The short version
- Our pick: KitchenAid Artisan, 5 qt. A tilt-head mixer with a 5-quart bowl with a handle, 10 speeds and a pouring shield included, and KitchenAid publishes its weight and size.
- Budget pick: Hamilton Beach Professional 63240. A 5-quart tilt-head mixer with 12 speeds and a 5-year limited warranty, for less than our main pick.
- Upgrade pick: KitchenAid 7 Qt Bowl-Lift. A larger bowl-lift mixer with all-metal gears, a soft start and the most tools in the box.
Who this is for
Home bakers who mix bread dough, cookie dough, cake batter or whipped cream often enough that a hand mixer or a wooden spoon is getting tiring. If you bake a loaf or a batch of cookies now and then, a hand mixer may be all you need. For what kneading actually does to dough, read our explainer on how gluten works.
This guide covers countertop stand mixers with bowls of about 4.5 to 7 quarts (4.3 to 6.6 litres). It does not cover commercial mixers, spiral mixers or hand/stand combination mixers.
Why you should trust us
This is a researched guide: we have not yet used these mixers ourselves, and we say so. Our picks are based on the manufacturers’ published specifications, each linked to a dated record in our evidence ledger. We do not describe how these mixers knead, how loud they are or how they hold up, because we have not checked that yet. When we complete hands-on testing, this guide will be relabelled “Tested by Erisha” and updated. Read how we test and our editorial independence policy.
We chose these picks before checking whether any retailer pays a commission. We do not use retailer star ratings or sales ranks as a reason to recommend a product.
How we picked
We started from the stand mixers most widely sold at a major US retailer in late October 2026, added the main models from the same makers’ own sites, and kept the mixers that met these criteria on paper:
- A bowl of about 4.5 to 7 quarts, which covers everyday household batches.
- A stated design: tilt-head (the top tilts back to reach the bowl) or bowl-lift (the bowl rises to meet the beater).
- Published speeds, rated power and tools in the box, from the maker’s own page. We list rated power, but we don’t rank mixers by it. A wattage figure on its own doesn’t tell you how a mixer handles stiff dough, and we haven’t tested these.
- A stated warranty, where the maker publishes one.
- A model we could identify on a manufacturer page, and a US price from a page we could open.
Our pick: KitchenAid Artisan, 5 qt
KitchenAid Artisan Series 5 Qt Tilt-Head Stand Mixer (KSM150PS)
KitchenAid · Model KSM150PS (colour suffix varies, e.g. KSM150PSOB Onyx Black)
- Capacity: 5 qt (4.7 L) stainless steel bowl with handle
- Design: Tilt-head
- Speeds: 10
- Rated power: 325 W
- Weight: 27.5 lb (about 12.5 kg)
KitchenAid’s own product page answers most of the questions on our list. The Artisan (model KSM150PS) is a tilt-head mixer with a 5-quart (4.7-litre) stainless steel bowl that has a handle and is dishwasher-safe, and the head locks in place while mixing. It has 10 speeds and is rated at 325 watts. A coated flat beater, a coated dough hook, a 6-wire whip and a pouring shield come in the box. KitchenAid publishes a weight of 27.5 lb (about 12.5 kg) and a height of just under 14 in (about 35 cm), which matters if it will live under a kitchen cabinet. The same hub also takes more than 10 optional attachments, sold separately.
Flaws but not dealbreakers. The price depends on the colour: KitchenAid listed US$499.99 for Onyx Black when we checked, while two colours (Milkshake and Juniper) were on promotion at US$349.99. The product page says a “limited standard warranty” is included but does not state how long it lasts, so we don’t give a term. KitchenAid’s own spec table lists the capacity as “5 cu ft”, which is clearly a typo for 5 quarts. We have not yet verified an Amazon or Canadian price.
Budget pick: Hamilton Beach Professional 63240
Hamilton Beach Professional All-Metal Stand Mixer (63240)
Hamilton Beach · Model 63240
- Capacity: 5 qt (4.7 L) stainless steel bowl with handle
- Design: Tilt-head
- Speeds: 12
- Rated power: 450 W
- Weight: Not stated
If you want a full-size stand mixer for less, Hamilton Beach’s Professional All-Metal Stand Mixer (model 63240) matches our pick on bowl size: a 5-quart (4.7-litre) stainless steel bowl with a handle. Hamilton Beach lists 12 speeds, a 450-watt motor, planetary mixing action and a tilt-up head. It comes with a flat beater, a whisk, a spiral dough hook and a splash/pour shield, and has an attachment hub. It carries a 5-year limited warranty, the only warranty term among our picks that the maker states on its product page.
