TL;DR: If you move your mixer once a week or less, a folded tea towel slipped under the feet is a perfectly good free slider, as long as you take it out before you mix. If you slide it out every day, a DIY KitchenAid slider board works well when it is thick hardwood, finished with food-safe oil and sized to the mixer. Buy one when you would rather not source and finish timber yourself.
A DIY KitchenAid slider is one of the most common kitchen hacks around, and for good reason. The problem is simple: a tilt-head mixer weighs over 10 kg, and its rubber feet grip the bench and judder when you drag it. Owners on forums suggest all sorts of fixes, from a tea towel to a ceramic tile with felt pads. Some of them are genuinely good enough. This post goes through which free and homemade options hold up, where they fall short, and when a bought board is worth it.
Does the tea towel trick actually work?
Yes, for moving. Tilt the mixer back slightly, slide a folded tea towel under the front feet, then the back, and the mixer glides forward on the cloth. It costs nothing and it protects the bench while the mixer is travelling.
Where it falls down is when the towel stays there. Under a running mixer, fabric bunches between the feet, so the machine sits unevenly and vibrates more. A towel also soaks up any spill and holds it against the benchtop, which is hard on timber benches and laminate joins. Grit or sugar caught in the weave can still drag across a surface.
So the honest rule is: towel in to move, towel out to mix. If that suits how often you bake, you do not need to buy anything.
What about felt pads on the mixer's feet?
This is the hack that most often backfires. Felt stuck over the rubber feet makes the mixer glide easily, but it glides while it is running too. The rubber feet are there to hold the mixer still, and with a stiff dough on speed 2 a felt-footed mixer can wander toward the edge of the bench. If you mostly whip cream and make cake batter, you may get away with it. If you knead bread or pizza dough, leave the rubber feet alone. Our post on why a KitchenAid walks across the bench covers the other causes of movement.
Felt works much better on the underside of something the mixer stands on, such as a board or tray. The mixer's rubber feet keep it planted on the board, and the board is what slides.
How do the DIY options compare?
| Option | Glides when moving | Steady while mixing | Good enough if… | Watch out for |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Folded tea towel | Yes | No, remove it first | You move the mixer occasionally | Bunching and trapped moisture if left under |
| Felt pads on the mixer's feet | Yes | Poor with dough | You only make light mixes | The mixer walking while kneading |
| Chopping board or tile with felt pads | Yes | Usually | It is flat, thick and big enough for all four feet | Thin boards flexing; extra height under cupboards |
| Homemade hardwood board | Yes | Yes, if flat and thick | You have the tools and patience to finish it | Cupping, rocking and the wrong finish |
| Bought wooden slider | Yes | Yes | You want it sized and finished already | Checking it suits your mixer type |
What does a homemade board need to get right?
A board carries the full weight of the mixer plus the sideways pull of a dough hook, so a few details decide whether it stays flat and steady for years or starts rocking a few months in.
- Size it to the base. Measure your mixer's footprint and leave a margin on every side so all four feet sit well in from the edge. For reference, our tilt-head sliders are 22 cm × 35 cm, which suits Artisan, Classic, 4.5 Qt and 5 Qt models.
- Use dense, dry hardwood. Acacia, maple, walnut or bamboo panel all work. Avoid pine and thin plywood, which flex under the weight and can stay bent.
- Keep it thick enough not to flex. Around 18 to 20 mm is a sensible target for solid timber. A single wide plank is more likely to cup than edge-glued strips.
- Check the height. Stand the mixer on the board and tilt the head up under your overhead cupboards before you finish anything.
- Sand and ease the edges. Work up to a fine grit so nothing catches a cloth or a finger.
- Finish with food-safe oil or board butter. Use food-grade mineral oil or a beeswax and mineral oil blend. Skip varnish, which chips under a heavy machine, and skip olive or vegetable oil, which can go rancid in the grain.
- Give the underside a smooth glide. Either leave it smooth and well oiled, or fit felt pads at each corner, with one in the middle on a large board so it cannot rock.
Then load the mixer, knead a stiff dough and watch for rocking or creep before you call it done.
When is buying one worth it?
Buying makes sense when you do not have access to good timber, a saw and somewhere to let oil cure, or when the mixer lives on the bench and you want it to look finished. Willow Haven's sliders come in bamboo, acacia and ebony walnut, all with the same sizes. The square base fits tilt-head mixers. The round base fits 6 Qt bowl-lift mixers, but not the Professional or Heavy-Duty range. Each one glides on a smooth base, so the mixer's feet never touch the bench, and each has a food-safe oil finish. If you are weighing up timbers, our bamboo vs acacia vs walnut comparison goes through the differences.
If a DIY board is already doing the job, keep using it. There is no need to replace something that works.
Frequently asked questions
Can I use a silicone baking mat as a mixer slider?
Not really. Silicone grips the benchtop rather than sliding over it, so you end up dragging the mixer across the mat. It protects the surface but does not make moving any easier.
Will a slider board stop my tilt-head opening under the cupboards?
It adds a little height, so it can if your clearance is already tight. Stand the mixer on the board and tilt the head fully up before committing to a thickness or a spot on the bench.
How often should I oil a homemade wooden slider?
Oil it whenever the timber looks dry or pale, typically every few weeks for acacia and less often for bamboo. Wipe on food-grade mineral oil or board butter, leave it to soak in, then buff off the excess.
Is a glass chopping board safe as a mixer slider?
It can work with felt pads underneath, but glass is slippery under the mixer's feet and can crack if knocked. A thick timber board is steadier and easier to live with.
The bottom line
Start free: a tea towel to move the mixer, removed before you mix, is good enough for plenty of kitchens. If you move it daily and enjoy a weekend project, a thick, oiled hardwood board works well. If you would rather skip the timber and the finishing, have a look at our wooden mixer sliders.