Kitchen Aid mixer help

[Blenheim]

I love the red Kitchen Aid stand mixers, and have been planning on registering for one when the time comes. Well, FH and I decided to set up our registries this past weekend. Crate and Barrel, where we have our main registry, doesn''t have the red ones. While we were registering for cut crystal at Macy''s, we decided to check out their selection. They have the red ones, but the scanner just wouldn''t read it and we gave up. We could always get online and add it, right?

Well, I''m looking at Macy''s website, and their 5-qt Artisan mixer is $399.99. Yikes. I really don''t remember it being that much in the store. The same one, in white, black, or silver at Crate and Barrel is "only" $299.99. I''ve spent the last 30 minutes or so going to every website I can think of on which couples commonly register -- Williams-Somona, Bed Bath and Beyond, Target, etc -- and they all list the red 5-qt Artisan one as $299.99. I''m not sure what''s up with Macy''s.

I''ve been bought up to be fairly frugal, and I do not want our guests to pay $100 over what appears to be market value on something because they bought it off our registry. So, should we open up a new registry JUST for the Kitchen Aid mixer? We already have our crystal-only one, and I''m not sure what I think of having multiple registries with only a couple of items on them. (Although if we open one at Williams-Sonoma, we could also add one of their totally cute Bundt pans.) We could close the Macy''s registry and open a BBB one for crystal (they have our pattern) and the mixer, but they''re charging $7 more per glass and I''m not a huge fan of BBB anyway. Should we just register for the silver one at Crate and Barrel? We like it, but not as much as the red. But it would also go with any decor/colors that we choose for the kitchen in the future.

Thank you in advance for helping me with such a frivolous question.

(Sidenote: My grandmother''s generously giving us a set of the family china and silver, so that''s not a concern when it comes to where to register.)

 

[Tacori E-ring]

I like BBB and had our main registry there but if you like WS better, open a small registry there. I did this for pottery barn because they had bedding I liked. Maybe it is the more expensive one (larger, more professional) I know they have a series that is $399. Are you sure you are looking at the same one?

 

[Blenheim]

They''re both the same line, same capacity. I''m almost wondering if it''s worth calling Macy''s and making sure that the price listed online is correct.

Thanks for the advice!

 

[monarch64]

If you''re feeling guilty or weird about registering for a high dollar item, there is always the option of waiting til after the wedding and using gift cards or cash (or even, dare I say it, exchanges) to purchase the mixer you really want.

I''ve seen the KitchenAid mixers (which are awesome, btw) advertised for $249 at Kohl''s (discount department store--midwest)...for whatever that''s worth.

 

[Tacori E-ring]

Date: 10/24/2006 12:20:57 AM
Author: monarch64
If you''re feeling guilty or weird about registering for a high dollar item, there is always the option of waiting til after the wedding and using gift cards or cash (or even, dare I say it, exchanges) to purchase the mixer you really want.


I''ve seen the KitchenAid mixers (which are awesome, btw) advertised for $249 at Kohl''s (discount department store--midwest)...for whatever that''s worth.

I have seen that too. They have the lowest price. This is a timely thread b/c I am thinking about getting one. I feel guilty because I don''t cook/bake that much *yet* but both my mom and sister LOVE theirs and actually my sister has our grandmothers so they really do last forever. Also I have so much credit/gift cards at BBB so it wouldn''t be money out of my pocket. I am hoping they will let me use the 20% off coupon even though they say they are excluded I have used them on excluded items before.

 

[Blenheim]

You know, Monarch, I think that''s a lot of it. As it is, I keep debating whether we should keep the one >$100 item on our registry or take it off. Plus this is definitely a luxury and not a need. I have an old mixer that''s not all that attractive and lacks a dough hook but mostly gets the job done. I can use my 7-cup food processor for dough, but it has problems handling dough for two loafs of bread at once. (My back can''t really handle kneading by hand right now.) But crystal and Calphalon and nice knives are also luxuries, so I''m not sure why I''m hung up on this one.

We''re thinking of using gift cards and cash, plus our completion coupon, for a couch. We have two at the moment, one a lovely green ''70s plaid that we bought (with a matching chair!) for $60 and another that we dragged off of a curb. The slipcovers are doing wonders, but I think it might be worth it to save up for a new one.

And thanks for the tip about Kohl''s!

 

[Lorelei]

Blen - I don''t know what the best way of getting your KA would be...but I just wanted to say that I have owned one for over 5 years and I LOVE LOVE LOVE IT!!!!!!!!!!

