Does buying this thing suggest anything that could hint at commitment? I don't want anyone getting the wrong idea. When I read you've had one for 15 years, that scared me.
Yes, a mixer is just like getting engaged only worse.
She will make you eat muffins.
Only to her craft my friend, only to her craft.
But look at it this way. If things don't work out between you two every single time she uses it she'll think of you and how stupid she was to ever let you go.
Or:
Every time she cooks something for that no good low life SOB she tossed you overboard for she'll remember how much better you were at buying presents for her, not to mention that you were far more skilled in the arts of love than her current loser boyfriend will ever be.
I'm sure you can add others.
Get her the damned thing. If nothing else she'll be really, really grateful and will most likely externalize that gratitude in your general direction either by immediately whipping up something wonderful or by...give me a minute, I'll think of something.
Just remember this...pastry chefs are inherently odd people but they can make pastry creme and pastry creme has a multitude of uses both in and out of the kitchen.
L