A stand mixer is one of the must-have kitchen appliances. We can’t prepare our favorite meals and desserts or even try new recipes without a stand mixer. While we are grateful for this gadget, we must admit that sometimes it’s a bit too much. Meaning we don’t need that much power when making simple pancake dough or whisking egg whites. Well, that’s exactly where a hand mixer comes in handy.
With the best hand mixer, you’ll have a compact and lightweight gadget at your disposal. It will be just perfect for cake batter, whipping cream, whisking egg whites, beating dough, mashing veggies and fruits, as well as for mixing baking ingredients. The best part is that hand mixers are much cheaper than stand mixers so adding one to your kitchen won’t be a problem.
Having said all this, we present you with the buying guide and hand mixer reviews so you can find just what you need.
Things to keep in mind when choosing the best hand mixer
This buying guide will help you focus on features that really matter so you can purchase the best handheld mixer but also stay within your budget.
Wattage
Most hand mixers have between 200 and 250 watts of power, although some may have more power than that. You would want a motor with 250 watts or more because this is powerful enough for thinner mixtures and cookie dough.
Weight
The weight of an electric hand mixer is the next thing to bear in mind. If you’ve ever used a hand mixer for beating cake batter, then you know how tired your arms may feel after only 2 minutes of holding the mixer. Because of this, you don’t want to choose a heavy hand mixer. But, on the other hand, you also don’t need a super light unit that will keep tipping over and slow down your mixing process.
Go for weight about 1.5 to 2.2 lbs (700g to 1 kg). This way, you’ll get a nice weight to work with.
Comfort
Apart from the ideal weight of your hand mixer, you’ll also want an ergonomic, non-slip handle. This way, you’ll have greater control over the mixer as it won’t slip out of your hand.
Speeds
Some hand mixers come with a great number of speeds (ten) whereas others come only with three or five speeds. Of course, the more speeds the mixer has, the better control you have. And you will also be able to make a variety of recipes including those that require the lowest speed (mixing dry ingredients) and those that need high speed (beating egg whites)).
Switches
A hand mixer with an old-fashioned on/off switch is the most reliable as far as safety is concerned. The speed controls and on/off switch should be placed on top of the mixer, so you can reach them quickly and without any effort.
Slow start
Please note that sometimes it’s not about the number of speeds, it’s about whether the unit has a ‘slow start’ or not. Some models claim they have, but that ‘slow start’ is not slow at all! This can ruin your cake batter or dough in which case you won’t achieve the desired results. So, look for a hand mixer with a truly slow start.
Turbo speed
Best hand mixers come with many features, including one called ‘Turbo speed’. Obviously, this function lets you switch to the highest speed with just the push of a button. This is a nice add-on, but if you ask us, we aren’t crazy over it.
Attachments
How many types of beater attachments do you need? This is a good question to ask yourself before you go and buy that best hand mixer. You certainly don’t need to waste money on a hand mixer that comes with all sorts of attachments when you don’t plan to use most of them. Basic beaters are fine for simple mixing tasks, whereas dough hooks are necessary if you plan on baking bread. Attachments that have long arms are best for thorough mixing. Due to their length, they also splatter less outside of the bowl.
Extra features
An electric hand mixer has come a long way and nowadays you can find models packed with useful features. Some of them are timer, retractable cord, coated beaters, and as mentioned, Turbo speed. We believe there’s no need to explain any of these.
Cleaning
Older hand mixers come with thick beaters, being a bit tricky to clean. But, new models that feature thin stainless steel attachments are so much easier to clean. Similarly, touch controls are a better option over buttons, at least when we’re speaking about ease of cleaning.
Design
Hand mixers come in many different colors, some of them looking really cool. However, this should not be one of your top priorities. Functionality and durability should. Nice color can be a plus, but know that it will definitely add on to the price. After all, it’s about what you want.
Storage case
When buying a hand mixer, choose a model that comes with a storage case. After you’re done with cooking and baking, you would probably want to keep the mixer out of sight and well-protected. A storage case will allow you to do exactly that. Plus, storing a hand mixer in a storage case will actually take up less space in the cupboard.
Warranty
If you’ve decided to invest in the best hand mixer, well, you might as well be smart about it. Pick a model that comes from a trusted brand because chances are it comes with a warranty. And it’s probably well-built and durable.
