If you do some light baking as a hobby or make the occasional treat while entertaining house guests, a hand mixer can be a useful kitchen gadget that lets you mix, combine and whip everything from cookie batter to icing and bread dough. And you’re not just limited to baking with a hand mixer: Like stand mixers — which are larger appliances that can withstand heavy duty mixing jobs — these tools can be used to shred chicken, mash potatoes and more. While these kitchen tools aren’t usually as strong as stand mixers, they’re an affordable and lightweight alternative that can perform similar functions.
SKIP AHEAD Best hand mixers
“Hand mixers are a great place to start for beginner bakers — they are low investment and they’re compact, which means they’re easy to store, travel with, and use compared to a much larger and heavier stand mixer,” said Katie Stymiest, a recipe developer and founder of Caked by Katie.
Most hand mixers have many of the same functions, though specific speed settings, attachments and other key features may vary. To help you find the right one for your baking needs, we’ve compiled some highly rated options from Select reader favorite brands at a variety of price points.
How to shop for a hand mixer
When shopping for a mixer, your first consideration should be the types of tasks you’ll be performing regularly. From there, you can determine whether you’ll need a simple hand mixer or a more advanced stand mixer. As Michelle Lettrich, a food blogger and creator of Brown Eyed Baker, pointed out in our guide to stand mixers: “If you don't anticipate making large batches of things, there is no reason to spring for a large mixer.”
Stymiest noted that hand mixers are best used for single batches of batter, such as cake, cupcakes and homemade whipped cream. However, if you’re stuck between a hand mixer and a stand mixer, she recommended considering how much physical labor you’ll want to dedicate when baking: A hand mixer needs to be held, while a stand mixer doesn’t need to move from the counter to do its job and can be left running while you do other activities in the kitchen.
According to Consumer Reports’ “Mixer Buying Guide,” there are a few key features you should pay attention to when shopping for a hand mixer:
Speed: Hand mixers can have as many as 12 speed settings, with slow, medium and fast settings available depending on the mixture you’re making.
Stability: Some hand mixers feature an indentation under the motor so it can easily rest on the edge of a bowl.
Beaters and attachments: Typical types of beaters that come with a hand mixer include straight wire beaters and twisted wire beaters, while other attachments may include dough hooks and whisks.
Storage: Some hand mixers offer built-in storage compartments that’ll let you store the beaters, attachments and the cord, making it even more compact for small settings.
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Highly rated hand mixers to shop
To recommend the below hand mixers, we compiled a few highly rated options from Select reader favorite brands that we’ve previously covered. In line with our experts’ guidance, each of the following options includes multiple speed settings and attachments like beaters, dough hooks and whisks.
KitchenAid 5-Speed Ultra Power Hand Mixer
This KitchenAid hand mixer can be a good option for beginners who want to avoid the bells and whistles of a high-end mixer. It features five speeds ranging from a slow stirring motion to a speed fast enough for whipping heavy cream, according to the brand. It also comes with dishwasher-safe stainless steel beaters, and you can choose from multiple colors, including Aqua Sky and Empire Red. This mixer boasts a 4.7-star average rating from more than 13,300 reviews on Amazon.
Cuisinart 5-Speed Hand Mixer
Another good option for beginners, the Cuisinart 5-Speed Hand Mixer — which has a 4.6-star average rating from over 13,500 reviews on Amazon — offers easy-to-use speed control buttons and a heel rest to comfortably position the mixer on your counter, according to the brand. This hand mixer includes two extra-long beaters that are dishwasher-safe, and it also features a rotating swivel cord for both right- and left-handed use, Cuisinart says.
Breville Handy Mix Scraper
This high-tech option from Breville is equipped with electronic sensors that automatically adjust the speed based on the attachment you’re using to ensure consistent mixing, the brand says. It features nine speed settings and comes with two scrape beaters with a silicone tip for a quieter mixing experience, as well as pairs of dough hooks and balloon whisks for various mixing needs. It also includes a quick-release trigger to remove the included beaters, as well as a storage box to keep the attachments and cord in one place. The mixer earned a 4.7-star average rating from more than 2,100 reviews on Amazon.
Hamilton Beach Power Deluxe 6-Speed Electric Hand Mixer
This affordable option from Hamilton Beach features six speeds, along with the brand’s “QuickBurst” function that adds extra power when needed. For storage, the hand mixer comes with a snap-on case in which you can store the attachments, which include two beaters and a whisk. The built-in groove also allows you to rest it on the bowl so there’s less mess, according to the brand. The mixer currently has a 4.6-star average rating from over 51,500 Amazon reviews.
Cuisinart Power Advantage Plus 9-Speed Hand Mixer
Cuisinart’s nine-speed hand mixer is equipped with the brand’s “SmoothStart” function, which has three low-start speeds that can prevent splatters and messes when combining or whipping ingredients, the brand says. Like several other options on this list, the included attachments — two beaters, a chef's whisk, dough hooks and a spatula — can be stored in the clear, snap-on storage case, while the LED display allows you to adjust the speed at the touch of a button, Cuisinart says. This mixer currently has a 4.6-star average rating from over 13,500 Amazon shoppers.
KitchenAid Cordless 7 Speed Hand Mixer
If you’re looking for an electric hand mixer that won’t require you to untangle a cord, this one from KitchenAid has a rechargeable battery that allows it to be used multiple times before a light signals it’s time to recharge — the brand says the battery can recharge from empty to full in two hours or less. It offers seven speeds, including a slow stir for larger ingredients, medium for creaming butter and sugar, and a high speed option to whip heavy cream, according to KitchenAid.
Braun MultiMix Hand Mixer
The Braun MultiMix has nine speed settings to choose from, plus a Turbo option that can help mix tougher ingredients — and all speeds can be easily adjusted using a thumb-operated dial at the top of the device, according to the brand. It also comes with a pair of dough hooks and the brand’s MultiWhisk attachment, which Braun says works as both a whisk and a beater in one. The attachments are all dishwasher-safe and can be put away in the included storage bag.
Dash Smart Store Compact Hand Mixer
Another budget-friendly pick, this three-speed option from Dash is lightweight — weighing in at a little over 2 pounds — and compact enough to fit inside a standard kitchen drawer, according to the brand. It equips a one-touch eject button to remove the stainless steel beaters for easy clean-up, and the beaters clip to the side of the base once you’re done for simple and compact storage, Dash says. The mixer has a 4.5-star average rating from over 9,200 reviews on Amazon.
Meet our experts
At Select, we work with experts who have specialized knowledge and authority based on relevant training and/or experience. We also take steps to ensure that all expert advice and recommendations are made independently and with no undisclosed financial conflicts of interest.
- Katie Stymiest is a recipe developer and founder of Caked by Katie.
- Michelle Lettrich is a food blogger and creator of Brown Eyed Baker.
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