While I would agree that the Hobart is a better mixer, I am sorry to point out that KitchenAid does make mixers that have metal gears. There is a continuing myth that all KitchenAid Mixers now have plastic gears and it is not true. They may not be built as well as they used to be...but if you go to their website at
www.kitchenaid.com, their Accolade model, the Professional models, and their Commerical model all clearly show that they have metal gears. And note that the Accolade has a tilting head.
The metal gears may be better, but they are also louder. I have the Artisian model with the plastic gears and so far I am happy with mine. But I do not do large batches of dough and I do not mix for long periods.
In my day job, I run into a few people every year who had problems with a specific manufacturer's this or that who will never use those people's this or that ever again. The fun part is then a few weeks later I will go to another site where that manufacturer is all another group of people will use because it has never let them down.
Go figure.
