100 Most Wanted Holiday: Why the KitchenAid Professional 5 stand mixer is the holiday kitchen gadget on everyone's wish list (and it's on sale now!)

cbsn-essentials-holiday-100-2022-kitchenaid-mixer-option1.jpg — CBS Essentials; KitchenAid

The KitchenAid stand mixer is one of the most-wanted holiday gifts of 2022. The iconic kitchen appliance is instantly recognizable on a counter top. Plus, it's just as functional as it is fashionable. Shop the KitchenAid Professional 5 stand mixer as well as several top-rated KitchenAid stand mixers and accessories ahead of Black Friday.

Top products in this article:

KitchenAid Professional 5 stand mixer, $250 (reduced from $450)

$250 at Best Buy

KitchenAid 6-quart professional 600 series bowl-lift stand mixer, $549 (regularly $600)

$480 at Amazon

Aucma stand mixer, $120 after coupon (reduced from $157)

$120 at Amazon

Why the KitchenAid Professional 5 stand mixer is a most-wanted holiday gift

Few kitchen gadgets look as impressive on a countertop as a KitchenAid stand mixer. No matter what KitchenAid stand mixer color or model you choose, this multi-tool signals to all who enter the room that you know your way around the kitchen. It's powerful and versatile enough to take on any cooking or baking task (with the right attachment).

The 4.7-star-rated KitchenAid Professional 5 stand mixer makes a fantastic Christmas present -- so much so that we've named it one of CBS Essentials' 100 Most Wanted Holiday Gifts. It's the best stand mixer to buy this holiday season.

Right now with a major sale going on at Best Buy, it's a great time to buy this stand mixer for an unbeatable price -- especially if it's on a loved one's Christmas or Hanukkah wishlist.

KitchenAid Professional 5 stand mixer

What sets this KitchenAid stand mixer apart is its bowl-lift design. The bowl is held by two arms, providing sturdy bowl support when mixing heavy ingredients or large batches. The device has 10 speed settings and includes the accessories: power-knead spiral dough hook, flat beater and stainless-steel wire whip.

Right now, you can score a crazy good deal on this most-wanted holiday item. The KitchenAid stand mixer is currently $200 off as part of Best Buy's early Black Friday sale.

KitchenAid Professional 5 stand mixer, $250 (reduced from $450)

$250 at Best Buy

Best KitchenAid Professional 5 stand mixer alternatives

We love the KitchenAid Professional 5 stand mixer. But if it's not exactly what you're looking for, check out these popular alternatives. All of these stand mixers are on sale at Amazon now during the retailer's early Black Friday deals.

Traditional-looking KitchenAid: KitchenAid Artisan series 5-quart stand mixer with pouring shield

The KitchenAid Artisan series 5-quart mixer features a 10 speed slide control.

The kitchen device comes with a flat beater, dough hook and wire whip attachments. If "aqua sky" isn't your color, this stand mixer is available in a wide variety of shades.

KitchenAid Artisan series 5-quart stand mixer with pouring shield, $450

$450 at Amazon

Best for small spaces: KitchenAid Artisan Mini Plus 3.5-quart tilt-head stand mixer

The KitchenAid Artisan Mini Plus is a great option for people with limited counter space. The device weighs less than the larger model, making it easier to move around your kitchen.

It features 10 speeds. According to the brand, its 3.5-quart bowl can mix up to five dozen cookies at once.

KitchenAid Artisan Mini Plus 3.5-quart tilt-head stand mixer, $350 after coupon (regularly $380)

$350 at Amazon

Top-rated budget stand mixer: Aucma stand mixer

This wallet-friendly stand mixer can hold 6.5 quarts. It features six speeds and a pulse function. The Aucma stand mixer comes with three mixing accessories: whisk, dough hook, mixing beater.

This kitchen gadget is available in 10 colors.

"Move over KitchenAid!" commented an Amazon customer who purchased the Aucma device. "This mixer is awesome! I have made everything from whipped cream to bread dough and it works superbly! Motor is powerful and doesn't lag at all, even with the stiffest dough that I throw at it. I even have a recipe where I knead a dough on medium-high speed for 15 mins, and it does not lag nor does it overheat."

Aucma stand mixer, $120 after coupon (reduced from $157)

$120 at Amazon

Shop KitchenAid stand mixer accessories

KitchenAid stand mixers can do a lot more than just mix. Keep reading to discover top-rated KitchenAid stand mixer accessories you can buy right now.

KitchenAid tilt-head flex edge beater

Don't you hate it when you're mixing up frosting and it all seems to stick to the sides? This flexible edge beater was designed to thoroughly scrape ingredients into the bowl.

The KitchenAid stand mixer attachment is dishwasher safe.