Flaws but not dealbreakers. Hamilton Beach does not state the mixer’s weight. It lists the size as 13.5 in high, 14.8 in wide and 9.8 in deep (about 34 × 38 × 25 cm). We could confirm a price only on Hamilton Beach’s own site, and we have not verified a Canadian retailer.
Upgrade pick: KitchenAid 7 Qt Bowl-Lift
KitchenAid 7 Qt Bowl-Lift Stand Mixer (KSM70SKXX)
KitchenAid · Model KSM70SKXX (e.g. KSM70SKXXWH White)
- Capacity: 7 qt (6.6 L) stainless steel bowl with handle
- Design: Bowl-lift
- Speeds: 11 (including a 1/2 speed)
- Rated power: 500 W, AC motor
- Weight: Not stated (shipping weight 33.2 lb)
If you bake large batches, KitchenAid’s 7-quart bowl-lift mixer (model KSM70SKXX) has the biggest bowl here: 7 quarts (6.6 litres), with a handle. Instead of tilting the head, you raise the bowl to the beater. KitchenAid lists 11 speeds, including a gentle ½ speed, a 500-watt AC motor, all-metal gears and a soft start. It also has the most tools in the box of any mixer we considered: a flat beater, a double flex edge beater, a spiral dough hook, an 11-wire whip and a pouring shield.
Flaws but not dealbreakers. It is the most expensive mixer here, at US$649.99 when we checked. At 16½ in (about 42 cm) high it is taller than the tilt-head models, so measure the space under your cabinets. KitchenAid lists only a shipping weight (33.2 lb), not the mixer’s own weight, and does not state the warranty term on the product page. We have not verified a Canadian price.
Also worth considering
KitchenAid 5.5 Qt Bowl-Lift Stand Mixer (KSM55SXXX)
KitchenAid · Model KSM55SXXX (e.g. KSM55SXXXER Empire Red)
- Capacity: 5.5 qt (5.2 L) stainless steel bowl with handle
- Design: Bowl-lift
- Speeds: 11
- Rated power: 500 W
- Weight: Not stated (shipping weight 31.5 lb)
The KitchenAid 5.5 Qt Bowl-Lift (KSM55SXXX) shares the 7-quart model’s 500-watt rating, 11 speeds, all-metal gears and soft start, with a 5.5-quart (5.2-litre) bowl. At US$499.99 it cost the same as the Artisan in Onyx Black when we checked. It does not include a pouring shield, and like the 7-quart model it is 16½ in tall.
KitchenAid Classic Series 4.5 Qt Tilt-Head Stand Mixer (K45SS)
KitchenAid · Model K45SS (e.g. K45SSWH White)
- Capacity: 4.5 qt (4.3 L) stainless steel bowl, no handle
- Design: Tilt-head
- Speeds: 10
- Rated power: 275 W
- Weight: Not stated (shipping weight 23.8 lb)
The KitchenAid Classic (K45SS) is the simpler tilt-head model: a 4.5-quart (4.3-litre) bowl without a handle, 10 speeds and a 275-watt rating. It comes with a flat beater, a dough hook and a whip but no pouring shield. At US$399.99 it cost more than the Artisan’s promotional colours when we checked, so compare prices before you choose it.
The competition
Cuisinart Precision Master 5.5 qt (SM-50) is a well-known alternative, but Cuisinart’s website blocked our automated check, so we could not verify its specifications or price. We will try again.
Aucma 6.5 qt is widely sold online, but we could not verify the model on a manufacturer page.
Smaller mixers, such as the Kitchen in the Box 3.2 qt and Hamilton Beach’s 4-quart models, fall below our 4.5-quart size range.
