The classic KitchenAid mixer features a tilt-head design, which you can tilt back to look into the bowl. Whereas the bowl lift models feature a bowl which moves up and down using a crank. Bowl lift designs are generally bigger and more powerful, so they're better suited for kneading dough and mixing heavy ingredients, such as fruit cake. A tilt-head design is smaller, less expensive and better for everyday baking, such as fairy cakes and whipping cream.