after washing, but I put everything, including the wooden stomper, right in the dishwasher, and after more than a year nothing has had a problem.
[...] - this isn't an industrial tool! You can't set the mixer speed above three or four when grinding (less if the meat is gristly), and you've got to cut up the meat small enough to fit in the feed tube (the instructions say one-inch cubes, but long strips work too). Treat this right and it will return the favor.
About the only thing that would make this more perfect is a cylindrical brush to clean out the horizontal and vertical shafts, since the dishwasher spray can't really completely reach both, and the horizontal shaft has a screw thread that tends to catch crud (Right now I'm using a folded sponge, and the abovementioned bread slice).

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Need bread crumbs? Or perhaps you like making your own lamb, chicken or pork burgers, or sausages? Then again maybe you make baby food at home to avoid artificial ingredients? For all of these tasks you can enlist the help of your powerful KitchenAid stand mixer thanks to this fabulous attachment.

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KitchenAid KPSA Stand-Mixer Pasta-Roller Attachment Review

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(More customer reviews)I purchased this item because the original roller attachment from the three-piece set I received over three years ago finally broke. Please bear in mind that I make more pasta than 99% of those who will buy this machine - usually FOUR dozens eggs worth per session (every month or so) - I did not hesitate to buy another.
It works perfectly! It also seems that they have made some changes since the last model. The copper scraper-plates where the dough is extracted have been changed to plastic (this actually is a GOOD thing, as little bits of copper will not get into your noodles if they break off). Also I have heard that they changed the gears from plastic to metal (another plus for durability if it is true).
My last model was on its way out for a LONG time (you could hear it), and when I used this one I had realized how quiet it used to be when working!

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Designed for use with KitchenAid stand mixers (sold separately), this pasta-roller attachment offers a fun and authentic way to enjoy traditional Italian cuisine at home. The metal unit attaches easily to the mixer's hub, and its multi-height function allows for creating thick or thin sheets of pasta as desired. Furthermore, its efficient rollers turn out 6-inch sheets of pasta--perfectly sized for feeding into KitchenAid pasta cutters and ravioli makers (sold separately) to create fresh lasagna noodles, fettuccini, linguine, and other delicious appetizers and main dishes. Alternately, roll the full-size sheets with spinach, ricotta cheese, and prosciutto to create mouthwatering cannelloni that tastes straight from the hills of Tuscany. The hand-washable pasta-roller attachment measures approximately 3-1/2 by 9-3/5 by 2 inches and carries a one-year limited warranty.

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KitchenAid FVSFGA Fruit/Vegetable Strainer and Food Grinder for Stand Mixers Review

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(More customer reviews)This gizmo makes the shortest work of making applesauce you ever imagined. You slice the apples, cook in a large pan with a small amount of water until they are soft. Then you push the apple mush, skins, seeds, core, stems, etc. in the top of the food grinder, and out the sieve part comes pure applesauce, out the end, comes the seeds, skin and stem. It takes maybe 10 minutes to process a 16qt pot of cooked apples.
I usually get every burner on my stove going, heat the pots of apples, process the mush into sauce, then can the lot. The canning part takes the longest.
Anyway if you can apple sauce, you need this tool.

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Quickly and easily strain fresh fruits and vegetables, grind fresh or cooked meat, and so much more with this combination of the fruit and vegetable strainer and food grinder attachment.

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KitchenAid K45SS Classic 250-Watt 4-1/2-Quart Stand Mixer, White Review

