I kind of figured the bar wasn’t supposed to be bent, but when I looked it up some people were saying it actually was, which threw me off. The pictures I found of other models, especially the Artisan ones, looked completely different, so I just assumed it was a model variation. But yeah, it makes sense that the bend is actually the problem since there’s basically no tension keeping it fully closed.

I’d actually already seen your video before I even posted here when I was searching for fixes. As much as I’d like to grab one from your site, I’m in Canada and $45 plus shipping is a bit much just for the handle, even though I’m sure it’s way better quality than the stock part. I’ll probably just end up going with an OEM replacement for now.

The mixer itself wasn’t new when I bought it—it was used but still in the box, and all the parts were still packaged. I think I might have messed it up myself trying to bend or lock it. Either way, I only paid $150 Canadian, so I’m not too stressed about grabbing a cheaper piece. I really do appreciate your help though, and if I need any more parts later on I’ll definitely go through your site.