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A hand mixer is a worthwhile investment for even a beginner cook or baker. But prices vary widely, from under $20 to over $100. As you consider your options, you might be worried about a budget model giving out during the middle of a cookie batch or an expensive one gathering dust on a shelf. Thankfully, there are lot of quality options at a variety of price points. The main thing you need to know to find the best hand mixer is what you’re comfortable spending and what your needs are.
Basic models typically will come with a few speed settings, beater attachments (for cake and cookie doughs), and at least one whisk attachment (for foods like meringue and whipped cream). More expensive models will offer more speed settings, a more powerful motor, and even additional attachments, like a dough hook for pizza crust and bread.
If you’re just mixing up sweets a few times a year (or already have a stand mixer for heftier jobs), a budget model is a fine bet. Even the limited speed controls will be powerful enough to allow you to cream butter or gently fold batters. A whisk attachment is also nice to have, even if it's only to occasionally make whipped cream. But if you’re looking for an alternative to a stand mixer, either because of budget or limited counter space, it’s worth spending more for added power. In addition to being able to make bread doughs with a hook attachment, the wider range of speeds will also come in handy with more delicate baking projects like meringue.
From a budget model that mixes your cake batter for less than $20 to a customer-favorite with more than 3,000 reviews, you’ll find the best hand mixer for your needs below.
1
The Overall Best Hand Mixer
Not too basic, but not too pricey, this hand mixer is great for serious home chefs and beginners alike. Five speeds are basically all you’ll need to do most tasks, from whipping egg whites to mixing heavy-duty doughs. While it doesn’t come with a whisk attachment, the curved beaters are designed to tackle most hand mixer jobs, including whipping cream. Lightweight and easy to handle, the beater attachments also have one-touch ejection for mess-free cleaning. Plus, it comes in 15 colors.
With more than 2,500 positive reviews, customers especially like the speed range of this model. "Most hand mixers don't have a real slow speed and they flip whatever you are mixing all over the place," wrote one reviewer. "With this one you can start out slow and build up your speed. It works great."
2
The Best Budget Hand Mixer
If all that talk of bread doughs and egg whites are not for you, there’s no reason to spend more than $20 on a hand mixer. This Hamilton Beach hand mixer model has six speeds and is strong enough to whip cream or icing. You may find that it even comes in handy for speeding up mixing jobs that don’t typically require a hand mixer, like making cookies or brownies. It also isn’t completely bare-bones — an included storage case keeps the beater and whisk attachments together so they're easy to find, and a groove in the body of the mixer lets you rest it on your bowl (make sure it's mostly full first, though) if you need to pause to consult a recipe.
3
The Best Investment
If you want something that practically replaces a stand mixer, this is your pick. With more speeds, power, and attachments than our best overall pick, you have even more control. The beaters, whisks, and dough hook attachments included allow you to tackle a number of baking and cooking projects with finesse. A blending rod is even included for purees, though it won’t replace an immersion blender. Instead, you might find it handy for frothing milk for coffee drinks. Like my cheaper KitchenAid pick, this one features an ejector button for the attachments and a swiveling extension cord for better maneuverability. It has a 4.4-star rating after more than 1,200 reviews, with one reviewer writing: "This is a great mixer -- versatile, easy to use, does everything well and cleans up easily. It is everything you'd want in a mixer, even mixing bread and other heavy dough. A great product with an array of useful attachments."
4
The Best Cordless Hand Mixer
Smaller or older kitchens can pose a problem for even the most intrepid chefs if there aren’t a ton of outlets. Before you throw in the towel and get a hand-cranked model, check out this well-rated cordless hand mixer option. It has three speeds that can easily be adjusted with one hand, as well as beater and whisk attachments and an eject button for easier clean-up. The NutriChef can also recharge easily via its USB port. Customers loved the retractable cord and found that it was strong enough for simple jobs like mixing batters.
5
The Best Hand Mixer For Small Spaces
Hand mixers aren’t huge, but with the various accessories and storage cases they come with, they can still take up valuable real estate in small kitchens. Dash’s compact hand mixer is small enough to fit in a kitchen drawer with the beaters tucked into the handles, making it a great option for apartments and small homes. But because of its small footprint, there’s no whisk attachment for whipped cream or egg whites. Even if you don’t have a small kitchen, however, you might find this small option your best bet if you only need a hand mixer a few times a year.
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