A durable stand mixer is essential for both amateur bakers and professionals. The equipment can be used to make everything from light layer cakes to stiff bread dough, and it saves time and effort compared to mixing by hand. Furthermore, many stand mixers come with extra attachments for making homemade pasta, ice cream, and freshly squeezed juice.
Electric stand mixers, like other powerful kitchen machines, are an investment. Machines of good quality can cost hundreds of dollars, while high-end ones can cost over $1,000. Plus, there are many options to pick from, ranging from simple models with essential features to feature-rich ones in fashionable colors and styles. So, if you’re looking to buy a stand mixer of your own, finding the proper fit can be difficult.
What Factors Should I Consider While Purchasing A Stand Mixer?
Generally, choose the most potent mixer within your price range. The larger the wattage, the more influential the motor, allowing you to mix thicker dough safely. (Keep our finest homemade bread recipes on hand!) Test Kitchen suggestion: Aim for 300 watts or more power output.
Stand mixers have more speeds than hand mixers – The majority of hand mixers have 5 to 9 speeds, but a stand mixer is likely to have 10. When mixing, whisking, or kneading dough, this range of speeds allows for greater precision.
What Is The Recommended Wattage For A Good Stand Mixer?
Most high-quality stand mixers have wattages ranging from 250 to 1000 watts. For most professional bakers, 500 watts or more is a powerful option if you plan on using a stand mixer for more heavy-duty baking chores.
The four 1/2-quart stand mixer is ideal for simultaneously mixing and kneading enough dough for two small loaves of bread. The capacity is listed as 8 cups of flour in the specifications, the absolute maximum. This model offers 300 watts of power, which is more than enough for bread-kneading.
6 Best Stand Mixers and Cooking
KitchenAid KSM150PSAQ Artisan Series 5-Qt. Stand Mixer
KitchenAid is a household name for a reason. The stand mixer was first introduced to American homes in 1919, and the brand has had a loyal following ever since. Its renowned Artisan Series 5-Quart Stand Mixer is a kitchen classic, featuring ten speeds and a strong motor for whipping, kneading, and mixing ingredients with ease. The stand mixer boasts more than ten attachments, a tilt-head design for easier bowl access, and an ingenious hub that changes the stand mixer into an ice cream maker, pasta maker, and spiralizer, among other things.
The KitchenAid mixers are large, measuring 14 inches long, 8.5 inches broad, 13.75 inches tall, and weighing 26 pounds. If you choose to keep it out on your countertop, they come in a rainbow of 47 color possibilities, ranging from Blue Velvet to Matte Dried Rose, which suit a wide range of kitchen styles. Users also claim that the appliances’ robust construction will last for decades.
Both professionals and home bakers use KitchenAid Artisan mixers. Not only does it have approximately 27,000 five-star reviews on its website, but it also has thousands of positive Amazon reviews. Users commend the appliance’s versatility and durability, claiming it is well worth the money. “It is a BEAST of a professional-grade machine that takes all the hard work out of blending, combining, creaming, whipping, kneading… and a breeze to clean up, once all the whirling and blurring is done!” commented one user, who was 60 at the time. I’m constantly on the lookout for new and exciting things to try.
Hamilton Beach Electric Stand Mixer
Hamilton Beach’s machine is a powerful stand mixer at a fraction of the cost. It has a 300-watt motor and the same planetary mixing rotation as a KitchenAid for thoroughly mixing ingredients into batters and doughs. Choose from seven different speeds, including a gentle folding option, and the mixer will not rock while it works, thanks to its non-slip feet. For various baking chores, the Hamilton Beach comes with a splash guard, dough hook, whisk, and flat beater and its four-quart stainless steel bowl is dishwasher-safe for easy cleanup.
Thousands of customers, including hundreds who awarded the mixers five stars on Amazon, vouch for its efficiency. It’s a fantastic value, according to reviewers, with as much mixing power as a KitchenAid. “I didn’t want to pay $400 or more for another KitchenAid, so I was thrilled to discover the Hamilton Beach at a fifth of the price,” one reviewer remarked. “It does all of the functions that a stand mixer should. And while it lacks the power hub, I never used it even when it was available. As a result, I don’t miss it.”
