KitchenAid 9-Speed Digital Hand Mixer

The KitchenAid 9-Speed Digital Hand Mixer is a good option for light mixing jobs. It has easy-to-use digital controls and an LED display. It comes with stainless-steel beaters, an aerator and dough hooks. It's available in four colors and has a one-year warranty.

Performance

Excellent for light tasks. Testers say the KitchenAid hand mixer gets the job done when it comes to mixing and whipping ingredients. Editors at Good Housekeeping say that the mixer excels at most jobs but add that "the price is way high for a mixer that struggled at beating cookie and bread dough." On the other hand, experts agree that hand mixers in general aren't well suited for heavy mixes and kneading jobs. Although the KitchenAid comes with dough hooks, it's probably best to use them only for occasional small batches of dough. Editors at The Wall Street Journal agree that although the KitchenAid is powerful, it can't compete with stand mixers for heavy-duty tasks.

The KitchenAid hand mixer has nine speeds, including a slow-start feature which reviewers say works very well. Furthermore, testers say there is great variation between high and low speeds, which allows for a truly slow stir and a very fast whip. Owners at Amazon.com say the mixer handles all duties well, although most admit to only using it for light-duty tasks.

Ease of use

Loaded with features. Reviewers say the KitchenAid is loaded with convenient features. Testers at Good Housekeeping praise the digital controls and LED display. They say the mixer's heel allows it to rest on the edge of a bowl without tipping. Owners at Amazon.com are also impressed with the easy-to-use controls. One points out, "The variable speed controls are very easy to use and allow you to get just the right speed for the job."

Furthermore, the KitchenAid has dishwasher-safe attachments and a canvas storage bag.

Appearance

Lightweight and appealing. Reviewers say the KitchenAid 9-Speed Digital Hand Mixer is well made and attractive; editors at The Wall Street Journal especially love the deep red color. The mixer is available in four colors: two shades of red, as well as white and brushed chrome. Users at Amazon.com say the hand mixer is especially light -- it weighs just 3 pounds.

Noise

Quiet. The KitchenAid 9-Speed hand mixer earns praise from experts and owners for having very moderate noise levels. Editors at The Wall Street Journal say it's the quietest in their recent evaluation of several hand mixers.

The bottom line

The KitchenAid 9-Speed Digital Hand Mixer is lightweight, easy to use and performs well at relatively light mixing duties like mixing cake batter and whipping eggs and cream. Like most hand mixers, however, it struggles with heavy-duty jobs -- like bread dough -- that are best left to stand mixers. Furthermore, it isn't reviewed as often as the Cuisinart Power Advantage 7-Speed Hand Mixer (*Est. $60).