A stand mixer is one of the most powerful and most versatile devices that you can buy for your kitchen. A well-chosen model will last not for years but for decades, obediently handling the most gruesome cooking tasks for you. Undeniably, an electric stand mixer is among the most expensive kitchen appliances too; thus, some research and consideration are crucial to finding the right model for your specific needs and budget. In this buying guide, we explain what truly matters in a stand mixer and what features you can happily skip. We also thoroughly reviewed our five favourite models covering all price categories. Whether you are a cooking novice with a tight budget or a semi-professional baker, you will find your perfect mixer in this list.
Stand Mixers Buying Guide
Considering that stand mixers are certainly not cheap and take substantial space in the kitchen, some people question their necessity. Indeed, if you need a mixer mainly for occasionally whisking egg whites, mashing potatoes or making cake batters, a good-quality hand mixer or even a blender may suffice for those tasks. It will be lighter and will require less storage space.
However, if baking is one of your passions, a stand mixer becomes irreplaceable. Its powerful motor will mix the ingredients quicker and more evenly, leading to better results. Besides, a stand mixer will beat more air into egg whites and liquid batters than its hand-operated cousin, and knead dense bread or pizza doughs that, let’s be honest, no other device can handle. Finally, the most significant benefit of getting a stand mixer is that you still have two free hands to do other things while it’s working. It’s just like having a full-time assistant in your kitchen. With the right attachments, your mixer will manage everything from mincing to juicing, making it the ultimate cooking device.
Making the First Move
The vast majority of stand mixer models can be divided into two types depending on how the bowl is inserted. The most common ones are tilt-head stand mixers. The top part can be lifted up (in best models, it is spring-loaded) for placing or removing the bowl. The tilt-head models tend to be less bulky and more affordable; that’s why they are popular among home bakers. However, they require more vertical space and can be problematic to use under kitchen cabinets. For durability, this construction is not optimal either.
The bowl-lift stand mixers are larger, heavier and more stable. As the name suggests, they have a lever for inserting the bowl and lifting it towards the mixing attachment, whereas the head itself does not move. These mixers used to be found in professional kitchens only; however, nowadays, there are some models for avid home-bakers too. The bowl-lift models can manage larger capacities and more frequent use even when handling dense dough. They don’t need extra space above either. However, adding additional ingredients or scraping the bowl becomes harder – every time you want to remove the bowl, you have to turn off the mixer and remove its attachment at first.
Mixing and Mingling
Once we have the bowl securely in place, the next step is mixing the ingredients well. Essentially, all sound stand mixers will use one of the two mixing actions to perform the task.
Most common are the models that use planetary action. The attachment rotates in one direction while the drive shaft moves the opposite way – just like the Earth orbits around the sun. This double action ensures more efficient mixing, meaning that pretty much nothing remains unstirred and you have to scrape the sides of the bowl less often. Planetary action works well, no matter which attachment tool you use.
The mixers that are geared towards bread making (sometimes called spiral mixers), often use a different mechanism. The agitator itself does not move, and the bowl rotates instead. This allows for much faster mixing with less friction. Thus, the dough does not increase in temperature and, afterwards, rise better. The spiral mixers often are not suited for other tasks like whipping; however, some models like the Ankarsrum are surprisingly versatile.
Who’s Got the Power?
The engine power in watts is one of the first selling points that the manufacturers will throw at you. It is easy to believe that more simply means better; however, the truth is a bit more complicated. The placement and quality of the motor are as important as the watt figure. For example, the KitchenAid models typically will have way fewer watts than the competitors of the same price range; however, they are among the best mixers available and continuously perform well.
If you only bake occasionally and in small quantities, a light-duty stand mixer will be enough. Still, we recommend to not go below 250 W, that’s the minimum if you also want to make cookies and muffins, not just meringues and pancakes. Warning ahead: the light-duty stand mixers are not well-suited for making bread and pizzas. They might still manage the task occasionally, but this is likely to strain the engine and shorten their lifespan.
For regular bakers that cook larger batches and love to make bread and pizzas occasionally, a medium-duty stand mixer will be optimal. With the power starting from 350 W, these models are versatile enough for most cooking needs while remaining small and relatively affordable. The upper limit for a medium-duty mixer is kneading heavy dough once to twice a weak.
If you need a model that will manage large quantities of dense dough regularly, it is worth investing into a heavy-duty stand mixer with the minimum engine power above 600 W. The heavy-duty mixers come with large bowls, high-quality built and long guarantee periods. They also come with steep price tags; however, these machines are irreplaceable for those who enjoy homemade bread, bagels and pizzas.
Capacity Illusion
Just like the watt-number, the litre-number in specifications tends to be misleading as well. First of all, you will never be able to fill the mixer bowl fully without making the mess in your kitchen. However, here’s some useful guidance on how much you can expect of it.
If you cook in small batches, mostly for 1-3 people, a stand mixer with the capacity of ~3 litres will suffice. 4-5 litre mixers, are optimal for average-sized families and for occasional batch cooking if you are having guests. Mixers with the bowl capacity over 6 litres are ideal for batch bakers; however, the best models will handle small amounts as well.
