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KitchenAid Artisan Mini Review

This miniature mixer is great for small-batch recipes though the compact design comes at a premium
KitchenAid Artisan Mini
Credit: Amazon.com
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Price:   $350 List
Pros:  Compact, ample power, good kneading action
Cons:  Limited volume, so-so whipping action
Manufacturer:   KitchenAid
By Nick Miley and Michelle Powell  ⋅  Nov 12, 2019
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69
OVERALL
SCORE

RANKED
#4 of 12
  • Mixing - 30% 7
  • Ease of Use - 30% 7
  • Whipping - 25% 6
  • Kneading - 15% 8

Our Verdict

The KitchenAid Artisan Mini is the younger sibling of its namesake, the KitchenAid Artisan. Despite its petite build, this little mixer packs a punch. Its 250-watt motor delivers ample power to propel its dough hook and mixing paddle through the contents of its 3.5-quart bowl. The main limitation of this mixer is that it is primarily for small-batch cooking and baking. Yet, for small kitchens, it can be an ace in the hole.

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Pros Compact, ample power, good kneading actionPowerful motor, simplistic design, large capacity bowl, planetary mixingPowerful motor, simplistic design, sturdy platformPowerful, affordable, easy to useLarge open-top bowl, light weight, powerful
Cons Limited volume, so-so whipping actionBulky, heavy, expensiveTilt-head impeeds bowl access, medicore whipping actionPoor whipping action, requires bowl scrapingLimited speed settings, lots of plastic parts, secondary motor
Bottom Line This standing mixer is a miniature of the classic KitchenAid tilt-head design, but the decrease in size comes at an increase in costA powerful, effective, easy-to-use, do-it-all stand mixer that looks sharp, tooA versatile stand mixer that will exceed most cook’s requirements at a manageable priceA stand mixer that will meet most people’s needs and budgetA unique mixer that offers features for a wide range of culinary applications
Rating Categories KitchenAid Artisan... 6-Qt. Professional... Artisan Classic Plus KSM75WH Universal Plus...
Mixing (30%)
7
8
8
8
8
Ease Of Use (30%)
7
9
9
8
7
Whipping (25%)
6
8
6
5
6
Kneading (15%)
8
8
9
8
3
Specs KitchenAid Artisan... 6-Qt. Professional... Artisan Classic Plus KSM75WH Universal Plus...
Head Type Tilt Fixed Tilt Tilt N/A
Bowl Capacity 3.5 quart 6 quart 5 quart 4.5 quart 6.5 quart
Standard Attachments Wire whip, flat beater, dough hook Wire whip, flat beater, spiral dough hook Wire whip, dough hook, flat beater Wire whip, dough hook, flat beater, Wire whips and dough hook
Motor (watts) 250-watt 575-watt 325-watt 275-watt 800-watt
Mixing Action Planetary Planetary Planetary Planetary Kneading and triplicate whip
Number of Speeds 10 10 10 10 4 (plus pulse)
Attachment Port yes yes yes yes yes
Timer no no no no no
Measured Dimensions (L x W x H) 12.25" x 7.75" x 12" 14.5" x 11.25" x 16" 13.25" x 8.75" x 13.5" 14.5" x 10.75" x 14.25" 12" x 15" x 10.5"
Measured Weight 17lbs. 1oz. 26lbs. 1oz. 22lbs. 13oz. 22lbs. 13oz. 13lbs. 8oz.
Warranty 1-year 1-year 1-year 1-year limited 1-year
Color Options 10 22 46 2 2

Our Analysis and Test Results

The KitchenAid Artisan Mini is the runt in a family of very capable stand mixers. Don't let this machine's small size fool you; it can do the work of much larger mixers. The only significant down-side is that the machine's 3.5-quart bowl limits the size of the recipes it can handle. This, and the increase in cost, is the price one pays to have a performance mixer that will fit into smaller kitchens.

Performance Comparison



The Artisan Mini packs a punch but won't eat up all of your kitchen...
The Artisan Mini packs a punch but won't eat up all of your kitchen real eastate.
Credit: Jenna Ammerman

Likes


Our favorite thing about the Artisan Mini standing mixer is that it performs at a very high level despite being a smaller, low capacity machine. It has all the standard attachments — flat paddle, dough hook, whisk — and it maintains the attachment port that is so popular among KitchenAid enthusiasts. Most importantly, it has a powerful 250-watt motor that can handle the contents of its 3.5-quart bowl.


Surprisingly, the Artisan Mini excelled in the kneading metric tests. This undertaking was assumed to be the province of much larger mixers. However, this little burro proved us wrong. As such, we find this machine to be a viable solution for serious cooks and bakers with limited space to store a bigger machine.

Dough hook (L) and flat beater (R).
Dough hook (L) and flat beater (R).
Credit: Jenna Ammerman

Dislikes


Our critique of this machine is limited to a few minor points. Primarily, the small bowl poses problems for production cooking and baking, but this is a compromise that should be obvious and the result of limited kitchen real estate. Also, the machine's beater attachment tends to dig a bit of a hole in the bowl contents, requiring the user to get involved with the spatula from time to time. Also, this deficit can result in the grating of ingredients like chocolate chips.

The flat beater tends to dig a hole in some of the more sticky...
The flat beater tends to dig a hole in some of the more sticky mixing mediums -- a problem remedied with a quick sweep of the spatula.
Credit: Jenna Ammerman

Finally, the narrow diameter of the bowl exacerbates the bowl-access issue common to all mixers with the motor mounted in the head of the machine. The consequence at clean-up time is relatively minor but worth mentioning.

Value


Like so many electronic devices that maintain their original functionality but are made compact, the KitchenAid Artisan Mini comes at a premium. If you need a high-quality mixer in a small size, we think that this product is worth the price of admission. However, if you are not limited in this way, one can get a larger mixer of equal quality for less money.

Credit: Jenna Ammerman

Conclusion


The KitchenAid Artisan Mini offers users a lot of power and performance in a relatively small package. This machine boasts all the features that KitchenAid is known for, such as the standard dough hook, whisk, and flat beater, as well as the aftermarket attachment port. Moreover, it has ample power in its 250-watt motor. While the compact size of this machine comes at a bit of a premium, it is well worth the cost if you're a productive cook with a compact kitchen.

— Nick Miley and Michelle Powell