Question on this KitchenAid Mixer...

Athough it does look painted.

When Hobart divested the KitchenAid division they started to muck around with the classic look of the K-5A. Around that time the "all-white" look for home kitchens was popular and I think because they went to the expense and trouble of using white plastic for the knobs and accessory plug, they were shooting for that look.

I still have and use my KitchenAid K-5A that I bought from my employer Elgot on 70th Street, in 1977. It was up in a storage attic in its NFS box and I couldn't resist it. It did time in my Parents' home for about 20 years and then I used it in my work. 40 years and still going mostly because I have this wonderful guy, Myer's Electric on Whalley Avenue in New Haven. He has repaired it once and I have told him that he can never retire.

I use it multiple times every week for making bread, cakes, desserts, dim sum doughs, grinding meat, kneading pasta dough and sheeting/cutting pasta. I intend to have it outlive me.

BTW, I still have my Grandmother's K-3B; it still works but I don't use it. It is more than 68 years old.


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Post# 981230 2/4/2018 at 12:36 (2,266 days old) by toploader55 (Massachusetts Sand Bar, Cape Cod)
Checkrate/Likes Does this look like it's been spray painted ? Sure looks loke it to me. Read the copy too... capecod.craigslist.org/app/d/kit... View Full Size

Post# 981233 , Reply# 1 2/4/2018 at 12:58 (2,266 days old) by bajaespuma (Connecticut)
Checkrate/Likes 1 *I don't think it is painted* Athough it does look painted. When Hobart divested the KitchenAid division they started to muck around with the classic look of the K-5A. Around that time the "all-white" look for home kitchens was popular and I think because they went to the expense and trouble of using white plastic for the knobs and accessory plug, they were shooting for that look. I still have and use my KitchenAid K-5A that I bought from my employer Elgot on 70th Street, in 1977. It was up in a storage attic in its NFS box and I couldn't resist it. It did time in my Parents' home for about 20 years and then I used it in my work. 40 years and still going mostly because I have this wonderful guy, Myer's Electric on Whalley Avenue in New Haven. He has repaired it once and I have told him that he can never retire. I use it multiple times every week for making bread, cakes, desserts, dim sum doughs, grinding meat, kneading pasta dough and sheeting/cutting pasta. I intend to have it outlive me. BTW, I still have my Grandmother's K-3B; it still works but I don't use it. It is more than 68 years old.

Post# 981234 , Reply# 2 2/4/2018 at 12:58 (2,266 days old) by whirlykenmore78 (Prior Lake MN (GMT-0500 CDT.))
Checkrate/Likes *Hi Eddie:* No it has not been spray painted. The white on white was available for some time. I have this same machine with the commercial looking chrome strip. I've had mine since 1992 and never a repair. These are a real workhorse. Nick

Post# 981250 , Reply# 3 2/4/2018 at 14:19 (2,266 days old) by rp2813 (Sannazay)
Checkrate/Likes I agree with Ken. KA offered this look on certain types of machines. $160 isn't a bad deal on a machine like this, but I've used both types and prefer the tilt-head for ease of use. I just couldn't get used to the overall bowl-lift experience and found it cumbersome. There's a super low mileage Professional series bowl-lift in metallic grey with flame decals on it in our basement. A nice '60s Hobart K45 from Savers evicted it from the kitchen counter. It's relatively inaudible and takes up less space.

Post# 981252 , Reply# 4 2/4/2018 at 14:42 (2,266 days old) by toploader55 (Massachusetts Sand Bar, Cape Cod)
Checkrate/Likes I have a K-5 SS I bought at Lechmere in Boston in 1982. It has been through 5 restaurants, lots of home use and even worked with me on a private yacht. I had the speed control replaced around 10 years ago. Thanks for the input. I don't care for that "Overspray" look that this machine has. Look at all that money KA saved by not using black knobs and the money on black logos etc. I would imagine this was around the time when Whirlpool had the all white KitchenAid "Architect" series which I thought looked Monochromatic. Zeeesh

Post# 981266 , Reply# 5 2/4/2018 at 15:39 (2,266 days old) by rp2813 (Sannazay)
Checkrate/Likes 1 Eddie, I agree that the Architect series probably inspired this treatment. It's not that appealing to me. I find it interesting that on my '60s K45, the brush access screws are white while the knobs are black. Maybe Hobart switched to black ones with the upgrade to solid state controls? View Full Size

Post# 982099 , Reply# 6 2/9/2018 at 23:00 (2,261 days old) by fan-of-fans (Florida)
Checkrate/Likes Oh yes, my KitchenAid Ultra Power blender has that white on white look as well with the light gray print on white band. I think I prefer the gray or silver band from other models, but no big deal to me. I think it's still used on some mixers today, I saw an Artisan mixer at Sears recently with that scheme.