Kitchen Aid mixer???

I have owned a KitchenAid mixer for 35 years and use it at least once a week for something. Mashed potatoes,bread,cake.Evenly mix dry mixtures (multigrain flaked cereal like oatmeal/spelt/rye,etc. ) Being from the Hobart-made era, it is a real workhorse.

Attachments for KitchenAid-meat grinder, veggie slicer. The bowl is stainless steel and cleans in a snap. For holiday baking and breadmaking it is invaluable to me.

I just recently got a Bosch Compact that was new but bought at GoodWill thrift store. It seems to be very competent at handling cookie dough and others have said it handles bread dough very well. I will have to try that sometime.

A bread machine can be used to mix and knead up to 2 lbs of dough. It is a good, inexpensive alternative to a mixer for preparing small batches of dough. You don't have to bake in it, just use it as a mixer. If obtained used, it's even a greater money saver.

We have a kitchenAid and the are nice mixers. I don't use it for breads but it does come in handy for other applications (cakes, custards etc.). Also, the attachments are nice and usually work great.

By the way, I have made Jason's cocodrillo ciabatta with out a mixer using a stretch and fold technique. It takes longer but if you s&f until the dough is starting t be bubbly, it comes out great. I also think the longer proofing time adds flavor.

Marshmallows

Creaming butter and sugar for cookies, etc. (Most people don't cream these things nearly enough and doing it by hand is tedious)

Many types of cookies (I do have one recipe where I cream the butter and sugar in the KA and then must mix the dough in the spiral as the KA can't handle the volume and stiffness)

Cutting in butter for scones and mixing them (also good for pie crust)

Meringue and other whipped egg white applications

(as above) Mashed potatoes

Cakes

Mayonaise

and so on.

I can't say I use it every day - or even every week, but I wouldn't be without it because when I need it, I really need it.  I really don't use it for anything bread related, but I have another mixer for that. From now until the end of the year it seems like I run a small candy and cookie business and it's ability to be turned on and left somewhat unattended is fundamental to making marshmallows. There is no other piece of equipment in my admitedly "toy rich" kitchen that will handle this task.

Your need may vary.  Good luck with your decision!

The Kitchenaid mixer can be used to make pull pork. Add 2 or 3 inch sized chunks of cooked pork to mixing bowl, use mixing paddle and run on slow to medium speed. It knocks the chunks of pork apart and creates the pulled pork. I don't need plastic bear claws or rubber Dr. Frankenstein gloves. ;-)

their desert cookie and cake baking - great for that and I use it for cheese cakes if not using the food processor.  Since I only make a loaf at a time, I don't use it for bread much except very wet ciabatta and panettone, neither made very often and they are easy enough to make by hand,  It is no fun to slap and fold over 85% ciabatta and finding the dried dough everywhere in the kitchen except the counter it was made on though :-)

I have a KA mixer, and I use mine almost exclusively for kneading bread dough. If I were to bake no knead bread only I suppose I'd almost never use it.

If you don't knead bread dough with it I can't think of too many tasks that a cheap hand held mixer wouldn't do just about as well.