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The Top 6 KitchenAid Stand Mixer Attachments

 

If you already own a Kitchenaid mixer then you will probably be aware of the extensive array of Kitchenaid mixer attachments available to make any mixing job a whole lot easier.  Whether I want to cut pasta, make mince, slice veges,  I just love how easily this machine handles all those tasks and more.

The KitchenAid Pasta roller set would have to be the most popular of all KitchenAid mixer attachments and for good reason…it works! We put this set through its paces on the first day it arrived as we were pretty excited to try it out. I like flat linguine style pasta and Wanda prefers the thinner spaghetti type pasta so this worked out well as we were able to try both cutter attachments.

Our First Test

The first step was making the pasta. Fortunately, the manual that came with this attachment set also included a number of recipes so we were able to mix up a basic egg pasta dough (see recipe below) using our KitchenAid mixer with the flat beater first and then finishing off with the dough hook.

We had to wait 20 minutes for the dough to rest but once that was done we were ready to attach the pasta roller to the mixer. This was a simple enough operation – simply unscrew the attachment knob at the top of the KitchenAid mixer, insert the pasta roller and screw the attachment knob back in to keep it in place.

On one end of the pasta roller attachment is a knob that allows you to adjust the thickness level for your pasta with settings up to 8.

To start with we turned the knob to setting 1, and then we turned the mixer on to setting 2 to get the pasta roller moving.

We then cut the dough into four pieces and flattened each piece slightly with our hands and began feeding the first piece through the machine.

This was just too easy. The dough simply fed itself through and we just needed to catch it at the other end.

The instruction booklet recommends folding the pasta over and feeding through multiple times until the pasta is smooth and pliable, which we did.

It also recommends dusting the dough with flour although we didn’t do this at the time and it still seemed to work okay for us with no sticking.

We then changed the adjustment knob to 2 and then 3 as per the instruction manual, feeding the pasta through each time in order to get the pasta to a finer texture.

We finally settled with adjustment setting 4 as that was our desired dough thickness. As we mentioned previously, this pasta roller has 8 settings so I can only imagine that you will get your pasta pretty thin if that is your preference.

The next step was to turn the flat pasta into spaghetti and linguine.

So off with the pasta roller and on with the spaghetti cutter.

Changing these attachments really is a breeze. It takes all of 10 seconds as it is simply a matter of unscrewing the attachment knob, pulling out the attachment, inserting the next attachment and screwing the attachment knob back in.

Once we had the spaghetti cutter attached it was simply a matter of feeding through our flat pieces of pasta and within seconds we had spaghetti. The only problem we had now was where to hang the spaghetti so over the backs of chair they went (on clean dish towels of course). A Pasta drying rack would have been handy. (Paula has since bought one).

Then we simply transferred to the linguine cutter and finished off cutting the rest of the pasta.

At this point, we were ready for lunch, so we cooked up the pasta almost immediately but you can also dry your pasta for later use. And yes, as you can imagine the pasta was delicious so well worth the effort.

Our Second Test

Our next test was to get someone who has never used a KitchenAid Mixer or any of its attachments to take it through its paces. This was interesting as the person we tested this on was my brother who is quite a keen cook and normally makes pasta by hand with a hand crank pasta machine.

We basically left him to it without providing him with any help at all and were actually surprised that we didn’t hear any swearing or cursing from the kitchen which is normally his way with fancy kitchen appliances.

He had the machine set up and was making the pasta dough within minutes. And later when he was ready to use the pasta roller and cutter he had even less hassle. He was quite impressed with the machine and the pasta roller attachment which surprised me as he is the type of cook that is happy with the very basics in the kitchen and rarely uses food processors or other kitchen appliances.

Where Can You Buy this KitchenAid Mixer Attachment Set?

We looked everywhere to find this set cheap here in Australia. The best price we found was around $280. We knew they were a lot cheaper on Amazon but thought we could only buy books from Amazon since we live in Australia. We were wrong of course and we have since purchased all of our attachments from Amazon (except the ice cream attachment which we had to buy here). We love Amazon and in most cases, they have the best price so try them first. This is the link to the one we purchased from Amazon – click here to view.

