Comparison: Best Stand.Mixer (Updated | Dec 9th)

A tilt-head mixer allows you to pivot the head back by a lever, providing easy access to the bowl for adding ingredients or changing attachments. Bowl-lift models use a lever to raise and lower the bowl into a fixed mixing position, which offers more stability for heavy doughs and larger capacities. Tilt-head models are generally more common for home use, while bowl-lift is standard for larger, heavy-duty mixers.

For everyday tasks like cake batter, cookies, and whipping cream, a mixer with around 250-300 watts is perfectly sufficient. If you frequently work with dense bread doughs or large batches, you should look for a more powerful model, typically 500 watts or more. It’s important to consider the motor’s torque and design, not just the wattage, as a well-engineered motor can handle tough tasks more effectively.

A 4.5 to 5-quart bowl is ideal for most families, as it can handle recipes for several dozen cookies or two loaves of bread. A smaller 3.2-quart bowl is great for individuals, couples, or those with very limited kitchen space. For avid bakers or large families, a 6-quart or larger bowl is better for handling big batches and heavy recipes.

Not necessarily. While having more speed options provides greater control, most bakers find that 6 to 10 speeds cover the full range of necessary tasks, from a slow stir to a fast whip. The most important feature is a slow starting speed to prevent ingredient splatter. The quality of the motor and the consistency of the speeds are more important than the sheer number of them.

A power hub on the front of the mixer unlocks a world of possibilities by allowing you to connect dozens of optional attachments. These attachments can turn your mixer into a pasta maker, food grinder, vegetable spiralizer, ice cream maker, and more. This versatility makes the stand mixer a true multi-purpose kitchen appliance, saving you money and storage space.

Premium brands often offer superior durability, with all-metal construction and robust motors that can last for decades. They also provide a wider selection of compatible attachments and a well-established reputation for performance and customer support. While more expensive upfront, a high-quality mixer can be a long-term investment that outlasts cheaper alternatives.

A stand mixer is a powerful, hands-free appliance that sits on your countertop, allowing you to work on other tasks while it mixes. It is essential for heavy-duty jobs like kneading bread dough. A hand mixer is smaller, more portable, and better suited for lighter tasks like whipping cream or mixing cake batter where you want more direct control.

Planetary mixing action is a key feature for achieving consistent results, as the beater rotates in one direction while it orbits around the bowl in the other. This ensures every part of the bowl is reached, scraping the sides and bottom thoroughly for a uniform mix. Mixers without this action may leave pockets of unmixed ingredients, requiring you to stop and scrape the bowl by hand.