“I held off buying one for so long, but I use it so frequently, it practically lives on my counter!” says kitchen blogger Jessica Formicola of Savory Experiments. “The enamel is easy to clean, and it looks stunning and decorative on my white counters. …The thing is a workhorse and still works perfectly 12 years later,” she adds. But even if you’re not a baker, the KitchenAid stand mixer can work for many other cooking methods, too. Thanks to the huge range of attachments available, you can use your appliance to make pasta, ice cream, and even ground meat. But there are way too many to choose from, which can be overwhelming. Luckily, all KitchenAid attachments fit all mixer models (except the Artisan Mini), so you don’t have to stress too much about that. However, you should be looking at factors such as how often you’ll be using your attachment (for instance, you may be better off getting a cheaper pasta roller set if the dish isn’t a staple in your home), as well as the size of the blades in the piece so you can figure out the best ways to slice your meat and vegetables. And if you’re really lost, there are several expert-approved options you just can’t go wrong with. To make sure you’re getting the best bang for your buck, here are the best KitchenAid attachments available on the market.  What We Don’t Love: Hard to clean since you can’t immerse it in water Think your pasta-making days ended with that class you took one day when you were bored? Think again. Thanks to the KitchenAid Three-Piece Pasta Roller and Cutter Set, pasta making actually becomes an incredibly easy process. The roller attachment, which has eight thickness settings, lets you use both hands to catch and fold 6-inch sheets of pasta as they’re being rolled.  You can make both fettuccine and spaghetti with this set, but if you want to play around with more sizes (think cappelletti and lasagna), then the five-piece set may be a better bet. Created with stainless steel, it’s incredibly durable, but it’s not easy to clean: You can’t immerse it in water, and you have to use only a light mineral oil to lubricate it. It does come with a cleaning brush, however. Still, it’s a super easy option for pasta night. “I adore my KitchenAid mixer and attachments, but I also want to specify that if you want to use them professionally (almost on a daily basis), it may be more useful to get an item that’s more standalone and specialized. For instance, while the KitchenAid juicer is versatile and reliable, it may not have the speed or pulp settings you require for various types of juices, while the mixer’s blade may not work for large amounts of meat. But if you only want to make pasta occasionally, for instance, it’s way cheaper to buy KitchenAid’s attachment than a whole pasta machine.” — Ashley H., Mom Loves Home Price at time of publish: $170 Materials: Stainless steel | Dimensions (LxWxH): 3.8 x 9.7 inches x 2.2 inches | Compatibility: All KitchenAid stand mixers except the Artisan Mini What We Don’t Love: Can take up a lot of room in your freezer Sure, you won’t be able to make gallons and gallons of ice cream with this attachment, but you’ll be able to make very affordable ice cream at home incredibly quickly. Be aware that you’ll have to first freeze the ice cream canister for at least 15 hours (but ideally 24 hours) before you use it, which will take up quite a bit of freezer space. Once that’s done, however, the process is relatively easy and fast.  Since there is no top on this maker, you can actually see the process from start to finish, and both the drive assembly and dasher can be washed in the top rack of the dishwasher, so it’s fast and easy to clean. Note that the freezer bowl is hand wash only, but it’s relatively painless if done immediately. Price at time of publish: $75 Materials: Double-walled metal freezer bowl, plastic bowl housing, plastic dasher and paddle | Dimensions (LxWxH): 12 x 8.5 x 7 inches, 2-quart capacity | Compatibility: All KitchenAid stand mixers except the Artisan Mini What We Don’t Love: Bulky, prone to overheating The KitchenAid Food Processor attachment comes with some serious high-tech advancements that make it pretty much on par with standalone products. For instance, the ExactSlice mechanism allows you to slice your food into various thicknesses by easily sliding the external lever.  There are four disks with different functions: one each for slicing, shredding, dicing, and julienning. Depending on the hardness of the food you’re trying to process, you can use the different speeds of your stand mixer in addition to changing the type of blade, and it all becomes an incredibly quick process. However, the actual attachment is a bit bulky and may not fit in a small storage unit, and because of the lighter wattage on the KitchenAid mixer as opposed to a standalone processor, it could overheat if used too much at once. So keep in mind that if you use a food processor very often, a standalone option might be best.  This kit also comes with a storage case. Price at time of publish: $160 Materials: Stainless steel and plastic | Dimensions (LxWxH): 9.7 x 6.9 x 10.2 inches | Compatibility: All KitchenAid stand mixers except the Artisan Mini What We Don’t Love: Can get messy, strainer could be finer Full disclosure: There are only so many limes one can juice before getting sick of them. Overall, however, this attachment is a solid option for those who love to juice their own citrus fruits. It’s incredibly powerful and takes up much less counter space than a traditional juicer, which makes it a win—but don’t expect to be able to juice any other fruits and vegetables with this very specialized attachment.  The pulp catcher can also be a little slow given the juicer, so if you want very smooth, non-pulpy juice, you need to invest in a fine strainer instead, unless you don’t mind stopping the juicer a lot trying to get the pulp out. “The major draw of KitchenAid attachments is that they’re very easy to use and clean. But the downside is they may not be powerful enough to withstand heavy use. I recommend buying them overall, though, and keeping in mind the options available—you would want to buy the spiralizer with the most knife sizes for overall versatility, or the food processor with the most wattage. I also think they’re incredibly durable, so it’s worth investing in them. I’ve had mine for over 12 years, since it’s such an incredible powerhouse.” — Jessica Formicola, Savory Experiments Price at time of publish: $28 Materials: Plastic, metal shaft | Dimensions (LxWxH): 8.8 x 6.8 x 2.2 inches | Compatibility: All KitchenAid stand mixers except the Artisan Mini What We Don’t Love: Smaller blade than a traditional meat grinder You don’t only need to use this grinder for meat—it can easily be used to make all sorts of veggie burgers and even ground cheese. You can get creative with the fine, medium, and coarse grinding plates, and the two sausage stuffer tubes allow you to make your own sausages with whatever seasonings you so desire.  The issue most people have with the grinder, though, is the fact that the blade is pretty small when compared with a traditional meat grinder, and this means it’s not as fast, nor does it have the same amount of horsepower. It’s also very important to note that the metal blade and grinder plates require hand washing, and the meat can easily stick inside the gaps in the grinder plates unless you adequately refrigerate your meat before you grind it. Price at time of publish: $75 Materials: Metal | Dimensions (DxWxH): 8.8 x 5.5 x 8.4 inches | Compatibility: All KitchenAid stand mixers except the Artisan Mini What We Don’t Love: Won’t work well on foods of uneven sizes Talk about a whole collection: This kit has seven blades: extra-fine, fine, and medium spiralizers; a thin slicer for small-cored vegetables, a medium slicer for small-cored vegetables, a medium slicer for large-cored vegetables, and a peeler you can attach while using any of the other blades. This makes it incredibly versatile, even if you’re somebody who doesn’t like to have zucchini noodles for dinner on the regular. In fact, you can use it for anything—squash, beets, and even potatoes to create curly fries. The only issue is it doesn’t work on uneven-sized foods, as irregular-shaped vegetables can cause the blades to skip certain sections. Food can also easily get stuck in the blades, which could make it a difficult to clean. Price at time of publish: $75 Materials: Stainless steel and plastic | Dimensions (LxWxH): 5.8 x 12.4 x 2.9 inches | Compatibility: All KitchenAid stand mixers except the Artisan Mini