 

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For me personally,  the ice cream maker was one KitchenAid mixer attachment that I was pretty excited about getting as I like to make my own ice cream.

In the past, I only ever purchased those cheap versions that just never seem to work properly. For some inexplicable reason, I could never get the mixture to actually turn into ice cream. So when the KitchenAid Ice Cream Maker Attachment arrived I wanted to try it out right away.

Unfortunately, however, it wasn’t quite that simple, as you have to freeze the bowl for at least 15 hours prior to use. So I immediately popped it into the freezer and waited until the next day to try it out.

This wasn’t such a bad thing really as it gave me time to check out the recipes in the instruction manual that comes with the attachment. And once we decided which recipe I wanted to try I headed out to buy the ingredients.

Will it Work With My Mixer?

• This works with any KitchenAid stand mixer built after 1990. We use it on a KitchenAid Artisan Stand Mixer.
• You can create up to 2 quarts of ice cream.
• You can also make yogurt, gelato, sorbet and other frozen desserts.

It’s important to note that if you have an Australian model KitchenAid mixer then the US version of this attachment will not work for you. I’m not sure about other countries but I know that the Australian model requires a different drive assembly so ensure you purchase the Australian version of the ice cream attachment. You can buy it online from Peters of Kensington.

Our Test

• Place the freeze bowl in the freezer. If you have room, it’s actually easier just to store it in the freezer so you never have to wait for it to get cold.
• We left it for at least 24 hours.  I have read a few reviews where the users have mentioned that they found that they needed to leave it longer than the 15 hours KitchenAid recommends as their ice cream didn’t turn out as well.
• So to be safe it might be worth freezing for at least 24 hours particularly if your freezer is a low setting or you live in a hot climate.

We decided to make Triple Chocolate Ice Cream and I’m so glad we did. I’m not exaggerating when I say that this turned out to be the best chocolate ice cream I have ever tasted. My mouth is watering now as I even think about it but I digress.

Now I suggest that when making ice cream for this KitchenAid mixer attachment that you give yourself plenty of time because not only do you have to freeze the bowl for at least 15 hours but you also have to chill the ice cream mixture for 8 hours.

So really, what we should have done when we first received the ice cream attachment was to pop it in the freezer and then immediately make the ice cream mixture so that both could have been ready to go by the next day. Well, you live and learn!

• Once the bowl is frozen assemble it to the stand mixer
• Add the ice cream mix.
• Set the mixer to ‘Stir’ and let it mix for 20 to 30 minutes or until your desired consistency.
• You can also add other ingredients like nuts, candy, chocolate chips etc. We tried adding chocolate chips during the churning time but that wasn’t the best move. The dasher hit a chocolate chip and proceeded to come loose from the drive assembly.
• Again this might have something to do with the Australian drive assembly as it just doesn’t sit in place properly so the slightest problem like hitting a chocolate chip causes it to disengage. In future we will simply hand stir in the chocolate chips before freezing.

This ice cream attachment makes soft consistency ice cream.

If you prefer a firmer consistency simply transfer the mixed ice cream to an airtight container and store in the freezer for up to 4 hours.

• We really like this KitchenAid attachment and even with its dodgy drive assembly fitting, it is one we would recommend because it does actually make really good ice cream.
• The trick is to not leave it to mix on its own. If you watch as it churns you will be able to see if the drive assembly is about to come loose and turn off the machine to readjust it.
• The parts are easy to clean in warm soapy water.

Where Can You Buy the KitchenAid Ice Cream Mixer Attachment?

We’ve bought most of our KitchenAid attachments from Amazon but unfortunately, you cannot buy a US version of this attachment for an Australian mixer because they differ. We bought the Australian version from Peters of Kensington.

US readers can purchase the Ice cream maker attachment from Amazon. They consistently have great prices.

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We’ve had the meat grinder for a number of years now and we have run this food grinder through its paces a number of times now and it has done the job beautifully each time.

Our Test – Making Sausage Mince

We decided for our first test to make up a batch of sausages which we go into more detail in the sausage stuffer section but as part of the process, we needed to mince the meat up first.

