Attachments for the KitchenAid Mixer?

[nikkiana]

One of FH's aunts sent us a wedding card explaining why they couldn't make it to the wedding (though already knew because FMIL told us... but whatever) and she also mentioned that she ordered us the KitchenAid mixer that we had on our registry but the color we wanted was out of stock so she picked another... and she wasn't sure it got checked off on the registery so she wanted to let me know... Sooooo.... since there's time for me to register for more stuff and I know I'm definately getting the mixer, I was thinking about registering for attachments for the mixer...

Does anyone have any suggestions for ones I should try for? What are the best ones? What are the useless ones?

[Angela]

Hmm...my aunt has the pasta maker attachment, and has used it once. Same with the ice cream bowl, though the ice cream bowl worked totally awesome. I want to register for the ice cream bowl. :lol2:

[*meghan*]

We have the pasta attachment - fantabulous! :)

[nikkiana]

We decided to register for the ice cream bowl and the pasta maker.... I figured those two were the ones we were most likely to use.

[JerAndKathy]

Is there a "make my dinner for me" attachment? :D

[Noelle]

I would HIGHLY recommend the pouring shield....very helpful when making cookies, etc...also, Kitchenmaid makes a cover for the mixer which is REALLY nice and keeps the dust off the mixer...I got hte meat grinder attachment, and havne't used it yet...maybe sometime I will! :)

[Elizabethlc]

I have the citrus juicer! It makes very good orange juice!

[purple_octopus]

I am registered for the grain mill (I love breadmaking), the food grinder attachment and sausage stuffer, and the slicer/shredder attachment. I have a hand-crank pasta machine which I use and love, and I really don't think I could get the same control with the KitchenAid attachment. Since I don't think I'd use it, I decided not to register for it. I also registered for a mandoline, so I honestly don't know how much use the slicer/shredder would get either. I'm good with a knife, so unless the slices have to be very thin (under 1/8 inch or so) and uniform, I'd rather do it by hand than have to clean some attachment.

[Kirsten]

I would HIGHLY recommend the pouring shield....very helpful when making cookies, etc...also, Kitchenmaid makes a cover for the mixer which is REALLY nice and keeps the dust off the mixer...I got hte meat grinder attachment, and havne't used it yet...maybe sometime I will! :)
Interesting. . . I never use the shield. It annoys me so I just move the mixer head up and pour away.

I do, however, recommend getting a 2nd bowl and a 2nd paddle (the general mixing one). Very handy for me during the holidays.

I use my mixer for making lots of cookies, including ones that require refrigerating the dough. I got tired of using aluminum foil all the time and finally got 2 solid covers (sold as a set from Amazon for some ridiculously low price). Absolutely indispensible to me.

[Baconsmom]

We use our ice cream maker pretty regularly, and the food grinder as well. I've heard bad reviews of the pasta maker - and Alton Brown (my personal Kitchen God) prefers a counter-mounted model, so.

But a second bowl and a second paddle will absolutely come in handy, especially if you do things like I do - make a cake, then have to wash and dry the bowl and paddle right away to make the frosting, then wash it again at the end of the process. I'd rather just switch bowls and do one round of dishes, you know?