Kitchenaid Stand Mixer!

A bit over a week ago, I mentioned that my Kitchenaid stand mixer was having issues. Well, these were real issues, since the geartrain had separated, so it would no longer turn the beater; indeed, the beater wouldn't even fit inside the bowl. See?

It wasn't pretty. So I called Kitchenaid. My first indication of happiness was that the lady who answered the phone, Christy, was American. Indians are very polite. I have friends and acquaintances in this country who are Indian born or of Indian descent. But Indians who were not born here, and anyone else from any other country, for that matter, simply don't understand the nuances and implications of what people say. So, we just don't end up feeling like the customer service rep "feels our pain" or understands exactly what we mean. Stupid example: a couple of years ago, when one of my sons was flying from here back to Greenville, SC, for the end of the college semester, his layover was in Charlotte, and they cancelled his final leg to Greenville. No big deal, except that it was very early Monday morning, and his first class was at 1PM, and it was the last week of classes before finals, after which he would receive his Masters in Economics. Except, of course, if he failed this course. So, he had me on the phone, and was trying in vain to work with the reps at the airport in Charlotte, so I picked up another phone, and called airline customer service. I got an Indian. She was very sorry but since his flight had been cancelled, he would have to wait until tomorrow because all flights were full. No talking or cajoling changed her mind, until I began hollering about his class, his degree, and the reparations I would expect from the airline if he did not get on the next flight, in 15 minutes. Only when I spoke a language she understood ("you will be personally responsible for ruining my son's life, and this airline will pay for that, and so will you personally,") did I get any response. Immediately after I began talking about her personal ruination of my son's academic career, she put me on hold, and before she got back, my son's name was called to get on the "full" flight which was leaving immediately. At least with an American, they might have understood that he could drive the 100 miles if they reimbursed us for a car rental. The "I can drive there" culture simply doesn't exist elsewhere. But I digress.

Anyway, after I spoke to Christy at Kitchenaid and explained to her that using one's mixer doesn't cause the mixing head gears to separate, and I knew that the mixer was 4 months out of warranty, but could they possibly assist me, she took my phone number, so she could present the information to her supervisor. This was a Thursday afternoon. 7PM Friday she called: they would replace my defective 5 quart stand mixer with a refurbished Kitchenaid 6 quart stand mixer in my choice of color! Well, if I hadn't been the winner of "So You Know You CAN'T Dance!", and unable to carry a tune in a bucket, I'd have been singing and dancing with glee.

This was not my first Kitchenaid stand mixer. The previous one lasted 12 years, and I gave it to someone else when I bought my new one. It still works, as far as I know. So if Kitchenaid hadn't been so cooperative, I'd have been deeply disappointed.

A week later, this Saturday afternoon, the FedEx dude arrived, bearing gifts from Kitchenaid:It's so beautiful! If I weren't involved in sewing, I'd have been cooking today! But with a hurting molar, I don't want much to do with food.

And here's the best part, from my perspective:Look at that label! It's American made! I am officially the biggest Kitchenaid fan on the planet today! So the moral of the story, folks, is that if you want a quality product, made in America, and with excellent customer service, find Kitchenaid. No insult intended to people from any other country, but sometimes we just need someone from home to understand our woes. And with everyone's concern about global pollution, doesn't it make sense to buy from closer to home, whether it's food or appliances, and use less fossil fuel to move the goods?