This is an amazing mixer... beautiful to look at and fantastic in quality .This is a very large mixer, 6 qt capacity, KitchenAid's largest home mixer. (The next size up is for commercial use.) No plastic or cheap materials. This has a steel housing, stainless-steel bowl, and heavy-duty metal paddle, whisk, and dough hook.
I have developed rheumatoid arthritis (RA). I love to cook and bake, but with the RA I never know from one day to the next what I am able to do. So, when I am well enough to get in the kitchen, I make large batches and throw them in the freezer for the days I cannot. I also no longer have the hand strength to knead dough or mix large-batch recipes. This large-capacity mixer takes care of all of that. It can knead as many as 8 loaves of bread dough at a time. It has a "soft start" feature that prevents splashing of liquids and flour clouds on starting. I just love it.
This is a bowl-lift mixer. I cannot lift the head of the tilt-top mixer... the RA saps my strength and I have pain. The bowl lift takes care of that, too. Even with a full bowl, the lift mechanism works with ease and takes minimal effort.
This mixer is easy to clean. A quick wipe with a damp cloth takes care of the mixer itself. The bowl, paddle, whisk, and dough hook are dishwasher safe, but if you prefer hand washing, the cleanup is easy.
I love this thing. I look forward to getting some of the attachments to help me with other kitchen tasks I can no longer perform by hand.
My only gripe is that I cannot get in the kitchen often enough to use this thing.
My KitchenAid is the centerpiece of my kitchen. If you are getting only one piece of kitchen equipment, get a KitchenAid. It does so many things and replaces so many appluances, and with the avalable attachments it can do even more.
I'm done gushing. Spend the money and get one. You won't regret it.