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KitchenAid Artisan Series 5-Quart Tilt-Head Stand Mixer vs Ankarsrum Assistent Original Stand Mixer
Which one has the downsides you can live with?
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The short answer
KitchenAid Artisan Series 5-Quart Tilt-Head Stand Mixer ranks higher (#1 vs #4 of 8) and scores better on mixing performance, ease of use. Ankarsrum Assistent Original Stand Mixer wins on heavy dough, durability.
The biggest complaint about the KitchenAid Artisan Series 5-Quart Tilt-Head Stand Mixer is strains or walks with stiff dough; for the Ankarsrum Assistent Original Stand Mixer it's steep learning curve. Pick the one whose catch bothers you less.
Side by side
| KitchenAid Artisan Series 5-Quart Tilt-Head Stand Mixer | Ankarsrum Assistent Original Stand Mixer | |
|---|---|---|
| Rank in stand mixers | #1 | #4 |
| Price tier | $$$ | $$$ |
| Type | Tilt-head | Other |
| Amazon 1–2★ share | 5% | — |
| Overall score | 4.0 | 3.9 |
| Mixing performance | 4.5 | 3.5 |
| Heavy dough | 3.0 | 5.0 |
| Ease of use | 4.5 | 2.5 |
| Quietness | 4.0 | — |
| Durability | 4.0 | 4.5 |
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 Artisan Series 5-Quart Tilt-Head Stand Mixer
- Strains or walks with stiff dough
Serious Eats says the tilt-head Artisan struggles with stiffer bread and pizza dough and tends to walk if you bake lots of bread. Food Network saw it jump on the counter with heavier breads at higher speeds.
- Durability and reliability split owners
Amazon's review summary says customers disagree on durability and reliability (durability: 227 positive vs 198 negative mentions). Low-star Walmart reviews describe a paddle coating peeling, overheating with a burning smell, a screeching motor, and a latch that sticks.
- Fast first speed, no half speed
Wirecutter says it has one of the fastest first speeds it has tested, so dry ingredients can puff out as a flour cloud. Serious Eats also finds the tapered, footed bowl harder to scrape.
Ankarsrum Assistent Original Stand Mixer
- Steep learning curve
Serious Eats says you must add wet ingredients first and adjust the arm position, which takes getting used to. ATK lists a steep learning curve and many parts.
- Weaker setup for cakes and frosting
Wirecutter says it falls short on other baking tasks: batters use a smaller, flimsy plastic bowl that flexes, the center column gets in the way, and bain-marie frostings need a separate bowl.
Source: Wirecutter - Expensive, with pinch risk
Serious Eats calls it quite expensive (about $800). Wirecutter warns it's easy to squish a hand between attachment and bowl, and ATK says the open bowl with a high-torque motor requires care.
Who should pick which
Pick the KitchenAid Artisan Series 5-Quart Tilt-Head Stand Mixer if
Cakes, cookies and whipped cream
First stand mixer for most home bakers
Using KitchenAid attachments
Skip it if: You knead stiff bread or pizza dough often; You want a gentle half speed for folding; You want more than a 1-year warranty
Pick the Ankarsrum Assistent Original Stand Mixer if
Frequent bread bakers
Very large dough batches
Long-term ownership (long warranty)
Skip it if: You're a beginner or bake with kids; You mostly make cakes and frosting; You want a familiar KitchenAid-style workflow
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