KITCHENAID® CLASSIC™ VS ARTISAN® STAND MIXER: WHAT’S THE DIFFERENCE?
At first glance the KitchenAid® Classic™ and standard Artisan® Series stand mixers may look similar. They’re both tilt-head stand mixers featuring the iconic KitchenAid brand design and have the power and durability to take it all on. There are key differences though in color, capacity and accessories that distinguish the standard Artisan® stand mixer and the Classic™ model. Read on to compare KitchenAid® Classic™ or Artisan® mixers and find the best one for you.
KITCHENAID® ARTISAN® SERIES STAND MIXER
MODEL# KSM150PS, AVAILABLE IN MORE THAN 20 COLORS
Tilt head
Multi-Purpose Hub Attachment
325 Watt Motor
5 Quart Stainless Bowl with Handle
Pouring Shield
KITCHENAID® CLASSIC™ STAND MIXER
MODEL# K45SS, AVAILABLE IN 2 COLORS
Tilt head
Multi-Purpose Hub Attachment
275 Watt Motor
4.5 Quart Brushed Stainless Bowl
SIMILARITIES BETWEEN A CLASSIC™ AND ARTISAN® STAND MIXER
In addition to the timeless design and the power to make every day extraordinary, the KitchenAid® Classic™ vs. Artisan® Series stand mixers have several key similarities. Some you can see immediately, like the size and tilt-head design; other similarities like the available warranties are less obvious but equally important.
Before taking a closer look at the similarities and differences between Classic™ and Artisan® Series stand mixers, it’s important to understand that there are a range of additional options available in the Artisan® Series line, such as color of the year, premium accessory packages, a 3.5 Quart Mini version, and exclusive colors. The focus here is a comparison of the standard Artisan® Series models (KSM150PS) and Classic™ models (K45SS).
1. BOWL ACTION
Both the Classic™ and Artisan® stand mixers let you easily add ingredients with the tilt-head design. As the name implies, the mechanism will tilt back, giving you easy access to the bowl when adding ingredients or attaching accessories.
2. MIXING SPEEDS
These two models feature 10 speeds for nearly any task or recipe. From gently folding ingredients together on stir speed, to whipping cream at speed 8, each speed plus the planetary mixing action helps ensure thorough ingredient incorporation.
3. MULTI-PURPOSE ATTACHMENT HUB
All All KitchenAid® stand mixers feature a multi-purpose attachment hub, helping to turn your stand mixer into the culinary center of your kitchen. Compatible with any stand mixer, there are more than ten versatile attachments1 for everything from spiralizing veggies to making homemade pasta, grinding meat, creating shave ice for frozen treats and more.
1 Sold separately
4. FLAT BEATER
The dishwasher-safe, nylon-coated accessory is perfect for quickly and thoroughly mashing potatoes, mixing cake batter, cookie dough and so much more.
5. WIRE WHIP
The 6-Wire Whip quickly incorporates air into ingredients for fluffy whipped cream, perfect boiled frostings and cakes with whipped egg whites.
6. DOUGH HOOK
The top rack dishwasher-safe coated dough hook mixes and kneads yeast dough with ease, saving you both the time and effort of hand kneading.
7. DIMENSIONS
Both the Classic™ and Artisan® Series mixers are the same size. They are 14 1/10 ” x 8 7/10 ” x 13 9/10” making them a great size for most countertops—they can be easily tucked away under standard upper cabinets.
8. LIMITED PARTS WARRANTY
The Classic™ and Artisan® Series stand mixers come with a one-year limited warranty from the date of purchase. See full warranty details.
DIFFERENCES BETWEEN A CLASSIC™ AND ARTISAN® SERIES STAND MIXER
The Artisan® Series comes with a few upgrades over the Classic™ Series. The most significant difference is color, a hallmark of the KitchenAid brand. The Artisan® Series offers an extensive palette of curated colors, while the Classic™ stand mixer comes in two neutral shades. The Artisan® Series stand mixers also come with a larger capacity bowl.
1. COLORS
The Artisan® Series comes in more colors than any other stand mixer line to help you express your unique style. These mixers are currently offered in more than 20 statement-making colors. The Classic™ models are designed for Makers who choose to express themselves through the timeless beauty of black and white
The Artisan® Series 5 Quart stand mixer line also includes additional models with special colors such as the annual color of the year, or with upgraded accessory packs.
2. BOWL TYPE
The Artisan® Series stand mixers come with gleaming, 5 quart polished stainless steel bowls with comfortable handles for ease of use. The Classic™ Series stand mixers feature 4.5 quart brushed stainless bowls, without handles.
