KitchenAid mixer attachments are designed to increase the versatility of your KitchenAid stand mixer. These attachments include tools like the pasta roller and cutter for making fresh pasta, the food grinder for grinding meat, and the spiralizer for creating vegetable noodles. Other popular attachments are the ice cream maker, the citrus juicer, and the grain mill. Each attachment expands the possibilities of your KitchenAid mixer, transforming it into a comprehensive kitchen tool.
KitchenAid Attachments – Major Attachments Listed & Explained
Pasta Roller & Cutter: This attachment allows you to easily make homemade pasta. It comes with a roller to make the dough sheets and cutters for spaghetti and fettuccine.
Food Grinder: This tool grinds meats, hard cheeses, breads, and more, offering you the versatility to make everything from sausages to breadcrumbs at home.
Spiralizer: The Spiralizer peels, cores, and slices fruits and vegetables, perfect for creating vegetable noodles or slicing fruits for pies.
Ice Cream Maker: This handy attachment churns and freezes ingredients to create up to two quarts of ice cream, sorbet, or other frozen desserts.
Citrus Juicer: This tool quickly and effectively juices citrus fruits, making it ideal for fresh orange or grapefruit juice.
Grain Mill: This attachment grinds low-moisture, non-oily grains such as wheat, oats, corn, and rice. You can choose from various consistencies, from cracked to extra fine.
Sausage Stuffer Kit: Used with the Food Grinder, this kit allows you to make homemade sausages.
Ravioli Maker: This tool enables you to make homemade ravioli, stuffing your favorite filling encased in thin layers of pasta.
Vegetable Sheet Cutter: This attachment creates thin sheets from zucchini, apples, cucumber, and other fruits and vegetables for creative, healthy meals.
Fruit and Vegetable Strainer: Used with the Food Grinder, this strainer purées soft fruits and cooked vegetables, ideal for making baby food, jams, chutneys, and sauces.
Slicer/Shredder: This attachment includes slicing and shredding drums to slice vegetables, grate cheese, shred cabbage for slaw, and more.
Pouring Shield: This tool helps add ingredients without making a mess while also serving as a splatter guard during mixing.
Flex Edge Beater: This beater scrapes the sides of the bowl for thorough mixing and less manual scraping.
Bowl-Lift 6-Wire Whip: For fluffy whipped cream, egg whites, and more, this wire whip incorporates more air into your recipes.
Dough Hook: This hook mixes and kneads yeast dough, saving both the time and effort of hand kneading.
Gourmet Pasta Press: This tool offers six interchangeable pasta plates for creating spaghetti, bucatini, rigatoni, fusilli, and large or small macaroni.
Slow Juicer Attachment: Extracts juice from fruits and vegetables, preserves nutrients, and can make a variety of juices, sauces, and jams.
Pasta Drying Rack: Provides ample space for drying homemade pasta before cooking or storage.
Gourmet Sifter & Scale: Sifts and weighs dry ingredients accurately to ensure precise measurements for baking.
Fresh Prep Slicer/Shredder: Slice or shreds fresh fruits and vegetables, cheese, and more right into a bowl, pot, or pan.
Stainless Steel Bowl & Combi-Whip: Larger capacity bowl for mixing larger quantities and a combination whip for increased aeration.
Glass Bowl: Offers a see-through alternative to the traditional stainless steel bowl; some models include a lid to easily store leftovers.
Scrape Blade: The silicone edges help scrape the sides of the bowl and reduce the need for frequently stopping and scraping.
Bowl Liners: Convenient for rising dough and keeping the bowl clean.
Egg Whip: Designed to whip eggs, egg whites, and creams with more volume and in less time.
Food Tray: Works with the food grinder to give you more surface area for loading ingredients.
Precise Heat Mixing Bowl: This bowl can heat and mix simultaneously; great for proofing bread, tempering chocolate, and more.
Bowl-Lift Coated C-Dough Hook: Mimics hand kneading is great for kneading heavier doughs like whole grain and bread dough.
Beater Adapter: Reduces whipping time and increases air entrainment in whipped ingredients.
Bowl Covers: These are great for covering the bowl to store dough or batter in the fridge.
Coated Flat Beater: This is ideal for mixing normal to heavy mixtures quickly and thoroughly.
Peel, Core, and Slice: This attachment swiftly peels, cores, and slices apples, potatoes, and more with precision.
Multi-Cooker Stir Tower Accessory: Designed to mix, flip, and stir ingredients in the Multi-Cooker for even cooking and heating.
Dishwasher-Safe Dough Hook: This dough hook kneads yeast dough for bread and rolls. It’s designed to be easy to clean.
Turbo Beater Accessories: These beaters are designed with no center post, reducing clogging and improving mixing performance.
Stainless Steel Turbo Beater II Accessories: Durable and dishwasher-safe, these beaters make quick work of mixing tasks.
