KitchenAid and Kenwood are among the most popular stand mixer brands, and for a good reason. They’re known and loved for their performance, reliability, and easy access to new attachments and accessories.
If you’re unsure whether you should choose one brand or another, this KitchenAid vs. Kenwood comparison is a good read.
Stand mixers are loved by foodies all over the world, but perhaps especially by those who enjoy baking. With the right attachments, however, there’s no limit of their capabilities. From shredding to grinding and pasta-making, stand mixers can do it all.
Table of contents
- Introducing KitchenAid
- Introducing Kenwood
- KitchenAid – pros and cons
- Kenwood – pros and cons
- Attachments and features
- What to consider when buying a stand mixer
Introducing KitchenAid
KitchenAid was founded in 1919 by the Hobart Corporation, and currently owned by the Whirlpool Corporation. Their products are sold across the world, and the brand is especially well known (and loved) for the beautiful, stylish design.
Interestingly, the name KitchenAid came around by coincidence: Hobart executives bought the first mixer and took it home for testing. The wife of one executive said, “I don’t care what you call it, but I know it’s the best kitchen aid I ever had.” Later on, the company adopted the name KitchenAid and made it their brand. KitchenAid continues to manufacture their products at multiple locations across the US and Canada, but some are manufactured in China as well. Stand mixers are generally manufactured in Greenville, Ohio, where more than 1,000 workers paint and assemble KitchenAid products for the local and International markets.
Introducing Kenwood
Kenwood was founded in 1947 by Kenneth Wood, and their first headquarters were located in Woking, Great Britain. Later on, the headquarters were relocated to Havant. Kenwood is currently owned by the Italian De’Longhi Group, and their stand mixers have been manufactured in China since 2002.
Kenwood started by making toasters from which they grew into a significant player in the kitchen appliances industry. In 1950, the company launched its first Kenwood Chef stand mixer during the Ideal Homes Exhibition and had stocks in Harrods. Kenwood passed through multiple owners since the foundation, but has been owned by De’Longhi since 2001.
The British Kenwood brand has no ties with the Japanese Kenwood brand, although the names and logos are almost identical.
KitchenAid – pros and cons
Pros
- Available in several color options, which means that you can easily pick one that matches your kitchen decor.
- The built-in power hub extends the versatility of your stand mixer, as it enables you to operate more than 15 different attachments.
- Large models have a bowl-lift feature, which is a very handy feature when mixing your ingredients.
- Mixing are generally very spacious, but also extremely durable and easy to keep clean.
- Stand mixers are generally manufactured in the US by domestically and internationally sourced parts.
- The design hasn’t changed much, which means you can still get new attachments for old models.
- Many different attachments and accessories will extend the capabilities of your stand mixer, and they’re widely available across many stores.
- KitchenAid stand mixers are generally very affordable, especially if you opt for a model within the Classic or Artisan Series.
Cons
- The shiny exterior is very hard to keep clean, and finger prints are easily seen on the darker models.
- While we generally like the design, some of the cheaper models seem to lack a bit of power which could be a disadvantage.
- Dough hooks and flat beaters are nylon coated for the Classic and Artisan stand mixers.
- Speed adjustment and tilt lever slots have a large gap where dust and dirt could potentially make their way inside the machine.
- The dough will sometimes get stuck on the dough hook and start crawling upwards.
- Mixing requires a bit of manual effort, as you have to sometimes pause the process to scrape the sides of your bowl.
- The cheaper models have a few plastic parts, which make us doubt whether they’ll hold up against several years of use or not.
- Some buyers found it difficult to attach the bowl.
Kenwood – pros and cons
Pros
- Kenwood stand mixers have a large range of attachments and additional features, and among other things you can use the motor power to drive a blender, a food processor, and a pasta maker.
- All Kenwood stand mixers come with basic attachments that are all made of durable, stainless steel. This is great, because plastic attachments are generally very likely to break at some point.
- While it isn’t completely quiet, the motor noise is considered less annoying/high-pitched than KitchenAid.
- The dough hook is very well designed, and the Kenwood stand mixer is often praised for how well it performs.
- Great, functional design makes it very easy to use and handle on a daily basis.
Cons
- Kenwood seems to cover the European markets better than the US market, so you don’t get access to their full range of stand mixers from their US distributor.
- Only available in one color, and the design is quite boring for a machine that most people keep permanently on their countertop.
- Stand mixers are manufactured in China, yet the price is still identical to KitchenAid stand mixers.
- Lots of nooks and crannies where ingredients, dust, grease, and other things could accumulate over time.
- The small handles on the bowl are not as useful as one big handle, as they make it difficult to hold the bowl properly with one hand while mixing ingredients with the other.
Attachments and features
One of the most important things to consider before purchasing a stand mixer, is the range of attachments available. Normally you’ll get a few standard accessories such as a beater, dough hook, and a wire whip, and additional attachments can be purchased online or in several retail stores across the country.
We checked the range of add-on attachments available on KitchenAid’s and Kenwood’s official websites, see the results in the table below.
Note: The attachments listed below are offered on the US market only. Other markets offer different attachment options.
| Attachment | KitchenAid | Kenwood |
|---|---|---|
| Citrus press | Yes | Yes |
| Food processor | Yes | No |
| Grain mill | Yes | No |
| Grinder | Yes | No |
| Ice cream maker | Yes | No |
| Pasta press | Yes | No |
| Sausage stuffer | Yes | No |
| Sheet cutter | Yes | No |
| Sifter + scale | Yes | No |
| Slicer/shredder | Yes | No |
| Slow juicer | Yes | No |
| Spaghetti pasta cutter | Yes | Yes |
| Spiralizer | Yes | No |
| Stirring tool | No | Yes |
| Strainer set | Yes | No |
| Tagliolini pasta cutter | Yes | Yes |
What to consider when buying a stand mixer
These are some of the basic features that should guide you whenever you are planning to purchase any stand mixer. Bearing in mind that there are other brands on the market other than Kenwood and KitchenAid, so these factors are worth considering when you’re comparing stand mixers with each other.
Attachments
Normally, you get a few basic attachments included with your stand mixer and you can then extend its capabilities by purchasing add-on attachments. Basic attachments include dough hooks, beaters, and whisks.
Before deciding on a specific stand mixer, it is recommended to check if the range of attachments align with your expectations.
Size and capacity
Stand mixers are bulky and take up a good chunk of space on your countertop. The bowl alone is big, and it’s likely bigger than any of your regular mixing bowls. It’s important to understand that even the stand mixers marketed as “compact” models are actually quite big, and you should allocate a good amount of space in your kitchen to properly accommodate it.
When it comes to capacity, most stand mixer bowls range from 4.5 quarts to 7 quarts. A bigger bowl requires more power and vice versa.
Speed setting
Speed settings allow you to adjust the stand mixer’s performance to your needs. You need a fast speed setting to whip cream or beat eggs, but a slower speed is preferred when kneading a dough. More speed settings allow you to finetune the stand mixer to your needs.
Both KitchenAid and Kenwood offer a good amount of speed settings on most of their stand mixers, which is great. Make sure to pick one where the speed settings are easily accessible and readable.
Weight
Both KitchenAid and Kenwood stand mixers are heavy, and the weight is usually exceeding 20 pounds. This is an important factor to consider, as you wouldn’t want a heavy stand mixer if you’re going to store it in a cabinet when it’s not in use.