Stop Spending A Fortune On This Mixer: Thrift A Secondhand Version Instead

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Century-old cookery brand KitchenAid makes a whole suite of exceptional kitchen gadgets, but the company's name is synonymous with its stand mixer. The sleek appliance signals a serious approach to home baking and a keen eye for quality. It's an actual icon in a genre of otherwise ho-hum household necessities. Nobody is ever referring to their toaster when they talk about their KitchenAid. KitchenAid stand mixers are also — totally expected drumroll, please — expensive. The cheapest model (the deluxe 4.5-quart stand mixer) is listed at $450 at press time, although you can sometimes snag the KitchenAid 5-quart stand mixer for a sale price of $350 on Amazon. But you don't have to pay that much because that previously mentioned quality also means it isn't too hard to find them for (sometimes a lot) less on the secondary market.

KitchenAid itself sells refurbished stand mixers starting at around $230 for a model that typically retails for $500. But they're even cheaper as you stray farther from the source, with some used models dipping under $100 on resale sites like eBay. That's to say nothing of your neighborhood brick-and-mortar thrift store. Keep an eye out for previously loved mixers while you're on the hunt for vintage Pyrex at the secondhand shop, and soon you'll have a coveted mixer that looks no different from the ones they sell now. In fact, some of the more colorful kitchen appliances may be back in style again.

There are a few things you should look out for when you buy a stand mixer at the thrift store, whether online or in the corporeal world. Take a good look for any signs of rust, which, contrary to assumptions, can even affect stainless steel. Check the cord and plug for a functional appearance too, and step away if you see even minor fraying. And make sure that it actually has the attachments you're looking for (or even the ones you're not because you never know how your baking needs might change). 

Once you've sourced your new-old KitchenAid stand mixer, a whole new world of confections is right at your fingertips. You might even marvel at the light, fluffy, polished finish the first time you make something as simple as a basic whipped cream. If not, you can always sell it on eBay.