Mixer Review

Comparing performance among stand and hand mixers

Unless you frequently work with stiff batters or bread dough, a powerful hand mixer might be enough to meet your needs, saving you money and storage space. Stand mixers, however, work best if you use a mixer more frequently (since you can leave it on the countertop). Stand mixers are also handy for recipes where you need to add ingredients gradually, since you don't need to keep one hand on the mixer.

We found the most recent and comprehensive reviews of stand mixers at ConsumerReports.org and Australia's Choice magazine. ConsumerReports.org evaluates 18 stand mixers, while Choice magazine assesses 12 models. Cook's Illustrated magazine also reviews stand mixers in two articles: The first piece focuses on high-end stand mixers, while the second spotlights the most inexpensive and effective stand mixers under $200. All reviews rate the mixers on their ability to complete a variety of average cooking tasks from whipping cream to kneading dough.

While Food & Wine magazine features the most recent hand-mixer reviews, the specific number of models of hand mixers tested is not mentioned. However, four products do receive favorable reviews for ease of operation, mixing dough and cleanup. In a test of eight hand mixers, Cook's Illustrated editors consider design but also focus on fundamental tasks, such as whipping cream, mixing cake batter, beating egg whites and mixing thick peanut butter cookie dough. ConsumerReports.org's evaluation of hand mixers is less detailed than its stand-mixer review, and the date of the ratings isn't revealed. The professional review site also singles out six different mixers -- models best for mixing bread dough, and those better suited for lighter tasks. The noise levels of all mixers are also taken into consideration.

Good Housekeeping has an older review of eight hand mixers, but it doesn't reveal any details about its testing process or mention those mixers that didn't make the cut. Choice magazine doesn't include hand-mixer reviews on its website and the U.K. Which? magazine doesn't recommend any hand mixers that are available in the United States.

Several specialty websites provide insightful product information, but are less useful for comparison purposes. One example: Only-Cookware.com offers feedback about reviewer likes and dislikes on four stand and four hand mixers. Yet, all of these evaluations do not occur at the same time and testers do not pick a favorite. Bon Appetit magazine singles out a top-rated stand mixer and two hand mixers, yet editors do not divulge how many models were tested or the testing criteria they used.

Cooking.com and Amazon.com lead the pack in providing the best owner reviews for both stand and hand mixers. Many mixer models have several hundred reviews and one product actually features feedback from more than 1,500 owners. Epinions.com also offers an extensive number of reviews.

One consideration worth noting: most top-rated stand mixers use a single beater mounted on a rotating disc, with bowls remaining stationary during mixing. This process, called "planetary action," has been shown to be the most time-efficient and effective way of blending ingredients, since the beater reaches the sides of the bowl. As a result, there is little need to stop the machine and scrape the sides of the bowl. Stand mixers with stationary, dual beaters and a bowl that sits on a rotating turntable tend to earn lower ratings in reviews since they often don't mix ingredients as well. For instance, The Sunbeam Mixmaster and Sunbeam Heritage Series both use dual beaters and owners have posted complaints on Amazon.com, saying both models suffered early breakdowns.