This was a wedding gift so I cannot actually rate the product. I can only assume it is a good product. However, I was disappointed that I ordered it gift wrapped as a wedding gift with a card and it arrived sans wrapping or card.

I got my KitchenAid Artisan 5-Quart mixer for Christmas almost 4 years ago. It is the best investment our family has ever made. I make bread dough in it 2-3 times a week. Up until a year ago, I was also using it that often to mill flour for the bread. I've used (with great success) the pasta and meat grinding tools that can be purchased separately. I'll be getting a Pro 600 for Christmas this year and passing this one on to a friend. Why? My family of six goes through bread too fast and I need a bigger mixing bowl! I'm a Suzie-Homemaker type as well as a very frugal shopper, and this mixer helps me be both! I have easily made back the money I spent on it by not having to buy bread, whipped cream, cake mixes, or many processed foods from the store. The friend who will be receiving my Artisan asked me if the mixer helps shorten my time in the kitchen. I had to be honest and tell her, "No, because now I cook and bake more. But it does make that time much more enjoyable!" My only regret is that I didn't have Santa bring me the bigger mixer 4 years ago!

I had one of these for 4+ years and it started to give me trouble after 2 years of use. First the head got stuck and wouldn't lift. After struggling with it for a while, I finally could lift it but then when put down, the head was lower than before and the paddle would touch the wall of the bowl - I had to use my hand to hold it up during the mixing process. Very frustrating! If you still prefer buying a KitchenAid mixer, I would suggest getting the kind that lifts the mixing bowl instead of the mixing head.

This Artisan KitchenAid stand mixer replaces an older, less powerful (250 watts) KitchenAid that I bought twenty-two years ago and that finally was beginning to show its age. Like most serious cooks, I can't imagine cooking or baking without a KitchenAid.

So what's so great about this mixer? Well, for starters, it handles all mixing jobs, from small to large, from delicate to tough. The orbital mixing action ensures that ingredients are mixed efficiently, in less time than required by hand mixers. Read the instructions for correct speeds because recipes that say "beat at medium speed" do not refer to this mixer's mid-range; "four" is the medium setting out of ten. Users should also read the instruction for any attachments they may be using since they aren't intuitive. For example, my new ice cream attachment (KitchenAid KICA0WH Ice Cream Maker Attachment) needs to be set at the lowest setting ("stir") instead of the "six" I expected.

The brand is known for its durability, reliability, and versatility. Any appliance that lasts for over twenty years with only minimal signs of age offers real value. The motor on my old mixer was tough -- and I expect this one to be even tougher given the power. I have never taxed the motor enough to engage a shut down -- and this comes from someone who has burned out no less than three handheld mixer motors.

Besides the extra power, the Artisan seems pretty much the same as my old one except for a slightly heavier weight mixing bowl and a sturdier whisk attachment. My old attachments and extra bowls/paddles fit the new machine.

When people walk into my kitchen and see my mixer on the counter, they often say, "You must be a good cook!" That's because the KitchenAid mixer has become the hallmark of a gourmet cook. If you consider yourself in this category or want to buy a gift for a gourmet, look no further.

-- Debbie Lee Wesselmann

I have used my new mixer 3-4 times, from small batches of cakes to dough for rolling out dumplings. I am happy so far with the mixer & the results. During one bath of muffins it didn't seem to mix all of the dry ingredients with out a little bit of help from a spatula, but all in all a great mixer.