To take your kitchen style up another notch, KitchenAid brand offers a wide assortment of bowls2 in beautiful patterns, materials and colors for your KitchenAid® Classic™ or Artisan® stand mixer. Or opt for the Artisan® Design Series stand mixer which features a glass bowl with visible measurement marks for added convenience and elegance.
2 Sold separately
3. CAPACITY
Both the Artisan® vs Classic™ stand mixers feature generous capacities, but the Artisan® Series offers a little extra capacity for big jobs. The Artisan® mixer’s 5 quart bowl can mix up to 9 dozen cookies3 in a single batch. The 4.5 quart bowl on the Classic™ mixer can mix up to 8 dozen cookies3 in a single batch.
3 Using the flat beater; 28g dough each.
4. MOTOR
The Artisan® and Classic™ Series mixers both feature alternating current motors. The Artisan® motor is 325 watts, while the Classic™ motor is 275 watts. The additional power on the Artisan® mixers can help when mixing thick, heavy doughs.
5. POURING SHIELD
The Artisan® Series stand mixers come with a pouring shield to minimize messes while you’re mixing. You can purchase the KitchenAid® Secure Fit Pouring Shield separately to fit all 4.5 and 5 Quart KitchenAid® Tilt-Head stand mixers with stainless steel bowls.
WHAT ATTACHMENTS COME WITH EACH STAND MIXER?
Classic™ and Artisan® stand mixers come equipped with great accessories, including the coated flat beater, coated dough hook, wire whip and bowl accessories. In addition, the 5-quart Artisan® Series Tilt-Head stand mixers come with a pouring shield.
KitchenAid brand’s 10+ stand mixer attachments are sold separately. This wide array of KitchenAid® stand mixer attachments are designed to make more of your mixer. All hub attachments, including ones for pasta and grain, fresh prep, grinders, sweets and desserts are compatible with any KitchenAid® stand mixer.4
There are special models available in the Artisan® Series, like the KitchenAid® Color of the Year stand mixer that offer a premium accessory pack. This includes a KitchenAid® Pastry Beater for easily cutting butter into flour for flaky pastry results and a KitchenAid® Flex Edge Beater to help reduce mixing time and the need to scrape ingredients down the side of the bowl. It also includes a 3 quart stainless steel polished mixing bowl for whipping up fluffy egg whites or creamy frostings. There’s also an elegant KitchenAid® Artisan® Design Series 5 Quart Stand Mixer with Glass Bowl to help monitor your mixing progress as you elevate your countertop style.
Like the attachments, additional KitchenAid® accessories and KitchenAid® stand mixer bowls are available for separate purchase.
4 The KitchenAid® Ice Cream Maker attachment is not compatible with the Artisan® Mini 3.5 Quart stand mixer
WHAT’S THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN A KITCHENAID® DELUXE VS CLASSIC™ VS ARTISAN® STAND MIXER?
The KitchenAid® Deluxe 4.5 Quart Tilt-Head stand mixer is a 10-speed mixer with the same accessories and iconic design found on the KitchenAid® Classic™ or Artisan® mixers. The Deluxe comes with a polished stainless steel bowl featuring a handle like the Artisan® Series. However, it’s smaller at 4.5 quarts, like the Classic™ models. It has a 300 watt alternating current motor, which sits between the Classic™ and Artisan® motors. It also comes in a few unique colors not found on the Classic™ stand mixer.
WHICH STAND MIXER IS BEST FOR ME?
All KitchenAid® stand mixers deliver powerful performance and show-stopping style. But there are variations in power and features across the stand mixer lineup to accommodate different needs and cooking styles. Choosing the one that’s best for you will come down to your unique priorities
If finding ways to express your personal style in your kitchen is a priority, the 20 plus colors available on the powerful Artisan® Series mixers will go a long way towards helping you make a fun, colorful style-statement with your stand mixer. The series also offers a smaller version of the Artisan® Series 5 Quart Tilt-Head stand mixer—the 3.5 Quart Artisan® Mini Tilt-Head stand mixer—which is currently available in 9 colors and works seamlessly for smaller batches in compact kitchens.
Of course, you can’t go wrong with a classic. If you love the cool, elegant timelessness of black and white, the Classic™ Series may be just right for you.
SHOP KITCHENAID® STAND MIXERS
In addition to the ever popular, tilt-head stand mixers, KitchenAid brand offers an extensive lineup of bowl-lift stand mixers for even bigger jobs. The KitchenAid® 7 Quart Bowl-lift stand mixer delivers 2x the power in the bowl than our Tilt Head Stand Mixer5 for heavy, dense ingredients. No matter the size of the job, or the type of cooking challenge you’re taking on, there’s a KitchenAid® stand mixer designed to bring the power, inspiration and versatility you need, in a color that’s uniquely you.
5 Compared to KSM150 when measuring peak HP in the bowl; above speed 2.
