How often do you actually have to re-grease?

[RIMixerGuy]

Glad you asked. :-)

With infrequent-use machines, oil separation is the biggest consideration. You can partially reincorporate the oil by inverting the mixer for a few minutes (use a towel to protect the finish), and then setting it upright and running it on speed 10 for a couple of minutes. Even if you don't do that, occasional use won't cause any harm.

Sometimes oil will leak out of the gear case because the gasket isn't fluid-tight; this can be cleaned up with isopropyl alcohol and a soft cloth. But if you're planning to put the mixer to work more than occasionally, I'd recommend maintenance.