Can KitchenAid attachments be used for all models?

As long as you have a full-sized KitchenAid mixer (meaning not the Artisan Mini), all the attachments in this article can be used with your mixer modes. 

Are KitchenAid attachments interchangeable?

No—they’re very specialized, so you’d have to use them for the product they’re being recommended for, or else you could damage the attachment.

What to Look for in a KitchenAid Attachment

Ease of Cleanup 

Most KitchenAid attachments are dishwasher-safe, but some entirely specialized ones require special care, like being washed only with certain lubricants or by hand. If you want an option that’s easier to clean, make sure to check washing instructions before you buy.

Blade Size

One of the best parts of these KitchenAid attachments is that they usually come with pretty compact sets that can be stored in a kitchen with ease. But sometimes, this means the blades may not be very large, and this can affect how long it takes for your device to finish doing its job. There are also options that come with various blade sizes and pieces (like the spiralizer and pasta maker attachments above), so you could always go towards higher-end options if you want more blade sizes to choose from. Just keep in mind that some attachments (like the meat grinder attachment) only have one.

Speed

Not all KitchenAid attachments are super speedy, so if you’re looking for an item that’s more motorized (meaning they take up more wattage), you’ll want to buy a standalone appliance instead. Those usually have more horsepower, but be aware that they’ll also come at a higher price point.

Why Trust Simply Recipes?

Nikhita Mahtani is a freelance journalist with expertise in food and small home appliances. She previously worked as an editor in New York for six years, where she reviewed ingredients, kitchen appliances, new home collections, and more. She has a roster of experts on file who she can always rely on for the best recommendations, and that’s definitely made her kitchen adventures a whole lot easier! Read Next: The Best KitchenAid Mixers