Specifications compared
| Spec | KitchenAid Artisan Series 5 Qt Tilt-Head Stand Mixer (KSM150PS) | Hamilton Beach Professional All-Metal Stand Mixer (63240) | KitchenAid 7 Qt Bowl-Lift Stand Mixer (KSM70SKXX) | KitchenAid 5.5 Qt Bowl-Lift Stand Mixer (KSM55SXXX) | KitchenAid Classic Series 4.5 Qt Tilt-Head Stand Mixer (K45SS) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Capacity | 5 qt (4.7 L) stainless steel bowl with handle | 5 qt (4.7 L) stainless steel bowl with handle | 7 qt (6.6 L) stainless steel bowl with handle | 5.5 qt (5.2 L) stainless steel bowl with handle | 4.5 qt (4.3 L) stainless steel bowl, no handle |
| Design | Tilt-head | Tilt-head | Bowl-lift | Bowl-lift | Tilt-head |
| Speeds | 10 | 12 | 11 (including a 1/2 speed) | 11 | 10 |
| Rated power | 325 W | 450 W | 500 W, AC motor | 500 W | 275 W |
| Height | 13-29/32 in (about 35 cm) | 13.5 in (about 34 cm) | 16-1/2 in (about 42 cm) | 16-1/2 in (about 42 cm) | 13-29/32 in (about 35 cm) |
| In the box | Flat beater, dough hook, 6-wire whip, pouring shield | Flat beater, whisk, spiral dough hook, splash/pour shield | Flat beater, flex edge beater, spiral dough hook, 11-wire whip, pouring shield | Flat beater, dough hook, wire whip (no pouring shield) | Flat beater, dough hook, 6-wire whip (no pouring shield) |
| Warranty | Limited standard warranty (length not stated on product page) | 5-year limited | Not stated on product page | Not stated on product page | Not stated on product page |
Choosing between tilt-head and bowl-lift
- Measure under your cabinets. The KitchenAid tilt-head models are just under 14 in (about 35 cm) tall, and the bowl-lift models are 16½ in (about 42 cm), according to KitchenAid.
- Think about batch size. Our picks range from 4.5 to 7 quarts. As a guide, KitchenAid says the 5-quart Artisan holds up to 9 dozen cookies’ worth of dough in one batch, and the 4.5-quart Classic up to 8 dozen (28 g of dough per cookie, using the flat beater).
- Check what’s in the box. A pouring shield comes with the Artisan, the 7-quart bowl-lift and the Hamilton Beach, but not with the Classic or the 5.5-quart bowl-lift.
Frequently asked questions
Does a higher wattage mean a better mixer?
Not on its own. We list each maker’s rated power because it’s published, but we haven’t tested how these mixers handle dough, so we don’t rank them by wattage.
Why don’t you show star ratings?
We base our picks on verified specifications and, once we test, on our own results. Customer star ratings can’t tell you how a mixer performs, and some retailers don’t permit them to be republished.
Are these available in Canada?
We have not yet verified Canadian retailers or prices for these mixers. When we do, Canadian readers will see them automatically.
Why are there no Amazon links?
We could not check current Amazon prices for these models this week, so for now we link only to the makers’ own stores, where we could confirm prices.
Sources
- KitchenAid. Artisan Series 5 Quart Tilt-Head Stand Mixer (KSM150PSOB), kitchenaid.com product page (EV-0025), accessed November 8, 2026.
- KitchenAid. Classic Series 4.5 Quart Tilt-Head Stand Mixer (K45SSWH), kitchenaid.com product page (EV-0026), accessed November 8, 2026.
- KitchenAid. 5.5 Quart Bowl-Lift Stand Mixer (KSM55SXXXER), kitchenaid.com product page (EV-0027), accessed November 8, 2026.
- KitchenAid. 7 Quart Bowl-Lift Stand Mixer (KSM70SKXXWH), kitchenaid.com product page (EV-0028), accessed November 8, 2026.
- Hamilton Beach. Professional All-Metal Stand Mixer with Specialty Attachment Hub (63240), hamiltonbeach.com product page (EV-0029), accessed November 8, 2026.
- Amazon.com Best Sellers, Stand Mixers, snapshot (EV-0001), October 28, 2026. Used only to find widely sold models, not as a quality signal.
Last updated November 8, 2026. Spotted an error or an outdated price? See our corrections policy.