 

[Kismet]

I think you should keep it on your Macy''s list. Just because it''s on your registry doesn''t mean people will be forced into buying it or, if someone wants to buy it, it doesn''t necessarily follow that they have buy it at Macy''s. Also, I think it''s kind of handy to have a big ticket item on the list for a group gift.

 

[njc]

Put it on whichever registry you think it fits best. Like some have said, good group gift, or people can shop around since they know what you want. My MIL bought mine, but got it from like Sam''s Club or something similar. We had several gifts given to us that were on our registry, but were purchased at another store because it was cheaper.

Calling Macy''s might not be a bad idea either... KAs are almost ALWAYS the same price no matter what store you are purchasing it from.

Funny side story... MIL picked the KA as a shower gift because she looked around her house and thought if there was a fire, it would be one of the first things she would save!

 

[sumbride]

Well, it''s currently on sale at Macy''s (just checked their website) for $299 and I bet that happens a lot. Plus they have all those coupons every week, so I''d leave it on the registry. There''s a good chance you''ll get it because people love to give things they know you''ll have forever, and the KA mixer is definitely one of those things! I buoght one a few years ago because I''m an avid cookie baker and I love love love mine! If you want the red, stick with the red!

The thing BBB has going for it is they give you cash for registry returns, but if it''s on your registry, people assume you want it, not the cash value. I guess it comes in handy for duplicates, or if you change your mind.

 

[Blenheim]

Wow, Sum, it went on sale overnight. Thanks for catching that, and pointing out their coupons. It''s back on the Macy''s registry.

I realize that a registry is only a wish list, and that guests don''t need to buy from it. (They don''t need to buy me a present, period.) But in the past, for my friends, I''ve just bought off the registry figuring that it decreases the chance of duplicates and that it''s probably easier for the couple to return if they need to. And if any of my friends/family think the same way I do, or if they just don''t feel like comparison shopping, I don''t want them to pay $100 more than it should be going for.

NJC, that''s hilarious.

 

[appletini]

Don''t feel bad about big ticket items. This is an excellent group gift for a shower or a relative that wants to get you something nice they know you''ll use. All I have to say is that once you have the stand mixer, you wonder how you ever survived without it.

 

[Tacori E-ring]

Date: 10/24/2006 9:27:59 AM
Author: sumbride

The thing BBB has going for it is they give you cash for registry returns, but if it's on your registry, people assume you want it, not the cash value. I guess it comes in handy for duplicates, or if you change your mind.

Do you have experince with this b/c I have made many returns to BBB and never once got cash. They give me store credit.

 

[Katiemarie]

THe more expensive ones the top part flips up so you can have full access to the bowl and stuff...

know what i mean? Its like, on a hinge so you can just push back the beaters and stuff instead of only lowering the bowl


my mom explained this to me becuase she bought the regular one thinking she was getting the flip back one or whatever.

 

[sumbride]

Date: 10/24/2006 12:01:39 PM
Author: Tacori E-ring

Date: 10/24/2006 9:27:59 AM
Author: sumbride

The thing BBB has going for it is they give you cash for registry returns, but if it''s on your registry, people assume you want it, not the cash value. I guess it comes in handy for duplicates, or if you change your mind.

Do you have experince with this b/c I have made many returns to BBB and never once got cash. They give me store credit.

No, that''s just what they told me when they registered. Haven''t tried it yet. Was what you returned on your registry? Maybe it was a scam to get me to register with them.

 

[sumbride]

Date: 10/24/2006 12:15:57 PM
Author: Katiemarie
THe more expensive ones the top part flips up so you can have full access to the bowl and stuff...
know what i mean? Its like, on a hinge so you can just push back the beaters and stuff instead of only lowering the bowl
my mom explained this to me becuase she bought the regular one thinking she was getting the flip back one or whatever.

On the most expensive one, the bowl itself lifts up and down. The mid-range model is the one where the top flips up, but the bowl itself doesn''t move. I think the bowl-raise model is great but not something most people need. I have the flip-up one.

 

[Katiemarie]

Hmmm

I''m all confused then My mom must be confused too. lol. She has the bowl one that goes up and down and wishes that she had a flip top and said that the flip top is more expensive.

*scratches head* ok ignore my earlier post i dont know what im talking about

 

[fisherofmengirly]

Blenheim,

This cracks me up, because Paul and I were just having the same conversation. My mom has a Kitchen Aid and I LOVE it. We have registered at Target for one, but all they carry is WHITE, and I want chrome. Again, I feel like even having registered for something that is $199 is going overboard, but I''m still tempted to drop it and register at Bed Bath and Beyone because they do have the color choices, even though they''re $299.

