KitchenAid Artisan Stand Mixer Review: Worth the Price in 2026?
There are cheaper stand mixers, there are more powerful stand mixers, and there are certainly lighter stand mixers.
Yet the KitchenAid Artisan is still seen by many as the absolute gold standard of stand mixers.
The Artisan combines the familiar tilt-head design with ten speeds, a large stainless-steel bowl, a second 3L bowl and enough included attachments to handle cakes, bread dough, whipped cream and plenty more. KitchenAid currently lists it at an eye-watering £549, although sale prices regularly bring it down, with Amazon currently listing it for as low as £319.
So, is the KitchenAid Artisan mixer genuinely worth that much money in 2026?
For regular bakers who value build quality, versatility and something designed to stay in the kitchen for years, yes. If you bake twice a year and mainly need something to mix cake batter, the price is tricky to justify.
The quick answer
| KitchenAid Artisan 5KSM175PS | |
| Best for | Regular home bakers |
| Main bowl | Approx. 4.8L |
| Extra bowl | 3L |
| Speeds | 10 |
| Motor | 300W-rated |
| Included tools | Paddle, flex-edge beater, whisk, dough hook |
| Standout feature | Huge attachment ecosystem |
| Main drawback | Premium price |
| Worth £549? | Yes for frequent bakers; wait for a deal if you’re less committed |
Check the latest KitchenAid Artisan 5KSM175PS price on Amazon UK.
If it feels like premium, it’s because it is
Part of the reason the KitchenAid Artisan costs more than many of its rivals becomes clear as soon as you take it out of the box.
The body is made from die-cast metal rather than lightweight plastic shell alternatives, and the whole machine exudes this sort of premium presence that works nicely when sat next to a SMEG kettle or a Le Creuset casserole dish.
KitchenAid also sells the model in a wide range of colours, which matters more than it sounds when you’re buying something that’s probably going to live permanently on the worktop.
The tilt-head design is simple too. Release the head, lift it back, attach the whisk, paddle or dough hook and you’re ready to go.
There’s no touchscreen asking for your Wi-Fi password.
For north of £500, the simplicity is oddly refreshing.
The mixing system is still the real selling point
The Artisan uses KitchenAid’s planetary mixing action, meaning the attachment rotates while also moving around the bowl.
KitchenAid says this creates at least 59 contact points around the bowl, helping ingredients mix more evenly rather than leaving flour sitting untouched at the sides. You also get ten speed settings, ranging from a slow stir through to fast whipping.
For cakes, cookie dough, buttercream and whipped cream, that combination makes the machine particularly easy to live with.
The included flex-edge beater is also pretty nifty. Its flexible edge scrapes the side of the bowl as it mixes, reducing the number of times you need to stop everything and attack the mixture with a spatula.
A tiny luxury, perhaps.
But so are heated car seats, and nobody complains about them.
The two bowls make more difference than you’d expect
The main stainless-steel bowl is roughly 4.8 litres, which is plenty for most home baking. KitchenAid says it can handle up to around 1kg of all-purpose flour, so ordinary cakes, biscuits and moderate bread batches shouldn’t be an issue.
You also get a separate 3L stainless-steel bowl.
That sounds like the least exciting accessory in the box until you’re making something that needs two separate mixtures.
Whip cream in one bowl, mix your cake batter in the other, and suddenly you’re not stopping halfway through to wash everything.
For someone who bakes regularly, that’s the kind of feature thats more useful than another fancy button.
The attachment system is a big part of the price
This is where the KitchenAid starts showing off.
The front of the Artisan contains a multipurpose attachment hub, and KitchenAid offers 15+ optional attachments for it. These can turn the mixer into everything from a pasta roller to a grinder, shredder or sausage-making machine.
You obviously don’t need any of them.
But five minutes after buying the mixer, you’ll be tempted to get out the homemade pasta book.
The important thing is that the attachment system gives the Artisan room to grow. Someone who starts by making cakes can add other functions later without replacing the mixer itself.
That also helps explain why you buy this machine as an investment rather than a short-term solution.
Cleaning isn’t particularly painful
Most of the everyday components are fairly straightforward to clean.
KitchenAid says the bowls, pouring shield, beaters and dough hook can go in the dishwasher, although the wire whisk should be washed by hand.
The smooth body is also easy enough to wipe down after use.
Which is fortunate, especially when dealing with flour on a regular basis.
Then there’s the price tag.
At its full £549 list price, the Artisan is undeniably expensive.
But there’s an important difference between list price and what you may actually pay.
KitchenAid itself has recently been running the Artisan at £466.65, while current price tracking has even shown some colours on Amazon UK as low as £319-£398.
At around £320, I think the argument becomes a lot easier.
You’re paying for the timeless design, two bowls, four mixing accessories, an established attachment ecosystem, a five-year guarantee and a design intended to outlast anything else in your kitchen. KitchenAid also highlights the model’s repairability and long-term support.
See the latest KitchenAid Artisan price and available colours on Amazon UK.
Who should buy the KitchenAid Artisan?
Buy it if:
- You bake regularly.
- Cakes, bread, cookies and dough are normal weekend activities.
- You value sturdy metal construction.
- You want access to a large range of future attachments.
- You plan to keep your mixer for years.
- You don’t mind leaving it permanently on the worktop.
Skip it if:
- You only bake occasionally.
- Your main priority is getting the cheapest stand mixer possible.
- Worktop space is extremely limited.
- You regularly make very large batches of heavy dough.
- The KitchenAid design doesn’t particularly appeal to you.
The verdict
The KitchenAid Artisan isn’t a good deal because it’s cheap, it certainly isn’t.
It’s a good deal because it combines excellent everyday mixing, solid construction, useful included accessories and one of the strongest attachment ecosystems available.
Would I rush to pay the full £549? Probably not. But with the deals currently available, and for a regular home baker buying one machine to use for years, the Artisan still makes a very convincing case in 2026.
Best for: committed home bakers wanting a premium, versatile mixer.
Skip it if: you’ll realistically use a stand mixer only a handful of times each year.
Related guides
Check the latest KitchenAid Artisan 5KSM175PS price and availability on Amazon UK.
