Nigella, Paul, and the Bake Off tent all have exactly the same appliance - it's an icon for a reason
It's the domestic goddess' bread and butter
Nigella Lawson has arrived in the Bake Off tent with poise, glamour, and plenty of "sumptuous" recipes. The domestic goddess is famous for her showstoppers and has already given the nation food for thought with her Guinness cake, coffee and walnut cake already, but what's her secret behind the scenes?
Her kitchen hero if often showcased proudly on her kitchen and studio counter tops, but she's far from the only one relying on it. Paul Hollywood owns one, there's one on every bench in the tent, and it's our favourite stand mixer of all time too.
Aside from wondering whether we could also sport Nigella's stylish jumpsuit, we did some digging into the stand mixer that crops up in all of Nigella's kitchen shows. It's an icon for a reason.
Nigella Lawson's Stand Mixer
Most of Nigella's home studio shots feature her hot pink KitchenAid. The official colour is "hibiscus," which is their limited-edition colour of the year from 2023. Now, the closest colourways are this dried rose and beetroot.
In her BBC show, At My Table, Nigella's copper design was around up until 2012, but has since been discontinued. That doesn't have to stop you enjoying the warm metal effect with this bowl.
This was the special "design series" launch in 2022, giving a nod to the copper style Nigella loves. This year's design series is equally stunning with a glass bowl that lights up like a chandelier.
Nigella's kitchen hero is, of course, the KitchenAid Artisan stand mixer. This is a familiar face in lots of celebrity and professional kitchens because it delivers across the board - and it's one of the brand's best sellers. The classic 4.8L bowl size is perfect for your loaf of bread, batch of cupcakes, or perhaps a signature bake that you've seen on Bake Off. With a 300 watt motor it has plenty of power for kneading through dough. It's also a favourite of Kate Middleton, Meghan Markle, and yours truly (you can see more in my full review of the KitchenAid Artisan).
Whilst Nigella's specific choice of stand mixer model hasn't changed, we've seen her consistently opt for limited-edition colourways. The hot pink hibiscus colourway was their colour of the year for 2023 (this year's is peppermint) and has been pictured in her home studio. The copper design, showcased in her At My Table, was a special edition launch until 2012.
On her website, Nigella recommends stand mixers as "more than sufficient for all of my recipes" and celebrating the hard working appliance because "leaving both hands free while she machine is mixing." She has plenty of tips and tricks, but also, rather tellingly, points readers to KitchenAid for video tutorials on how to use yours.
Nigella and Paul are obviously in agreement on the best stand mixers, as Paul has also been spotted with his KitchenAid Artisan. Whilst many of his tutorial videos online show Paul hand kneading and mixing, he does occasionally use his stand mixer.
You'll also spot the same model of KitchenAid on all the benches in the Bake Off tent. In previous years, the show has used Kenwood kMix Stand Mixers, which are a favourite of Mary Berry's, but the iconic KitchenAid has been the most steadfast and is dominating the kitchen this year with charming, colourful models in pink, blue and green.
Alternatives to the KitchenAid Artisan
I am well and truly in the KitchenAid club: they are exceptional quality, timeless pieces to both use and have on display in your kitchen. And with length guarantees, I could justify the investment. However, if you just want to get to grips with one, or you're looking to save a bit of money, these three have been tried, tested, and approved for star-baker- quality performance.
ProCook doesn't have the same range of colour options, but this is one of the best value stand mixers I've tested (out of over 30). It feels robust and mixes quickly, just keep a spatula for hand for scraping out the bottom.
You can find out more in my full ProCook Stand Mixer review.
Kenwood is the home of the Bake Off rival stand mixer, the kMix. That has plenty of colour options, but I really love this GO design for its compact design. At just 30cm tall, it can pack away into cupboards and you only lose 0.8L capacity.
Salter makes colourful, capable, affordable alternatives to KitchenAids. I trust them to deliver quality for a great price, but with a little wobble on the counter with tough bread mixes. It's perfect for beginners.
A recommendation from Nigella Lawson, Paul Hollywood, and the Bake Off tent is one to follow. KitchenAid has dominated the baking space for nearly a century and it's for good reason. If you have one already and you're curious to see what else you can do, don't forget about all the KitchenAid attachments and accessories which transform the mixer into blenders, choppers, grinders, and more.
