So, you’re in the market for a high-quality, large-capacity mixer? The KitchenAid Professional 600 is certainly worth considering. This machine is incredibly versatile and can handle just about any baking or cooking task you throw at it. But is it worth the steep price tag?
Here, I want to take a closer look at all of the features that come with this mixer and see if it’s really worth the investment. On this page, I will share what really sets the KitchenAid Professional 600 apart from other stand mixers on the market as well as how it compares to other bowl-lift KitchenAid alternatives.
Let’s get started!
My KitchenAid Professional 600 Mixer Review
Mixer Overview
Before I dive into all the impressive features this mixer has, let’s take a quick look at the specs to give you a better idea of what this machine can do.
- 575 watt AC motor
- 6-quart bowl capacity
- 10 variable speeds
- Bowl-lift mechanism
- All metal gears
- Gross weight: 29lbs
- Width: 11-1/4inch, Height: 16-1/2inch, Depth: 9inch
- Available in 10 colors
- 1-year warranty
Even from this, you can see that the KitchenAid Professional 600 is a pretty impressive machine. With a bowl capacity of six quarts, it can handle large batches of dough with ease. The all-metal gears are also a huge benefit too, as they’re much more durable than plastic gears found on the cheaper stand mixers.
What’s in the box?
The attachments and accessories that are included with your mixer are a decisive factor for many people. The more attachments included, the more versatile your mixer is likely to be. The KitchenAid Professional 600 comes with:
- 6-quart stainless steel bowl with handle
- Coated flat beater
- 11 Wire whip
- Powerknead Spiral Dough Hook
- Pouring shield
HEADS UP: On the newer machines, the dough hook and flat beater have a white enamel powder-coated finish, which makes these attachments dishwasher safe. On the older models, these attachments are burnished aluminum. Keep this in mind if you are looking at getting your hands on a refurbished mixer!
As you can see, this mixer doesn’t skimp on attachments. And while this is a pretty standard list of attachments, the small details here make this quite an impressive array of attachments.
For example, a stainless steel bowl is standard with most KitchenAid stand mixers: they are durable, don’t stain or retain odors, and are dishwasher safe. I love the bowl handle found on the bowls of these large mixers, they make it much easier to lift the heavy bowl when it’s full or when you need to pour batter into tins. This is a feature not found on many of the smaller mixers in the KitchenAid range, like the Classic.
If you really want to jazz up your mixers with a new bowl, there are plenty of KitchenAid replacement bowls, ranging from glass to floral ceramic ones too.
The dough hook is an impressive tool too. The smaller KitchenAid stand mixers come with a C-shaped dough hook, whereas all the bowl-lift models come with a Powerknead Hook. This Spiral-shaped dough makes kneading more efficient as it pushes the dough downwards, mimicking the motion of kneading by hand, making your machine capable of handling up to 25% more dough compared to the regular c-shaped hook.
The wire whip that comes with the Professional 600 is also an upgrade from the Professional 5 and tilt head mixers. The 11-wire whip that comes standard with this machine is bigger than the 6-wire equivalent found on the smaller stand mixers, offering a better quality beating action for larger quantities than you would get with the smaller alternative.
But what I really love about KitchenAid stand mixers is the universal hub they all have on the front. The hub is compatible with over 15 attachments, including pasta rollers, food grinders, and vegetable slicers (If you want a more comprehensive list of all the additional attachments you can get, take a look at the list I compiled of every KitchenAid attachment.)
Motor and Speed
The KitchenAid Professional 600 has a 575-watt, which is the driving force behind the machine. This is one of the strongest motors found on KitchenAid mixers and it is certainly capable of producing a substantial amount of torque. Remember though, while many of us assume that a higher wattage is better, this isn’t always the case. Whether a motor uses AC or DC also plays a significant role in how powerful the mixer ultimately is.
The Professional 600 uses AC. This alternating current provides an inconsistent level of current. This is important because motor toque is directly linked to the current. So while a 575 watts sounds like an impressive number, because of the alternating current, the mixer doesn’t produce as much torque as a DC motor of the same wattage would.
Despite the motor not being as powerful as the Pro-Line 7 or Commercial model, the Professional 600 uses a direct drive transmission, like with every KitchenAid stand mixer. This means that the motor is connected directly to the mixing shaft, providing more effective power transmission than a belt-driven mixer.
Like every KitchenAid stand mixer, the Professional 600 has ten different speed settings. I really like the large range of speed settings you have with these mixers, as different recipes require varying speeds. For example, when creaming butter and sugar together, you would use a slower speed so you don’t end up with sugar flying everywhere and gradually increase it. The soft-start feature is also great as it slowly ramps up to the selected speed.