Elliptical Whip: This special wire whip incorporates more air into mixtures for fluffier whipped cream and angel food cakes.
Gelato Maker: This attachment churns a variety of frozen desserts, including creamy, authentic Italian gelato.
Paddle with Scraper: This attachment allows for quicker creaming of butter and sugar while eliminating the need to stop the mixer and scrape the sides of the bowl.
Tempering Chocolate Attachment: Perfect for melting and tempering chocolate directly in the mixer bowl.
Pasta Extruder: This tool enables you to make various types of pasta, such as bucatini, rigatoni, fusilli, large macaroni, and spaghetti.
Professional Whip: This is a larger whip designed to work with larger capacity bowls.
Bowl-Lift Burnished Spiral Dough Hook: Designed for easy mixing and kneading yeast dough.
Tilt-Head Flex Edge Beater: This beater is designed for use with tilt-head mixer models, providing thorough mixing while scraping the sides of the bowl.
Bowl-Lift Burnished Flat Beater: Ideal for quickly and thoroughly mashing potatoes and mixing cake batter and cookie dough.
Bowl-Lift Coated PowerKnead Spiral Dough Hook: This attachment replicates hand kneading with a powerful force that kneads bread dough quickly and efficiently.
Stainless Steel Pro Whip: This whip is designed for whipping large quantities of cream or egg whites.
Bowl-Lift 11-Wire Elliptical Whip: This whip covers more mixing areas for fluffier whipped cream, egg whites, and cake batters.
Tilt-Head 6-Wire Whip: Increases the volume of air into mixtures for fluffier whipped cream and angel food cakes.
Tilt-Head Burnished Flat Beater: This attachment quickly and thoroughly mixes ingredients for items like sponge cakes, pound cakes, cookies, and pastries.
5 Quart Ceramic Bowl: Designed with a pour spout and handle, this ceramic bowl is microwave, oven, freezer, and dishwasher safe.
Bowl-Lift Polished Stainless Steel Bowl with Flat Handle: This durable bowl is great for mixing larger quantities and has a handle for easy lifting.
Pasta Press Plates: These six pasta plates can be used with the Gourmet Pasta Press attachment to create various noodles.
Stand Mixer Cloth Cover: This cover protects the mixer when not used.
Tips to Buy the Right Attachment for KitchenAid Mixer
Consider Your Cooking Habits: Think about the meals you often prepare. For instance, if you bake a lot, you may find a flat beater or dough hook useful. If you make a lot of fresh fruit and vegetable dishes, consider the spiralizer or slicer/shredder attachment.
Look at Compatibility: Not all attachments are compatible with all KitchenAid mixers. Check the product description to see if the attachment will fit your specific model.
Quality and Material: Look for attachments that are durable and easy to clean. Stainless steel attachments, for instance, are often dishwasher-safe and last longer than plastic ones.
Space Considerations: Some attachments can be large, so consider the storage space available in your kitchen.
Read Reviews: Reviews from other customers can be very helpful in assessing the performance and quality of an attachment.
Cost and Value: While KitchenAid attachments can be an investment, consider how often you’ll use the attachment. If you use it frequently, it could be worth the expense.
Official vs. Third Party: Decide if you want to stick to official KitchenAid attachments or consider third-party options. While third-party attachments can be cheaper, they might not offer the same fit, quality, or warranty as official ones.
Frequently Asked Questions
Where can I buy KitchenAid mixer attachments?
KitchenAid mixer attachments can be purchased directly from the KitchenAid website, at various retail stores selling KitchenAid products, and at online marketplaces such as Amazon, Bed Bath & Beyond, and Williams-Sonoma.
Which accessories come with a KitchenAid Mixer box?
A standard KitchenAid mixer typically has a flat beater, a dough hook, and a wire whip. It also includes a stainless steel mixing bowl. Some models may include additional items like a pouring shield or different types of beaters.
Can I fit other brands’ accessories on a KitchenAid mixer?
While some third-party brands manufacture accessories compatible with KitchenAid mixers, the fit, and function may not be perfect. It’s generally recommended to use KitchenAid-branded attachments for optimal performance and fit.
How to attach a KitchenAid mixer attachment?
KitchenAid mixer attachments are typically inserted into the hub at the front of the machine, which you can access by unscrewing the hub cover. Align the square hub connector on your attachment with the square hub on the mixer and push it in place. Then tighten the thumb screw to secure it.
How to replace a KitchenAid mixer attachment?
To replace a KitchenAid mixer attachment, remove the current attachment by loosening the thumb screw and pulling out the attachment. Then, you can insert the new attachment following the steps mentioned above.
Can I repair a broken KitchenAid mixer attachment?
It depends on the type of break. Minor issues might be repairable, but replacing a broken attachment is often more efficient and safer. Contact KitchenAid’s customer service for advice on specific issues, and always ensure repairs are done with safety as the top priority.