My grandparents had a Kitchenaid mixer as well as an assortment of various hand tools for things like cutting home made ravioli with wavy edges, cookie presses and such. They were very much into growing their own gardens and canning their own food, they also made their own wine, and lived very modestly overall. But as my grandmother got older, it was a lot harder for her to make some of those things by hand, so the mixer was a huge help.
I don't mind doing most of the stuff by hand or with only basic equipment, but there are a few things I absolutely stink at doing by hand - such as whipping egg whites in bowl by hand. I can't do it for some reason, I just cant move my arm repeatedly fast enough for it. I also usually make a complete mess when I try to knead something. No matter how careful I am and how much I flour the boards, it sticks to everything as well as my hands.