This is a great mixer for most things except with about 1000gms of medium stiffness bread dough (following the manual instructions and with dough hook), the unit got extremely hot after 3-4 minutes. It didn't shut down however and kept working until I shut it down to cool. 30 minutes later, it was ok for another 3-4 minutes. Another potential problem with kneading dough is that the top part began to pivot side to side on the hinge. This could potentially lead to excessive slop over time and quickly wear/weaken the hinge point. The only other problem was that the bowl can be extremely difficult to remove after use.....even when lightly turned to first attach. This is a very negative point that should have been solved with some simple engineering. Aside from these problems, it is a good, strong and easy to use mixer. I hope Sunbeam release more "Power Drive" accessories than just the pasta roller and cutters. Sunbeam should also look at releasing modified bowl(s) that are easier to attach and remove if they want to compete against other brands as a high end mixer. Unfortunately I can't recommend it to any of my friends, over some other mixers, until at least the bowl removal problem is fixed.

Thought to give this mixer a go having used other brands before. Pleasantly surprised. Mixes very well and just gets the job done! Thanks Sunbeam!

As a chef by trade, I am able to recreate many of the dishes I would normally prepare in a commercial kitchen with the bits and pieces of equipment I have collected over the years. The only exception when cooking at home is the few dishes or ingredients that require extensive manual labour were usually not in the rotation of the family menu. I spent many years as a dessert chef but I rarely attempted cakes, pastries and desserts at home. It usually required arduous work mixing by hand, switching bowls and numerous handheld tools. I’ve just had a daughter so my time is limited. As a result, I decide to purchase the Sunbeam Café Series Planetary Mixmaster MX9500 with the Power Drive. My purchase was made based numerous features. The timer and pause functions are great if I get called away by my crying daughter. Another advantage is the spring loaded head lift. Makes baking with one hand when the other is occupied by a child much easier. The 1200w motor gave me more confidence that it would be able to cope with the household needs. Having used the mixer for a short while I am very happy with it. The attachments are sturdy and fit well, making the mixer feel well built. I also love the scraper attachment as it has made the clean-up process a lot easier. I also have a wife who does not eat gluten. While the range of breads and products are definitely better, I love that I am now able to make GF bread and pasties at home. I was not sure any mixer would match the power of a commercial one but I have not had any issues with the power of this one for the small batch doughs I have made so far (including a GF pizza dough which was rather heavy). Overall I am very happy with the product and I’m enjoying being able to make desserts at home like I would in a commercial kitchen.