Product was great for the price. Shipping was quick. It made a great christmas present for my mom.

I would call myself an intermediate cook and I've just recently started baking. I happened to nab this mixer at a great deal during Amazon's black Friday goldbox deal so if I was going to get a mixer, now was the time to do it.

So far, I've been very please with its performance. I've used it a lot for kneading dough--everything from dog biscuits (all my friends with 4 legged furry kids get biscuits every year for xmas) to cinnamon rolls and it's been a breeze. I despise kneading dough by hand and this mixer has just made my life so much easier.

I've also used it for cheesecake, cornbread and cookies. My only regret is that I didnt get one sooner (would have come in SO handy while cooking my Thanksgiving meal).

As far as bowl lift vs tilt head design, I havent had any trouble using the bowl lift. The attachments are easy to slide on and off so that was never an issue for me.

Trust me. You will never need another mixer after this one. Its heavy and well built. Its too much for me, but for someone who uses these allot, you'll love it.

I love this mixer. I've always used a hand held and there is no comparison. I originally wanted the tilt version but when this mixer arrived it was so tall (17") that when I placed it on my counter it just fit under the cabinets. With the tilt back style I would have had to pull it forward every time I wanted to remove the bowl. Not a problem with the lever style I don't have to move it at all. It is easy to use, I have no problem getting all the batter or whatever off the paddle. It is a workhors. It is great for baking recepies but I especially love it for meatloaf. It definately needs the shield to prevent splashing. I have only high praise for this product and wish I had bought it sooner.

I came across this particular Kitchen Aid 10 Speed Mixer via Amazon's Gold Box Special. Listed at an incredible low price, this high speed jewel has more then paid for itself many times over. Packed with a heavy duty 325 watt motor, it easily handles both small and large batches of dough for homemade pizza crust and beer bread. Unlike the now retired Cusinart mixer, the beater actually touches every part of the bowl without additional scraping.

The textured black finish makes for an easy cleanup. High quality accessories include a stainless steel wire whip, pouring shield, dough hook, and paddle. It stands about 17" and takes up about a square foot in space. Weighing in at about 25 pounds it is not something that you plan to move from counter to counter. Precision built by the same great team that manufactures the commercial grade Hobart line, this excellent addition to the kitchen is a must have tool.