What's the difference between a bowl lift and a tilt head stand mixer? Bakers and patissiers explain

Choosing the right stand mixer for you largely boils down to one fundamental design choice: bowl-lift vs tilt-head. Whilst these two types of stand mixers look very similar, they’re designed to suit different bakers. So, the choice is yours and you need to make it carefully.

Just a quick Google search of 'bowl-lift vs tilt-head stand mixer' will bring up passionate responses from bakers, pâtissiers, and enthusiastic home bakers. Everyone thinks that theirs is the best stand mixer, which isn't very helpful when you're trying to get some balance. That's where I (and my qualified baker and pastry chef friends) come in.

I've quite literally tested these side by side. I've used them both to make cakes, whip cream, and knead dough. I've brought all the facts and evidence together to bring you a balanced breakdown of how to choose between the two. The proof is in the pudding (and in my pictures).

What is a bowl-lift stand mixer?

I'll make life easy for you. Bowl-lift stand mixers are for serious, seasoned bakers. They're heavier, more expensive, and often bigger than tilt-head stand mixers. The only reason you'd embrace these potential drawbacks is because they offer some really useful flourishes.

The first useful feature to note is that the weighted base makes it more stable. Making your stand mixer heavier on the bottom and taking away the destabilising tilt-head is essential when you're working with lower-hydration doughs and mixes. Adriano Zumbo, world-renowned Pâtissier and founder of Zumbo explains "with a tilt head mixer, the bowl is fixed in position and has no ability to compensate for mix size and firmness. On the other hand, with the bowl lift stand mixer you get more balance and give in the whole process. That's why you'll find it in the kitchens of avid bakers or small businesses."

Adriano Zumbo

You'll recognise Adriano Zumbo's name. As one of the world's most renowned pastry chefs, he's everywhere. Zumbo rose to fame on MasterChef Australia and then became a global sensation through Netflix hits Zumbo’s Just Desserts and Sugar Rush. Zumbo has opened a drool-worthy array of pastry shops, published best-selling cookbooks, and collaborated with major brands like Arnott’s Tim Tams. 

You'll also get more nuanced controls on your bowl-lift stand mixer. Brands know that they're catering to serious bakers, so they'll give you half-speed, hand-folding settings as well as smaller increments between them. KitchenAid is a great example here: their bowl-lift stand mixers have eleven-speed settings (from a half-speed through to ten), whereas their bowl-lift models increase speed in increments of two.

Finally, it won't surprise you to know that bowl-lift stand mixers usually come with more accessories compared to tilt-head mixers. It's the same story as you've seen above. Brands know they've got creative, ambitious bakers buying these stand mixers, so they'll offer another type of beater, a different dough attachment, or perhaps something completely different.

As you can imagine, this means that bowl lift stand mixers tend to be more expensive. It’s a self-fulfilling prophecy that has led to this design becoming bigger, more powerful, and more advanced. 

In summary, a bowl-lift stand mixer is ideal if you bake a lot of bread and need a lot of capacity. I've popped three suggestions for the best bowl-lift stand mixers that you can buy below. If you’re a simple home cook, there are other options for you cruming up. 

What is a tilt-head stand mixer?

You’ll recognise tilt-head stand mixers well. Debra Clark, Recipe Developer and Founder of Bowl Me Over, says "Tilt-head mixers are the ones you’ve probably seen in most home kitchens. The head of the mixer tilts back, which makes it super easy to add ingredients or swap out attachments. This design is perfect for casual bakers or anyone who’s mixing smaller batches. They’re usually lighter, take up less counter space, and are great for things like cookies, cakes, and occasional bread doughs. Plus, they’re just so convenient when you’re in the middle of a recipe and need to toss in that forgotten splash of vanilla or scrape down the bowl." 

Debra Clark

Debra has been a recipe developer and food photographer for over thirty years, so you can guarantee that she's seen her fair share of stand mixers. She's a seasoned baker and recommends the KitchenAid Professional 600 Series, if you want a bowl-lift stand mixer. 

