KitchenAid Professional 600 Stand Mixer Review
Let me guess:
You’re wondering whether KitchenAid’s higher-end stand mixer is worth the money.
If you watch cooking shows, you’ve noticed that every counter has a stand mixer. Most of the time, it’s the KitchenAid Professional Stand Mixer.
Why?
What makes this one the go-to mixer for serious cooks?
As a serious home cook and food-loving dietitian, a KitchenAid stand mixer was one of my first investments when I wanted to level up in the kitchen.
Spoiler: Yes. It was worth it.
This article dives into the features, pros, and cons of the KitchenAid Professional 600 Stand Mixer so you can decide if it’s right for you.
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KitchenAid Professional 600 Stand Mixers At A Glance
KitchenAid Professional 600 Stand Mixer Pros
All KitchenAid stand mixers come with (1) 6-quart stainless steel bowl, (1) wire whisk, (1) flat beater, and (1) dough hook. But the KitchenAid Professional 600 Stand Mixer comes has more features that makes it worth the investment if you’re a serious home cook or baker.
Here are a few reasons why this mixer stands above the rest:
- The 6-quart bowl can easily handle double recipes of bread and dough and dough for up to 13 dozen cookies.
- The 575-watt motor effortlessly kneads dough while the mixer remains stable on the counter.
- The professional series mixers are bowl-lift stand mixers, so there’s no more having to stop the mixer to tilt it back so you can add ingredients.
- Although the professional weight is only 3 lbs more than the Artisan, the bowl-lift function makes it much more stable at high speeds.
- There are other attachments, including pasta and an ice cream maker, that you can purchase separately to get more use out of this appliance.
- Metal and stainless steel attachments are designed to withstand wear and tear. Although coated ones sometimes chop, it won’t affect the function of your appliance. And you can always replace the accessories if necessary.
- Hands-free mixing simplifies measuring ingredients and allows you to leave the mixer running while you work in the kitchen!
KitchenAid Professional 600 Stand Mixer Cons
If you’re considering investing in this higher end stand mixer, here are a few things to keep in mind:
- Although this has 67 touchpoints for thorough mixing, you may need to frequently scrape down the side and bottom during mixing while mixing smaller amounts of ingredients.
- This model is pricier than other KitchenAid stand mixers, although sales make it more affordable.
- Due to its size and weight, consider where you will store or place your stand mixer.
Key Takeaway
This KitchenAid stand mixer is my favorite small appliance (even though I use my Cuisinart Food Processor and Vitamix Blender more often).
Hands-free mixing allows me to clean up and measure ingredients while the stand mixer runs. It also can whip cream, mix thick cookie dough and knead bread. I keep a hand mixer for whipping mashed potatoes, but I use the stand mixer for everything else.
Three key features make the professional model worth the investment for home cooks. But before I break down those features, let me share my experience with stand mixers.
Why Should You Listen to Me?
I received a KitchenAid Artisan Stand Mixer as a gift. But I hoped to upgrade to the Professional 600 model one day.
I moved four times, and my Artisan mixer (all 26 lbs of it!) moved with me.
Then, after 17 years of whipping cream, making cheesecake, kneading cinnamon bread, and mixing countless cookies, I decided it was time for a 6-quart bowl and more power.
So I purchased the Professional 600 mixer.
I learned to cook by watching cooking shows, and there were three tools that all the chefs used that I aspired to have: a santoku knife, Boos Block cutting board, and KitchenAid stand mixer.
They were the first three tools I added to my kitchen, and I’ve been using them for about 20 years.
Although the professional chefs on the cooking shows I watched can whip up perfect peaks of egg whites and whipped cream, I prefer to use a mixer for that. And the Professional 600 mixer has the power to take on these tough jobs.
It’s been a few years since I switched from the Artisan to the Professional 600, and I’m glad I did.
Here are a few of the best features:
Feature 1: Bowl-lift Function
- Unlike the other tilt-lift models, the bowl lifts when it’s in the mixing position. Then, when you add ingredients or remove the bowl, you just use the lever on the side to drop the bowl.
- The bowl-lift function helps stabilize this 29 lbs appliance on the counter. So it can mix dense dough at high speed without moving (my Artisan mixer almost fell off the counter a few times while kneading bread dough).
