Food mixer buying guide

Aug 25, 2023

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It's stand mixers vs electric whisks and our GHI experts have the low-down

If you’ve watched The Great British Bake Off and envied their stand mixers, snap. These handy – and stylish – appliances make your path to star baker much easier, but they’re a serious investment. If you’re not an avid baker or you have a small kitchen, a hand mixer may be the savvier buy.

This is where our trusted experts come in. Over the years at the Good Housekeeping Institute, we’ve tested more mixers than we can count. So, to help you find the best food mixer whatever your budget, we've compiled this detailed guide covering everything you need to know…

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If you’re baking often or in large quantities, there’s no doubt that a sturdy stand mixer will make your life easier, saving you time and effort. Their powerful motors and range of settings and attachments mean they can competently tackle any food mixing task, from whisking to kneading.

Stand mixers comprise a fixed stand with a levered arm where you plug in your different accessories. Beaters, dough hooks and whisks generally come as standard, while bigger brands like KitchenAid and Kenwood offer other tools available to purchase separately – from meat grinders to pasta makers. They also come with at least one bowl.

They can cost hundreds, but it’s possible to find one for every budget; we’ve found a few value buys that will only set you back around £60.

The main difference when it comes to pricier models (aside from improved build quality) is that they tend to have bigger motors and a more advanced mixing system. The latter is known as a planetary mixing action, meaning the tools rotate individually at the same time as the mixer moves them around the bowl, achieving a more thorough mix.

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Score: 96/100

Score: 94/100

Score: 94/100

Score: 93/100

Score: 91/100

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If you're better described as a sporadic baker, an electric whisk will still offer many of the capabilities of a stand mixer, but at a fraction of the cost. Our top picks range from £15 to about £150.

Most whisk, beat, whip and even knead with ease, but you must hold them while they work, meaning more effort is required than with a stand mixer you plug in and leave.

Hand mixers are also worth considering if your kitchen is on the small side, as they're more compact and therefore easier to store.

Attachments vary from model to model, but beaters come as standard and some have dough hooks too. One on our list even has a grinder attachment.

Hand mixers have fewer speed settings than most stand mixers, but we’ve tested ones with five to seven, so they should still offer enough control to suit most amateur chefs.

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Score: 94/100

Score: 92/100

Score: 92/100

Score: 90/100

Score: 90/100

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Whether you think a stand or hand mixer will fit better in your kitchen, you’ll need to think about the following criteria before you invest:

Basic attachments: Every mixer will come with some attachments supplied as standard. The main ones to look out for are:

Some stand mixers also come with a splash guard. This is a lid that fits over the bowl and around the arm of the mixer to prevent food from flying out of the bowl.

Sometimes, a useful flexible beater is supplied with stand mixers. These are regular beaters with a rubber or silicone edge for scraping ingredients off the sides of the bowl when in use.

Storage: You will need far more storage space for a stand mixer and its accessories. But keep in mind that you don’t always have to stash stand mixers in a cupboard – this is the one appliance you may well want to keep on your worktop.

Either way, measure your space and check the machine’s dimensions before buying. If you're planning on storing it in a cupboard, check the weight too, as stand mixers can be hefty.

For electric whisks, make sure you’ll have room for the body and any attachments. Again, check the weight, as they can quickly start to feel heavy when you’re holding them.

With stand mixers, there are a couple of additional features worth looking into before you buy:

Bowl capacity: Stand mixer bowls typically vary between four and five litres, but we‘ve tested some with bowls as small as three litres and as big as seven litres.

As well as cupboard space, consider what you tend to bake; if it’s large batches, go for a larger bowl. And, if you tend to bake multiple things at a time, look for a mixer that comes with multiple bowls of different capacities to save on washing up and add more versatility.

Bowl material: This all comes down to personal preference. Most mixing bowls are made of stainless steel, which handily tends to be dishwasher safe.

However, there are other options on the market, such as ceramic or glass. With the latter, you’ll be able to see the mix more clearly, but wear-and-tear can also show up more.

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Hannah is our senior homes writer, specialising in reviewing the latest kitchen appliances, cleaning products, mattresses and bedding, and crafting equipment. Hannah has written about hundreds of products, from air fryers to smoothie makers to pillows, and is committed to finding the most reliable and best value for money buys. Hannah is also interested in sustainability in the home and has completed a course with the University of the Arts London in sustainable textiles, so she can help cut through the noise on what’s green and what’s not. Hannah helps to uncover the best cleaning hacks too, with a focus on easy, natural solutions. Hannah has an MA in Magazine Journalism and has previously worked as a freelance lifestyle and women’s sports journalist, working for Stylist, Sky Sports and more. Hannah has also previously worked in a florist and can normally be found caring for her house plants or sewing something new for her home or wardrobe. You can find Hannah on Instagram on @sewnbyhan

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