Lots of people tiptoe around the tilt-head mechanism and, whilst I've been saying that bowl-lift models are more stable, tipping the head of one of these back doesn't jeopardise the balance of your stand mixer. In fact, it's very simple and easy to use, whether it's your first time or your fiftieth cake.

If you’ve done some shopping, you’ll know that it’s the preferred mechanism for Smeg, Kenwood, and KitchenAid's stand mixers, which is a testament to the tilt-head design in itself. It's also the type of stand mixer that they use on The Great British Bake Off, so don't go thinking these are crude or rudimentary. As with the bowl-lift stand mixers, I have some favourites. And they're not all KitchenAids this time.

Head to head

You get the idea about the kinds of customers stand mixer designers are thinking of when they're making each model. Of course, the mechanisms are different, but what does that look like in real life?

In spite of all their differences, if you step back, these are both stand mixers that can whip, mix, and bake. Rena Awada, Owner and Head Chef at Healthy Fitness Meals, says "I'd happily make plenty of use out of both stand mixers in my kitchen. They both whip, knead, and mix better than anyone could by hand."

Rena Awada

Rena Awada is the Owner and Head Chef of Healthy Fitness Meals. Her food blog features delicious, healthy, family-friendly recipes made with real food. She recommends checking out KitchenAid or Kenwood if you want to find a really good stand mixer.

Are there any other types of stand mixers?

Of course, stand mixers aren’t limited to bowl-lift and tilt-head functions; they come in all shapes and sizes. The alternative that you’re likely to come across is a bowl spinning stand mixer.

Again, this favours bread makers, because it can put more power through the motor and more weight in the base, keeping it stable as your bakes get thicker and tougher. The best example that I have is the Ankasarum, which is a favourite amongst bread bakers. It’s complex and comes with lots of extra accessories, but that’s just some of the reasons that it’s been such a success within the community. 

The differences between a KitchenAid Bowl-Lift and Tilt-Head stand mixer

Inside the bowl-lift vs tilt-head stand mixer debate, there's another question. How do the KitchenAid models compare? KitchenAid has the biggest range of bowl lift stand mixers, so it’s quite likely that you’re tossing up which one to go for out of bowl lift and stand mixers. There are lots of differences between the two, in a very generic sense, that I’ve described above.

KitchenAid's bowl-lift stand mixers come in 5.6L or 6.6L capacities, which means that you can make up to 72 cupcakes in their biggest model. In the tilt-head stand mixers, the biggest capacity you'll be able to find if 4.8L, which offers you enough space for 48 cupcakes. That's more than I'd be taking to a bake sale, or stacking up for a birthday cake, so don't be alarmed if the number looks small in comparison. 

I mentioned above that the speed settings are slightly different. KitchenAid has just launched a half-speed setting, which mimics hand-folding ingredients. You won't find this, or the one-speed increments on their tilt-head models. Instead, the tilt-head jumps up speeds by factors of two. That might sound like a lot, but before I used a bowl-lift, I was in blissful ignorance of the nuances and never felt that I needed them. Of course, it's nice to have a little more control, but it's not a necessity. 

Which one should you get?

I know you want me to answer for you, without appraising your kitchen and your baking skills (a cup of tea and a slice of cake is obligatory when I do this), I can't tell you which you need. Think about what you like to bake and how often, how complex your bakes are. For most people, the answer will be a tilt-head stand mixer. However, for the aspiring Mary Berrys and Paul Hollywoods of the world, consider a bowl-lift stand mixer.

FAQs

Is a bowl-lift or a tilt-head stand mixer better?

There isn't really a 'better' model in the bowl-lift vs tilt-head stand mixer debate, just answers which tell you what's better for some. Tilt-head stand mixers are the styles that I'd recommend to the average home baker. These are easy to use and powerful enough to get good results on cupcakes, bread doughs, and whipped cream. The bowl-lift stand mixers are better suited to serious bakers who need capacity and power. 

What is the point in a bowl-lift stand mixer?

Lots of people ask this question in the bowl-lift vs tilt-head stand mixer debate. KitchenAid says that they created bowl-lift stand mixers to offer more capacity, speeds, and to give the "extra oomph for very thick or heavy mixtures". They're really the stand mixers that bakers and professionals love.