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66 of 68 found the following review helpful:
 Commercial like mixer without paying commercial price Feb 15, 2005
By ThomasN
After extensive research on the web and through friends' experiences, I decided to opt for this 7-qt mixer. Two other major brands I considered are Hobart and of course, KitchenAid. The DeLonghi mixer comes close to specs and features, but is also marketed under Kenwood and Hamilton Beach. I sure wouldn't want to pay premium price for a Hamilton Beach. The Hobart is a true commercial grade mixer but overkill for the occasional home use, not to mention at lease twice the cost. The KA doesn't have the 1000 wattage or the professional feel like the Viking 7-qt mixer. One thing my wife appreciates about this unit is that it has rear wheels for easy maneuverability around the countertop - the average stand mixer weights over 20 lbs so this feature definitely helps. Although the availability of accessories for this mixer is few, however, I do notice that the included beater, whisk, and dough hook are well-made, stainless steel attachments (not plastic coating over metal). Overall, the Viking mixer is powerful, easy to use, and professionally designed that won't look dated 10 years from now. This mixer must be a joy to work with because my wife's been baking almost every week since we got it. By the way, the stainless gray model one sees on the Viking website is grayer in color - only the bowl, attachments, and the front "Viking" attachment cover are stainless. Highly recommended.
76 of 80 found the following review helpful:
 Great choice for a bread baker Oct 29, 2006
By CKKNH
I've owned a Kitchenaid mixer for 20+ years. I make bread at least once per week. I'd wanted to try this mixer for a long time, but since my Kitchenaid refuses to die, I'd felt guilty spending the money on the Viking. I had an opportunity to try the Viking in a cooking course, and after seeing how powerful this mixer is, decided to take the plunge.
Pros:
1. The power - the Kitchenaid just cannot compare. The Viking can knead large amounts of the toughest doughs in very short time. In fact, breads that I was accustomed to needing 1/2 hour or more mixing and kneading in the KA took a third of that time in the Viking.
2. The attachments - they are big, and they are heavy. The KA attachments seem very flimsy in comparison. The whip also has more "tines", so that meringues seem to take a much shorter amount of time.
3. The "stir" setting - Bread bakers who use the KA will really appreciate this one. The stir, or slowest speed on the Viking is great for incorporating flour slowly into doughs, and doesn't cause the flour to jump out of the bowl. In the KA, you get a flour haze in the kitchen unless you've got the pour shield on (and remember to use it). No pour shield needed with the Viking.
3. The maneuverability. Despite the size, the Viking is actually quite easy to move around. It has hidden wheels for moving on the counter, and the weight seems well distributed when you pick it up and carry it. In contrast, the KA is very top-heavy.
Cons:
1. Viking should install a "kill" switch that shuts off the motor when the head is raised. My daughter accidentally turned the dial switch on when my hand happened to be next to the paddle attachment - ouch!
2. Viking customer service - it stinks. My first mixer was defective. The bottom half of the mixer was bent, causing the attachments to hit against the side of the bowl. It took over a month to resolve the issue and get a new mixer. Viking customer service goes through a call center, and the people who answer the phones are poorly trained. In addition, the Detroit service center is terrible. They returned the first mixer to me repaired, but scratched and dented. In addition, they were rude and abusive on the phone. Viking, get your customer service in order, and then you'll get five stars.
I'd buy this again, despite the bad start I had with it. It's just so much better for bread baking.
72 of 76 found the following review helpful:
 Maybe as installation art... Dec 01, 2008
By Jon Rosenthal
Purchased this mixer for baking bread, especially bagels, with the odd batch of cookies thrown in. I had read about the Kitchen Aid's problems with plastic gearing, and figured the Viking's 1000 Watts could stand up to single batches of bread. I couldn't have been more wrong -- it took a single batch of bagels (about 7 cups of flour) to kill this machine. Granted, bagels are about as tough a workout as you can get while kneading bread, and had the machine simply cut off under the stress of mixing, rather than dying under the strain, I would have continued to use the mixer to start recipes while finishing them by hand. However, several months out of the box and I had to send it in to their service center in Detroit. Out of my hands for 6 weeks, I get the machine back, use it for a couple of batches of cookies and pizza dough, which it does serviceably well, before it chokes again on another batch of bread. The motor just groans at me when I turn the dial. Now, out of warranty, I'm left with a $600 stainless steel hulk of a machine that just isn't worth fixing until its next inevitable breakdown. Desperately I search for a suitable location to mount this to my wall... "Ceci ce n'est pas une mixer".
43 of 46 found the following review helpful:
Commercial like mixer without paying commercial price Feb 15, 2005
By ThomasN
After extensive research on the web and through friends' experiences, I decided to opt for this 7-qt mixer. Two other major brands I considered are Hobart and of course, KitchenAid. The DeLonghi mixer comes close to specs and features, but is also marketed under Kenwood and Hamilton Beach. I sure wouldn't want to pay premium price for a Hamilton Beach. The Hobart is a true commercial grade mixer but overkill for the occasional home use, not to mention at lease twice the cost. The KA doesn't have the 1000 wattage or the professional feel like the Viking 7-qt mixer. One thing my wife appreciates about this unit is that it has rear wheels for easy maneuverability around the countertop - the average stand mixer weights over 20 lbs so this feature definitely helps. Although the availability of accessories for this mixer is few, however, I do notice that the included beater, whisk, and dough hook are well-made, stainless steel attachments (not plastic coating over metal). Overall, the Viking mixer is powerful, easy to use, and professionally designed that won't look dated 10 years from now. This mixer must be a joy to work with because my wife's been baking almost every week since we got it. By the way, the stainless gray model one sees on the Viking website is grayer in color - only the bowl, attachments, and the front "Viking" attachment cover are stainless. Highly recommended.
17 of 17 found the following review helpful:
Top of the line. Apr 27, 2009
By Perry D. Perron
"Grandmascookin"
I have worn out 3 Kitchen Aid mixers in 30 yrs. So the Viking 7QT has some big shoes to fill. I let the mixer set on the counter for 3 days before using it. Just wanted to admire the BIG beautiful red thing. First test was a triple batch of my grand childrens favorite cookies. 6 cups of flour and 6 cups of oatmeal did not phase the Viking. It has ample power to accomplish most any kitchen task put before it. I have seen some reviews that the beater does not clean the ingredients from the bottom of the bowl. I did notice that on my first use but my husband was able to make a simple adjustment according to the manual and it is perfect now. Nothing against KitchenAid, as the brand served us well for such a long time but I am certainly happy with this purchase. Only wish I had not waited so long.
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