The 5 best stand mixers, tested and reviewed

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You can't hit a loaf of freshly baked bread, gooey cinnamon rolls, aliases a batch of homemade cookies lukewarm retired of nan oven. But it's reliable to operation nan mixed pinch conscionable a woody spoon aliases moreover a manus mixer. Luckily, a guidelines mixer tin powerfulness done mixed pinch ease, whip ovum whites to stiff meringue, and moreover mash cooked potatoes and shred chickenhearted for dinner.

I made batches of cocoa spot cooky dough, pizza dough, and whipped pick successful 11 different guidelines mixers, each varying successful size and value point. Our apical prime wide is nan KitchenAid 5-Quart Stand Mixer, which has nary issues powering done reliable dough, isn't excessively bulky, and has an approachable value tag for nan powerfulness it offers. Another apical performer and a awesome worth action was nan Cuisinart 5.5-Quart Tilt Head Stand Mixer, which retails for $200 little than our apical prime but still makes speedy and easy activity of baking tasks pinch a sleek creation and a powerful, quiet motor.

Top picks for nan champion guidelines mixers

Best overall: KitchenAid 5-Quart Tilt Head Stand Mixer – See astatine Amazon

Best value: Cuisinart 5.5-Quart Tilt Head Stand Mixer – See astatine Amazon

Best compact: KitchenAid 3.5-Quart Mini Stand Mixer – See astatine Amazon

Best for beginners: Breville The Bakery Chef Stand Mixer – See astatine Breville

Best large-capacity: Wolf Gourmet 7-Quart Stand Mixer – See astatine Amazon

Best overall

KitchenAid has been known arsenic nan crown jewel of guidelines mixers for complete 100 years, and it's for bully reason. While nan marque has a fleet of different models (we tested nan astir celebrated successful our guideline to nan best KitchenAids), nan KitchenAid Artisan 5-Quart Tilt Head Stand Mixer is nan champion wide prime for at-home, regular use.

This mixer is Goldilocks successful position of size: it's not excessively large aliases excessively small, and nan abstraction it takes up is good worthy nan powerfulness it provides. The tilt-head creation of nan guidelines mixer allows you to entree nan vessel and move attachments without reaching astir a beater; a locking knob connected nan broadside prevents nan caput from moving while mixing. While testing, it utilized a mini but mighty whisk to move dense pick into whipped pick successful conscionable 5 minutes. During nan pizza mixed trial pinch nan mixed hook, I recovered that nan mixer had nary issues connected debased speeds, but galloped a mini magnitude while connected nan higher velocity settings. The beater easy moved done a batch of cocoa spot cooky dough.

The KitchenAid 5-Quart matched aliases outperformed nan different mixers I tested. It comes pinch an approachable value tag, on pinch nan eventual versatility of tackling immoderate cooking aliases baking task acknowledgment to a agelong database of further KitchenAid attachments including a juicer, nutrient processor, nutrient grinder, pasta maker, and crystal pick maker. To customize it moreover further, you tin switch retired nan vessel for a solid aliases ceramic action and take from 29 mixer colors to create nan perfect fresh for your kitchen.

Best value

Surprisingly comparable to nan KitchenAid 5-quart guidelines mixer, this awesome Cuisinart mixer comes successful astatine a overmuch little value point. The Cuisinart mixer has a tilt-head creation pinch a lever astatine nan backmost to merchandise nan lock. The 12 velocity settings are controlled by a large, light-up dial connected nan side.

The 500-watt centrifugal was quiet while making impressively speedy activity of mixing cocoa spot cookies and kneading pizza dough. There was minimal shaking of nan mixer done some reliable doughs. The wide whisk provided awesome aeration for beautiful whipped pick successful nether 5 minutes. Plus, it tin accommodate further Cuisinart attachments including a pasta maker, nutrient grinder, spiralizer, and crystal pick maker. We haven't tested these, truthful we can't vouch for them nan measurement we tin urge nan KitchenAid attachments.

While this mixer tin easy compete pinch a KitchenAid tilt-head mixer, nan ratio of abstraction betwixt nan caput of nan mixer and nan vessel was a awesome flaw that I noticed. In bid to scrape down nan sides of nan bowl, I had to move disconnected nan mixer and merchandise assistance nan caput to assistance it, making nan process a spot much cumbersome. Overall, nan guidelines mixer is simply a coagulated action for those looking to tackle immoderate task astatine a debased value point.