• We bought some lamb and cut it into pieces as suggested in the manual and proceeded to feed it through the machine.
• Using the food pusher to push the meat through didn’t take much effort at all. The meat simply worked its way through and we ended up with nicely ground lamb.

Is It Dishwasher Safe?

• Most of the parts are dishwasher safe.
• It is recommended to hand wash the grinding blades, the food stomper and the cutting knife.

What’s the General View

• Most of those who have purchased this grinder have raved about it with many stating that it is their favorite amongst all of their KitchenAid mixer attachments. We love it too and it is one we certainly recommend.
• Some have complained about ‘black goo’ coming out of their machine. This actually never happened to us, however, it is suggested that you run some bread through the machine first.

A couple of other reviewers also mentioned that the ‘black goo’ is a food-grade lubricant so although it doesn’t look the best, it isn’t going to kill you. Even so, I think most of us would probably pick those bits out rather than have them end up in our food.

Where can you buy the KitchenAid Food Grinder attachment?

We purchased our food grinder from Amazon.  And yes, it works on our Australian KitchenAid Artisan Stand Mixer.

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I have always wanted to make my own sausages, so when we got a Kitchenaid stand mixer I just knew that we would need to buy the necessary attachments to make them.

We actually needed to buy two different attachments – the Kitchenaid Sausage Stuffer Attachment as pictured and the Food Grinder Attachment ( see above).

Our First Test

One of the reasons why I really wanted to try the sausage stuffer KitchenAid mixer attachment was that I like to know exactly what goes into my food.

Sausages are one of those products that you never really know what sorts of fillers or food additives have been added. So I was really keen to get this working.

Unfortunately, it didn’t really work as well as we would have liked….however, we realize that this was more our fault rather than the attachment. It all comes down to the density of the mixture.

Sausage Casings

You will need to buy some sausage skins from your butcher. We purchased natural casings that are made from the intestines of pigs, cows or lambs. They came already cleaned and the ones we brought were salted so they needed to be rinsed under cold running water and then soaked for around 30-45 minutes.

• The easiest way to rinse them is by holding one open end over the tap and letting the water run down through the casing.
• Soak for another 30 or so minutes in clean cool water and simply leave them soaking while you prepare your meat.
• Any excess casing can be kept in the freezer until you are ready to make another batch of sausages.
• The beauty of using natural cases is that they are easy to work with and the size is versatile so that you can use them for a variety of sausage types.

Making the Sausages

• The first step was grinding the meat. So we attached the KitchenAid Food Grinder and away we went. This wasn’t a problem…the meat went through easily and came out fully ground.
• For the next step, we had to attach the Sausage Stuffer Attachment which we did and that was easy enough as well. This just fits on to the Food Grinder Attachment – remember, you need both attachments to make sausages.
• We slid the sausage casings over the Sausage Stuffer Attachment and were ready to go. So far, so good.
• The next step, however, wasn’t so easy. When we started feeding the meat into the food grinder we found that it took an awful lot of force to get the meat to go through the grinder and out of the tube. It was agonizingly slow and it seemed that each time we pushed down on the food pusher and pulled it up again, the same amount of meat that we put in would come up with it so nothing really had gone through at all.

The sausage stuffer works exactly like it is supposed to and your sausages will look professional as long as you get the mixture to the right consistency.

Further Tests.

We have since had a few attempts at making sausages and have had some nice successes. It does come down to having the mixture just right.

Where can I Buy the KitchenAid Sausage Stuffer?

We found that KitchenAid attachments are quite expensive in Australia so we purchased our Sausage Stuffer Attachment from Amazon.com for a lot cheaper price. This is the one we purchased and it works perfectly on our Australian Kitchenaid Artisan Stand Mixer.

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There’s nothing quite as refreshing as sipping on a freshly squeezed citrus drink. Especially one that doesn’t have any additives such as sugar or fructose added.  So having the KitchenAid Citrus Juicer Attachment on hand lets you make delicious citrus drinks quickly and easily.

The Pulp Filter

• The pulp filter strains the seeds and pulp, however, it does need to be cleared after a while.
• Also, the juice is not totally pulp-free so if you want really clear juice then you may want to strain the juice through a fine strainer when pouring it into the glass.
• If you find it annoying to keep clearing the filter you can leave the filter off and place a strainer or filter over the bowl to catch the pips and fibers. I haven’t done this but did read it as a suggestion from a reviewer on Amazon.

