Seventy years. That's how long KitchenAid let its iconic Artisan stand mixer sit basically untouched on kitchen countertops across the world. For context, that's longer than most countries have had television. Longer than the entirety of the space age. Longer than your aunt has been promising to share her lasagna recipe.
And yet, somehow, the mixer still sold like hotcakes. Because it worked. Because it looked gorgeous. Because buying one felt like a rite of passage into Real Adult Cooking. But "good enough" and "could be better" are two very different things, and KitchenAid has finally - finally - acknowledged that gap with the new Artisan Plus.
So what actually changed?
According to a hands-on review over at Wired, the updates are modest but meaningful. We're not talking about a ground-up redesign that alienates the purists (relax, everyone). Think of it more like your favorite restaurant quietly improving their fries - same vibe, noticeably better experience.
The changes are the kind that sound small on paper but make a real difference in day-to-day use. Which, honestly, is exactly the kind of product evolution that deserves more credit. It's easy to slap a touchscreen on something and call it "next gen." It's harder to look at a beloved classic and figure out what tiny friction points have been quietly annoying people for decades.
Why this actually matters
The KitchenAid stand mixer isn't just a kitchen appliance - it's practically a cultural artifact. It's a wedding registry staple, a "I'm serious about baking now" purchase, and a countertop status symbol all rolled into one. When you mess with something that iconic, you're walking a tightrope.
The fact that KitchenAid managed to make improvements that feel worthwhile without torching the original appeal is genuinely impressive. Wired calls it worth the wait, which - given that the wait was roughly the length of a human lifetime - is high praise indeed.
Should you upgrade?
If you already own an older Artisan, the calculus depends on how much those friction points have been bugging you. But if you've been sitting on the fence about buying one for the first time, the Artisan Plus is clearly the version to get. No contest.
Seventy years between updates sounds like negligence. Somehow it landed closer to legend. And now, a little bit better.
