Tune up your mixers for holiday baking

This time of year we put a lot of miles on our mixers. With holiday gatherings, parties and gift-giving just around the corner, you need your mixer to be ready to handle it all. It's especially important if you only use your mixer this time of year.

Below find our handy checklist for making sure your KitchenAid is up to the tasks ahead.

Good luck and happy baking!

all mixer styles

1. Check your beaters for damage and grime. Paint can chip and peel. Aluminum can oxidize and develop a bumpy grey film. And flex edge beaters can develop tears and cracks. You can clean aluminum parts with soap and water (or vinegar water for tougher build-up). For flexible edge beaters, like SideSwipe, it's usually best to replace them when they get worn. PLUS - don't forget to clean inside where the beater attaches to the mixer. Build-up there can make it hard to attach and remove the beater.
2. Check and adjust your beater height. Your flat beater and whisk should not scrape on the bottom of the bowl as it will damage the finish. If you have a SideSwipe or other flex beater, check their instructions on the proper beater position. You can find help for this here or on KitchenAid's website. You can also Google "dime test" for online video on how to adjust your beater height.
3. Run sleepy mixers before mixing. If your mixer has been unused since last November, KitchenAid recommends you run it empty for about 2 minutes to get the oil to lubricate its internal parts. You may get a few grey oil drips in your bowl. This food-safe oil should be cleaned from the bowl before mixing. If you lose a lot of oil or it continues to leak, you may need to repair your mixer.
4. Secure the attachment hub door and knob. Before you start mixing, make sure the device that secures the area where you attach pasta makers, etc. is firmly in place. If loose, it can fall into your bowl while mixing, possibly causing damage to your beater and/or motor.
5. Clean outer metal housing, include underneath and the mixer feet.
6. Clean out mixer vent holes. Using a toothpick and/or vacuum, remove any dust or fuzz from the vented holes on the back of your mixer. This keeps the mixer from overheating.
7. Clean the beater shaft. It's fine if there's a small amount of grease, but you don't want to leave dried-on batter or dough on the metal shaft where you attach your beater. Conversely, if you have trouble attaching and removing your beaters after cleaning, you can lubricate the shaft with a little mineral oil.
8. Consider buying extra bowls and beaters. It can save a lot of time if you're making continuous batches for gifts. 

tilt-head only

• Check the hinge pin. On tilting head mixers, a silver pin going from one side of the housing to the other anchors the head in place. Over time, it can wiggle its way to the side, causing the head to become unstable. To repair, simple tap the pin back in so it is within the outer metal housing.