Hand mixer reviews
Take a look at our hand mixer reviews to find the best model for your budget and your baking and cooking needs. But before that, we give you an overview of models we chose to review today. This will give you some insights into what we will talk about.
[ninja_tables id=”1323″]Breville BHM800SIL – Our pick
This is arguably the best hand mixer in 2022 due to its versatility, durability, and practicality. If you’re looking for an all-in-one gadget and are ready to pay for that, look no further than this Breville hand mixer review.
Breville’s products stand for high-quality units that tailor to the needs of customers. This one is no different. The Breville Handy Mix Scraper is packed with a lot of features, making mixing ingredients simple and successful. It’s built to last and it comes with a 1-year limited warranty.
A powerful 240 watts DC motor ensures quiet operation, regardless of the speed. With so much power, this unit can handle lots of mixing tasks, from those simple to those more complex ones. You can make cake dough, beat egg whites, whip cream, and much more. The handle is comfortable so your hand won’t get tired.
Features worth mentioning are silicone-coated beaters, mixing light and a timer. Silicone-coated beaters will reach to every part of the bowl, leaving nothing to waste. Since they are coated, they won’t make noise. However, a coating may start to peel off after years of use. Thanks to the light, you will be able to see how well the ingredients are combined. This one is a real help, especially when combined with these clever beaters! And a timer lets you get the precision that some recipes require.
The best part is that you don’t have to adjust the speed yourself! The Beater intuitive interface will adjust the best speed according to the attachment you are using. How crazy is that! Of course, if you do find to adjust the speeds yourself, you’ll enjoy 9 speeds and a Turbo Boost. However, there’s no Slow start.
Speaking of attachments, included are standard beaters, dough hooks, AND chef’s whisks. This gives you more recipe options and more control over mixing. There’s also a storage container included so you can store the hand mixer and all its parts in one place.
The Good:
- Quiet
- Soft beaters
- Light allows you to clearly see the mixture
- Timer for precision
- Digital speed screen
- Looks stylish
- Well-made and durable
The Bad:
- The coating on the beaters may peel off
- No slow start
Cuisinart HM-90BCS – Best electric hand mixer for regular use
This Cuisinart Electric Hand Mixer comes with 9 speeds, slow start, and different types of attachments, being a good choice for regular use.
The Cuisinart Power Advantage doesn’t come with the bells and whistles, but it surely comes with just the features you need, including 220 watts of power. Compared to similar models, this one is pretty powerful. Thanks to the beaters, dough hooks, chef’s whisk, spatula, and a handy recipe book, you’ll be able to prepare all kinds of foods, including cookies, cakes, pancakes, and bread dough. So you get a nice variety for a reasonable price. This model comes with a 3-year limited warranty, which is a good sign.
What we love on this hand mixer is the slow start (that’s really slow). With 3 low start speeds, you can mix dry ingredients without making a mess on the countertop. The other 6 speeds allow you to build your way to the perfect cake batter/cookie dough / or any other mixture you plan to get. The on/off button allows for a quick and safe start, whereas one-touch speed control is perfect for smooth switching between speeds. Another nice feature is the 180 degrees swivel cord. If you’re left-handed, you’ll definitely appreciate this one.
This Cuisinart hand mixer comes with a handy snap-on storage case, for simple and neat storing of all the accessories you get and of course, the mixer. Thanks to the case, you won’t have to look into the kitchen drawer anymore to find the needed tool.
On the downside, the unit is noisy.
The Good:
- Great for whipping cream, whisking egg whites, making the cake batter
- Comes with 3 types of attachments
- 3 low start speeds for mixing dry ingredients
- 9 speeds
- Clip-on storage box for neatly arranged tools
- 3-year warranty
The Bad:
- Noisy
Braun HM5100 – Top quality electric hand mixer
This Braun hand mixer is reliable and sturdy, being made to last. It’s a great choice if you’re looking for quality and versatility in a one hand mixer.
The Braun MultiMix is very powerful, coming with 350 watts of power. This means it works like a charm for any mixing task, from cake batter to bread dough. What’s special about it is the vertical design of the motor. Thanks to that, you will have great control over it, even though it’s a bit heavy. That unique design also makes a mixer comfortable to hold.
As for speeds, this one comes with 9 of them, also featuring a slow start for dry ingredients. Other speeds allow you to get nice cake batter as well as airy egg whites. The hand mixer comes with a whisk and beater in one attachment, dough hooks, and a food processing attachment (this one’s amazing). Thanks to the speeds and that special whisk/beater attachment this is the best hand mixer for cookie dough.
