KitchenAid 5.5-Qt Bowl-Lift Stand Mixer, KSM55SXXX, Porcelain White

Why it's worth it

This bowl-lift KitchenAid holds 5.5 quarts and, per the manufacturer, puts about twice the power in the bowl as the tilt-head Artisan above speed 2. It's rated for 11 dozen cookies or more than 7 pounds of bread dough in one go.

The difference shows up the first time you knead something stiff. A 3-point locking bowl clamps into the base instead of hanging under a hinged head, so nothing bounces when the dough tightens into a ball. Owners upgrading from a tilt-head keep describing the same moment: they stopped having to hold the head down. If your sourdough or whole-wheat routine has been fighting your mixer, this is the fix.

Capacity goes up in a way you can use. KitchenAid rates the 5.5-quart bowl for 11 dozen cookies, over 7 pounds of bread dough, or 6 pounds of mashed potatoes — which is a polite way of saying Thanksgiving. If you bake for a crowd, or batch-cook and freeze, the extra room beats running the same recipe twice.

From our review of 6 stand mixers for baking, by David Sinclair, Managing Editor

What we like

• +The difference shows up the first time you knead something stiff
• +Capacity goes up in a way you can use
• +The small-batch end is handled better than you'd expect from a big mixer
• +Owner feedback leans hard on build quality, with people calling it a clear step up from the Classic in solidity and mixing power

What to know

• –It's big. At 16.5 inches tall it won't slide under standard upper cabinets, so measure before you commit, and expect to leave it…
• –Bowl-lift designs also cost you convenience