My mixer locked up mid-batch on Sunday and I almost cried

I was whipping up a triple batch of buttercream for my nephew's birthday cake when my KitchenAid just stopped dead. The motor made this grinding noise for like 2 seconds then went silent. I tried the reset button like 3 times, nothing. Ended up finishing the frosting by hand with a wooden spoon, took me 45 minutes and my arm was dead. Has anyone else had their mixer just give out like that in the middle of something important?

2 comments

2 Comments

hugo503d agoProlific Poster

A 5 quart bowl lift model isn't meant for a triple batch of anything stiff. The clutch saved your motor but your gears might still be fine if you let it cool down fully before trying again. Check your owner's manual for the max flour or sugar weight, it's usually around 4.5 cups of flour max per batch.

jade2213d ago

Respectfully, I see this a little differently. Those machines have a clutch system that's meant to give out when you overload them, specifically to protect the motor from burning up completely. Whipping a triple batch of buttercream is a lot for any home mixer, and the motor stopping might have saved it from permanent damage. I'd let it sit for a good hour and then try the reset button again, sometimes they need a full cooldown. If it still doesn't work after that, then you probably need to look into getting the gears or the motor looked at, but don't give up on it just yet.