KitchenAid Artisan Mini Stand Mixer Review 2023

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The crowning jewel of any kitchen is a stand mixer, but what do you do when your kitchen has exactly one usable counter and it's taken up by your dish rack? This was my reality for three years of my early marriage when my husband and I lived in a tiny city apartment with a galley kitchen.

As a professional cook, I wasn't willing to forgo having a stand mixer. The best stand mixers make quick work of all sorts of batters and doughs, and anyone who has ever tried to make a batch of bagels by hand will understand just how indispensable they are for certain kitchen tasks.

Fortunately, right around that time of my life, KitchenAid came out with the Artisan Mini, a petite stand mixer made for tight spaces. I've been pleasantly surprised at just how adept this little mixer is. Even after moving on to bigger kitchens and testing nearly every KitchenAid model for our guide to the best KitchenAid, I still find myself reaching for the Mini most. Read on for my experience testing the Mini, along with advice on who should and shouldn't buy it.

Design-wise, the Mini looks exactly like a shrunken-down version of your classic KitchenAid stand mixer. While it's just a few inches smaller than the most popular KitchenAid model (the Artisan 5-quart), those inches can make all of the difference in a small kitchen with a precious little counter space. My Mini fits inside one of my lower cabinets, while my Artisan does not and subsequently has to live on the counter.

The biggest size reduction between the Mini and other models is in the weight of the machine. Fully loaded with the bowl attached, the Mini weights about 18 pounds; 7 pounds less than any other KitchenAid model and 14 pounds less than professional models. The lower weight is a welcome change, especially for those without the grip strength to lift heavier appliances. The bowl and attachments are more petite, too, perfect for a small dishwasher or sink.

Here's a look at how the Mini's specs compare to other popular KitchenAid models:

KitchenAid stand mixer comparison

Mini

Classic

Artisan 5-Quart

Pro Line 7-Quart

Power

250 watts

275 watts

325 watts

970 watts

Weight

18 lbs.

25 lbs.

26 lbs.

32 lbs.

Size

7.8 x 12.3 x 12.3 inches

8.7 x 13.9 x 14.1 inches

8.7 x 13.9 x 14.1 inches

11 x 14 x 16 inches

Functional capacity

2 quarts

3 quarts

3.75 quarts

5.75 quarts

Compatible attachments

All except ice cream maker

All

All

All

Even though I now have a full-sized KitchenAid Artisan 5-Quart stand mixer, I often find myself reaching for the Mini instead. Most of the time, I'm baking for just me and my husband, which means single or half-batches of cookies, pancake batter, or pasta dough. It seems like a waste to lug out the big machine and dirty a bigger bowl when the Mini mixer will do just fine.

Right now we live in the Kansas prairie where we have a big enough kitchen for two stand mixers, but when we move to New York City later next year, the Mini is going to be the one that comes with us. I can't think of a time in the last four years where I had a task that the Mini wasn't capable of handling.

That said, I've spent more than a decade in professional kitchens, so I know that the Mini does have limits to be aware of. Its lighter weight means it sometimes shakes on the counter when run at high speed. I haven't encountered it "walking" off the counter yet, but the shaking does make me feel like I should be nearby to keep an eye on things.

The Mini's 250 watt motor is also the smallest of all the KitchenAid stand mixers, so you have to be careful just how much work you throw at it. I once burnt out the worm gear (a piece of the motor that controls torque) on a Classic KitchenAid, which has a slightly more powerful motor than the Mini. I was trying to knead a stiff dough for hand-pulled noodles and left the stand mixer running on high for about 10 minutes, rendering my stand mixer unusable. While the replacement part would have only cost a few dollars, my choices were to spend $50+ on getting a pro to install it, or risk voiding my warranty by trying to install it myself. I chose the latter option and actually ended up totaling that stand mixer.

While that experience was with KitchenAid's budget model, I imagine the Mini's smaller motor makes it susceptible to the same issues. If you need a stand mixer that will handle long and heavy mixing tasks, I recommend forgoing the Mini for one of the alternatives mentioned further below. However, if you're like me and only really bust out your stand mixer a few times a year, the Mini should be perfectly sufficient for single batches of cookies, bread dough, and pasta dough.

I think the KitchenAid Mini is a fantastic and well-designed machine, but it's not for everyone. If price is your primary consideration, I have some surprising news: the Mini is actually more expensive than some full-sized KitchenAid mixers. Essentially, you actually pay extra for the convenience of a lighter, more compact machine. Because of this, I'd think closely about whether you actually need a small stand mixer before buying this model.

Here are some situations where I think the Mini might be the best choice for you:

As we outline in our guides to the best KitchenAid and best stand mixer, if you are a frequent baker or regularly make back-to-back batches or knead heavy doughs, I recommend upgrading to the KitchenAid Pro Line Series. Having worked in professional kitchens, I've seen motors burn out on budget KitchenAid models that are put to strenuous use. Motor repairs can be almost as pricey as a new stand mixer (and you can void your warranty by opting to do a repair yourself cheaply) — it's better to invest in a machine that will accommodate your needs from the jump.

As mentioned before, the Mini is the smallest KitchenAid model, but it's actually not the cheapest. If you have a bit more counter space to spare, you can save $50 by opting for the KitchenAid Classic, our best budget pick. You'll also get a higher bowl capacity and slightly more mixing power.

Finally, our favorite KitchenAid is the Artisan 5 Quart Tilt-Head Stand Mixer. We think it has the best balance of power, capacity, and price for most people, though it takes up more counter space than the Mini. It also has the most color options if that's important to you.

Overall, I highly recommend the KitchenAid Mini to anyone working with a smaller kitchen. It's also a great bet for beginning bakers and kids or older adults who may have trouble lifting and maneuvering larger models.

Pros: Perfectly sized for small kitchens, easy to maneuver, makes single batches of most recipes well, ideal for occasional bakers, a good size for kids, work bowl has a handle

Cons: Too small for double batches, shakes a lot when running at high speed, more expensive than higher capacity models

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