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(More customer reviews)Unlike many of the reviewers, I've only had this mixer for about a year, and it's this specific model, the 250W 4.5 quart mixer (the bottom of the Kitchenaid line). It was a real splurge at the time we purchased it, but it has turned out to be well worth it.
Before the Kitchenaid, I didn't do much baking. I tend towards more "manly" cooking techniques: the hotter the fire, the spicier the recipe, the better as far as I'm concerned. But this machine is as satisfying to use as any power tool in the garage -- there is something about using the *right* tool for the job, and I've found no tasks that one might consider using a mixer for that the Kitchenaid doesn't excel at. But it's especially good for baking, and once you start using it, you'll have your oven running a lot more than you used to.
The big difference between this mixer and the standard "two beater" models you may be familiar with is that it uses a single mixing attachment that rotates in two motions- it not only spins on its own axis, it also is rotated around the edge of the bowl. This does an extremely effective job of mixing ingredients without need for the bowl rotating, since the mixing motion covers the entire bowl. For most mixing jobs, it also requires no scraping of the sides with the spatula. IE: when it's mixing, you can ignore it and work on other stuff.
The first attachment I'll mention is the dough hook, which is a godsend for kneading. In the last day, I've made pizza dough, bagels, and whole wheat bread. Although this is the least powerful machine Kitchenaid makes, it kneads stiff dough (like the aforementioned bagels made with high-gluten flour) that would turn your mother's mixmaster into a smoking, stinking heap of fried motor components. Machine kneading takes a *lot* of the effort and variability out of making bread... you never "knead in" too much flour to keep it from sticking to your hands, and the 20 minutes you normally spend working the dough turns into 10 minutes you can use to clean up the kitchen.
The other two attachments are the paddle and the whisk. The paddle is the all-purpose "workhorse" beater, and works extremely well for creaming sugar and butter together, mixing cookie dough or cake batter, or any other general-purpose mixing job. With the orbital motion, it comes right up to the edge of the bowl, so it is effectively scraping as it goes. The whisk is great for egg whites and making whipped cream. I'm sure it's good for something else, but that's what I've used it for.
As for capacity, the 4.5 quart model is suitable for pretty much any "normal" home recipes. It's a "standard mixer". It will easily knead enough dough at once for two loaves of bread, or mix a double-batch of cookies.
As for downsides: this thing is HEAVY. You won't be moving it once it's in place. If you knead very stiff dough, the bowl sometimes will get tightened to the extent that it is very difficult to remove from the base. It's OK if you remember to leave it a little loose beforehand, but I always forget and I end up wrestling with the machine to twist it out. The metal trim band on the mixer right above the bowl has come a little loose on my model- the machine got a bit hot after some heavy kneading, and I think some adhesive got soft. It's held in place well by something else, but sometimes it will slip when I'm wiping the machine off. It's purely cosmetic from what I can tell, and it's the only thing that feels cheap in any way about this machine. Other than that, I honestly haven't had a single complaint.
In summary: this is an expensive mixer, but it is very well worth it. Even novice cooks will find it's use enjoyable, and it will inspire you to explore new things that you probably didn't do before because of the time and effort involved.

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Perfect for kitchens of all sizes, the classic series stand mixer delivers the power and durability to mix large batches. 8 cup flour power. Powerful 250-watt motor. Versatile 10 speed control. Durable, direct drive transmission. Multipurpose attachment hub w

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Refrigrator Automatic Ice Maker Kit Review

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(More customer reviews)If you buy this part, make sure you give it 24 hours to work. I was expecting it to start working right away as soon as I installed it. I was very frustrated when I didn't see the dial start to spin when installed. I actually took the part out and sent it back thinking it was defective. Well it turns out the part has an internal thermostat that has to get cold to the right temperature in order to kick the icemaker on. They failed to leave out this very important bit of information. The common lay person would never know this. So don't send it back, give it 24hrs to work!

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Replacement icemaker for ice thru-the-door or other (freezer mount) existing installations in most Whirlpool and Colspot refrigerators. This icemaker also replaces some older type icemakers. In some cases it can be used with the original wiring harness. Installation instructions included. Replaces the following part numbers: 978556, 4211173, 4210317, 978553, 978552, 833701, 797991, 627572, 626636, 626633, 626626, 626609, 626608, 626489, 626461, 626366, 626237, 626201, 626002, 625660, 625656, 625653, 625625, 625622, 625611, 625610, 625603, 625601, 482990, 482433, 482394, 482020, 482019, 482018, 482017, 482016, 482015, 482014 & 480617.

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Norpro Cast Aluminum Tortilla Press Review

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(More customer reviews)I'll admit that at first I was a bit frustrated with making my tortillas. This quickly ended after I figured out a few things and my second batch was so much fun to make.
This is what I do:
1) Mix up the maza and keep it moist. I roll out the balls first.
2) Use 1 sheet of wax paper.
3) Fold the wax paper in half (I do this diagonally so that it fits)
4) Put the wax paper so that the open end is at the hinge side of the press and the folded part of the wax paper is at the handle side of the press. This will help in removing the tortillia.
5) Put your tortillia ball about 1 inch off center towards the hinge of the press and then fold over the wax paper and close the press. The maza being off center will keep it evenly pressed. If it is in the center it tends to get pushed forward too much and hangs off the press.
6) Open the press and run the wax paper with your hand a few times prior to peeling of the paper. This helps to break the bond. Turn the paper over and do the same thing to the other side. The tortillia now will fall out the paper very easily.
7) Since the paper peels off the tortilla from back to front, the tortillia will not rip. If the paper were the other way it tends to rip the tortillia as the handle side of my press makes the tortillia thinner there.
Hopefully this helps get you started. I love this press. Wish it were bigger though.

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Homemade tortillas are truly a treat, and like nearly all flatbreads, not too difficult to make. Get your tortilla flat and even with this simple manual press. This could be one element of a fabulous "flavors of the Southwest" gift basket.

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