THE HISTORY:
I got a brand new Kitchenaid 
Epicurean Stand Mixer about 2 years ago, but never opened it until a few weeks ago. I decided to mix a cake, a batch or two of cookies, another cake, and then I decided I would try two loaves of white bread. After a couple minutes of mixing the white bread dough (it was really soft and smooth and elastic) the mixer all of a sudden QUIT! I had read in the owner's manual that the mixer might get too hot to touch on the top, but that was normal, and if it should turn off, then wait about 20 minutes and turn it back on again, and everything would jump back to life again. I couldn't wait that long, as I needed to get these two loaves of bread done. I finished them by hand, and baked them. I tried to turn the machine on again, but NOTHING!
Epicurean Stand Mixer about 2 years ago, but never opened it until a few weeks ago. I decided to mix a cake, a batch or two of cookies, another cake, and then I decided I would try two loaves of white bread. After a couple minutes of mixing the white bread dough (it was really soft and smooth and elastic) the mixer all of a sudden QUIT! I had read in the owner's manual that the mixer might get too hot to touch on the top, but that was normal, and if it should turn off, then wait about 20 minutes and turn it back on again, and everything would jump back to life again. I couldn't wait that long, as I needed to get these two loaves of bread done. I finished them by hand, and baked them. I tried to turn the machine on again, but NOTHING!The following Monday, I called Kitchenaid
, and the person I spoke with in the customer DISservice department said that I had probably abused the mixer. I said that in fact, I had only mixed two loaves of bread, and not any where near the maximum amount the owner's manual said I could. When this lady (and I use the term loosely, as she seemed to have gotten out of bed on the wrong side that morning) found out that the mixer was two years old, even though I had taken it out of its BRAND NEW BOX only a couple weeks earlier, she said, "sorry, your warranty is only for ONE YEAR from the date of purchase" and referred me to a local repair company.
, and the person I spoke with in the customer DISservice department said that I had probably abused the mixer. I said that in fact, I had only mixed two loaves of bread, and not any where near the maximum amount the owner's manual said I could. When this lady (and I use the term loosely, as she seemed to have gotten out of bed on the wrong side that morning) found out that the mixer was two years old, even though I had taken it out of its BRAND NEW BOX only a couple weeks earlier, she said, "sorry, your warranty is only for ONE YEAR from the date of purchase" and referred me to a local repair company.THE BAD:
I took the mixer to the repair company and had to PAY $30 JUST for them to look at it. They called back about 5 days later to tell me that the motor needed replacing and since they could not find one, did I want the mixer back? HELL YES! I picked up the KA two days later and started looking for a motor for it. $120 was the high price, all the way down to $55 (plus shipping in both cases) from the USA (I live in Canada) of another $20-$28. I called a local appliance parts place and they said it would cost about $120, but they had to order it in, and could not tell me how long it would take.
THE ANNOYING:
I decided to take the mixer apart, since I would have to do that to replace the motor, as I was not about to pay someone again - not to mention all the wasted time in driving the machine to the repair shop. I found out how incredibly easy it is to take this model apart - 5 screws, and then I took the motor out, which required removing the 2 mounting screws, and loosening 3 of the 4 screws that hold the transmission in place so I could separate the two pieces, and unplugging 2 wires - SIMPLE! I removed the motor and hooked it up to 110 volt power and flipped on the switch to the power supply and... NOTHING! DRAT!
THE EXCITING:
But wait - what's this??? In the back of my mind, I remember reading not only hundreds of complaints about Kitchenaid Stand Mixers, and problems like I experienced, including that the transmission housing WAS PLASTIC! In one lonely post which I cannot remember where I saw it, someone mentioned something about a fuse close to the motor, so I investigated further, and found an ever so tiny silver cylinder that resembled some type of capacitor with a wire coming out of each end. I bypassed this cylinder and hooked the motor up to the 110 volt power supply again, and flipped the switch to the power supply and... IT'S ALIVE!!! HALLELUJAH! I had found the problem on my own! Now I was excited. I removed the cylinder and looked at it with my good magnifying lens and saw it had a temperature and some other numbers on it. I called an electronics supply company and ended up buying A THERMAL FUSE for ONLY $2 to repair my Kitchenaid Stand Mixer.
THE UNBELIEVABLE:
I stopped back at the repair shop as it was on my way home from the electronics parts store, and the repairman himself told me that he remembered the machine and the thermal fuse in the motor winding was blown, and that WHIRLPOOL, the owners of Kitchenaid since 1986 would NOT let him install a new fuse; the problem required THE MOTOR BE REPLACED! So ridiculous, that a $2 fuse would require the replacement of a $55+ motor, when there WAS NOTHING WRONG WITH THE MOTOR, as the fuse had blown, PROTECTING THE MOTOR.
THE INCREDIBLE:
Since I have a contact within WHIRLPOOL, I called and found out that indeed, the fuse was not a replacement part, SO EVEN a NEW machine UNDER WARRANTY would necessitate the replacement of the motor with fuse. I asked about machines like this, UNDER WARRANTY and not being able to "find" a motor - what would happen to the machine? The answer: it would end up being "SCRAPPED" and sold off as junk to a company that might end up "fixing" and reselling it, but in the mean time, the customer would be sent a new mixer!
THE SAD:
I can't believe that the repairman couldn't be bothered to tell me about the blown fuse, but maybe he was hoping that I would just ask him to dispose of the junk machine, and, after a $2 fix, a machine could be sold for a substantial profit...
THE LESSON(s):
1) Kitchenaid warrantees the receipt, NOT the machine! Kitchenaid 
does NOT keep track of serial numbers, but I had made the mistake of giving the "lady" I spoke with the serial # of mine, under the pretext of her "checking" to see if the mixer was still under warranty, but now they had my serial number, so I couldn't just do something sinful like buying a new mixer to get the receipt and making a copy of the receipt and taking the copy along with the machine back for refund, and then using the original receipt for warranty. LESSON LEARNED!
does NOT keep track of serial numbers, but I had made the mistake of giving the "lady" I spoke with the serial # of mine, under the pretext of her "checking" to see if the mixer was still under warranty, but now they had my serial number, so I couldn't just do something sinful like buying a new mixer to get the receipt and making a copy of the receipt and taking the copy along with the machine back for refund, and then using the original receipt for warranty. LESSON LEARNED!2) Appliance repairmen are perhaps not always the most trustworthy and helpful!
3) I should have investigated further MYSELF, before driving across town and paying a repairman $30 to tell me something that was not entirely true! (I was not refunded the $30 - I guess the repairman and the people who own the repair shop have to eat too...)
THE RESOLUTION:
I hereby resolve NEVER to EVER buy another Kitchenaid 
appliance again for the rest of my life, unless it is brand new, under warranty, and I can really put it to the test BEFORE the warranty period runs out, and only after spending much time on the internet checking for complaints.
appliance again for the rest of my life, unless it is brand new, under warranty, and I can really put it to the test BEFORE the warranty period runs out, and only after spending much time on the internet checking for complaints.My stand mixer works like new, but I am worried about the large ring gear that is known to "drop out" and the plastic transmission housing being a cause of great concern... This mixer is now listed for sale! (with a spare fuse)
I have bought a new Cuisinart Stand Mixer, which has a 3-year warranty on the whole machine.
Bubba
