KitchenAid Flat Beater Part Numbers: K45B, K5THCB & K5AB
By Karoxy Team · Updated September 7, 2026
A KitchenAid mixer model number and a flat beater part number are not the same thing. K45SS is a mixer model, while K45B is a beater part number. That small difference explains many wrong-part orders. Before buying a replacement paddle, identify the mixer design first: a standard 4.5 or 5 quart tilt-head, an Artisan Mini 3.5 quart tilt-head, a household bowl-lift, or a commercial bowl-lift.
If the mixer head tilts back and the bowl is 4.5 or 5 quarts, start with the standard tilt-head family. K45B and K5THCB are both genuine coated flat-beater codes published for select tilt-head mixers, and their official model lists overlap.
If the bowl rises on support arms, you have a bowl-lift machine and need a different beater family. If the mixer is an Artisan Mini with a 3.5 quart bowl, it also uses a smaller beater.
Your mixer's model number is not your beater's part number
A code such as K45SS identifies a stand mixer. A code such as K45B identifies an accessory. They look similar because they belong to the same product ecosystem, but they answer different questions.
| Code | What it identifies | Example |
|---|---|---|
| K45SS | Mixer model | Classic Series 4.5 quart tilt-head mixer |
| K45B | Beater part number | Genuine coated flat beater for select tilt-head mixers |
Find the full mixer model number on the label underneath the mixer base. A beater code may be stamped on the attachment hub or printed on its packaging, but an older attachment might not show a readable code. In that case, use the mixer label and machine design as your starting point.
If you are not sure whether the head tilts or the bowl lifts, use the tilt-head vs bowl-lift compatibility guide before comparing accessory numbers.
Flat beater part numbers for 4.5 and 5 quart tilt-head mixers
The most important point is that KitchenAid's nominal capacity names do not create two clean, separate fitment groups. KitchenAid calls K45B a 4.5-quart coated flat beater and K5THCB a 5-quart tilt-head coated flat beater, yet the company lists K45SS, KSM75, and KSM95 for both parts.
| Part number | Accessory type | Fitment note |
|---|---|---|
| K45B | Coated flat beater | Published for select tilt-head models; its official list overlaps K5THCB |
| K5THCB | Coated flat beater | Published for select tilt-head models including KSM150PS and KSM155GB series |
| KSMTHFBSS | Stainless steel flat beater | KitchenAid's current stainless option for 4.5 and 5 quart tilt-head mixers |
| KFE5T | Flex edge beater | Published for select 4.5 and 5 quart tilt-head mixers, but it is a flex edge beater rather than a plain flat beater |
This overlap matters because a shopper can own a 4.5 quart machine and still see it named on the page for K5THCB. For example, K45SS, KSM75, and KSM95 appear on both official lists. Conversely, KSM150PS, KSM152PS, and KSM155GB appear on the K5THCB list. The useful conclusion is not that every K45B and K5THCB is universally interchangeable. It is that the quart number in the product title is only one clue, and the complete compatibility list must make the final call.
Also watch for color and market suffixes. A compatibility page might show a model-family root such as KSM155GB, while the label on the mixer shows a longer code such as KSM155GBSA or KSM155GBSN. Treat the root as a family reference, but use the complete code from your own label when checking a replacement.
Related codes such as K45DH and K45WW identify a dough hook and wire whip, not flat beaters. Their similar K45-family naming does not make the attachments interchangeable by function.
Do not choose by quart size alone. Identify the mixer type, read the complete model code, and then check the exact replacement's fit list. The overlap between K45B and K5THCB proves that a capacity-only rule is unreliable; it does not prove that every accessory fits every tilt-head mixer.
Can a flex edge beater (KFE5T) be used with a KitchenAid KSM150?
