I bought this item via another online spot just about 6yrs ago. From very early on there were transmission noises.Kept getting worse, can feel the looseness and just today it quit on me. Frantic, I searched out all fix-it sites and got interesting information regarding this model.
I have to say I love this machine, I got the full boat version 6qt with 2 additional packages for meat grinding, cheese grating and more, pasta add on and a processor. Each extra pack works fine, even the sausage making stuff that came with it. I have made many things with this and it has saved me a huge amount of time and made some tough jobs a breeze. Mostly, over the past 2yrs, i have been making my own pizza dough and focaccia only slight differences in process no need to go into here. but the mixer with spiral dough hook makes a labor intensive job done with out a sweat in 20mins of machine time total. well beaten/kneaded and the spiral gets the ball formed and pulls it up and away from the sides.
I have just read that on some of these Pro 600 models there were plastic transmission case or case covering, sounds as if i got one of those. Good part is replacement is only $30 or was at the time of the fixya post by a moderator or someone who had done the job at home-so claims it is an easy DIY job.
I plugged mine in just before i put it off into its box and in a cabinet because i thought the motor had burnt out. Well, it started up. Had been dead as a doornail for 20mins worth of testing the socket and breakers and the switch a few times. I was only kneading a round ball of bread dough. the machine was not hot anywhere which i first thought was the issue. had been hotter
I think the only downside of this model is how it can struggle on plain bread dough, no double recipe either which was promoted as 'easy' for this model a big reason i got it. from day one, i found out that it just can not handle bread well. should, but cant. not sure why, maybe the cut rate transmission parts? but that electric motor doesnt have replaceable brushes. must buy the $100 motor complete. no idea if it is a much better replacement , as the transmission was said to be. dont even know that for sure, just read the 3 or 4 reviews by people who gave reports,step by step plus kitchen aid is supposed to have a good parts list , not very expensive , i read, and a great manual with the exploded views of each component with parts clearly shown i did download this and I only got through a bit of it, when i found that my machine seemed to get another shot at life. for how long? time and bread will tell. but i will be replacing the transmission or parts of it as the step by step guide appeared to be very doable , just a bit of grease, which i noticed should be checked anyway with all the grinding and grating i did. even listed the parts number and description and brand of grease they have
I am still happy with Kitchen Aid in general and hits product did not do much to tarnish my impressions which go back 60years when I was a kid and got to use my grandmother's KA stand mixer with the turn table an fitting bowls. dial on back. It might have been new in 1953 or 54 or could have been 10yrs old still worked fine in the 80s or 90s when the last bowl broke and no one wanted to send for a new one
I got this very good looking Pearl Metallic and it has stood up to use a few times a week for one thing or another. I leave it out on an island unit i have with a clear , translucent cover , if i cover it at all. It is just as nicely finished as it was the day i took it out of the box. easy to keep clean ,same with the SS bowl with handle held up well with no nicks or dings in the shiny mirror finish of the handled bowl. nothing bent all aligns as well as day one, too. same with lift device. all 3 beaters are in perfect shape too the 11,(i think)wire whip and the paddle as well as the cork screw/spiral dough hook.
I spent almost 20yrs in professional well equipped kitchens and a 20qt mixer was about the smallest one. even those top rated Hobarts had first gear/speed transmission hassles on some.
I only have good things to say about mine after about 6yrs. though some transmission noise. it has worked, till today, and will still need to see how much trouble it really is. I have yet to find any posts or search hits for this one time shut down other than heat. not any sign of heat today
If any one of thsesKP26M1X colors in the 6qu Pro lift series is available, especially with a couple of those additional packs, grinder , sausage making things and even a pasta making attachment though those are expensive, and, the prices I have seen listed here at overstock.com are icing on the cake. I would get another one, if i had a 2nd home. as it is now. regardless of which issue i have, I may be able to fix it myself and replace even a motor for a small fraction of what a brand new or refurb might cost and much less shipping, if any.
bottom line is that i struggled over the 4 or 5star rating. Only due to the not so good transmission, and i cant , at this point report whether i do have the cut rate plastic housing /cover or not-though it has made clicking and ticking noises since the first dough recipe i did the first week i had it and did not get a no shipping offer on a repair even under warranty, forget details and it was over the year before i considered actually sending it regardless of reporting it in a timely manner, no soap , i had to pay shipping that was steep due to weight and need to insure. I am mostly disappointed in the far too short warranty-should be 5yrs but lower quality parts, may have made it bad business sense but costs a star in my book with struggle but still must go despite a strong possibility i may be able to fix it myself, a plus but not as good as any reasonable 5yr warranty particularly on any "Professional" Series models.
If I were younger I would probably move to the commercial 8qtKSM8990 as extra tools are supposed to fit and it is no vibration and SILENT. this 600 shakes and quakes and does whine and make a racket even at the top speed i use on dough #3 , slipped to 4 once for a second . i only use 7-10 to whip up things really. silent and smooth it is not but i still like it fine and do not take anything away since i was very aware of these issue before i opted for this model. at that time there was no ksm8990 ,but a ksm7990 with a bigger by far , then, price about double or $700 or so. not discounted at the time i was looking i dont think. still would probably gone for this kP26m anyway. a very good, not great though due to warranty and an obvious transmission issue from not well designed part or part, according to more than just me , but i can say for sure and i do not want to over state this, it should not be considered any deal breaker , more of an idiosyncrasy ,mine is still going, and even if it had a 5yr warranty, it is still , literally, ticking away, but i would have sent it in by now had it been covered. one last time -one year warranty on a $450 retail mixer is just no good.
john
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