10 OMG, LOL, And WTF Facts About Your Favorite Mixer

The classic KitchenAid Stand Mixer has been a registry staple for years, developing a cult following all its own, but even the most devoted fans often don't know the backstory behind its creation—or the incredible ways you can trick one out.

It's Named After One Woman's Reaction To It.

Herbert Johnson invented the automatic mixer after watching a baker struggle to mix bread dough by hand, but it wasn't until six years later that the company he worked for, Hobart, came up with a consumer version. They let an executive's wife try it out, and legend has it she replied: "I don't care what you call it. All I know is it's the best kitchen aid I've ever had." The comment resonated, clearly.

If You Think It's Pricey Today, Wait 'Til You Hear The Original Cost.

Today's mixer will set you back anywhere from $300 to $500 for most models. But back when KitchenAid's stand was introduced in the '20s, it sold for $200. That's like shelling out $2,700 today, Maker reports.

There Are A Few Ways To Get One On The Cheap.

No, you don't have to know someone who sells mixers that "fell off" trucks. Just look to any long weekend. Kohl's, Target, and Amazon have been known to offer steep discounts on KitchenAid mixers over holiday weekends and on Black Friday. You can even set up a price tracker through CamelCamelCamel to alert you when prices drop on Amazon.

Also, check the KitchenAid website for rebates and other discounts, and if you don't mind a secondhand machine, look out for a refurbished model.

Your Color Options Go Way Beyond ROYGBIV.

Want your mixer to match your walls—or your go-to nail polish color? You could totally do it. The 5-quart Artisan model (the standard variety you're most familiar with) is currently available in 47 colors. That doesn't count limited-edition shades, store exclusives, partnerships (like the pink machine that supports Susan G. Komen's fight to cure breast cancer), or different models.

Know Which Style Is Right For You.

There are two key styles of KitchenAid stand mixer: the tilt-head model, where you push the top of the mixer back to pour ingredients directly into the bowl, and the bowl-lift design, which essentially picks up the bowl and brings it to the beaters. The latter is better for heavy-duty baking, since it can handle a larger bowl size. You know, if you're the type who bakes cheesecake-stuffed snickerdoodles in batches of 13 dozen.

They're Assembled In The Midwest.

Greenville, Ohio, has two claims to fame: It's the birthplace of Annie Oakley, and it's home to the KitchenAid factory. The latter brings in droves of tourists who come to see the production lines, watch cooking demos, take baking classes, and shop the rainbow of mixers at the KitchenAid Retail Experience.

The Classic Mixer Has A Mini Me.

Most people are familiar with the 4.5-quart and 5-quart Artisan mixers or the big brothers, the 6-quart to 7-quart Professional series. But in 2016, KitchenAid introduced its smallest mixer yet. The Artisan Mini Stand Mixer is about 20-percent smaller than the regular Artisan, with a bowl that can hold 3.5 quarts of cake batter or bread dough.

People Trick Theirs Out In Incredible Ways.

Georgetown Cupcake has a Swarovski crystal-covered mixer in just about every store, and Etsy is chock full of decals you can buy to add polka dots, chevron print, or a Mickey Mouse cutout to your machine. But that's only the tip of the iceberg. Fall down a Pinterest rabbit hole, and you'll soon see mixers covered in Rifle Paper Co.-esque flowers, Harry Potter-inspired Marauder's Map footprints and signs—even one featuring a skeletal Guy Fieri shouting while wearing his signature Oakleys. You can't un-see that last one.

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It's No One-Trick Pony.

If you're only using your mixer for baking, you're doing it wrong. The company sells all sorts of attachments, like a juicer, food processor, pasta roller, spiralizer, food grinder, ravioli maker, sausage stuffer, or heat-precision bowl for tempering chocolate and making fondue. Basically, it's an entire kitchen in one 20-ish-pound gadget.

It's In High Demand.

If you thought just about every Food Network kitchen and wedding registry has a mixer in it, you might be right. The company sells 2.5 million every year, according to a 2014 Wall Street Journal article. That's enough to fill every seat of the 19 largest football stadiums in America. Let that sink in for a second.