Kitchen

[Nickname1]

First I would like to wish everyone a very Merry Christmas. As the day is winding down I have sometime to view this forum and thought I'd ask this question. I have a Kitchenaid Ultra power tilt head mixer, now I don't use it as much as I used to and have known that it is normal for it to leak some oil out from under the drive head, I thought more so when new, because it would have more oil that would expand with use? But pulling it out to make cookies there seemed to be quite a bit more than there has been before in the bottom of the mixing bowl. Plus why does it leak when it's just sitting idle? And why does it leak at all?

[Betts]

http://www.consumeraffairs.com/homeowners/kitchenaid_mixers.html

I'm hesitant to post an answer. However, you may do a search and find my previous responses to the question of KA mixers leaking grease/oil. The general reaction to my posts is KA owners who have not had any issue at all suggesting that I didn't use mine enough or properly or could have had it easily fixed. If the link above that I posted can be read, you'll see many similar leaking problems. You may simply Google "KA mixers leaking oil/grease" and countless owners have complaints.

Yes, my Artisan tilt-head KA mixer did leak black grease into the bowl. Yes, I used it a LOT. Yes, I took it to a certified KA repair center. No, I did not get it repaired due to cost and on the advise of the repairman that it might happen again very soon. Just for him to take the mixer apart would have been $140. If he repaired it, those costs would be added.

I really liked the mixer design. It was a wonderful mixer_ until it wasn't.

[Mominohio]

I wish I knew the answer as well. My mom had one that sat for a very long time, and was 40 years old and this happened. She was never going to use it again, so sold it at a garage sale, telling the buyer what was going on. I think she only got maybe $25 for it, if that. Don't know if or how the guy ever got if fixed.

[Desertdi]

Holy cow........glad I read this.

[MarLoCat]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8eKHVvNX5eY

[persiflage]

Recently I was reading a post about this very problem. One of the posters told about her experience. She has an older one that had belonged to her mother, it could be 30+ years old. She had this issue and had it repaired. The repair person told her that when it sits unused the grease separates and then a bit of oil can leak out. I think the repair person cleaned out the old grease and put new in just because it was an older unit but there was nothing wrong with it. So maybe if it isn't used much it should be turned on now and again to keep the grease mixed.

[Nickname1]

Thanks everyone, I was pretty much asking to see who if anyone on this forum was having the same issue, there is a lot on the web about it. Like I said I had heard it wasn't uncommon, but reading about the grease seperation makes sense in that it's the thinner oil coming out and that running it every so often stirs the grease back up. They do show on line how to replace the grease.

[151949]

I inherited my Mom's kitchen aide mixer from 1943. It was leaking some grease - yellow not black - and a very small amount. I took it to a repair center and they cleaned out the old grease and replaced it - then told me to be sure to run the mixer frequently to keep the grease and oil mixed together so it doesn't happen again. I do use it often, and the drip has never happened again in over 20 years. I think for a 70 + year old mixer to only need one repair in it's whole life is pretty awesome, and that was just because it was left sitting and not used for a long time - it never leaked when my Mom was alive and used it all the time.

[151949]

I think that the reason so many are reporting their KA leaks oil is they do not buy them to actually use them as they are intended to be used. They buy them as a decoration for their countertop.The mixers sit there , unused or rarely used , and this causes the oil and the grease to separate.

[VaBelle35]

I have 2, a tilt head and a bowl lift and never had that happen. My tilt is boxed up in the basement and hasnt' been used since I bought the bowl lift. I should take it out and see if that happened.

I tried to sell it at a garage sale but people only wanted to pay $25 (like the post above).

I wanted to give it away but everyone I know has one already ;o)