Paul says to register for what we want, and then from there, people have the choice of getting us what they want. We have registered for a HUGE variety of prices, but that 300 dollar mixer does kind of seem like a LOT to me. Anyway, like others have said, gift cards do wonders in the way of getting the high end items. I''ve only had one shower, and we have enough Target gift cards to *almost* buy it already.

Another thing Paul pointed out is that a lot of times at work showers, people go in together and get one big item, so that may be something that ends up being done for you, too. Just something to think about.

By the way, isn''t registering so much fun? Paul and I had a blast scanning things! Gotta love the power of a scanner gun!

And wow, has your little puppy grown! Cuteness!!!

 

[Tacori E-ring]

Date: 10/24/2006 12:20:07 PM
Author: sumbride

Date: 10/24/2006 12:01:39 PM

Author: Tacori E-ring

Date: 10/24/2006 9:27:59 AM

Author: sumbride


The thing BBB has going for it is they give you cash for registry returns, but if it''s on your registry, people assume you want it, not the cash value. I guess it comes in handy for duplicates, or if you change your mind.

Do you have experince with this b/c I have made many returns to BBB and never once got cash. They give me store credit.

No, that''s just what they told me when they registered. Haven''t tried it yet. Was what you returned on your registry? Maybe it was a scam to get me to register with them.

Yes it was all off my registry.

 

[sumbride]

Date: 10/24/2006 1:27:30 PM
Author: Tacori E-ring

Date: 10/24/2006 12:20:07 PM
Author: sumbride

Date: 10/24/2006 12:01:39 PM

Author: Tacori E-ring

Date: 10/24/2006 9:27:59 AM

Author: sumbride


The thing BBB has going for it is they give you cash for registry returns, but if it''s on your registry, people assume you want it, not the cash value. I guess it comes in handy for duplicates, or if you change your mind.

Do you have experince with this b/c I have made many returns to BBB and never once got cash. They give me store credit.

No, that''s just what they told me when they registered. Haven''t tried it yet. Was what you returned on your registry? Maybe it was a scam to get me to register with them.

Yes it was all off my registry.

huh, well maybe I should call them and find out! We registered for more there than anywhere else just because it was nationwide and none of the other stores we picked are. But the cash thing was a nice perk. Darn those misleading store clerks! He specifically said cash and then told us to register for more than we needed just for that reason. We didn''t, but we also didn''t get close to the number of items he told us to register for. We''re expecting about 450 at our wedding and he said to register for 1500 items. NO WAY! Not unless one of them is a bigger house in which to put everything!

 

[sumbride]

Date: 10/24/2006 12:38:51 PM
Author: Katiemarie
Hmmm

I''m all confused then My mom must be confused too. lol. She has the bowl one that goes up and down and wishes that she had a flip top and said that the flip top is more expensive.

*scratches head* ok ignore my earlier post i dont know what im talking about

So tell your mom she can give you the bowl lifting model and buy the flip top one for herself... problem solved!

 

[Mara]

i got the max 6qt KA mixer on ebay a few years ago for something like $199. they have them on there all the time. i really wanted one but no way was i going to pay retail for a fun item like that...i use it about 4x a year only and mostly at holidays. i go in spurts.

the mixers come in various sizes which also determines how much they cost and what extra perks comes with it. i got the 6qt which has the moving bowl and flip up head. the 5qt would have been fine i'm sure but i just wanted the best i could get so i'd only have to buy it once.

in terms of putting it on the registry...i'd not do the $399 if you can find it for $299. sometimes the special 'colors' they only make for certain retailers. like WS might have them make a green and yellow one for them and BBB might have the pink or something. so the red might be only available at Macys. also i know this is silly but is it really worth it for someone to pay an extra $50 or $100 just for a color you might not want forever? i know the colors seem like a cute idea at the time...haha. but i got a white one because i knew it would pretty much go with everything no matter where we lived. just a thought, and i think the non colors are typically $50 cheaper.

 

[cara]

The Target KA mixer is not the same as the Artisan from Macys, the Target one is a base model with lower power motor. Cooks Illustrated did a mixer review and said the Artisan struggled (but did fine) with some heavy bread dough, so even though KA has a great reputation, I wouldn''t go lower than the Artisan. The one Mara has, 6 qt with bowl lift, is more $ new, probably with a bigger motor. $300 is the standard price for the Artisan at most stores we looked at, though frequently we saw rebates or sales to get it to 280 or 250. Its not worth driving yourself crazy over or starting another registry for a single item. Just think about what would make you happiest - wrong color, known decent price from C&B; right color, price possibly $300 OR $400 from Macys; or buying it with cash gifts after the wedding at known good price and spiffy color. Pick one option and don''t look back.

