You're all familiar with my current obssession with KitchenAid mixers. I wanted one because you can get attachments for them, like pasta makers, meat grinders, etc...I thought it would be nice to have one machine that can do it all, instead of many. I really didn't "need" a mixer. I have a perfectly good Sunbeam stand mixer that I inherited from my dear mother-in-law. It works perfectly well, but it's not a KitchenAid.
It has 2 stainless steel bowls, beaters and dough hooks. Still not a KitchenAid. But a good, solid, vintage, built-to-the-hilt mixer. I also know that the KitchenAid mixers of today aren't the same as those made years ago. They used to be made by Hobart, back in the day. Hobart makes awsome appliances. But they were bought out by Whirlpool in 1986. So mixers made after that aren't the same quality. They still cost a fortune, though. And I do not have a spare $300 laying around to spend on a mixer. The only way I can justify buying one is to get one heck of a deal. This means scouring Craigslist every day. I have found some good deals. But they are always in Renton, or Auburn, or somewhere else a good distance away. And I never find them on my days off. Which brings me to today. I see a post on Craigslist for a KitchenAid mixer for $99. In Federal Way. That's not too far. I emailed the seller for some more information, like the model number and watts. She told me it was a model K5SS with a maximum wattage of 300. I looked up the model number and saw that the wattage was actually 325. The model got good reviews but I was really wanting something with a stronger motor, like 475 or 575 watts. So I emailed back that I could only offer $60 for this machine. She accepted and wanted to meet me in Federal Way. I would not have time to do that until Sunday. I explained that I do not have a day off until then, so I guess it was not meant to be. It wasn't a big deal, since there are lots of used KitchenAids out there for sale. Then a miracle happened. She realized how much I wanted one of these and volunteered to meet me at the Tacoma Mall, tonight. Once I met her, gave her the $60 and was carrying the mixer to my car, I thought, "I didn't know these came in a vanilla color"? I looked at the wattage and sure enough, it said 300. Then I saw the magic word, written on the side. Hobart.
Oh, my, God! Knock me over with a feather. I shook all the way home. The way the ad read, I thought this was a newer machine that she'd barely used. Well, I believe she barely used it. And apparently so did the previous owner. This thing is like new. And it has to be made pre-1986. And to think I talked her down in price. But I didn't know. Because she had no idea of what she had. What is it really worth? Who knows? To me, it's worth much more than a brand new one. It will certainly last a lot longer. This mixer will never die. The seller mentioned, as I was loading up, that she was getting all sorts of interest in her ad. So much so, that she took it down. I bet she was. And it came with all the attachments.
Excuse me while I go have a pipe and a Scotch and celebrate my state of euphoria. No, I haven't plugged it in yet. I'm afraid to break the spell.
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