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Cheaper alternatives · Stand mixers

Cheaper alternatives to the KitchenAid Artisan

Our verdict

Get the Kenwood kMix unless you specifically want the KitchenAid look. In side-by-side tests it made cakes as well as the Artisan, it has a bigger bowl and a far bigger motor, and at the prices we checked it cost less than half as much.

Updated 3 November 2026Based on 3 independent reviewers and maker specsNot tested by us: how we chose

Our pick

  1. 1Best cheaper alternativeKenwood kMix (KMX754)Mid-range
Still want the original? Who should buy the Artisan
The original
KitchenAid Artisan stand mixer in red

KitchenAid

Why people want the KitchenAid Artisan 4.8L (5KSM175)

  • The design. It's the mixer people picture, in a long list of colours, and it looks good left out on the worktop.
  • Quick, reliable mixing of cake batters, icing and egg whites.
  • Two bowls (4.8 L and 3 L) and a flex-edge beater that scrapes the sides, in this version.
  • A front hub that takes the whole range of KitchenAid attachments, from pasta rollers to mincers.
Price levelUpper mid-range

£400–£500typical price at major shops

Upper mid-range, 3/4

Side by side

Specs from each maker. Price levels come from shop prices we checked recently; tap through for today's price.

Side by side
ModelOriginalKitchenAid Artisan 4.8L (5KSM175)Best cheaper alternativeKenwood kMix (KMX754)
Price levelUpper mid-rangeMid-range
Bowl4.8 L steel + 3 L bowl5 L glass
Motor300 W1,000 W
Weight11 kg10.9 kg
Speeds106 + pulse
In the boxFlat beater, flex-edge beater, whisk, dough hook, pouring shieldK-beater, whisk, dough hook, splash guard
Attachment hubYes, takes all KitchenAid attachmentsYes, Kenwood attachments
ShopToday's price on Amazon ↗Today's price on Amazon ↗

The cheaper alternative worth buying

01 Best cheaper alternative
Kenwood kMix stand mixer in black

Kenwood

Kenwood kMix (KMX754)

Best for: Home bakers who want KitchenAid-level cakes without paying for the name

  • Reviewers found its cake results matched the Artisan's in side-by-side tests
  • Bigger 5 L bowl and a 1,000 W motor (the Artisan has 300 W)
  • Glass bowl lets you watch the mix without stopping
  • Limitation: Bread dough is still a strain at full load; one test had the motor labouring and the machine shaking with 1.35 kg.

Two independent tests put the kMix next to the Artisan and found little to choose between them for cakes; one preferred the kMix for mixing and for what comes in the box. It's heavy and boxier, and its single bowl is glass rather than steel. Neither machine loves big batches of bread dough, so don't pay extra for the Artisan expecting it to knead better.

You gain

  • A bigger bowl (5 L vs 4.8 L) with handles
  • A much more powerful motor on paper
  • A splash guard that clips to the head, not the bowl

You give up

  • The iconic look and the choice of colours
  • The second 3 L bowl and the flex-edge beater
  • KitchenAid attachment compatibility
Bowl
5 L glass
Motor
1,000 W
Weight
10.9 kg
Speeds
6 + pulse
Price levelMid-range

£150–£200typical price at major shops

Mid-range, 2/4
Today's price on Amazon

Who should still buy the KitchenAid Artisan 4.8L (5KSM175)

  • You want the classic tilt-head look or a particular colour; Kenwood's range is smaller and blockier.
  • You already own KitchenAid attachments, which won't fit a Kenwood.
  • You'd use the second, smaller bowl a lot, for whisking egg whites while the main bowl is busy.
Today's price on Amazon

Final recommendation

Final recommendation

For most bakers the Kenwood kMix is the smarter buy: the same cakes, a bigger bowl, and a lot of money left over for ingredients. Pay for the KitchenAid Artisan only if its look, its colours or your existing attachments matter to you, and then wait for a sale; it's often discounted from its list price.

Questions people ask

Is the Kenwood kMix as good as a KitchenAid?

For cakes, yes. One review that tested both found the cake batter came out about the same, with the KitchenAid pulling mix from the bottom of the bowl slightly better. Another head-to-head preferred the Kenwood for mixing.

Which is better for bread dough?

Neither is a dough specialist. In testing, the Artisan's motor struggled with 1 kg of dough and the kMix laboured at its 1.35 kg maximum. For regular bread making, look at a larger, more powerful mixer.

Do KitchenAid attachments fit a Kenwood?

No. Kenwood has its own range of attachments for the kMix's hub, such as pasta makers and mincers.

How we reached this

We compared the KitchenAid Artisan 4.8L (5KSM175) with the alternatives most often recommended by independent reviewers, then checked each against the makers' own specs and current prices.

We haven't tested these products ourselves. Our picks weigh independent expert reviews against each maker's published specs and the prices we checked. Opinions are ours; facts link to where they come from. How we choose.