Whether you need to bake for a crowd or yourself, mixing and whipping are crucial for any baking recipe. If you have been using a hand mixer, or even your good old trusty wooden spoon to get this done – then you know how exhausting it can be. Especially when you are required to keep at it for a long time. While it is necessary to get the right consistency, this strenuous arm workout is not ideal for every situation.
Although, we have got the next best thing: an electric stand mixer! It is not far from that robot butler dream. Sure, the exaggeration may sound silly, but there is no going back once you use a stand mixer, you will see just how easier it all gets!
If you are planning on purchasing a new stand mixer, then you are at the right place! We have put together a list of the best kitchen stand mixers available right now. We have also jotted down the pros and cons of each mixer to help you make an informed decision.
Our Top Picks
Frigidaire ESTM020
Hamilton Beach Electric Stand Mixer
Aucma Stand Mixer
Cuisinart SM-50R
Kitchenaid KP26M1XER Professional 600 Series
RESEARCH & REVIEW SUMMARY
Frigidaire ESTM020
Frigidaire is a very popular brand in the US that specializes in refrigerators and other kitchen items. In fact, their popularity led people in the US to start calling their refrigerators a “Fridge”, regardless of the brand. If you are a beginner baker looking for something simple and efficient, in other words, “to get the job done”, without breaking the bank, then you should be looking at this 6-speed stand mixer. The pros of owning a Frigidaire ESTM020 far outweigh the cons, making this a great purchase! The lightweight stand mixer has a paddle that can beat, whisk, and incorporate ingredients in the bowl – saving you time and effort.
Specifications
Dimensions: 14.37 x 9.21 x 11.69 inches
Weight: 9.1 pounds
Hamilton Beach Electric Stand Mixer
Hamilton Beach has been around for over a hundred years. They are known for their mini motor machines, such as the mixers. Their electric stand mixer is another budget-friendly mixer suitable for casual bakers looking to get their baking game on. However, this is not one of those mixers that you can turn on and leave alone. It tends to start shaking during heavy-duty work, so you will need to keep an eye on it. The rubber feet help with the grip, so it does not slip and slide on the counter. Some users have mentioned a burning smell that tends to give off while used on higher speeds, but overall it does not have any durability issues. The affordable price is set to compete with higher-end brands by offering similar functionalities without costing as much.
Specifications
Dimensions: 13.1 x 8.5 x 13 inches
Weight: 10.16 pounds
Aucma Stand Mixer
Known for its reliability, Aucma is a company founded in China that has been one of the most popular household appliance brands for quite some time now. For an affordable price, this stand mixer performs like a high-end stand mixer. It has the most powerful motor on this list, which allows it to handle heavy loads very efficiently. It also has a strong build, although unfortunately, that also makes it very heavy. However, it has suction cups at the bottom that help keep it sturdy. Additionally, there is a slight gap between the paddle and bowl, which means you have to incorporate the ingredients manually to get the best results.
Specifications
Dimensions: 15.24 x 9.37 x 12.36 inches
Weight: 10.36 pounds
Cuisinart SM-50R
Cuisinart is an American brand that began in 1973 by an engineer and eventually became an extremely popular home appliance brand. Known for its variety, this brand can provide something for everyone. This stand mixer is perfect for anyone that needs a specific setting to get their preferred result. Thanks to its 12-speed motor, it can cater to almost any precision speed that you may need. It is quite lightweight and an easy-to-work appliance that can take care of any average-size mixing and beating loads.
Specifications
Dimensions: 14.17 x 7.87 x 14.13 inches
Weight: 18.35 pounds
Kitchenaid KP26M1XER Professional 600 Series
Kitchenaid created one of the first models of an electric stand mixer. Since then, they have been perfecting the art to bring us a high-end, high-performance stand mixer. Although it is on the pricier side, a kitchen stand mixer helps you get the best result every time. It even looks great and has various colour options to match any shade of your kitchen décor. The 10-speed motor, which runs very smoothly, and 12 different attachments will allow you to be versatile in your style of baking and even cooking.
Specifications
Dimensions: 9 x 7.25 x 17 inches
Weight: 29 pounds
Performance Comparison
Frigidaire ESTM020
Dough Hook
The Frigidaire stand mixer is for casual baking, so it works best with smaller dough/sticky batter quantities. Besides the reasonably average beating performance, it has a quirk; the hook tends to get the dough spiralling to the top. So, we recommend that you take short breaks to make sure the dough stays at the bottom.
