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Kitchen Mixer Buying Guide
A good kitchen mixer is one of the handiest domestic tools you can have. The powered beaters do all the work for you – better than you could by hand. The popularity of kitchen mixers means that there are numerous options to choose from on the market.
Here is a basic Kitchen mixer Buying Guide to help you determine which option is best for you.
How kitchen mixers work
Kitchen mixers are comprised of a large mixer head mounted on a base or platform. A motor in the head spins an attached beater or beaters at a range of speeds. The head on most mixers can be lifted up or down, allowing you to easily add ingredients, attach beaters or scrape the mixing bowl.
Kitchen mixers come with one or more mixing bowls that either attach to a stationary base or sit on a round turntable.
Kitchen mixer uses
Kitchen mixers can be used for a range of mixing purposes. They are particularly useful for whipping cream or egg whites, which can be a pain to mix by hand. Plus, the extra air that is folded into the mixture by the spinning of the beaters makes for fluffier cream and stiffer meringues.
Kitchen mixer features
Size and capacity
Choose a kitchen mixer that doesn’t take up too much bench space, but still has enough power and capacity to do what you need it to.
For lighter jobs, try Sunbeam Mix Mixmaster or the Kenwood Patissier Mixer.
For more heavy-duty mixing, consider a Breville Wizz Planetary Mixer or the Kenwood KM030 Chef Kitchen Machine.
Weight
Aim for a mixer that is sturdy enough not to topple over, but still light enough for you to move it or put it away.
Attachments
Most kitchen mixers come with one or more bowls and either single or paired beaters, wire whisks and dough hooks. There are a wide range of optional attachments that can be purchased for use with certain models, from splash guards to sausage stuffers, pasta makers and meat grinders.
Speed
Most kitchen mixers have a number of variable speeds, allowing you considerable control over how your ingredients are mixed. Some machines – like the popular Kenwood Patissier Mixer and the Sunbeam Cafe Series Mixmaster – feature as many as 12 speeds.
Locking power heads
Look for a kitchen mixer that is able to lock the power head in the "up" position, so it doesn’t fall into the bowl when the beaters are weighed down with mixture. Similarly, you should also be able to lock it down so beaters don't ride up in the bowl. Kitchen mixers with this feature include the Kenwood KMix Stand Mixer and the Sunbeam Mixmaster Series II.
Kitchen Mixer Brands
Kenwood
Kenwood is a manufacturer of kitchen mixers and other small kitchen appliances, founded in 1947 by entrepreneur Kenneth Wood. Since the 1950s, Kenwood has been renowned for producing high-quality, reliable products and is committed to maintaining this standard with its next generation. Today, Kenwood is a household name with a distribution network in over 80 countries.
Kenwood kitchen mixers include the Kenwood KMix Stand Mixer, the Kenwood KM002B EON Chef Classic Kitchen Machine and the Kenwood KMC510 Premier Chef Kitchen Mixer.
Breville
Founded in Sydney in 1932, Breville is a manufacturer of small kitchen appliances renowned for design and innovation. Breville found fame in 1974 as the inventor of the sandwich toaster; today, the company has provided inspiration to generations of customers and is sold in over 30 countries around the globe.
Breville kitchen mixers include the Breville Wizz Planetary Mixer and the Breville BEM800 Mixer in Red.
Sunbeam
Australian-owned Sunbeam has been producing household appliances for over 100 years; in 1948, Sunbeam launched the Sunbeam Mixmaster, the first small electrical appliance to be manufactured in Australia. The Mixmaster went on to sell more than 725,000 units in just 10 years. Today, Sunbeam continues its commitment to simple, sophisticated and elegant design.
Sunbeam kitchen mixers include the Sunbeam Mix Mixmaster, the Sunbeam Mixmaster Series II and the Sunbeam Cafe Series Mixmaster.