More useful to know is the amount of food that the particular stand mixer can handle in a go. Different manufacturers will offer various estimates that are considered safe, for example, the maximum amount of egg whites, number of loaves or weight of flour. These are calculated taking into account the mixer’s power, built and capacity together. Try to find this information in reviews or product description to have a more accurate picture of the amount of goods you will be able to prepare.
Weighty Matters
Generally, we believe that lighter appliances are better; however, stand mixers are the exception to the rule. It is the weight that will keep your mixer from walking over the counter when kneading heavy dough; thus, heavier means better. Often, the heftiness also indicates better quality (read, metal) parts. The stand mixers are not really designed to be taken out and put away regularly, they deserve to bask on your counter. If that is not an option, there are also some lighter models that have rubber suction feet for extra stability.
Fast, not Furious
Essentially, your mixer only needs three speeds: slow speed for gently stirring the ingredients and kneading the dough, a medium one for mixing batters and a high one for whisking. Everything else is just a variation of those three but certainly can be useful for elaborated recipes.
We prefer models that have a slow-start mode, either automatic or manual. This means that the mixing speed increases gradually, preventing flour-shower in your kitchen. Some other extra options such as pulse mode or pause can be useful for some recipes, but they are not essential.
Choosing the Accessories
Pretty much every model on the market nowadays comes with at least three essential stand mixer attachments. These are:
- Flat beater – sometimes also called paddle attachment, this tool is excellent for beating batters and cake mixes or even mashing potatoes. It is arrowhead-shaped to better stir the ingredients and has one or two crossbars for support. In Kenwood mixers, the crossbars form K letter; thus, it is called K-tool. Whatever the name, this is one of the most used stand mixer attachments.
- Dough hook – typically shaped like J letter or a spiral, this tool is almost exclusively used for tough doughs, such as bread, pasta or pizza. The hook presses the dough against the sides or the bottom of the bowl, ensuring even and efficient kneading.
- Balloon whisk – formed from loops of wire, this tool is used for whisking, whipping and creaming. Its distinctive shape allows incorporating more air into the mix; however, it is not strong enough for denser batters and often can be hand-washed only.
For a better mixing experience, we strongly recommend a few additional accessories:
- Pouring shield – also called splashguard, this is the best way to minimise mixer-related mess in your kitchen. Typically made from transparent plastic, it tightly seals the bowl around the attachment so that nothing escapes. Some pouring shields have a hinged lid or a feed chute for adding ingredients during the mixing process.
- Flex-edge beater – this tool looks and functions similarly to the paddle attachment; however, it has one or both sides covered in silicone or rubber for scraping the bowl more thoroughly. Flex-edge beater is especially useful for recipes that require ingredients such as cream, butter or honey that tend to stick to the sides of the bowl.
- Extra bowls – these get very handy since you can make two mixtures one after another. It is also a good idea to have bowls of various capacity for different cooking amounts if your model allows it. Most bowls are made of stainless steel, but some options of glass and ceramics are available. Irrespective of the material, we strongly prefer bowls that have handles, since they can be carried and emptied easier.
Finally, most of the brands will allow you purchasing a vast range of extra attachments from food processors and mincers to juice extractors, pasta rollers and ice cream makers. If bought separately, these extras tend to be costly. You get a better value from a model with more accessories included if you know you will be using them. On the other hand, extra attachments will occupy space in your kitchen (considerably less than separate devices, but still), so don’t invest in extensive bundles if you don’t really need them.
Grooming Tips
To ensure your new stand mixer has a long and happy life, it is essential to take good care of it. Here are some pieces of advice that will ensure excellent performance and delicious results.
- First and foremost, carefully read the manual, no matter how boring that sounds. It will contain crucial information about the maximum ingredient quantities and recommended speed modes for different tasks. While some models have overload protection that will shut off the device before the motor gets damaged, you should never ever exceed the recommended load.
- The manual will also explain how to take care of the accessories. While many of them will be dishwasher safe, some more complex tools can be only hand-washed or only wiped with a cloth. Even if there is the green light for dishwasher, check whether all programmes can be used.
- As with all electric devices, the housing should be regularly wiped with a soft cloth or paper towel. Polished metal finish will show more fingerprints than coloured metal or plastic, take this into account if you don’t like to spend time on cleaning.
- Check the distance between the beater and the bowl. The beater edge should be very close to the bottom to mix all the ingredients thoroughly but not rest on it, as this can lead to scraping and/or chipping. If the gap seems too small or too wide, check the manual on how to adjust it.
- If your model does not have a slow-start function, always begin with the lowest speed and then ramp up. This will prevent dusting and splattering.
- If you need to scrape the ingredients from the sides, always turn off or pause the mixer first so that you don’t accidentally damage the attachment tool.
Conclusion
A stand mixer certainly is an investment; however, it will save a lot of time and effort you spend in the kitchen. With a dutiful machine taking care of most difficult baking tasks, you will have free hands for greasing the cake forms, decorating the treats or setting the table. And with the range of tools and attachments available, you will be able to confidently prepare at home foods that were off-limits before.