Yes — the KSM150 is in the right family for KFE5T. KitchenAid publishes KFE5T, its flex edge beater, for select 4.5 and 5 quart tilt-head mixers. The KSM150 and KSM150PS Artisan is a 5 quart tilt-head machine in that standard platform, so it is the correct family rather than a bowl-lift or Artisan Mini machine. Confirm your complete model code from the label under the base against KitchenAid's own KFE5T compatibility list before ordering.
The reason this question comes up so often is that "KSM150" is a family root, not a complete code. The label under your mixer will read something longer, such as KSM150PSER for Empire Red or KSM150PSWH for White. Those trailing letters are a colour code, not a different machine. KitchenAid lists the Artisan Series 5 Quart Tilt-Head Stand Mixer in more than twenty colours, and every one of them is the same 5 quart tilt-head platform. That platform, not the colour, is what decides accessory fit.
Two checks settle it in about ten seconds. First, does the motor head tilt backwards on a hinge, exposing the bowl from above? Second, is the bowl 4.5 or 5 quarts rather than 3.5? If both answers are yes, you are in the standard tilt-head platform that KitchenAid lists for KFE5T, K45B, K5THCB and KSMTHFBSS. If the bowl instead rises on support arms, you have a bowl-lift machine, and none of those four codes applies.
One caution that applies to every accessory code in this article: being in the right family is not the same as appearing on a published fit list. KitchenAid names specific models on each accessory page, and those lists do not always match each other, as the overlap between K45B and K5THCB shows. Use the family test to rule machines out quickly, then use the accessory page for your exact model to rule one in.
Flex edge beater vs flat beater: which one do you need?
A flex edge beater and a flat beater fit the same mixers but do different work, and the two are often searched for as if they were one product. A plain flat beater is a rigid paddle. A flex edge beater is a paddle with a flexible edge along one or both sides that wipes the bowl wall as it turns, so batter is folded back into the mix instead of being left as a ring you scrape down by hand.
| Attachment | What it does differently | Best for |
|---|---|---|
|
Flat beater K45B, K5THCB, KSMTHFBSS |
Rigid paddle with no flexible edge; you stop and scrape the bowl by hand | General mixing, creaming butter and sugar, cookie dough, mashing |
|
Flex edge beater KFE5T |
Flexible edge sweeps the bowl wall while mixing, so less material is left behind | Thin or sticky batters, cake mixes, frostings, small quantities |
Terms such as scraper beater, scraper paddle, paddle with scraper and beater blade usually describe this second category. If what you actually want is the bowl-wiping action, a plain flat beater will not give it to you no matter which material or brand you buy, because the difference is the flexible edge and not the finish.
To be clear about what Karoxy sells: our aftermarket product is a plain stainless steel flat beater. It has no flexible or silicone scraping edge. If you need a flex edge beater, KitchenAid's KFE5T is the genuine option for select 4.5 and 5 quart tilt-head mixers, and we would rather tell you that than sell you the wrong shape.
Part numbers that do not fit a standard 4.5 and 5 quart tilt-head beater
Some of the most-searched KitchenAid beater numbers belong to a different mixer design. A stainless finish or similar paddle shape does not overcome a different shaft, bowl geometry, or attachment family.
| Part number | Mixer family | Why it is different |
|---|---|---|
| KSM35CFB | Artisan Mini 3.5 quart tilt-head | Fits the smaller KSM3300 family, including KSM3311/KSM3316 |
| K5AB | Household bowl-lift | Designed for select 5 quart bowl-lift mixers |
| KN256CBT | Household bowl-lift | Published for select KP26M, KV25, and KP25M0X families |
| KSMC7QFB | Commercial bowl-lift | Commercial stainless beater for select 7 and 8 quart machines |
The Artisan Mini deserves special attention: it is a tilt-head mixer, but its 3.5 quart KSM3300 platform uses the smaller KSM35CFB beater. That is why “tilt-head” by itself is not enough. The target family here is the standard 4.5 and 5 quart tilt-head platform, not the Mini.
Coated vs stainless steel: which flat beater should you buy?
