Ask just about anyone who loves to cook about KitchenAid, and they'll either rave about their stand mixer or talk about how they've always wanted one. The KitchenAid stand mixer has been around for more than a century (the first model was released in 1919!) and has long been hailed for its versatility. Even that first iteration 101 years ago went far beyond mixing—it had attachments to do everything from slicing to straining, according to KitchenAid.
The iconic appliance has only evolved since then in functionality and in hue, leading all the way up to this year's 2020 KitchenAid Color of the Year: Kyoto Glow, which the brand announced last month. KitchenAid stand mixers now have more than 10 powered attachments that expand what you can do in the kitchen, including a vegetable sheet cutter, a sifter, and a scale attachment. Plus, with KitchenAid's online customization tool, you can personalize your mixer by choosing everything from the color, bowl, and attachments to even adding a special engraving in the trimband.
If you've ever wondered how your beloved stand mixer (or at least the one you've been daydreaming about) was actually made, here's a treat: House Beautiful got the behind-the-scenes look at how it all goes at the KitchenAid factory in Greenville, Ohio. Nicki Lockett, KitchenAid's U.S. Marketing Leader of Small Appliances, explained the process—and it's actually pretty straightforward.
Essentially, all of the different parts parts get prepped—which includes drilling, tapping, pressing ball bearings, and more—and inspected, painted (they're actually hung on overhead conveyer lines to make this happen), and placed onto carts to take them to the assembly areas. Parts like the bowl screw caps for the tilt-head stand mixers are washed and polished. Then, KitchenAid team members assemble the stand mixers by hand. First, each mixer's trimband is installed. Then, the flat beater is put in to ensure that it fits before getting placed into the bowl and sent down the line to have the speeds set. The final end cover of the mixer gets installed, and then it's sent to another area to be packaged. You can watch more of the process in the video above.
In downtown Greenville, KitchenAid fans can visit the brand's retail center called The KitchenAid Experience, where you can take free cooking classes in the demonstration kitchen and learn new tips and tricks. There's also a museum area that features vintage artifacts, ads, and products from KitchenAid's history. Right now visits may not be an option due to social distancing to prevent the spread of coronavirus. That said, if you're a big KitchenAid fan, it's certainly something to add to your bucket list!
Follow House Beautiful on Instagram.
