KitchenAid Artisan 5-Quart Tilt-Head Stand Mixer Review: Would Owners Buy It Again?
Disclosure: As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. If you buy through links on this page we may earn a commission at no extra cost to you. How this review was made: We did not test this mixer in person. This verdict is based on our analysis of expert reviews, a retailer rating summary and owner themes, all listed at the end of this article. We did not find independent multi-year failure data, and say so below. Our method.
A dependable baking workhorse, if you have the counter space
The Artisan earns strong marks for power, a sturdy all-metal feel and a huge range of attachments. A Best Buy rating summary shows roughly 98% of reviewers would recommend it, though many of those reviews are labeled as incentivized. Complaints are mostly practical: it is heavy, you still scrape the bowl by hand, and the standard attachments are less refined than the newer Artisan Plus set. For occasional to regular home bakers it is an easy repeat buy.
Check current price on Amazon → Prices and availability change often, so we don't list them here.Buy it again if you…
- bake bread, cookies or cakes regularly at home
- want a mixer that stays on the counter and lasts for years
- like the option to add attachments such as a pasta maker or grinder later
Skip it if you…
- have limited counter space or low cabinets overhead
- need to move or store the mixer often
- want a bowl light and scraping beater out of the box
The KitchenAid Artisan is the best-known 5-quart tilt-head stand mixer. It has a stainless steel bowl with a handle, a tilting head and a motor rated at 325 watts, and it accepts the brand's wide range of power-hub attachments.
KitchenAid now also sells the Artisan Plus, which Tom's Guide rated five stars. We cover how the two differ below, because that is the main choice a buyer faces today. We flag where evidence is thin.
What owners say, at a glance
Bars show our editorial summary of how consistently owners praise or complain about each area across all sources — not a lab measurement.
The key specs
| Bowl | 5 quart brushed stainless steel, with handle |
|---|---|
| Motor | 325 W rated, 10 speeds with a lever |
| Weight | About 20 to 21 lb, depending on the source |
| Included | Flat beater, dough hook, wire whisk (coated aluminum) |
| Warranty | 1 year, per Prudent Reviews |
What owners love
What owners complain about
Artisan or Artisan Plus?
Prudent Reviews found the two performed almost identically on whipped cream, cookies and pizza dough. The Plus adds a double flex-edge beater, stainless dishwasher-safe attachments, a bowl light, a pouring shield and a marked speed dial, but it was louder at high speed (85 versus 81 dBA in their test). Tom's Guide gave the Plus five stars but still recommends the standard Artisan if budget is tight. In that comparison the Artisan was sold on Amazon, while the Plus was listed only on KitchenAid.com.
How it holds up over time
We found no rigorous multi-year failure data. The evidence is a retailer rating summary and a review aggregator describing years-long use. Both are positive, but they are not controlled tests, and one Best Buy reviewer reported colour fading after about a year.
Tips from owners
- Keep it on the counter, since lifting it regularly is the most common frustration.
- Stop and scrape the bowl during thick batters.
- Measure your cabinet clearance before buying a tilt-head model.
Pros and cons
What owners love
- Strong, stable mixing for dough and batters
- Sturdy, long-lasting feel
- Huge range of optional attachments
- Many colour choices
- Usually cheaper than the Artisan Plus
What owners complain about
- Heavy to move and store
- More manual bowl scraping than the Plus
- Standard whisk is not dishwasher safe
- Needs overhead clearance for the tilting head
Other options owners compare
These are the stand mixers most often compared with the Artisan.
| Model | Style | Consider it if… | |
|---|---|---|---|
| KitchenAid Artisan (this review) | 5 qt tilt-head | You want the proven, widely sold classic | See on Amazon |
| KitchenAid Artisan Plus | 5 qt tilt-head | You want a bowl light, flex-edge beater and dishwasher-safe stainless attachments | — |
| KitchenAid Artisan Mini | 3.5 qt tilt-head | You want a smaller bowl for a compact kitchen | See on Amazon |
Ready for a mixer that stays on the counter for years?
Check current options, colours and bundles on Amazon.
Frequently asked questions
What is the difference between the Artisan and the Artisan Plus?
The Plus adds a bowl light, a double flex-edge beater, stainless dishwasher-safe attachments, a pouring shield and a marked speed dial, per Tom's Guide and Prudent Reviews.
Is the Artisan loud?
In Prudent Reviews' test it measured about 81 dBA at high speed, quieter than the Plus at 85 dBA.
Does it fit under cabinets?
A tilt head needs clearance above it. Consumer Reports advises checking the space between counter and cabinets.
Is the Artisan dishwasher safe?
The stainless bowl is, but Prudent Reviews notes the coated whisk is not.
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Sources we analyzed
- Tom's Guide: KitchenAid Artisan Plus review — Artisan Plus features, tests and five-star verdict
- Prudent Reviews: Artisan vs Artisan Plus — specs, test comparison, noise, availability
- Best Buy: KitchenAid Artisan customer reviews — retailer rating summary, praise and complaints
- ShopSavvy: KitchenAid Artisan review summary — durability, scraping and weight themes, product ID
- Consumer Reports: Which KitchenAid stand mixer is right for you — tilt-head clearance and weight
Figures reflect each source as of October 10, 2026 and may change. We summarize owner feedback in our own words and do not reproduce retailer reviews.