Fit comes first; material comes second. Once you have confirmed the right mixer family and model, you can compare a coated beater with a stainless steel beater.
| Option | What to know | Example code |
|---|---|---|
| Coated | Inspect the surface and stop using the beater if the coating chips, cracks, or peels | K45B or K5THCB, depending on the published fit list |
| Stainless steel | No exterior coating layer; exact construction and care instructions still depend on the specific product | KSMTHFBSS is KitchenAid's current genuine stainless option |
KitchenAid sells its own genuine stainless steel flat beater, KSMTHFBSS. Karoxy lists a third-party stainless steel alternative for select 4.5 and 5 quart tilt-head mixers. An aftermarket product should be described as aftermarket, not as a KitchenAid-made part, and its compatibility must be checked independently.
If the surface of your current paddle is deteriorating, see why a coated beater flakes into food and what to inspect before replacing it.
Quick reference: common KitchenAid flat beater part numbers
Use this table as a category map, not as a universal compatibility promise. Always verify the complete mixer model and the exact replacement listing.
| Code | Category | Standard 4.5/5 qt tilt-head? |
|---|---|---|
| K45B | Coated flat beater | Select models — verify exact list |
| K5THCB | Coated flat beater | Select models — overlaps K45B |
| KSMTHFBSS | Stainless flat beater | Yes, 4.5/5 qt tilt-head family |
| KFE5T | Flex edge beater | Select models — but a flex edge beater, not a plain flat beater |
| KSM35CFB | Artisan Mini 3.5 qt | No — Mini family |
| K5AB | Household bowl-lift | No |
| KN256CBT | Household bowl-lift | No |
| KSMC7QFB | Commercial bowl-lift | No |
Frequently asked questions
What flat beater fits a KitchenAid K45SS?
KitchenAid lists K45SS on the official compatibility pages for both K45B and K5THCB. Its current genuine stainless option is KSMTHFBSS. For any aftermarket replacement, verify the seller's exact fit list and your complete mixer model before ordering.
Is K45B the same as K5AB?
No. K45B is published for select tilt-head mixers. K5AB is a 5 quart bowl-lift coated flat beater. Similar-looking codes do not mean the shaft and bowl geometry are the same.
Will a KN256CBT fit my Artisan KSM150?
No. KN256CBT is a bowl-lift beater, while KSM150PS is a 5 quart tilt-head mixer family. KitchenAid lists KSM150PS for K5THCB, but you should still verify the complete model number and the exact replacement listing.
What is the difference between a coated and a stainless steel flat beater?
A coated beater has an exterior coating that should be inspected for chips, cracks, or peeling. A stainless steel beater has no exterior coating layer. Material does not determine fit, so confirm compatibility before comparing care, price, or brand.
Where do I find the part number on my flat beater?
Check the attachment hub and the original packaging. If the number is missing or unreadable, use the complete mixer model from the label underneath the base and compare it with the exact replacement's compatibility list.
Can I use a flex edge beater KFE5T on a KitchenAid KSM150?
Yes, in the sense that the KSM150 and KSM150PS Artisan is a 5 quart tilt-head mixer, and KitchenAid publishes KFE5T for select 4.5 and 5 quart tilt-head machines. Read the complete model code from the label under the base and check it against KitchenAid's KFE5T compatibility list, because being in the right family is not the same as appearing on a published fit list.
Does Karoxy sell a flat beater with a scraper edge?
No. The Karoxy product is a plain stainless steel flat beater with no flexible scraping edge. If you want the bowl-wiping action, look for a flex edge beater such as KitchenAid's KFE5T instead of a plain paddle in a different material.
Need help with the attachment itself?
See what a KitchenAid flat beater is used for, including mixing tasks that belong to a paddle rather than a whisk or dough hook.
This is a third-party aftermarket replacement part and is not made by, sponsored by, or affiliated with KitchenAid®.