Called a 500 dollar KitchenAid a waste of money and got roasted, still right
Asked in the mixer thread which one to buy for my wife's birthday. Every single reply said spend the full 500 on the Pro series or you're wasting your money. I bought the 250 dollar Artisan instead. 2 years in, she bakes 4 to 5 times a week, bread, cookies, cakes. Not one issue. My neighbor bought the Pro and his dough hook stripped after 14 months. Maybe I got lucky, but for home bakers that extra 250 never buys you anything you actually use. Anyone here run a cheaper model hard for years without problems?
Spend the full 500 or you're wasting your money" is the exact same thing I heard, and I'm glad I ignored it. My wife has a $200 Cuisinart that's been kneading dough twice a week for six years, no issues at all. The extra money might get you a bigger motor, but for normal home baking, it's just not worth the price tag.