Dash Stand Mixer
Dash’s three-quart stand mixer costs slightly under $50, compared to other stand mixers that cost $100 or more. The little gadget is easy to pull on and off the counter, weighing only five pounds, yet it still delivers a punch with its 25-watt engine. It comes with two dough hooks and wire beaters for whipping meringues, creaming butter, and kneading cookie dough, and the stainless steel bowl adjusts to ensure that all ingredients are fully incorporated. It’s perfect for home bakers who want to prepare simple recipes in small amounts, but it can be too essential for more significant undertakings.
The Dash Stand Mixer has a flawless rating from over 9,000 Amazon customers, who think it’s great for basic baking. “I just had to get it (I’d been hunting for one) when I saw how affordable this cute mixer was,” one buyer remarked. “It’ll be excellent for what I’m going to use it for, which is large cookies and cupcake mixes, but also stuff like mashed potatoes.”
Aucma 6.5-Quart Stand Mixer
New bakers should start with a versatile, dependable mixer if they want fluffy dinner rolls or gorgeous layer cakes. That’s where the 6.5-Quart Stand Mixer from Aucma comes in. The 660-watt stand mixer is Amazon’s best-selling stand mixer, and it comes with a powerful motor and an easy-to-use speed dial for great results.
Aucma’s stand mixer is versatile enough for many recipes, from slowly blending in bulky components like almonds to speedily beating egg whites. The device comes with a beater, dough hook, and whisk for all your baking projects, and its double-handed stainless steel bowl is large enough for large batches. It has a tactile speed dial and non-slip feet to keep the steady machine while in use. As one satisfied client put it, “My 14-year-old has learned some new dishes since Covid began. For her, this mixer is ideal. She’s baked bagels, French bread, and biscotti in only a few days. Thankfully, we have a large number of neighbors with whom we can share… It’s quite simple to use and clean.”
KitchenAid 8-Quart Commercial Countertop Mixer
KitchenAid’s Commercial Countertop Mixer is a piece of fantastic equipment that even professional bakers use. This device can contain up to 16 cups of flour and is large enough to tackle even the most complex jobs. It’s also KitchenAid’s most powerful model, including a high-efficiency 1.3-horsepower engine that prevents overheating. It features ten speeds, ranging from a gentle fold to a frantic whip, and comes with a dishwasher-safe stainless steel flat beater, wire whip, and spiral dough hook.
KitchenAid’s commercial model, unlike its Artisan series, has a bowl-lift mechanism that keeps the mixer head stationary to accept denser, heavier doughs. It’s also bigger and heavier, with a height of 16.5 inches and 30 pounds. It does, however, retain the brand’s well-known hub, which can accommodate some accessories.
On Amazon, you’ll find a slew of satisfied consumers, including one who stated, “For bakers, this is the Bentley! KitchenAid has been a part of my life for decades, both in my commercial kitchen/bakery and home. However, they always groaned and toiled with heavy doughs despite their toughness. As a result, I was cautious and would rest them if they became too heated. For years, I’d been seeking a home computer that was both large enough to make a difference and powerful enough to match. This has it all, and then some.”
Cuisinart 5.5-Quart Stand Mixer
Cuisinart is a well-known kitchen brand connected with dependability, and this superb stand mixer is no exception. It has a 500-watt motor and a 12-speed dial for easy mixing everything from pizza dough to egg whites. The mixer has a splash guard to prevent ingredients from splattering out of the bowl, and its tilt-back head makes it simple to add ingredients. It also comes with a chef’s whisk, dough hook, and flat mixing paddle, among other attachments. Furthermore, the machine’s die-cast metal construction is attractive on the counter.
Users agree that the Cuisinart gadget is durable, precise, and capable of handling a variety of recipes. The stand mixer has a stunning 4.7-star rating on both Amazon and Wayfair. A Wayfair consumer wrote, “I bought this mixer about a month ago and have used it for meringues, cakes, and bread.” “It’s fantastic! The various beaters are simple to put on and remove. Even with the beaters in place, the bowl is easy to remove when the head is raised. It’s also simple to put on and take off the splash protector.”
Conclusion
Generally, choose the most potent mixer within your price range. The larger the wattage, the more influential the motor, allowing you to mix thicker dough safely. (Keep our finest homemade bread recipes on hand!) Test Kitchen suggestion: Aim for 300 watts or more power output.
KitchenAid 8-Quart Commercial Countertop Mixer is the best professional-level mixer. KitchenAid’s Commercial Countertop Mixer is fantastic equipment that even professional bakers use. This device can contain up to 16 cups of flour and is large enough to tackle even the most complex jobs.
