Kenwood Vs KitchenAid: Which Mixer Brand Should You Buy?

Georgia Wilson

In this article

When it comes to buying a classic stand mixer, for many people the choice is between a Kenwood mixer or a KitchenAid Artisan mixer. Maybe your mum had a Kenwood, or you've seen the KitchenAid on The Great British Bake Off and nothing else will do.

Kenwood is the top-selling brand among our members, but is it your best bet? Or is it worth splashing out on a KitchenAid?

We look at the similarities and differences between the two, and give our expert view on the pros and cons of each. We've also gathered data on how reliable these stand mixer brands are from Which? members who own them, so we can tell you which ones are more likely to break down early.

Just want the best mixer for baking? Take a look at our round-up of the best stand mixers to see which models we recommend.

Kenwood vs KitchenAid: features compared

Kenwood mixers

When it comes to picking between Kenwood and KitchenAid, you’ll get more choice of models and a wider spread of prices with Kenwood. Prices range from £100 for the compact Prospero mixers to more than £650 for top-of-the-range models with extra-large capacity. Some models have additional features such as a cooking function or food processing and blending attachments.

Most Kenwood mixers have a traditional and functional look, but the kMix range has a retro design that is more in line with KitchenAid's, and comes in wider a range of colour options than other Kenwood mixers. To find out which Kenwood mixers we recommend, check out our Kenwood mixer reviews.

KitchenAid mixers

KitchenAid mixers have a distinctive vintage look, and are available in a wide range of colours. They keep things simple, with the overall design remaining pretty much unchanged for years. The range of mixers is smaller, and the main differences between models are capacity and power. Prices start from around £330 and top £750 for larger-capacity models in sought-after colours, such as copper.

You can attach additional accessories onto these mixers, such as spiralizers, food processors, juicers, and sausage and pasta-making equipment, but these usually need to be bought separately.

The latest model has a mini mixing bowl that can be swapped in for when you are mixing smaller quantities. See how this and other KitchenAid models compare in our KitchenAid mixer reviews.

Kenwood or KitchenAid - which brand is better?

Stand mixers have a reputation for lasting many years, but does that ring true? We've surveyed hundreds of members to find out how reliable their mixer is, and, if it broke down, why.

We’ve combined this insight with our expertise from years of testing mixers to bring you the definitive verdict on which brand is best.

In the table below you can compare:

Average scores for Kenwood and KitchenAid mixers, from our independent lab tests
How reliable each brand is
How owners rate their Kenwood and KitchenAid mixers, and whether they would recommend them
Our overall verdict on which is best

Only logged-in Which? members can see if Kenwood, KitchenAid or another mixer brand came out on top in our table below. If you’re not yet a member, sign up to Which? to get instant access.

Brand	Average test score	Reliability rating	How owners rate this brand	Overview of our verdict
Preview: stand mixer brands rated
	70%	95%	85%	Owners seem to love this brand, with an impressive 85% saying they’d recommend it to a friend. Like most stand mixer brands, it’s reliable, although it's slightly more likely to develop faults than the other brands. It also scores well for everyday baking tasks in our tests, although it doesn't currently have any Best Buys.
	70%	97%	81%	This brand has a good average test score and has a few Best Buys to its name. It's not the most-loved brand overall, but its mixers are highly rated by their owners and have proved themselves to be incredibly reliable too. Just a handful of this brand's products had developed faults at the eight-year mark, and out of these 64% of them were only minor problems.
	68%	97%	79%	This brand is a good bet as its mixers are extremely reliable, according to our research. They had the fewest faults at the eight year mark, gaining the joint-highest reliability score. They do pretty well on our tests and get a respectable customer score too.

Table notes: correct as of July 2019. Reliability rating and owner's views are based on feedback from 664 members who own a stand mixer, surveyed in April 2019. Test scores are based on all models tested to the current test programme.

What about other mixer brands?

It's worth considering other brands. A wider range of kitchen brands have started selling stand mixers in recent years, so it's a good time to branch out.

We don't have reliability data for some brands yet as not enough people own them. However, we've tested mixers from brands including Sage, Smeg, Cuisinart and more.

Make sure you check our stand mixer reviews to see how models from other brands compare to the established mixer brands.

Just want our quick recommendations? Head to our round-up of the top five best stand mixers you can buy.

Choosing the best mixer brand

Stand mixers are generally very reliable, lasting longer than all other kitchen appliances in our survey on average. This doesn't differ too much by brand, though we found one well-known brand that had a higher rate of serious faults compared to the others.

Some are much better at mixing smooth batter or kneading dough to perfection though, so if you want well-risen cakes it's worth paying attention to our mixer reviews to find the best options.

What to look for

Stand mixers can be expensive, and as they tend to last it’s worth taking the time to choose one you're going to be happy with.

Think about:

Capacity - how often do you need to whip up bigger batches? Bowl size can vary from around three litres to more than double this, and some models come with mini bowls for better mixing of small quantities.
Accessories - some multi-tasking models come with food processing attachments or the option of buying extra accessories in the future. Extras like a timer, splashguard or flexible beater can make baking jobs easier and less messy.

Features like a glass mixing bowl can look stylish but will cost you extra and aren't necessarily the most user-friendly option. For more advice on what to look for, check our full mixer buying guide.

Prices can vary from as little as £60 to more than £800, but there's no need to spend vast amounts. We've found some decent stand mixers that don't cost the earth - check our stand mixer reviews to find the best option for your budget.

Common stand mixer problems and how to fix them

We asked Which? members what problems they encountered with their mixers. The most common faults were:

20% - broken attachment
10% - faulty switch
7% - inconsistent performance

A broken accessory doesn't mean the end of the road for your mixer. You can usually buy spares from the manufacturer to save you having to replace the whole thing.

It's worth checking that these are available before you buy. Big brands like Kenwood and KitchenAid are more likely to have a comprehensive and long-lasting range of spares than some smaller mixer brands.

For faults with the appliance itself, most Kenwood and KitchenAid stand mixers come with a five-year guarantee. However, specific models such KitchenAid’s 5K45SS stand mixer or their larger-capacity models can come with a shorter 1–2 year warranty period. Check their websites for more information.

Not sure what type of kitchen gadget you need? Our guide Food processor, mixer or blender will take you through the pros and cons of each to help you decide.