KitchenAid Artisan Mini Plus 3.5-Qt Tilt-Head Stand Mixer with Flex Edge Beater - Matte White | Perfect for Baking Cakes, Cookies & Dough | Compact Kitchen Countertop Mixer for Small Spaces

To begin with, if you are shopping for a mixer and not in a rush, be aware that holiday sale pricing often offers substantial discounts that may affect your decision (my details below). If you can, wait for Black Friday, Cyber Monday, or Prime Day sales to nab your mixer at a sweet price.This was my first stand mixer purchase; historically, I am not an active baker by any stretch of the imagination. When I was shopping in mid-October, at first sale pricing meant that there was no significant price difference at three retailers between this model, the regular size Artisan, and the bowl-lift Pro 5 Plus. I had enough counter space for any of them. Models larger than these were out of my price range, not to mention my baking habits. I did not seriously consider them.What to do?First, the obvious. If you bake often, in large quantities, and want to display your mixer on your spacious countertop beneath your high cabinets, buy the bigger, stronger Pro 5 Plus, or splurge on one of the even larger models. If accessorizing your kitchen is important to you, buy the Artisan. It comes in the widest array of colors, with a dazzling selection of bowls and accessories. If you do not have space for either of these, buy the Mini.Should, like me, you fall between the gaps, so that these points do not clinch the deal, grab a cup of tea and read why I chose the Premium Mini, which comes with the polished stainless steel handled bowl and flex edge beater. Hopefully it helps you decide which suits you best.Again, the obvious. The Mini is small and light. I will likely leave any stand mixer on my countertop, but I don’t want it hogging up space and I want to store it easily when not using it often. In my medium-sized minimalist-aspiring kitchen, countertop real estate is always at a premium.How small and light is it? The Mini is 15.7 inches tall tilted, 12.3 inches not tilted, 7.8 inches wide, 12.3 inches deep. It weighs roughly 16 pounds with bowl and blade. This is about 2 inches shorter and 8 pounds lighter than the Artisan. The attached picture of the Artisan and Mini side by side shows how these numbers translate qualitatively. The Pro 5 Plus is roughly 4 inches taller and 10 pounds heavier than the Mini. The bowl on the Mini is 3.5 quarts, compared to 5 quarts for the Artisan and 5.5 for the Pro 5 Plus. My decision boiled down to Artisan vs Mini, as the Pro 5 Plus felt out of my league.If this is where you find yourself, be wary of YouTubers, test kitchens, and influencers who disfavor the Mini (and tilt-head models in general) because their bread and butter (so to speak) is making huge quantities of things often, or churning out bagel, pizza, pasta, or other tough doughs at quantities and frequencies not likely to be relevant to your home kitchen.Here are the top ten reasons I decided the Mini was for me:1. MOTOR. The Mini is 250 watts compared to 325 for the Artisan. Not a substantial difference. Moreover, the Artisan has an alternating current motor, while the Mini’s premium build includes a direct current motor with metal gears. The hefty KitchenAid bowl-lift models also sport DC motors. The Artisan and Classic lines do not. More durable and efficient than AC, the DC motor’s excellent torque and speed control more than make up for the wattage differential. It is also quieter, and positions the Mini to handle dough as effectively as the other tilt head options.2. MIXING. The slow start feature keeps ingredients from spraying out of your bowl, into your face, and all over your kitchen. No-brainer for me. Mini has the slow start feature at all 11 speeds, Artisan on none of its 10 speeds. The Mini turns along 69 planetary points compared to 59 for the Artisan. These are premium features available on high-end models. And the Mini.3. BUILD & FINISH. The Mini boasts “premium touchpoints.” The speed, tilt, and hub knobs are sleek white metallic rather than nubby black plastic. The band, logo, and writing are silver or soft-toned charcoal grey, depending on color. I prefer this look, similar to the Pro Line models, to the harsher black detailing of the Artisan, Classic, and Pro 5 Plus. The comparison picture is a good place to see whether these differences matter to you. The effect extends beyond the visual: the Mini motor resonates with the quiet hum of Pro Line motors, rather than the screech of the Classic, Artisan, and Pro 5 Plus. To me, the Mini is as much a pint-sized version of the Pro Line models (motor and aesthetics) as the Artisan or Classic line (tilt-head).4. COLOR. Offering less kaleidoscopic a color range than the regular Artisan line, the available options are nevertheless lovely. I prefer the Matte White: sleek and clean, leaning cool-blue rather than warm-yellow in tone. The smooth matte finish is neither textured nor glossy. It wards off fingerprints and is a breeze to clean. Its classic elegance will endure for the life of these famously hardy appliances. The two black models are handsome as heck and perfect for modern kitchen palettes. Matte black sports a smooth finish; imperial black is textured. The silver is subtly yummy. Two reds and an ice blue are fab for bakers seeking a splash of color.5. OUTPUT. The 3.5 quart bowl is ideal for the small-batch baking and everyday mixing that will be the bulk of my mixer’s workload. The Mini capacities KitchenAid reports for