The attachments are dishwasher safe so you can quickly clean up after mixing. Moreover, the easy-clean design allows you to simply wipe a mixer with a cloth. This saves some time.
This hand mixer comes with a pouch, so you can store the attachments safely in one place. However, it doesn’t come with a storage container for the mixer itself. Moreover, the unit features a one-handed speed control that is not common on hand mixers. So it does need some getting used to, but once you embrace it, you’ll love it.
The Good:
- Powerful
- Well balanced for extended time use
- Has both low and high speeds
- Comes with a food processor attachment as well as with beaters and dough hooks
- Easy to clean
- Easy to store
- Well constructed and reliable
- 3 year warranty
The Bad:
- Heavier
- The speed dial is a bit strange, takes some getting used to
- Doesn’t come with a storage case, but with a pouch
BLACK & DECKER MX600B – Best cheap hand mixer
This BLACK & DECKER hand mixer is arguably the best cheap hand mixer. It comes with all the basic features and attachments plus a wire whisk. It’s a great choice for everyday light mixing tasks that don’t require assembling of a stand mixer.
The Helix performance hand mixer has 250 watts of power, five speeds and a Turbo boost for quick mixing of ingredients. This model comes with beaters, dough hooks, and a wire whisk so you can prepare a variety of recipes. Dough hooks are great for thicker mixtures and dough, whereas a wire whisk is ideal for whipping cream and aerating egg whites.
The beaters are specially designed to overlap and mix the ingredients more quickly than regular beaters. In addition, the beaters are nylon reinforced so they can stand tough mixes with ease.
The attachments are dishwasher safe, and the mixer is easy to clean. It is also easy to use, given the fact there are only two buttons – one for 5 speeds and one for the Turbo Boost.
Coming with a convenient storage box, the accessories and the mixer itself can be stored quickly and easily. A handy feature is the heel and bowl rest that helps you keep the mixture where it should be – in the bowl. Simply position the mixer to sit on the edge of your bowl. No need to worry if it will tip over.
On the downsides, the cord is stiff and there’s no slow start. But, coming at the low price, you get all the basic features you need to be a chef at home. For this price, we doubt it’s possible to find a better deal.
The Good:
- Great for everyday mixing tasks
- Affordable
- Comes with beaters, dough hooks, and wire whisk
- Turbo boost
- Comes in a variety of colors
- 3-year limited warranty
The Bad:
- The cord is stiff
- Doesn’t have a slow start
KitchenAid KHM926OB – Best KitchenAid hand mixer
Although this KitchenAid 9-speed hand mixer comes with basic features, its accessories make it a great choice for light mixing tasks.
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With a 150-watt motor and 9 speeds, this could be one of the best hand mixers of 2022 for mashed potatoes, cookie dough, cake batter, and milkshakes. So, if you tend to make these often, this little guy is just the thing you need. 9 speeds and slow start give you unparalleled precision over your recipe, making it easy to get the desired taste and texture. Also, the slow start will have the beaters gradually speed up, so the ingredients don’t splatter.
A lockable swivel cord gives you more control over the unit so you can focus on the task at hand. It’s also easy to clean thanks to its round design. What is also great about this model is the soft grip handle. You will hold the hand mixer with confidence and your arms won’t hurt after a few minutes of mixing ingredients.
But, what we love about this hand mixer is its design. It’s sturdy and has a nice weight. The unit comes with a 1-year limited warranty. Moreover, it looks stylish and you can choose from five colors – Onyx Black, White, Contour Silver, Empire Red, and Candy Apple Red.
On the downsides, this appliance is not powerful enough to handle tough jobs. And neither are the beaters because they tend to wobble. Given the fact this one comes with the basic features, it may be slightly pricy.
The Good:
- Sturdy construction
- Stylish
- Slow start and 9 speeds for all types of light cooking
- Comes with many accessories
- Lockable swivel cord
- Storage bag for neat storage
The Bad:
- The beaters tend to wobble
- Not for tough jobs
- Slightly pricy
The bottom line
Well, it’s about time you buy that best hand mixer, isn’t it? Keep in mind the things we’ve mentioned in the buying guide and choosing the hand mixer that matches your needs should be easy. As you probably noticed, the products we’ve reviewed come in a different price range. This way, everyone can find a hand mixer they need and stay within their budget.
Happy baking!
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