Beating
When using the paddle attachment, the Frigidaire can get the job done if there is a larger quantity of ingredients in the bowl. This is because the blade attachment does not fully reach the bottom/sides, leaving a gap that allows the ingredients not to incorporate together completely. Although, this can be prevented by pausing to mix with a spatula manually.
Whipping
As the whisk attachment does not fully reach the bottom of the bowl, it can make whipping a bit tricky as well. To get that perfect whipped cream that also tastes great, you will have to make sure to use the highest setting and scrape everything together manually, at least once.
Hamilton Beach Electric Stand Mixer
Dough Hook
When it comes to using the dough hook, the Hamilton Beach mixer does not disappoint. The 7-speed motor can give you a pretty consistent performance with only a little bit of ingredients getting stuck to the sides. This is expected as the hook here also does not fully reach the bottom of the bowl. This can also be an easy fix by simply scraping the sides down with a spatula.
Beating
Mixing with the Hamilton Beach takes a bit longer than it would take some of the other mixers. However, if you can be patient and let the mixer do its thing, you will not be disappointed with the result, as it has planetary movement that adds to its mixing capabilities.
Whipping
Thanks to its 7-speed settings, this Hamilton Beach stand mixer can whip up some great whipped cream. The one thing with this is that you will need to keep an eye on the bowl to scrape down the sides when necessary. This will make sure that the whip will have the consistency that you require.
Aucma Stand Mixer
Dough Hook
When it comes to using the dough hook, the Aucma can give an outstanding performance thanks to its combination of a high-power motor and planetary movement.
Beating
Mixing can be a little tricky with the Aucma stand mixer, even though it is powerful – the gap between the paddle and bowl may make it harder for the ingredients to incorporate together easily. However, if you work with larger quantities, then this will not be a problem. The many adjustment settings, along with its strong build, make it one of the best stand mixers for baking.
Whipping
The high-speed settings of this Aucma result in great whipping for large batches. Expect to have a great whip when you are done using this mixer! If you are working with a small batch, however, the result might not be as great.
Cuisinart SM-50R
Dough Hook
The Cuisinart can offer more precision than performance. The hook used for dough and sticky batter is lightweight, making it great for beginners as it is easy to control and clean.
Beating
Mixing with this Cuisinart is adequate as it incorporates everything together evenly. You do not have to worry about leftover ingredients that did not get mixed in properly. However, the lightweight build of this mixer will struggle a little if you are using a larger batch.
Whipping
The 12-speed motor offers plenty of speed that is sure to take care of any whipping requirements. It can whip up an incredible amount of airy volume and stiff peaks within a reasonably short time.
Kitchenaid KP26M1XER Professional 600 Series
Dough Hook
Although not the most powerful on the list, this Kitchenaid’s motor delivers the right amount of power. The high price point feels worth it when you see it in action. It is made for heavy-duty work, which makes this stand mixer one of the best for bread dough. Speed adjustments also allow you to change your pace as necessary for the perfect result quickly, and the design prevents the dough from becoming messy.
Beating
The wide range of attachment options, combined with the powerful motor, allows the Kitchenaid to mix all types of ingredients without a lack in performance.
Whipping
This Kitchenaid provides the best quality whip than any other stand mixers. The strong build and fast motor outperform all the other stand mixers on this list.
Final Verdict
When it comes to picking the best all-rounder stand mixer from the list, we considered a few things: features, build, quality, and the price of each product.
drum roll and our chosen winner is… the Aucma electric stand mixer! This is the best stand mixer overall that you can own. It meets all the correct requirements and even surpasses some of them.
On the other hand, the Kitchenaid professional 600 series should be a no-brainer if it meets your budget, as the Kitchenaid is what sets the standards for these mixers.
In contrast to that, the Frigidaire ESTM020 can be a great helping hand in the kitchen, and since it is the lowest price, some of its “flaws” can be overlooked.
That wraps up all of our research on these electric stand mixers. We hope that you found this helpful and can make a more informed decision now. Good luck with finding your electric baking sidekick!
Senior Editor at Inspired Kitchen and a full-time mother and a kitchen queen.
