On Thu, 23 Apr 2009 02:21:09 GMT, jt august > wrote:

>> Any idea of a resource / listing of the models that are those steel-
>> geared KA's?
>
>I tried and found nothing. But from what I read, it seems the cheaper
>models use plastic, and the high end use steel.

Sorry, don't know where you read that, but it's incorrect.

From the KitchenAid Web site:

"You are correct that current Professional Series Mixers have ALL metal gears.
The models that are based on KA’s "New Platform" are the Professional 600,
Professional 5 Plus, Professional HD found at Warehouse Clubs, Accolade, and
Commercial Five Series. The easiest way to ID these mixers is by the fact that
they do not have motor brush covers on the side of the case and the fact that
all the motors are rated at 400-575 watts. The discontinued Professional 6 and
Epicurean mixers fall into this category as well."

"Let me say that all of the mixers have metal gears. The ones listed (above)
have ALL metal gears. The others have all metal gears EXCEPT ONE. That gear is
not metal as a design feature. If the load on the mixer is too great, this gear
fails so that the motor doesn't burn out or worse. The new ones with all metal
gears have an electronic device designed to shut the mixer down if the motor
overheats.

KA (Vern) has said that the "Plastic" gear design has been around since the
first KA mixers and we all know that many of these mixers are still around and
running strong."

-- Larry