Stand mixers: KitchenAid Artisan Series 5-Quart Tilt-Head is our No-Brainer pick

Start with how much you bake

Most home bakers never fill more than a 5-quart bowl. Think about your biggest regular recipe, how often you make bread, and the height under your upper cabinets. Those three answers point to one of these mixers faster than any spec sheet.

KitchenAid Artisan Series 5-Quart Tilt-Head

The Artisan is the stand mixer most home bakers should start with. KitchenAid lists a 5-quart stainless bowl, 10 speeds and a 325 W motor, and it comes with a flat beater, dough hook, wire whip and pouring shield. The tilt-head design makes it easy to add ingredients and scrape the bowl, and the front hub takes KitchenAid's attachments if you want pasta or grinding later.

KitchenAid 7-Quart Bowl-Lift

If you bake large batches or a lot of bread, the 7-quart bowl-lift model is the step up. KitchenAid lists 11 speeds, including a gentle half speed for folding, and a bowl that lifts into place rather than a head that tilts. It is bigger and heavier, so measure the space under your cabinets before you commit.

KitchenAid Classic Series 4.5-Quart Tilt-Head

The Classic is the simpler, smaller way into a KitchenAid. It keeps the tilt-head design, 10 speeds and the attachment hub, with a 4.5-quart bowl and a 275 W motor. It suits cookies, cakes and the occasional loaf; frequent bread bakers will be happier with more bowl and motor.

Choose by the bowl you will actually fill

Pick the Artisan if you bake a few times a month and want the safe all-round choice. Pick the 7-quart bowl-lift if you make double batches or stiff bread dough often. Pick the Classic if you want a KitchenAid at a lower cost and mostly make cookies and cakes.

What stands out

• The Artisan's 5-quart bowl covers most home recipes
• The 7-quart bowl-lift adds a half speed and room for big batches
• All three use the same front attachment hub

Watch out for

• Bowl-lift mixers are taller; measure under your cabinets
• Match the exact model code, since similar names cover different sizes
• Attachments are sold separately

Before you buy

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Choose the bowl size you will really fill, then confirm the exact model code, height under your cabinets and included tools before checking out.

Think about the fit: Choose bowl size first, then tilt-head or bowl-lift.

Check before buying: Exact model code, bowl size, height, included tools and warranty

Quick answers