It is also worth mentioning that the Professional 600 uses a planetary action mixing motion. This means that the beater rotates around the bowl as it spins. This is different from some other stand mixers which have a spiral mixing action. The benefit of the planetary action is that all the ingredients are mixed and folded together allowing for a more evenly mixed end product.
Noise Level
Because of the AC motor, the Professional 600 is slightly noisier than its DC counterparts like the Professional 6500 or Pro-Line 7. That’s not to say that it is outrageously loud though. Take a look at the video below, where a user compares the noise level of a Professional 600 against a Pro Line.
The one thing I tell you with confidence is that there is no such thing as a silent stand mixer. That said, most of the time the loud noises aren’t from the mixer itself but from people misusing them.
Trying to mix cookie dough with a wire whip or kneading dough at a high speed is going to cause unnecessary strain on the motor and make it noisy. So using the speed settings and the correct attachment will definitely make a difference in how noisy your stand mixer is.
Capacity
A 6-quart bowl is more than enough capacity for most people. This is the size of the bowl that comes with the KitchenAid Professional 600. I’ve found that this size is perfect for when I’m baking for a small group or family.
KitchenAid claims that the Professional 600 can make 13 dozen cookies and 8 1/4 loaves of bread. I would take those statistics with a pinch of salt.I have never been able to make as many as 8 loaves in one sitting. The bowl can definitely fit ingredients for 8 loaves, but the motor just won’t be able to handle it.
This brings me to my next point…
How good is it at mixing?
If you are considering getting a mixer as big as the Professional 600 then you are looking to mix a range of different ingredients, from really light to tough like bread dough. But just how good is it at mixing?
When it comes to mixing things like cake batter, I cannot fault it. It does a great job aside from having to manually scrape the bottom, but which stand mixer bowl doesn’t need scraping?
Creaming things like sugar and butter or cream cheese, I do find that they tend to stick to the side of the bowl and I need to scrape down the bowl every few seconds to make sure all the ingredients are getting mixed. Scraping on a bowl-lift mixer is a little inconvenient as the attachment is in the way. The tilt-head models are better as you can just tilt the head backward giving you more room to scrape.
As I mentioned above, KitchenAid claims that it can make over 8 loaves. Personally, I haven’t been able to make more than 4 loaves at a time with the Professional 600. I’ve tried making more and the motor really seems to struggle with the head shaking and the mixer shutting off. Many KitchenAid stand mixers have an internal Thermal Overload Protection switch where the mixer will shut off until it cools down. It can then be used as normal after around 30 minutes.
When I am making dough, I stick to speed 2, 4 loaves at a time for around 7 minutes of kneading. It is important to make dough at a low speed so you do not overload the motor.
Use and Functionality
Just like with any KitchenAid stand mixer, the Professional 600 is really easy to use and set up. Everything is clearly labeled and the machine comes with a very comprehensive and user-friendly manual.
The speed control dials are clearly numbered from 0-10, with 0 being off and 1 being the stir setting. Gradually move between speeds easily with the speed control lever.
Keep in mind that your mixer won’t be able to pick up all the ingredients so have a spatula handy to scrape down the sides. If this becomes an issue, you can pick up a flex edge beater that helps scrape down the side of the bowl and cuts mixing time by up to 50%.
Weight and Size
The Professional 600 weighs around 29 pounds (13.kg). This is a little on the heavy side but it is definitely an indication that it’s a sturdy machine.
In terms of dimensions, it measures Width 11-1/4inch, height 16-1/2inch and depth: 9inch. It is quite a tall stand mixer but this is expected from all of the bowl-lift stand mixers.
If you are short on counter space or you don’t have any open space to place your mixer then it might be hard to accommodate the Professional 600 in your kitchen.
Cleaning and Maintenance
As I have mentioned in many of my other KitchenAid stand mixer reviews, cleaning and maintaining your KitchenAid stand mixer to a pristine condition does take some effort on your part.
To clean the outside, all you need is a damp cloth to wipe down the machine. Make sure you unplug it from the power source before you start cleaning. I do recommend doing a deep clean every few months to make sure there is no build-up of grease or grime. Also, make sure you keep an eye on the bowl clearance and adjust it when necessary.
The mixing bowl and attachments can be washed in warm soapy water or placed in your dishwasher apart from the wire whip. I would recommend hand washing if possible as this preserves the longevity of the attachments.
Price
For the size and capacity, the price is really reasonable. You can find it for $549.99 on the KitchenAid website and $569 on Amazon, although they tend to have regular sales so you can definitely pick up a bargain. To find a full list of where you can buy yourself a KitchenAid stand mixer, take a look here.
Is the Professional 600 worth the investment?
KitchenAid is a very popular brand and their stand mixers are known for being both durable and powerful. The Professional 600 is no different. With a strong motor and a large capacity, it can easily handle any baking or cooking tasks you throw at it. However, it is quite a bulky machine so make sure you have enough counter space to accommodate it.
