KitchenAid Professional 600 Series 6-Quart Bowl-Lift Stand Mixer

The KitchenAid Professional 600 Series is a large-capacity stand mixer built for people who bake in big batches. Rather than a tilting head, it uses a bowl-lift design: a lever raises the 6-quart stainless steel bowl up to the beater, and the bowl locks in at three points.

The bowl can take up to 14 cups of all-purpose flour per batch, so double loaves of bread, trays of holiday cookies or a big pot of mashed potatoes are all within reach. A 575-watt motor and all-steel gear transmission drive a planetary mixing action across 10 speeds, from a slow stir to a very fast whip, and the mixer shuts off automatically if it senses an overload.

A flat beater, dough hook and wire whip come in the box, along with a pouring shield to keep flour from flying as you add ingredients. The attachment hub has a hinged cover and works with optional attachments such as pasta makers and food grinders, sold separately. It suits regular bread bakers and anyone who has outgrown a smaller mixer; at 16.5 inches tall, it's worth measuring the space under your cabinets first.