The KitchenAid Artisan Series Stand Mixer KSM150 combines beauty and performance in a compact package. This is one of KitchenAid's smaller models, designed for cooks who don't have a lot of extra room or don't need the added capacity of the larger models. Don't be fooled by its size, however. This mixer's abilities are anything but small.

The model tested was a stunning blue willow color from head to toe. The glossy enamel finish adds a sparkle that simply begs to be left out in open view. Eighteen other colors are available, including gloss cinnamon, tangerine, empire red and imperial black. All models feature KitchenAid's quality die-cast metal construction.

The Artisan Mixer comes with a 5-quart stainless-steel mixing bowl, and three mixing attachments (flat beater, wire whip and dough hook). You also get a clear plastic pouring shield. With KitchenAid's wide range of more than 12 optional attachments, you can turn your mixer into all sorts of appliances, from a pasta roller/cutter to a citrus juicer, grain mill, slicer/shredder and more. There are 10 speeds, controlled by a slide lever on the mixer head. The control lever clicks in place at alternating speeds, however, you can position it between settings if desired. Even the six main options (stir, 2, 4, 6, 8, 10) are more than enough to handle a full range of mixing tasks.

We tested the mixer first with a standard bread dough recipe, which it completed like a champ. We loved the fact that we could simply add all of the ingredients to the bowl, and turn it on. Using the lowest speed setting, the mixer steadily spun its single dough hook, which spiraled around the bowl, leaving no trace of unmixed flour. We did not have to stop and scrape the bowl even once. This planetary mixing action is so efficient, in fact, that you can assemble the ingredients, start the mixer, and literally walk away. You'll want to stay close by, however, since the mixer finishes its tasks so quickly.

Our tests with the flat paddle and whisk were equally successful. The combination of the 5-quart bowl and ultra-powerful 325-watt motor lets you prepare up to 4 loaves of bread, 7 pounds of mashed potatoes or 9 dozen cookies. What's nice, though, is the mixer does equally well with extremely small quantities, such as 1-2 egg whites or 1/4 cup of cream.

The 5-quart mixing bowl is tapered to conform to the path of the mixing attachments. The bowl is quite deep to minimize any splattering, and twist locks in place on the base to stay firmly in position during mixing. The dimensions of this mixer are 14.1 inches long by 8.7 inches wide by 13.9 inches tall. It weighs approximately 22.8 pounds. We found that attaching and removing the mixing tools was no trouble at all. A quick lift with a twist locks the attachment in place and a lift and reverse twist removes it. There are no buttons to press and the attachments won't come off until you're ready to remove them. The only feature missing is the ability to lock the head in the upright position. The mixer head is weighted, however, so it stays upright on its own for the most part. The only problem we had was when trying to raise the head with the dough hook attached and dough still clinging to the hook. The problem was easily remedied by simply dislodging the dough ball.


Pros: Die-cast metal construction, 325 watts, planetary mixing action, three attachments: flat beater, whisk, dough hook
Cons: Mixer head does not lock up, heavy

Warranty
1 year, hassle-free replacement