Hand mixers Vs. stand mixers, which one will you choose? Which one do you think is the better kitchen appliance?
An electric mixer has become an indispensable appliance in the kitchen. A home chef used to make cookie dough by hand, beat egg whites with their bare hands, and knead their bread to make lofty loaves long before they arrived on the culinary scene. Now, an electric mixer can take care of all of those tasks for you, and it will probably do a better job. Before you buy an electric stand mixer or hand mixer, here are a few things you should know.
Hand Mixers vs. Stand Mixers
A stand mixer has a motorized base with a bowl that locks underneath the beaters and a head holding the attachments. The motor of a hand mixer, meanwhile, is housed in a lightweight housing on which removable beaters are mounted. The mixer is held over a bowl and can be moved to ensure that its contents are evenly mixed. In general, a stand mixer tends to be more expensive because it is a larger and typically more powerful piece of equipment.
Both types are not perfect. Because a stand mixer has a stronger motor, it can handle stiffer doughs, such as thick cookie dough or bread dough. You can also buy stand mixer accessories that allow you to make everything from ice cream to sausage using the machine. Nevertheless, decent stand mixers are also expensive (starting around $200). As they are bulky and heavy, they will likely need to be stored or take up a lot of counter space.
In addition to being compact, hand mixers can easily be stored in cabinets or drawers. Prices for decent models start at under $100. Having a handheld mixer allows you to control the path the beaters take, moving them around the bowl to ensure that no ingredients are missed. In addition to using it with bowls of any size, you can also use it in the kitchen. Hand mixers have the disadvantage of not being as powerful, so they are really only good for thinner, softer doughs and batters, as well as whipping cream or beating egg whites.
Many baking enthusiasts choose to use both, since the hand mixer is relatively inexpensive and suitable for smaller baking projects and can also be stored, if they have the space. A hand mixer that converts into a stand mixer is Cuisinart’s Power Advantage Hand/Stand Mixer.
Hand mixers Vs. stand mixers: Does Brand Matter?
KitchenAid is probably the best-known brand in the mixer category, especially when it comes to stand mixers. A company created the category when it released the first kitchen stand mixer in 1919. KitchenAid is popular, but it is not necessarily the best option, nor is it the only one.
The KitchenAid mixers are divided into the Classic Series, Professional Series, and Commercial Series.
The entry-level stand mixers are available from Sunbeam and Hamilton Beach for less than $50, but are not as durable and have smaller bowls than other models. They’re also made of lighter materials, which means they’re not as sturdy and may “creep” across the counter, particularly if they’re beating a particularly stiff dough.
A Breville stand mixer with a timer and die-cast metal construction at the high end is well worth the money. There are also optional attachments such as a countdown timer available from Cuisinart. Viking makes one of the most expensive, and best-quality, mixers. It has one of the most powerful motors on the market (1000 watts), a metal gear transmission, and even wheels for easy movement around the counter (nice touch considering it weighs more than 20 pounds).
Small appliance manufacturers make hand mixers, and the performance of higher-priced models is not necessarily better than more affordable models, though more expensive models might have extra features or a better design.
In the end, the best advice is to choose the brand that you think has the best reputation or the best quality product you can afford. Looking for the best hand mixers? We have a list you can check.
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Hi there! I’m a food enthusiast and journalist, and I have a real passion for food that goes beyond the kitchen. I love my dream job and I’m lucky enough to be able to share my knowledge with readers of several large media outlets. My specialty is writing engaging food-related content, and I take pride in being able to connect with my audience. I’m known for my creativity in the kitchen, and I’m confident that I can be the perfect guide for anyone looking to take their culinary journey to the next level.
