KitchenAid KHM5AP Ultra Power Hand Mixer…LOL! Ultra..Yeh Right!

This past weekend I made the trek up to Pocono's to get a little kayaking in at the Francis Walter Dam.. Aside from the brisk weather fall foliage was in full regalia and it felt like fall for the first time this season. I was up with all our kayaking pals at a friends place and I just felt like volunteering to make breakfast for all seen of us with not one exception out of this agreeable crowd.

I figured on a real hearty breakfast of pancakes, sausage, bacon, home made sour dough bread (which I programmed the night before) and a boat load of scrambled eggs.
While searching through the cabinets for all the tools required of this feast I found the Kitchen Aid KHM5AP mixer which I knew would come in handy.

I have to admit on first impression I the KHM5AP seemed a bit light duty for a family working kitchen, though you got to improvise when you're roughing it, which makes it all a bit more tolerable. Anyway, we have the behemoth Kitchen Aid at home so how bad can this one be?

I was in the process of putting all the ingredients of this otherwise unknown pancake mix into the bowl. Eggs, oil, Salt...Jeez, I am used to the mix and water, 1,2,3 and you're outta' there mix, but no this turned into Ramsey's Kitchen Nightmares! Once in the bowl I fired up the KHM5AP and experimented with which of the five speeds I would settle into. As it turns out, I settled on 5 because the others just were not cutting it. The wire whisks are cool looking but they literally cut through the mix requiring you to actually spoon the mix off the sides of the bowl with the mixer; what's wrong with this picture?

After cracking a dozen eggs I started the Kitchen Aid and immediately my impressions were confirmed once more. Perhaps my expectations were high, I mean it was a Kitchen Maid! The KHM5AP did the job but frankly, we have an old Hamilton Beach at home that makes the KHM5AP look like a toy! Those eggs wouldn't have stood a chance with the Hamilton Beach; they would have been whipped to a meringue in the same time it took the Kitchen Aid to whip those eggs. the Kitchen Aid would have needed some help to get there.

I did like the way the Kitchen Aid sat on the heel of the unit; that was extraordinarily handy. The unit is ergonomic angled back, making it easier on the wrists. Measuring
7 1 ½ "" x 6 ½" the unit is light enough for any user to comfortably sit there endlessly and watch a few eggs swim around a bowl until they're ready. I do like the big beater eject button, and the fact that it was easy to clean. I never got around to the dough hooks or blender rod but then again, what was the use?

Do I like the Kitchen Aid KHM5AP? I think it all comes down to expectations. I haven't really shopped for a low end hand mixer lately, but if I were, I'd look for an old golden Hamilton Beach on Ebay before I plunked down 50 bucks for this Kitchen Aid. This one is worth passing on. I like roughing it as much as the next guy, but hey, I've got better things to do with my time!