Best compact

For a mini mixer that packs a punch, nan KitchenAid Mini Stand Mixer is nan perfect option. This mixer is compact, but has a 250 watt centrifugal and 10 velocity settings to execute immoderate and each baking tasks pinch ease. In comparison to 1 different mini mixer I tested, nan weight of this mixer made a immense quality successful stability.

The all-metal building makes for a durable, sturdy appliance, pinch nan aforesaid tilt-head design, broadside locking mechanism, and velocity mounting knob arsenic nan KitchenAid Artisan 5-Quart. I was amazed nan smaller capacity vessel could accommodate a afloat batch of pizza dough, but nan centrifugal handled it well, pinch minimal shaking astatine a little kneading speed. It quickly powered done beating cocoa chips into cooky dough, again pinch minimal activity and remaining reasonably quiet. However, arsenic nan mixer was brought up to higher speeds while mixing aliases kneading dough, it did statesman to shingle more.

This small mixer is perfect for those who want nan powerfulness and power that a guidelines mixer provides without nan bulk. It tin stay connected your countertop without taking up excessively overmuch space, but it's besides mini and ray capable to tuck distant successful nan pantry erstwhile not successful use.

Read our afloat review of nan KitchenAid Mini Stand Mixer to study more.

Best for beginners

Breville considered conscionable astir everything successful nan creation of this product, making it nan champion guidelines mixer for beginner bakers. It has a tilt-head creation pinch a large, easy-to-push fastener connected nan apical to merchandise nan lock. There is simply a broadside dial to set 12 velocity settings — alternatively of conscionable designated speeds pinch numbers, it has a adjuvant guideline to fto you cognize which velocity is champion for whipping, beating, and kneading.

A built-in timer connected nan broadside of nan mixer helps erstwhile recipes specify performing a mixing task for a definite magnitude of time. You usage it for illustration a stopwatch aliases group a timer to count down while mixing. The mixer besides has a ray built into nan apical of nan mixer's caput which shines into nan bowl, making it easier to spot nan consistency of your ingredients.

The mixer didn't jolt aliases snag while moving done pizza mixed and cooky dough, but astatine higher speeds, it did move somewhat connected nan counter. The ample whisk whipped dense pick to make homemade whipped pick successful conscionable 4 minutes, among nan fastest mixers we tested.

Breville includes nan modular attachments including a beater, mixed hook, and whisk, but nan mixer besides comes pinch a scraper beater. This attachment looks for illustration a modular beater, conscionable pinch spatula sides to limit really overmuch you request to scrape nan sides of nan vessel while mixing. It besides comes pinch a 4-quart stainless alloy vessel and a 5-quart solid bowl.

Best large-capacity

For a sturdy guidelines mixer that boasts professional-grade powerfulness and capacity, nan Wolf Gourmet guidelines mixer is an awesome user option. With a $1,000 value tag, we do not urge this mixer for thing different than near-professional baking operations. It is designed to tackle regular batches of cooky dough, barroom batter, breadstuff dough, and more.

In comparison to different large-capacity mixers pinch a vessel lift, this twist-and-lock creation makes it incredibly sturdy while moving done aggregate batches of dough. It besides makes it quicker and easier to entree nan vessel to scrape down nan sides if needed. The mixer has 10 velocity settings, pinch a adaptable power knob connected nan broadside that makes it easy to smoothly set nan velocity up and down. Plus, it has a beat mounting that is cleanable for incorporating ingredients without overmixing.

There were nary issues powering done a batch of pizza mixed aliases cocoa spot cooky dough. The ample whisk made speedy and easy activity of whipping dense cream, producing whipped pick successful nether 5 minutes.

At almost 30 pounds, this is an incredibly sturdy guidelines mixer, but it's not maneuverable. It does not easy fresh nether room cabinets, takes up a ample magnitude of antagonistic space, and is almost excessively hefty to move around.

What to look for successful a guidelines mixer

Attachments and accessories: Most guidelines mixers see a assortment of attachments specified arsenic a paddle, mixed hook, and whisk. These are nan 3 basal devices for utilizing nan guidelines mixer for a assortment of recipes. It's important to cheque if nan guidelines mixer you scheme to acquisition comes pinch these basal accessories, on pinch immoderate different add-ons. Many guidelines mixers besides travel pinch a scatter defender aliases pouring shield. Some person nan action to acquisition further accessories specified arsenic a nutrient grinder, pasta roller, aliases crystal pick shaper to connect to nan front.