Attaching the Juicer to the Mixer

• The juicer attaches quite easily to the mixer  (see video below)
• Make sure that the metal piece that holds the reamer is inserted all the way into the machine.
• It sits straight up and down which is a little different configuration from what we are used to. However, we didn’t find this to be a problem
• You do need to use a bit of pressure when juicing.

This video shows how to attach the juicer to the mixer, plus you get a really nice recipe for Lavender Limeade – yummy bonus.

Our First Test

• We actually found that we really liked the KitchenAid Citrus Juicer Attachment.
• It attached easily to the stand mixer and we found it relatively easy to squeeze the fruit.
• We found that juicing a jugful or juicing for a couple of glasses of fruit juice wasn’t tiring at all and we didn’t need to press firmly to get the juice out. A couple of the reviewers’ complained about it being tiring if you are juicing large quantities of fruit but then if you are juicing a huge amount of fruit at a time then you may be better off going for a different juicer such as a Breville juice
• It doesn’t require a lot of effort pushing the fruit onto the reamer to juice it, you simply turn the fruit around and squeeze the outside of the fruit at the same time.
• It really didn’t require that much effort at all so we aren’t really sure what the fuss is all about. Neither of us are weight lifters, we don’t really exercise that much and we sit at the computer for most of the day so it’s not like we have particularly strong arm muscles.
• I have read that some people find that the juice sprays out and makes a mess. We didn’t have this experience. This will happen if you run the mixer on high while you are juicing. However, if you slow down the mixer and run it on a medium speed it juices effectively without making a mess. You may find some of the juice dribbles down your arm, in which case simply keep a hand towel on hand.

Although some of the reviewers on Amazon weren’t too happy with this attachment however,  from our personal experience we happily recommend it.

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First of all, to use the Pasta Press attachment you need to own a Kitchenaid Stand Mixer.   Once you have one of these fantastic mixers then you can get yourself all sorts of really great attachments and one of these is the nifty pasta press attachment.

I love fresh pasta. It seems to have a fresher, almost creamier texture. And of course, when making your own homemade pasta you know exactly what has gone into it so you know it is a healthy alternative for all the family.

The secret to making pasta with this attachment is to make sure the dough is at the right consistency – not too dry and not too wet.

A suggested recipe for the dough is:

• 2 cups of flour
• 1 tsp salt
• 3 eggs.

Method:

• Place everything together in your KitchenAid bowl and mix together with a fork until the egg has been mixed in.
• Attach the dough hook to the machine and knead the dough on speed 2-4 for about 10 mins. Be sure to keep checking that the dough is turning every couple of minutes.
• If the mixture is too dry simply add another egg.
• If the mixture is too wet add more flour until a firm dough consistency is reached.
• Rest the dough in cling wrap or a ziplock bag in the fridge for about 30 mins.
• Cut the dough up into 4 portions, place one portion near the mixer and return the others to the fridge until you are ready to use them.
• Roll the dough into small balls.
• Feed it into the hopper.
• Use the pusher if needed.
• Dust the pasta with flour as it extrudes or you may find it sticks together.

Watch how to use the Gourmet Pasta  Press attachment in the video below.  In this recipe, olive oil is also added.

Cleaning the Pasta Press

• Clean out the larger pieces of left-behind pasta dough.
• Leave the pasta press aside for the small bits of dough to dry and they will be removed more easily.
• Use the cleaning tool to remove all remnants of the dough. A plastic dental floss pick also works well.

Like everything there are some people who don’t like this attachment, but as I said previously it all depends on the dough to get a successful outcome.  And there are those talented souls who make pasta so quickly by hand that a machine is more of a hindrance than a help. Me! I like the machine to make the pasta.

Experiment with various types of flour and see what delicious pasta you can create.

Where Can I Buy the KitchenAid Pasta Press?

We found that Amazon has great prices available.

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Are you looking to upgrade or purchase a stand mixer then you must read our review on the KitchenAid Stand Mixer.