Buying advice
Match the machine to the way you prepare foods. But you may find you need more than one. Which food-prep appliance best suits
your style and the foods you prepare? Hand mixers can handle light chores such as whipping cream or mixing cake batter. And
powerful stand mixers are ideal for cooks who make bread and cookies from scratch.
WHAT'S AVAILABLE
a The big push in mixers is for more power, which is useful for handling heavy dough. You'll find everything from heavy-duty models offering the most power and the largest mixing bowls to light-service machines that are essentially detachable hand mixers resting on a stand. Models vary in power from about 200 to 700 watts. Sales of light-duty, convenient hand mixers have held their own in recent years.
KitchenAid owns about half the stand-mixer market; Hamilton Beach and Sunbeam are the next best-selling brands. Price range: $40 to $400.
Black & Decker, Hamilton Beach, and Sunbeam are the dominant brands among hand mixers. Price range: $10 to $75.
HOW TO CHOOSE
Decide how much mixer you need. Just about any stand or hand mixer will do for all those simple mixing and whipping chores. But if you're a dedicated baker, you'll probably want to invest in a heavy, powerful stand mixer, because it can knead even two loaves' worth of bread dough with ease.
Downplay wattage and number of speed settings. Manufacturers stress wattage and number of speeds, but neither figure necessarily translates into better performance. For example, some stand mixers have as many as 16 speeds; some hand mixers have 9. We think three well-differentiated speeds are sufficient. The slower the lowest speed, the better; slow speeds prevent spattering.
Speeds should be clearly indicated. With some of the inexpensive hand mixers we tested, the switch you use to select speeds didn't line up well with the speed markings.
Consider size and weight. Hand mixers should feel well balanced and comfortable to hold; most that we tested did. Size and weight can be a concern with stand mixers--some weigh more than 20 pounds--but their heft gives them the stability to handle tough jobs.
All the stand mixers that we tested have heads that tilt up. Make sure that you will have enough clearance if you plan to keep the mixer on a counter below a cupboard.
Consider beater style and motion. Most of the top-performing hand mixers have wire beaters without the thick center post found on traditional-style beaters. The wire beaters performed well and were easier to clean.
Light-duty stand mixers typically have stationary beaters and a bowl that sits on a revolving turntable. The bowl sometimes needs a push to keep spinning.
WHAT'S AVAILABLE
a The big push in mixers is for more power, which is useful for handling heavy dough. You'll find everything from heavy-duty models offering the most power and the largest mixing bowls to light-service machines that are essentially detachable hand mixers resting on a stand. Models vary in power from about 200 to 700 watts. Sales of light-duty, convenient hand mixers have held their own in recent years.
KitchenAid owns about half the stand-mixer market; Hamilton Beach and Sunbeam are the next best-selling brands. Price range: $40 to $400.
Black & Decker, Hamilton Beach, and Sunbeam are the dominant brands among hand mixers. Price range: $10 to $75.
HOW TO CHOOSE
Decide how much mixer you need. Just about any stand or hand mixer will do for all those simple mixing and whipping chores. But if you're a dedicated baker, you'll probably want to invest in a heavy, powerful stand mixer, because it can knead even two loaves' worth of bread dough with ease.
Downplay wattage and number of speed settings. Manufacturers stress wattage and number of speeds, but neither figure necessarily translates into better performance. For example, some stand mixers have as many as 16 speeds; some hand mixers have 9. We think three well-differentiated speeds are sufficient. The slower the lowest speed, the better; slow speeds prevent spattering.
Speeds should be clearly indicated. With some of the inexpensive hand mixers we tested, the switch you use to select speeds didn't line up well with the speed markings.
Consider size and weight. Hand mixers should feel well balanced and comfortable to hold; most that we tested did. Size and weight can be a concern with stand mixers--some weigh more than 20 pounds--but their heft gives them the stability to handle tough jobs.
All the stand mixers that we tested have heads that tilt up. Make sure that you will have enough clearance if you plan to keep the mixer on a counter below a cupboard.
Consider beater style and motion. Most of the top-performing hand mixers have wire beaters without the thick center post found on traditional-style beaters. The wire beaters performed well and were easier to clean.
Light-duty stand mixers typically have stationary beaters and a bowl that sits on a revolving turntable. The bowl sometimes needs a push to keep spinning.