Size and capacity: To find nan champion guidelines mixer for your needs, deliberation astir really often you intend to usage your mixer and wherever it mightiness beryllium kept aliases stored. If you scheme to time off it retired connected your countertop, does it person a ample footprint? Does it measurement excessively overmuch to prime up and move connected a regular basis? It's besides important to support successful mind nan capacity of nan bowl. Most recipes tin beryllium made successful a 5-quart bowl, but you whitethorn beryllium willing successful making bigger batches.

Speed settings: The velocity settings connected a guidelines mixer are what will springiness you power complete nan mixing process. Every guidelines mixer has a different number of velocity settings. Lower speeds tackle folding and beating, while higher speeds are champion for beating frosting and whipping whipped pick aliases ovum whites for meringue.

Material: The building of a guidelines mixer is cardinal to its performance. Most guidelines mixers are made retired of die-cast metal, which makes for a solid-metal base. The weight of this guidelines plays a cardinal domiciled successful providing stableness while beating aliases kneading. Many fund guidelines mixers are constructed from plastic, which doesn't connection arsenic overmuch weight. Consider nan types of recipes you whitethorn beryllium making successful your guidelines mixer to find nan mixer constructed from nan champion worldly for you.

How we tested

Each of nan 11 guidelines mixers we evaluated was put done a bid of tests, including making a batch of cocoa spot cooky dough, a batch of pizza dough, and a batch of homemade whipped cream. This allowed america to trial nan mixer utilizing nan paddle, mixed hook, and whisk attachments if those attachments were included successful nan box.

• Beating: I made a batch of cocoa spot cooky mixed successful each guidelines mixer utilizing nan paddle attachment. With this test, I assessed really good nan mixer performed while creaming food and sugar, on pinch really nan centrifugal while mixing a reliable mixed pinch cocoa chips included.
• Kneading: I made a batch of pizza mixed utilizing nan mixed hook connected each guidelines mixer. I evaluated each guidelines mixer based connected its expertise to knead nan mixed without immoderate centrifugal snagging issues.
• Whipping: I poured 1 cup of dense whipping pick successful each guidelines mixer and utilized nan whisk attachment to make homemade whipped cream. I timed each mixer to spot really agelong it took to execute this task, on pinch assessing for immoderate issues passim nan process.
• Size and capacity: I evaluated each guidelines mixer based connected its size and really overmuch abstraction it took up connected nan countertop, on pinch nan capacity of nan mixing vessel to execute each task.

FAQs

What is nan champion powerfulness for a guidelines mixer?

To find nan champion guidelines mixer, it's important that nan centrifugal tin powerfulness done astir batters and doughs you're making. A mixer pinch astatine slightest 300 watts to 550 watts will person nary issues kneading reliable mixed and making double batches of cookies.

Is a manus mixer amended than a guidelines mixer?

Stand mixers are astir often constructed from metal, making them overmuch heavier than moreover nan best manus mixer. They're meant for countertop usage and free up your hands. Hand mixers are mostly little costly and smaller, but request to beryllium held passim nan mixing task and are little powerful. For occasional bakers aliases those pinch really constricted space, manus mixers are a awesome choice. Still, if you tin plaything it, nan champion guidelines mixers springiness you much versatility and power.

What are nan different types of guidelines mixers?

The 2 main types of guidelines mixers are nan tilt-head and nan bowl-lift. A tilt-head guidelines mixer is built pinch a hinge, which lifts nan apical of nan mixer to make room for securing nan vessel aliases replacing nan attachment. Tilt caput mixers besides typically person a fastener system to support nan centrifugal and apical of nan mixer from moving excessively overmuch while mixing. A bowl-lift mixer is built pinch a stationery apical head. It has a grip to raise aliases little nan vessel to fastener it successful place.

What tin you make successful a guidelines mixer?

While guidelines mixers are astir often utilized for baking related tasks specified arsenic whipping meringues, making doughs, aliases mixing barroom batters, they person a wide scope of uses. Cooked potatoes tin beryllium whipped successful a guidelines mixer for delicious, creamy mashed potatoes, and cooked chickenhearted tin beryllium shredded successful a guidelines mixer. Check retired Insider's reappraisal of different stand mixer hacks.