Feature 2: 6-Quart Bowl
- The 6-quart bowl is large enough to mix and knead large batches. When the bowl is too small, ingredients tend to ride up the mixer attachment.
- The bowl has three lock points and securely snaps into place.
- You can double recipes when cooking and baking for holidays or parties. For example, I like to double recipes when I’m taking the time to bake bread from scratch. The 6-quart bowl can handle a large batch of dough.
Feature 3: Soft Start
- The mixer slowly gets up to speed, allowing the ingredients to come together a little before reaching the speed setting. This helps avoid accidents and a big mess.
Feature 4: Power and Stability
The Professional 600 has a powerful motor and weighs more than most stand mixers. Although it’s taller than other stand mixers, it should still fit under most standard cabinets.
The bowl-lift function and 575 watts set this mixer apart from the rest. It’s both stable and powerful enough to handle mixing dense dough and kneading bread without walking on the counter or the head coming loose.
Here are the general specifications:
- Watts: 575
- Weight: 29 lbs
- Depth: 14 ½”
- Height: 16 ½”
- Width: 11 ¼”
- Comes with: wire whisk, flat beater, dough hook, pouring shield, and a 1-year warranty, depending on where you purchase it.
Stand Mixer Competitors
Cuisinart, Hamilton Beach, and GE are some well-known brands that make stand mixers.
The power of the KitchenAid Professional 600 and the Cuisinart stand mixers is comparable. But the KitchenAid Professional 600 stand mixer has more stability, especially when mixing tough jobs at high speed, making it the go-to for serious home cooks.
It comes down to how much power you need, whether you prefer a bowl-lift or tilt-head mixer, the look and color, and your budget.
If you want a powerful and stable mixer with a bowl-lift function at a lower price and don’t need the power of the Professional 600, the KitchenAid’s Professional Plus 5 is a great alternative.
Here’s a comparison of the key differences between a few popular stand mixers:
| MIXER | WATTS | BOWL SIZE | MIXER SPEED | MIXER TYPE | WEIGHT |
| KitchenAid Artisan | 325 | 5-quart | 10 speeds | Tilt-head | 26 lbs |
| KitchenAid Professional Plus | 450 | 5-quart | 10 speeds | Bowl-lift | 29 lbs |
| KitchenAid Professional 600 | 575 | 6-quart | 10 speeds | Bowl-lift | 29 lbs |
| Cuisinart Precision Pro | 500 | 5.5-quart | 12 speeds | Tilt-head | 21 lbs |
| Hamilton Beach 12 Speed Professional | 450 | 5-quart | 12 speeds | Tilt-head | 15.9 lbs |
| GE | 350 | 5.3-quart | 7 speeds | Tilt-head | 21 lbs |
Who Is KitchenAid Professional Stand Mixer Right For?
- A stand mixer can do everything a hand mixer can do and more. Investing in a KitchenAid stand mixer will make your time in the kitchen much easier if you cook and bake a lot.
- If you don’t make homemade items like whipped cream, you can now if you own a stand mixer. It’s simple, and everyone can taste the difference.
- Even if you only do a week of marathon baking once a year for the holidays, you’ll appreciate the power of this mixer. You can double cookie recipes and keep your hands free to measure ingredients or clean up as you cook.
- It’s a beautiful appliance to store on your counter, so you don’t have to hide it away. You’ll be surprised how much you use it when it’s easily accessible.
Who Is the KitchenAid Professional Stand Mixer Not For?
- This is not a good investment if you don’t bake or if you don’t cook many things from scratch that requires a powerful mixer.
- This mixer is heavy and large, so you’ll need space on the counter or cabinet to store it. You’ll be less likely to use it if it’s packed away and not easily accessible.
Conclusion
The KitchenAid Professional 600 Stand Mixer is one of my most valued cooking and baking tools. So whether you’re an experienced home baker or just starting out in the kitchen, this mixer will be a great investment for your kitchen.
It has power, stability, and durability.
And it’s versatile.
It can handle a variety of tasks with ease, from kneading bread dough and whipping egg whites and cream to mixing cake batters. And the optional attachments also make it easy to create a variety of dishes and desserts with just one machine.
About Jennifer Messineo, MS, RD
I’m a food loving Registered Dietitian. I help families plan meals, reduce food waste and save money on food!
