What's the difference between a tilt-head and bowl-lift stand mixer?

Over the past few years there has been a shift in the way many people use their kitchens, not only a place to make meals but a place to create memories and have fun exploring the endless possibilities of cooking!  While people's attitudes and culinary abilities have changed, maybe their kitchen equipment needs a change as well.

There are two different types of KitchenAid stand mixers to consider, a tilt-head stand mixer and a bowl-lift stand mixer. 

You may be wondering what's the difference between the two? Let me break it down for you. 

Let's start with the tilt-head stand mixer - The head of this mixer tilts back so you can attach the bowl to the base and easily add the accessories as needed, it then tilts forward where you can lock it in place while mixing.  

When it’s time to add ingredients, simply release the head lock and tilt it back again for clear access to the bowl or keep the head in place and use the pouring shield to add ingredients directly into the bowl while the mixer is running. Most tilt head mixers come with a 4.8L bowl, which has the capacity to mix a 2kg bread dough  

The tilt-head mixer has 10-speeds and offers the widest variety of colours and custom bowls from the stand mixer range.

Consider a tilt-head mixer if:

• You mostly cook for yourself and your household. 
• Colour is important and you; tilt head mixers are available in over 20 colours. 
• You have limited bench space and need your mixer to fit under your kitchen cupboards. 
• You like to personalise your mixer from time to time with different bowls. 

What is a bowl-lift stand mixer? -  A bowl-lift stand mixer is designed with a broader base and stationary head. In addition, the bowl attaches to two arms that are raised and lowered with a lever on the side of the machine. Accessories can be switched or ingredients added while the bowl is lowered. The sturdy design of the bowl-lift stand mixer provides the stability needed to help you create recipes from heavier mixtures. Our KSM70 bowl-lift mixer has a 6.6L bowl capacity and can mix up to 3.9kg bread dough. 

The new bowl-lift mixer now offers 11 speeds - an added half speed for folding delicate ingredients into mixtures, typically a job done by hand. Also available exclusively with our KSM70 bowl-lift mixer is a double flex edge beater, which consistently scrapes the bowl so you don't have to. 

Consider a bowl-lift mixer if you: 

• Often make large batches or recipes to share with a crowd
• You work with heavy dense mixtures such as bread doughs
• You have a large kitchen or somewhere to easily use and store your stand mixer 
• Heavy-duty performance is more important than colour or bowl option 
• You have a large family and make the weeks meals in advance 

Both the tilt-head and bowl-lift stand mixers are equipped with the accessories you need for most in-bowl techniques: whipping, beating and mixing dough. To see what specific accessories come with each model, take a look at our comparison chart.

Or course you can also purchase, our stand mixer attachments which fit both tilt head and bowl lift stand mixers*.

If you are looking to purchase your first KitchenAid Stand mixer or looking to upgrade, choose the mixer that best suits your cooking style, if you cook the same trusted recipes in small batches than a head tilt mixer will suit your needs, but if you cook for a large growing family, or perhaps make large batches for your local school or sports group or want to grow your culinary expertise, then a bowl lift mixer may be the mixer for you.

Whatever mixer you choose to be part of your family you won't be disappointed with a KitchenAid stand mixer.

*Excluding the 5KSMICM Ice cream bowl attachment