March 8, 2013 - 10:55am
Is this a Hobart era Kitchenaid mixer
I wanted to buy a pre Whirpool era Kitchenaid tilt stand mixer with a Hobart motor. I'm not sure if this is one or not since it doesn't say Hobart on the band trim ring. The trim band is brown in color. The trim band doesn't say Classic or Heavy Duty on it which I know would be a newer mixer that does not have a Hobart motor. I'm thinking it might be a mixer from during the transistion of when Whirlpool acquired Kitchenaid and could possibly have the hobart motor but I am not sure. I tried to ever which way to search for any info on the mixers with the brown trim ring but could not find anything. Can anyone please help me. Thank you.
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If Hobart made it, it will say so somewhere on the mixer. Look at the stainless steel plate that holds the bowl and see if "Hobart" is written there.
Jeff
Take the cover off and look at the motor.
thanks but it is on ebay so I can't take it apart to look at the motor.
My guess from the pictures is that it is not a Hobart unit.
Jeff
the metal part that the bowl twists into was NOT the same as mine. It was deeper on mine, and held in with 4 screws, not 3. Mine was from 1976, so they could have changed the design it before it was bought out (when was that?), and there could be some of those out there. Mine didn't say Hobart, however, except in a hidden area underneath, and those printings look like mine. "Solid State" was a term they used to like to plaster on things back then - not a term you have seen used for a long time, since almost everything is solid state in some way.
Dave
The bowl hold-down is the new style. Stronger than the original version but it goes with lower quality. When I had to replace an original, this was all I could get and it is not a perfect match with the old bowl.
Also the ball on the end of the original lock lever had to spherical end.
It doesn't have to be a Hobart to be rock solid. Anything pre 1988 Kitchen aid is sturdy. Whirlpool acquired them in 1986 and i think it took at least two years before they started redesinging and makeing cheaper internal parts, primarily the transmission housing, which had plastic and was prone to break. They also started using cheaper gears - former were machine milled on gear cutters and meshed well and were quiet. When they changed to the much cheaper method of casting the gears, the fit between the teeth has lesser tolerances resulting in the newer machines being much noisier. They then went on to cheapen the drive shafts as well.
Re date codes: I have one rock solid Kitchen Aid purchased 1989 that has a serial number on it (tip it over and look underneath) and the numbers do not at all look like a date code. I have a 1981 machine that has a sticker with a 6 digit date code: 30881 - which w0uld be March 8th, 1981. I also had an earlier one from 1964 (Hobart) and it had a four digit code on the bottom, month and year.
If you find an older one, make sure it says SS on it as in K45SS or K5SS, SS meaning solid state, better electronics. Parts are available for these even though rarely needed. The early 1960's Hobarts (model K45) have analog controls and parts are not available, I would avoid these. Many are on ebay so be sure what you are getting. The K45SS are often on ebay for $75 plus $25 shipping.
Lastly, if you find an older one, you should take the machine apart and replace the grease, it can get hard and tar like. I've done this for three machines and the new grease will last at least 10 years. It takes a $5 gasket which is needed, $5 of grease and for $8 you can buy a new factory cord - from a variety of applicance part guys on the web. Instructions are also on the web. If you can use a philips screwdriver, you can easily do this... And if you find the K5SS with the lift bowl, I would go for that over the K45SS - that half quart of greater capacity is well appreciated, but the machine is a touch heaver and much harder to find used...
Good Luck!
I agree with your comments and don't think it is not a hobart. Great info from Nickisafoodie. I'll keep looking for one with a hobart on the trim ring and agree that that the gaskit and grease should be replaced and gears checked for shavings. I've disasembled 3 units and used the Whirlpool food grade grease just to be safe.
My Prior post was not clear, meant to say, the one is not Hobart, but again the pre '88 model K45SS (4.5 qt bowl) or K5SS (5 qt bowl) are good machines and simply say KitchenAid with the model number- and would avoid others that look the same but have different model numbers. There are several of each on ebay now and the prices have gone up.
My Prior post was not clear, meant to say, the one above is not Hobart, but again the pre '88 model K45SS (4.5 qt bowl) or K5SS (5 qt bowl) are good machines and simply say KitchenAid with the model number- and would avoid others that look the same but have different model numbers. There are several of each on ebay now and the prices have gone up.