KitchenAid's Artisan Stand Mixer Just Got Its First Upgrade in 70 Years, and Here's What I Thought About the Added Features

Tested by Taylor Murray

For decades, the KitchenAid Artisan stand mixer has been the gold standard for home bakers — a workhorse that's just as likely to live on the counter as it is to be passed down to future generations. Its design has remained largely unchanged for generations, which is part of its charm.

The new KitchenAid Artisan Plus aims to modernize the experience of mixing by offering precise speed control, improved attachments and subtle usability upgrades that promise smoother, more controlled mixing. To see how much of a difference these updates actually make, I put the Artisan Plus through a series of baking and cooking tests, comparing it with my older KitchenAid Artisan mixer that I've used extensively for the last 10 years.

What's New About the Artisan Plus

For the first time since 1955, KitchenAid has upgraded the classic Artisan Tilt-Head Stand Mixer by adding thoughtful and useful features, including:

• Precision Speed Control: Manual mode for smoothly adjusting to the exact speed needed (20-260 RPMs), or choose between the 11 preset speeds
• Soft Start: Gradually increases mixing speeds to prevent splattering of ingredients
• Integrated Bowl Light: First-ever built-in LED bowl light for enhanced visibility while mixing
• Double Flex Edge Beater: Silicone-lined beater attachment scrapes the inside of the bowl as it mixes for improved bowl coverage
• ½ "Fold" Speed: Slower speed setting for gentle mixing, fold-ins and delicate batters
• Updated Bowl and Accessories: Lighter stainless steel bowl with improved handle, plus four stainless steel dishwasher-safe attachments

How I Tested

I ran the KitchenAid Plus through a range of tasks designed to evaluate both power and finesse. That included creaming butter and sugar for cookies and cupcakes, mixing a full batch of chocolate chip cookie dough, whipping cream to both soft and stiff peaks, and kneading dough for pasta. I also used the pasta attachment to roll and cut fettuccine, which gave me a chance to test the mixer's low-speed control more precisely.

To assess how well the new features performed in real-world use, I paid close attention to things like splatter at startup, how evenly ingredients were incorporated, and whether I needed to stop and scrape the bowl. During each test, I considered how it felt to use the various dials and knobs, lift the head, remove the bowl and other aspects. I also compared the experience to older KitchenAid Artisan models I've used over the years, focusing on differences in speed control, noise level and overall ease of use.

My Review Based on Testing

Performance

Across the board, the Artisan Plus performed exceptionally well. It creamed butter and sugar into a light, fluffy mixture in just 42 seconds, and produced evenly mixed cookie dough without any need to stop and scrape the bowl. This aspect in particular impressed me and outperformed my experience using any other stand mixer.

The mixer handled whipped cream with ease and did not splash cream up out of the bowl, even at high speeds. Tough pasta dough typically gives me issues, where a patch of unmixed ingredients will hang out on the bottom out of the reach of the dough hook. In the Artisan Plus, the entire ball of dough came together in about three minutes with no dry patches left behind.

Where the mixer really stands out is in its control. The expanded low-speed range and smoother transitions make a noticeable difference, especially for delicate tasks. The ½ "fold" setting proved genuinely useful for pasta rolling and gently incorporating ingredients without overmixing.

Features and Appearance

The Precision Speed Control allows for more nuanced adjustments, rather than forcing you to jump between preset speeds. Combined with the soft start feature, this makes the overall mixing experience feel smoother and more controlled.

The double flex edge beater is another standout. It effectively eliminates the need to scrape down the bowl, keeping ingredients moving and fully incorporated throughout mixing. In testing, I didn't encounter any "dead zones" where ingredients are left behind unmixed.

The integrated bowl light may sound like a small addition, but it's surprisingly helpful for monitoring texture and consistency, especially with darker batters or when working in lower light. The updated stainless-steel bowl is lighter and easier to handle than previous versions, with a refined handle that makes lifting and pouring more comfortable.

This Artisan Plus comes in 13 fun color options, four of which are only available in this model as of now. Crate & Barrel also offers three exclusive shades, including Oat, Julep and Steel Blue. These new hues give the mixer a more modern, design-forward edge.

Care and Maintenance

Cleanup is refreshingly straightforward. This version has more dishwasher-safe parts than previous models, meaning you can throw everything in and run it through a cycle. After running them through a cycle at home, I didn't notice any wear or changes in the finish.

For handwashing, the stainless steel components are smooth and easy to clean, with no hard-to-reach crevices. The older models came with aluminum attachments that required careful handwashing.

Price and Value

Given the upgrades, the Artisan Plus offers a fair value for serious bakers. It's priced around $100 over the standard Artisan model. Casual bakers may find that the standard still gets the job done, but if you find yourself frustrated by things like splatter, uneven mixing, or having to stop and scrape the bowl, the added cost of the Artisan Plus feels justified.

Bottom Line: Is the KitchenAid Artisan Plus Worth Buying?

If you already own an older KitchenAid Artisan mixer, the Artisan Plus doesn't completely reinvent the experience, but it does make it noticeably better. The improved low-speed control, smoother operation and upgraded attachments address many of the small frustrations that longtime users have learned to work around.

For first-time buyers, this is an easy recommendation. It delivers the same reliability the Artisan line is known for, with thoughtful updates that make it more intuitive and enjoyable to use. And for frequent bakers or anyone who regularly relies on a stand mixer, those small improvements start to add up quickly.

Why You Should Trust Our Tester

Taylor Murray is a graduate of Johnson and Wales University with a degree in Culinary Nutrition. She worked as a professional chef for over 10 years before moving into recipe and product testing and development. She has tested several hundred products for Food Network and other brands over the last six years, covering everything from soft-serve ice cream makers to carbon steel pans to food dehydrators.

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