KitchenAid KV25G0XSL Professional 5 Plus Series Bowl-Lift Stand Mixer, Silver, 5 quart [Discontinued]

So, my KitchenAid KV25G0XMC Pro 5 Plus 5-Quart, Metallic (matches my other appliances) mixer arrived today at somewhere about 3:00 pm. (Thankfully, it didn't wait until Midnight to get here! - Thanks Amazon Prime! :) ... ) And it was unpacked, cleaned up, and my first batch of dough was rising before 3:30 pm.Traditionally, We've always done Pizza dough 'by hand' in our home. (That's what we learned, way back in the '70s.) And recently, we've started to make our own bread in an effort to avoid unwanted preservatives (primarily, bromate) and to create some more healthier breads. We started with our typical recipe for Pizza Dough, which would make a couple of 8 - 10 inch pizzas, but the same quantities of flour and other ingredients would only make a single loaf of bread. I can't describe to you what a surprise it was to make a 'double batch' so we could bake two loafs at a time, rather than just one. But we did succeed and the bread came out just fine. Reflecting back, however, it was (as all the more modern people might be able to tell you in a matter of seconds) a whole lot of work.Well since that time, we've been working toward getting some kitchen tools to help out. And the main one is the KitchenAid Pro 5 Plus.I did some looking around, but my brother has a beautiful Artisan, I believe, and he's been super happy with that. But, realizing what a job it is to do a couple of loaves of bread, and appreciation for a little bit of 'over-engineering' for what you need to give your machine a bit of extra longevity, I wanted a little bit bigger machine. On the other hand, I'm not running a restaurant, or a bakery, so I didn't want to buy a machine that was way too big for what I needed. (Otherwise, I would be looking at a Hobart).So, with our successful family experience with KitchenAid and my own tendency toward a bit of over-engineering, as well as a bit of experience (a long, long, long time ago) in the bakery industry and food industry, lead me to select the Pro 5 Plus.I didn't buy one of these, blind. I checked out a lot of "You Tube" videos, including what they are like new, where they break and what it takes to fix them. I can tell you, though, I'm totally impressed with the fact that you can actually buy the parts off the shelf and fix them yourself, with just a bit of mechanical ability. My kind of "Good Stuff".Out of the box, and on the table, and working, I'm already so impressed! And I'm becoming endeared with the machine. (Yes! ... I think you can love a machine).I have a few minor-minor-minor issues;1) the machine didn't come with the 'shield'. Although, if you are careful, follow directions, and "CAREFULLY" control your speed, you can likely avoid splattering your hard work all over the place. But I went back and ordered one anyway. There was a "You Tube" video where the lady used a towel to cover, even over the 'splash shield'. (I also ordered the 'Cover' for the machine ... due to arrive tomorrow). AZ is, after all, a dusty place.2) Some of the videos I viewed had a bowl with a bit beefier handle on the Stainless Steel Bowl. I was a bit disappointed in the handle that comes with the Pro 5 Plus, that it wasn't all that 'beefy'. It is stainless steel as well, and it's well done, but it's just kind of a flat piece of metal. Another video was a 'rant' where the case of the machine was cracked, which caused the gears to strip, and then, of course, it doesn't work right. But I can tell you, that my machine didn't arrive with any cracks. It was well packed, and operated incredibly well out of the box. But, time, only, will tell how it holds up.3) The AC Power cord (120 VAC) is 4 ft. long. [If you need 220 VAC, you will likely need to obtain a 'step-down' transformer to convert 220 VAC to 120 VAC to make it work]. One of the most difficult things to decide when you are engineering a product is how long to make the cord. There are so many varying conditions to take into consideration. If it is too long, you have to figure out where in heck you are going to put all the extra cord. If it is too short, then it doesn't make it to the wall socket. ... Well, a 5 ft cord would have been 'just right' for me. But 4 ft is so much better than it would be if it was a 3 ft cord. ... "'nuff said"I mention those issues so that you can curb your expectations to the proper degree, and if you want 'more' you can get something else (like the next model up???), but I'm willing to live with the minor-minor-minor shortcomings and maybe upgrade later, add an extension or whatever. But the minor-minor-minor issues are not enough, to me, to drop even half a star.My closing impression, though, is that it is an incredible machine. I am so looking forward to using it to create some really, really good stuff! I hope it helps you in making your decision for whatever machine you buy.

I purchased this Kitchenaid Professional 5 stand mixer after having been given a Sunbeam stand mixer for my birthday. The Sunbeam was the type with two beaters, and it was a disappointment. The first time I used the Sunbeam I had to remove the dough from it and use my trusty old hand mixer to finish. After trying with one other recipe with the same result, I decided it had to go. So I took it back to the store and got a refund. Then I hit my computer with a vengence. If I'm going to spend quite a bit of money on something, I'm going to get the best product for the best price. I did extensive research on all different types of stand mixers. Of course, Kitchenaid is the best in consumer line stand mixer. There are some more professional, much more expensive brands; but I don't run a business, so I don't need those. To me, all of the stand mixers (that are worth anything) cost a lot. I took a long, hard look at the Hamilton Beach stand mixers. But they are not known for being a stand mixer company, like Kitchenaid. I wanted something that will last. I can't afford to buy this type of item every year. So I decided on the Kitchenaid, for reliability, quality, and reputation (all of the Kitchenaid reviews were great). So I searched and searched until I found information that made my decision for me. Most of the consumer line stand mixers, the tilt back styles, have one gear that is plastic as opposed to all metal gears. It is designed this way so that if the motor comes under too great of a strain, the plastic gear breaks shutting down the machine. So the plastic gear breaks instead of your motor. If the motor goes out, you might as well buy a new mixer. The professional models, mostly the bowl lift types, have all metal gears and the motor has a built in safety to shut itself off if it becomes too hot from strain. You turn off the mixer, unplug it for a while, then turn it back on & it works. No calling a repair man to replace the plastic gear (minimum $70 service call). So for me the Professional 5 was the way to go. Also, I got a pretty good price with free shipping. Amazon.com was & still is the cheapest I have seen online. So far, I have made cakes, biscuits, cinnamon rolls, and cookies with my stand mixer. I even used it to mix up meatloaf. It did an awesome job of combining the dry ingredients with the meat. It did just fine with the thick cookie dough (using the flat beater), as well as the cinnamon roll dough (using the dough hook). I would recommend this stand mixer to anyone interested. I have had no problems with it at all.Update 12-22-09: I just wanted to add that I recently made a coconut cream pie and used my Kitchenaid stand mixer to make the best whipped cream ever! I wanted to make a nice stiff whipped cream to top this pie, and this mixer made the best whipped cream in just a minute or two.NOTE: I had to adjust my mixing time and baking time for the cakes I always make for people (birthdays, special occasions, etc.) because they were coming out a little dry at first. I started cutting the mixing time in half (or basically as soon as all of the ingredients were thoroughly combined) then checking the cake earlier, and I found that I have cut a least 5 - 10 minutes off of the original baking time; then they are moist & delicious!