Who Owns KitchenAid In 2026?

KitchenAid is a much-loved appliance brand best known for its pricey but popular stand mixers, but the brand actually sells all kinds of small and large appliances. The legendary stand mixer launched more than 100 years ago in 1919. Decades later, the KitchenAid brand was acquired by Whirlpool and has remained under its ownership ever since.

You can credit Herbert Johnson for inventing the first KitchenAid stand mixer, which launched the brand all those years ago. For close to 60 years after KitchenAid was launched, it was owned by Hobart Manufacturing. Then, in 1981, Hobart merged with Dart & Kraft in a $460 million deal, bringing the KitchenAid brand under its corporate umbrella. Only five years after that, Whirlpool stepped in and purchased KitchenAid from Dart & Kraft in a $150 million deal. However, it wasn't such a smooth ride. After Whirlpool expressed interest in purchasing KitchenAid, two other appliance companies — Magic Chef Inc. and White Consolidated Industries — sued to block the sale, saying it would essentially give Whirlpool too much power in the market and reduce competition. 

Ultimately, the United States Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit allowed the merger to move forward, and the purchase was complete in 1986. Today, KitchenAid is one of eight brands owned by Whirlpool, alongside Whirlpool itself, Maytag, Amana, JennAir, Consul, Brastemp, and InSinkErator.

In 2025, Whirlpool generated a whopping $15.5 billion in sales, according to its 2025 annual report. While the exact income from KitchenAid products is unknown, Whirlpool noted in its report that cooking appliances, including KitchenAid stand mixers and other KitchenAid brand appliances, made up nearly a quarter of its total sales.

Though it's unclear exactly how many stand mixers have been sold to date, the famous KitchenAid has certainly made an impact on home bakers and cooks. Back in 2016, Whirlpool and KitchenAid celebrated the brand's production of its one millionth KitchenAid stand mixer in a single calendar year. It was the first time the company had reached that milestone, which goes to show that stand mixers have only continued to grow in popularity long after Whirlpool purchased the appliance brand. And rumor has it if you buy one and treat it well, a KitchenAid stand mixer will last for decades. Today, KitchenAid encompasses plenty of other appliances in addition to the iconic mixers, including refrigerators, dishwashers, and ovens, as well as other small appliances like espresso machines and blenders.