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KitchenAid 5.5 Quart Bowl-Lift Stand Mixer vs KitchenAid Artisan Plus 5-Quart Tilt-Head Stand Mixer

Which one has the downsides you can live with?

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The short answer

KitchenAid 5.5 Quart Bowl-Lift Stand Mixer ranks higher (#2 vs #3 of 10) and scores better on heavy dough. KitchenAid Artisan Plus 5-Quart Tilt-Head Stand Mixer wins on mixing performance, ease of use, quietness.

The biggest complaint about the KitchenAid 5.5 Quart Bowl-Lift Stand Mixer is tall, heavy and hard to move; for the KitchenAid Artisan Plus 5-Quart Tilt-Head Stand Mixer it's struggles with dense or wet dough. Pick the one whose catch bothers you less.

#2 of 10 · $$KitchenAid 5.5 Quart Bowl-Lift Stand Mixer

Good for: Regular bread and dense doughs

Its catch: tall, heavy and hard to move

Check price on Amazon
#3 of 10 · $$$KitchenAid Artisan Plus 5-Quart Tilt-Head Stand Mixer

Good for: Enthusiast cake and cookie bakers

Its catch: struggles with dense or wet dough

Check price on Amazon

Paid links. We don't list prices — they change daily. Neither one feels right?

Side by side

KitchenAid 5.5 Quart Bowl-Lift Stand MixerKitchenAid Artisan Plus 5-Quart Tilt-Head Stand Mixer
Rank in stand mixers#2#3
Price tier$$$$$
TypeBowl-liftTilt-head
Amazon 1–2★ share6%—
Overall score3.83.9
Mixing performance4.04.5
Heavy dough4.02.5
Ease of use3.54.5
Quietness4.04.5
Durability3.53.5

Price tiers: $ under $200 · $$ $200–450 · $$$ over $450. Highlighted = clearly better (a score gap of 0.3 or more, or a 1–2★ share at least 3 points lower). Scores are explained, with sources, on each product's page.

Top complaints

KitchenAid 5.5 Quart Bowl-Lift Stand Mixer

  • Tall, heavy and hard to move

    Wirecutter says it is a few inches taller and wider than the Artisan and about 6 lb heavier (about 32 lb), so it is a pain to lug between cabinet and counter.

    Source: Wirecutter
  • Awkward to add ingredients and scrape

    Wirecutter notes you may need more scraping and attention to the bottom of the bowl than with the Artisan. Low-star Walmart reviewers complain that the head doesn't flip up, so adding ingredients gets messy.

    Source: Wirecutter, Walmart reviews (lowest rated)
  • Some early failures

    Walmart 1-star reviews describe units that stopped working mid-use, overheated on the first day, died after two months, or ran only at full speed.

    Source: Walmart reviews (lowest rated)

KitchenAid Artisan Plus 5-Quart Tilt-Head Stand Mixer

  • Struggles with dense or wet dough

    Serious Eats says whole wheat dough climbed the C-shaped hook. ATK says it nearly walked off the counter during strenuous kneading and overheated and shut down twice on high-hydration pizza dough.

    Source: Serious Eats (best stand mixers), America's Test Kitchen
  • Costs more for the same power

    Wirecutter says it costs around $150 more than the Artisan with the same mixing power, and about $100 more than the 5.5 qt bowl-lift, which has more power and capacity.

    Source: Wirecutter
  • Bowl can stick

    ATK says the bowl can get stuck after heavy mixing.

    Source: America's Test Kitchen

Who should pick which

Pick the KitchenAid 5.5 Quart Bowl-Lift Stand Mixer if

  • Regular bread and dense doughs

  • Bigger batches of cookies

  • Gentle folding with the half speed

Skip it if: You store the mixer in a cabinet; You want lots of color options; You add ingredients mid-mix a lot

Check price on AmazonAll complaints →

Pick the KitchenAid Artisan Plus 5-Quart Tilt-Head Stand Mixer if

  • Enthusiast cake and cookie bakers

  • Gentle starts without flour clouds

  • Low-vision bakers (bowl light)

Skip it if: You mostly knead bread; You want the best value KitchenAid (the Artisan is cheaper); You want to buy through Amazon

Check price on AmazonAll complaints →

We don't list prices — they change daily. Paid links.

Neither one feels right?

If both catches are deal-breakers, start here.

Budget option · #10 in stand mixersHamilton Beach 4 Quart 7-Speed Electric Stand Mixer

The cheapest way into a stand mixer, and ATK says it performs well for the price, but it walks across the counter with dough and owners frequently report broken beaters, whisks and tilt buttons.

Its catch: parts breakA third option · #4KitchenAid 7 Quart Bowl-Lift Stand Mixer

Experts rate it the most capable KitchenAid for big batches and stiff dough, but its Amazon listing has an unusually high share of 1-star reviews citing units that quit early.

Its catch: reliability complaints from ownersAll 10 comparedSee every stand mixer, ranked

Each one's biggest complaint at a glance, with the full ranking.

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