KitchenAid tilt-head flex edge beater, $30 (regularly $40)

$30 at Amazon

KitchenAid fresh prep slicer and shredder attachment

Slice and shred fruits and vegetables with ease. This KitchenAid device includes a thin slicing blade and medium and coarse shredding blades to give you the perfect cut.

The device's two-in-one food pusher can accommodate both large and small diameter fruits and vegetables

KitchenAid fresh prep slicer and shredder attachment, $45 (regularly $65)

$45 at Amazon

KitchenAid 3-speed hand mixer

The KitchenAid hand mixer whips frosting, egg whites and mixes cookie dough with the press of a button. It features three speeds so you can incorporate your ingredients without losing control of the mixer or your mixing bowl.

KitchenAid 3-speed hand mixer, $35 (regularly $45)

$35 at Walmart

KitchenAid pasta roller attachment

Create a delicious new meal-time tradition, or just make family dinner the old fashioned way with the help of this pasta roller attachment that includes spaghetti and fettuccine cutters.

KitchenAid Pasta Roller attachment, $80 (reduced from $100)

$80 at Amazon

KitchenAid food processor attachment kit with commercial-style dicing

This KitchenAid attachment can dice, slice, shred and julienne fruits, vegetables or hard cheeses.

Adjust the thickness of your slices with just one lever.

KitchenAid food processor attachment kit with commercial style dicing, $152 with coupon (reduced from $250)

$152 at Amazon

KitchenAid spiralizer with peel, core and slice

Kitchenaid 5 Blade Spiralizer with Peel, Core and Slice — Amazon

Getting your greens in has never been easier with this veggie spiralizer attachment. This device comes with six changeable blades.

All blades are dishwasher safe on the top rack.

KitchenAid spiralizer with peel, core and slice, $100 (regularly $150)

$100 at Amazon

KitchenAid 4-piece prep bowl set with lids

Cooking is complicated enough without having to dig through cabinets in search of enough prep bowls. This 4-piece prep bowl set includes various sizes and colors.

KitchenAid 4-piece prep bowl set with lids, $15

$15 at Amazon

KitchenAid gourmet pasta press attachment

Try your hand at making up to six types of pasta. This attachment can make fresh spaghetti, bucatini, fusilli, rigatoni, small macaroni and large macaroni. Bellissimo!

KitchenAid Gourmet Pasta Press attachment, $170 (regularly $219)

$170 at Amazon

KitchenAid citrus juicer attachment

Make fresh-squeezed orange juice a new morning tradition with this citrus juicer attachment.

KitchenAid Citrus Juicer attachment, $30 (regularly $34)

$30 at Amazon

KitchenAid sifter and scale attachment bundle

This helpful baking tool will measure, sift and automatically add ingredients directly to your mixing bowl, helping to ensure more even baking.

KitchenAid sifter and scale attachment bundle, $100 (regularly $140)

$100 at Amazon

KitchenAid 5-quart tilt-head glass bowl with measurement markings

Measuring ingredients is that much easier with this stand-mixer bowl with convenient measurement markings.

KitchenAid 5-quart tilt-head glass bowl with measurement markings, $40 (regularly $50)

$40 at Walmart

KitchenAid wire whip attachment

Frost to your heart's content with this wire whip attachment. The accessory makes it easy to whip up frosting, eggs, sponge cakes, heavy cream and candies.

KitchenAid wire whip attachment, $25

$25 at Amazon

KitchenAid 5-speed hand mixer

Need a little backup when it comes to mixing? This hand-held KitchenAid mixer has you covered.

KitchenAid 5-speed hand mixer, $45 (regularly $60)

$45 at Kitchenaid

100 Most Wanted Holiday Gifts: The best gifts to give this Christmas

It may seem early to start shopping for Christmas and Hanukkah gifts, but trust us, it's not. Last year's holiday season was riddled with supply-chain issues, and CBS News is anticipating more of the same in 2022. Plus, there's inflation -- unfortunately, prices may rise even more before December comes.

So it's time to shop for holiday gifts now. Pick out a great hiding spot and check out CBS Essentials' 100 Most Wanted Holiday Gifts of 2022. We've based our top 100 gift picks on our own bestsellers, owner reviews and our own extensive research into the most-buzzed-about gifts of 2022, such as this I am Groot Lego set, a guinea pig toy that gives birth and this pooping purple turtle.

Stay tuned to the CBS Essentials 100 Most Wanted Holiday Gifts Series for our picks of the hottest gifts to give in 2022. Our list includes some of Apple's newest products, the top toys of 2022, game-changing kitchen appliances (such as this air fryer and KitchenAid stand mixer) and so much more.

Lily Rose

Lily Rose is a senior writer for CBS Essentials and the site's expert in home appliances such as washers, dryers, refrigerators and ranges. When she's not writing about how you can upgrade your laundry room, she's writing about home and kitchen essentials that will transform your space. Her favorite appliance is her air fryer. She firmly believes that it can make the crispiest sweet potato fries.