cookies, dough, eggs, etc. are far more than I need. The Mini can beat a single egg into meringue and whip a cup (or less) of cream to a lovely froth, and even churn it into butter. Larger mixers would be unwieldy at these small-household-appropriate quantities. The Mini bowl is easy to manage and clean, slipping easily into sink, drying rack, or dishwasher.6. HUB ATTACHMENTS. Except for the ice cream maker, KitchenAid hub attachments fit all the models, including the Mini. I don’t foresee using the hub much, as I have standalone tools that do those tasks better, but the capacity is there if I choose to do so.7. INCLUDED ACCESSORIES. The premium Mini model (KMS3316) comes with a handled stainless steel bowl, whisk, dough hook, and flex edge beater. Users of all models favor the flex edge over the flat beater, so you will not need to purchase one on top of a pricey mixer.8. KITCHENAID ADD-ONS. The Mini does not have a ton of accessory options. With few exceptions mentioned below, this is a positive for me. I don’t want a bevy of suggested purchases which I may not really need winking at me every time I want to buy something else, enticing me to plunk down more money. KitchenAid makes a regular flat blade, replacements for the included polished stainless steel bowl, flex blade, whisk, and dough hook, a brushed stainless steel bowl without a handle, and a glass bowl to fit this mixer.9. THIRD-PARTY ACCESSORIES. Although KitchenAid discontinued the splatter shield for the Mini, I found a third party surgical steel chute from New Metro that sits on the bowl neatly. To my mind, it is a better fix: spiffy-looking, stainless, easier to use and store, more durable, and not plastic. In any case, I am pleasantly surprised at how easy it is to slip ingredients into the bowl while mixing, even without the chute. I also found a stainless steel dough S-hook from qualityart Practical. Not yet sure whether it makes a substantial difference. No pastry blender blade, but the flex edge does a fine job of cutting in butter. Slider mats are a sweet fix for moving any mixer across the counter, and Yogingo makes one sized for the Mini. I’m all set, and my wallet can heave a sigh of relief.10. UTILITY. As a beginner baker, a high-end stand mixer that towers over my counter, intimidating me every time I walk by, is not helpful. A competent home chef, I have a quality food processor, blender, juicer, mandoline slicer, and bread maker for tasks no hub attachment would do as well. The Mini fills the gaps for the jobs these cannot handle. I already use it for all my whisking beyond just baking, because it is more efficient and as easy to clean as a bowl and hand whisk. In the unlikely event that the Mini inspires me to become British Bake-Off ready, such that I need to do more than it can handle, its versatility would complement a Pro Line mixer nicely.Do these points matter to you? Go get you a Mini.If not, you may be happier with a larger model. I did not consider the Classic line because at current prices, the Artisan is an easy pick over those. You might prefer the Pro 5 Plus to the Artisan. At $249.99 in early Black Friday sales, with a 575 watt DC motor and stable bowl-lift design, it is a steal that easily wins out over the Artisan in my book. I had already decided on the matte white Mini when KitchenAid slashed its price to $189.99, sealing the deal for me. With 10% off coupon, my post-tax total was $185.In the flurry of holiday sale pricing, it helped to keep my eye on the prize of suitability. When it comes to baking, I can and do “halve” it all, making mini batches at least 95% of the time. Navigating a bowl too large for my needs, or having to buy an $80 small bowl and whisk accessory with limited functionality would not serve me well. Bakers far more experienced than I write reviews about happily forsaking their bowl-lifts for the Mini. Should I ever ascend to dizzying baking heights, a Pro Line 7 would outshine the intermediate sizes and pair beautifully with the Mini. Until then, my sleek, capable, friendly Mini invites me to hone my baking skills daily. Now, that’s what I’m talking about!Whichever you buy, do yourself a favor: read the user guide first. Follow the instructions. Many complaints out there would have been obviated by doing so. First off, hand wash the bowl and beaters thoroughly in hot sudsy water. They are likely coated in machining residue that will contaminate your food otherwise. Recall that the whisk is not dishwasher safe. While the flex blade and dough hook are, they are petite and a breeze to hand wash. Well worth doing to maintain the coating for years to come. Next, use the dime test (Google it), to optimize the mixer head height so the beaters reach into the bowl properly. Adjust periodically. Note that the Mini speed slider can be operated straight across one step at a time, or over multiple speeds at once by lifting it gently before sliding (another premium feature).In its first month, my lovely white matte Mini has aced: rock cakes; gluten-free and whole grain muffins; scones; biscotti; white, whole grain, and gluten-free breads; roti; fresh herb butter; whipped cream; cookies; and brownies. Far more than I have ever baked in my life. It removes so many hurdles and brings so much enjoyment to this novice that I am embracing baking at last. It has also become my sous chef for everyday tasks such as whisking eggs and making sauces, salad dressings, and dips. I am delighted with my purchase, not to mention the crazy good deal.Hope this helps, and happy mixing!