 

[Blenheim]

Mara, the red one is everywhere I''ve checked but C&B, and (with the exception of Macy''s) isn''t more expensive than the white ones. Our apartment is currently very warm, with lots of red, and it would go perfectly, but I do wonder if we should go with a more neutral color in case we decide to completely redecorate at some point.

Cara (and anybody else), are there any big pros or cons to the Artisan vs. the Professional 600? I was just planning on the Artisan, but now I''m curious.

Sumbride, 1500 items?

 

[Mara]

actually cara's post reminded me that i did some research on the KA mixers before i bought all those years ago. i was going to get the artisan and i ended up with the prof because i had also read that the mixing capabilities aka motor strength on the artisan was not top notch. that it had a hard time with some thicker doughs and similar. and i was like okay well i could get the artisan for like $50-75 less online (ebay) BUT why not just spend the extra to get the prof and then i will hopefully never have to replace it kinda thing, aka only buy it once. because i had read also that these things last practically forever (knock on wood!). the one downer on the prof is the bowl is HUGE so it's very hard to just make a 'small batch' of anything. and forget trying to mix something like 5 egg yolks into stiffness with that huge bowl. it has to be hand done or it has to be like 15 egg whites. it's just a huge bowl.

i tend to hand mix a bunch of stuff myself like cookies or cupcakes and not use the mixer and just save it for big jobs. so the artisan would be better for a kind of 'everyday' thing i would imagine. i actually remembered being fairly conflicted on what to get! hahaa. but i have never *regretted* getting the 6qt...probably because it works when i need it to and everything else i can hand mix or use a hand mixer.

 

[qtiekiki]

Date: 10/24/2006 1:27:30 PM
Author: Tacori E-ring

Date: 10/24/2006 12:20:07 PM
Author: sumbride

Date: 10/24/2006 12:01:39 PM

Author: Tacori E-ring

Date: 10/24/2006 9:27:59 AM

Author: sumbride


The thing BBB has going for it is they give you cash for registry returns, but if it''s on your registry, people assume you want it, not the cash value. I guess it comes in handy for duplicates, or if you change your mind.

Do you have experince with this b/c I have made many returns to BBB and never once got cash. They give me store credit.

No, that''s just what they told me when they registered. Haven''t tried it yet. Was what you returned on your registry? Maybe it was a scam to get me to register with them.

Yes it was all off my registry.

They will give you cash refund for the items on your registry. We returned more than $300 worth items for cash. The cashier even asked us if we want cash.

 

[sumbride]

Date: 10/24/2006 7:13:17 PM
Author: Blenheim

Sumbride, 1500 items?

I made it up to 204 items, but that includes the spatulas and $2 gadgets...

I think the point of that many was to give people choices but we picked out a lot at C&B and we''re registering for china and crystal at Dillards too. If that''s not enough, hopefully we''ll get some cash!

 

[Tacori E-ring]

qtiekiki-
hmmm...I went to two different BBB in two different states and they both gave store credit. Maybe it is a regional thing. I don't know.

 

[Blenheim]

Date: 10/24/2006 9:16:54 PM
Author: sumbride

Date: 10/24/2006 7:13:17 PM

Author: Blenheim


Sumbride, 1500 items?

I made it up to 204 items, but that includes the spatulas and $2 gadgets...


I think the point of that many was to give people choices but we picked out a lot at C&B and we''re registering for china and crystal at Dillards too. If that''s not enough, hopefully we''ll get some cash!

One of the people who helped me at C&B told me that the number of items they recommend registering for is 2-3 times the number of guests, so that people can get you both a shower and a wedding present off of your registry or can get you a couple of smaller things that go together. Macy''s is recommending 1.5 times the number of guests, although they''re also recommending that I register for more pricier items. I just felt like that was a lot to register for for our ~100 guest wedding, and hadn''t even thought of what that would come out to for a bigger wedding!

 

[qtiekiki]

Date: 10/24/2006 10:20:50 PM
Author: Tacori E-ring
qtiekiki-
hmmm...I went to two different BBB in two different states and they both gave store credit. Maybe it is a regional thing. I don''t know.

That''s strange. I do remember bringing in our printed out registry with us to return the gifts. I wonder if that makes a difference. If it''s a regional thing, then they should really let people know when couples register. It''s kind of unfair.