Best Hand Mixer 2020 – Buyer’s Guide

If you are to look at any review compilation of the best stand mixers on the market, including our own, you’ll probably see a KitchenAid Artisan model in the top three at the very least, if not at the very top.

This hand mixer has everything the stand model has. A sleek, stylish style which will fit into any kitchen and jazz up your decor. A huge choice of nine speeds. An incredibly strong, sturdy build which will certainly make it one of the longest lasting kitchen appliances in your home.

Switching between speed settings is made easy with the press of the up or down button. If your mixture requires a slow start but then a steady build-up into a whizz, this can all be done with the hand that’s holding the actual whisk.

It is smaller than the stand model, a lot cheaper and just as good at performance. If your kitchen does not allow for a large bulky machine, or you can’t justify spending over £300 at the very least, then spending that little bit more on this hand mixer will be plenty sufficient.

In comparison to the other models on the list, the buttons aren’t in the best position. It can be a bit of a stretch to get to them, especially if your hands are on the smaller size. It also can’t really be placed down in between mixes, unlike others with flat bases. But the choice of speeds and attachments will surely please any baking aficionados.

You’re torn between an electric hand mixer and a stand mixer. The former offers more control, will likely be cheaper and will store away easier. But the latter is just overall a bit less hard on the wrists.

The KENWOOD Chefette has found the perfect balance. It can be used as a hand mixer if you have any requirements which mean you’d like a bit more control or want to whip up a fresh smoothie. But it can also be attached to a stand, tilted and placed over the 3L bowl it comes with to leave your hands a bit freer and offer some stability.

To add to the mixing quality, the bowl rotates when in use so more ingredients are captured (as with most stand mixers, some manual combination may also be needed). There is also a bowl cover included in case you want to prevent splashes and escaping mixture.

The actual bowl is metallic so sturdy and easy to keep clean. The first few times you use it as a stand mixer, everything seems to be very stiff and the lever to raise and lower the mixer into the bowl is hard to get right, so it takes a while to get moving.

When reviewing the Kenwood as a standalone hand mixer, it is easy to use and navigate and comfortable to hold. Price-wise, to say it is pretty much a 2-in-1 item, the fact it is nowhere near twice the price of the average hand mixer is very welcome. In fact, it is pretty great value when considering.

Fearne Cotton has joined with Swan to launch a brand-new range of kitchen appliances inspired by her love of baking and cooking, and this hand mixer is one of the standouts.

The first thing to mention is that it is available in four different pastel shades – honey, lily, peacock and truffle – so if you’re conscious about aesthetics, then it’ll surely please you.

There are five speed settings, and a turbo boost option will help get through any trickier thick mixes until they free up a bit more. It is easy to flick between them all using the hand that’s holding the machine, so you don’t have to juggle it and risk it all going a bit wrong. The switch moves freely to each step without going too far.

It has a lot of power. The lowest setting could be a bit slower, but in all, it is great for tackling whatever mix you throw at it. Just beware if mixing dry ingredients as you don’t want it to be on a high setting for fear of a bit of a dust cloud.

If you ever get beyond choosing your perfect colour, then this mixer will happily become your newest best kitchen friend. The addition of the balloon whisk is welcome, too.

Three dedicated speeds and a pulse function will give you quick results and perfect batters and cake mixes.

It is a great size, easy to store even in kitchens short on space. It is also comfortable to hold and manoeuvre around the bowl. Speeds are changed with a handy switch which can easily be moved up or down while the mixer is still in use, which will hopefully reduce any possible mess from batter flying everywhere when it is brought out of the bowl.

We liked the little cord grip at the side of the base which will hold your power cord in place when wrapped for storage. There is little more annoying than realising the cable has become tangled around absolutely everything else in your cupboard so when you pull it out, everything comes with it. It will also keep it free of knotting and denting.

There is no denying it is on the basic side. But the price does reflect that, and if you don’t need an all-singing-all-dancing mixer, then it will certainly keep you happy. We don’t see why it won’t last for a good few years, either, and with regular use.

Rotating smoothly to capture all ingredients with no mess, the Dualit is one of the easiest hand whiskers which we reviewed to control.

When choosing the right speed and fitting, any mixture can be dealt with. From whisking egg whites to combining butter with flour, it is best described as a bit of a multi-tasker. Just push the slider upwards with your thumb when it is in use to increase speed, making it great for starting slowly and finishing on a boost.

We liked its shiny metallic style, which is different to the vast majority of others on the market. Great if your kitchen is full of the stainless steel look and you’re struggling to find a whisker that will match. It is also available in white or metallic red, though

Now for the feature which made all of us get very excited. There isn’t only a retractable cord storage option to keep the electrical cable completely out of the way of tangling/bending, but there is also integral plug storage. The attachment area isn’t just for your whisks and beaters, but also holds the plug when not in use. Pretty genius in our mind.

It is on the heavier side if this is a concern to you, but if not, then the other glowing reviews should definitely sway you if we haven’t.

John Lewis’ own brand food preparation and home appliances are well-rated by both us and fellow reviewers, and this electric handheld food mixer has just joined the list of favourite JL items.

It is a well-designed small appliance, with a sleek design and good clean build. The straight handle is surprisingly easy to hold and makes accessing the user buttons simple. A speed boost option helps with any of those tricky to get going mixes.

As the base is flat, it can be left on its end when you’re pausing to do something else, so there is no mess on the worktops. It also makes it a bit more space-saving when in storage.

Ejecting the whisks after use isn’t the easiest as they still are a bit stiff and require some manual wiggling – not ideal if they’re covered in whipped cream.

But this is a little issue which we would be more than happy to put up with after every use based on the price. For an item which feels so strong and reliable, it falls in our budget section which is pretty great. It isn’t high-tech, but also isn’t the most basic, so is a fab happy-medium.

Surely a welcome helping hand when undertaking baking tasks, this Braun is effortless to operate.

It is the heaviest on our list, so not one for anyone who gets tired arms and wrists after a few minutes. But this is relative to the power level it offers the user.

The speeds cover a good range, which is great compared to some others which seem to be a bit too fast on all settings. When used correctly with the best attachment, this gives great results and consistency for a range of mixes, especially for smaller batches.

Choosing the perfect speed is just a matter of flicking the switch with your thumb when you’re holding the device.

There are loads of little design features to make it easier for you to use. The motor is placed over the whisks as opposed to near the handle, so the weight is distributed to the bowl rather than your hand. A soft grip handle makes things both comfortable and secure.

A flexi cord outlet keeps the power cable away from the device and your hand whether you’re resting or using it, which keeps the area clear and the cable and body clean.

The price is great for the quality you get, and the attachments look and feel sturdy, so you don’t have to beware when working with firmer mixes.

A brand perhaps more associated with garden power tools, you would be right in thinking this is one powerful piece of kit.

The CleverMixx Hand Mixer from Bosch is versatile and adaptable to your cooking needs. There are four speeds, plus a turbo boost if it doesn’t seem to be powering through your doughy, extra chocolatey brownie mix.

It is fast to tackle liquid-based tasks such as cream and eggs, whipping them up in just a few seconds thanks to the powerful motor. The beater seems to be a great shape for adding enough air into the mixes and creating a fluffy, light batter with cakes and bakes.

Attachments can be removed using the eject button, and placed straight into the dishwasher, so they’re easy to look after.

Wrap-around cable storage will keep everything tidy when it is placed away, and it can be stood on its end when both in storage or in between mixes to stop your worktop becoming messy with drips.

It only weighs 0.7kg so is quite light and easy to hold for a long period. It is also quiet when in use despite there being a very powerful motor. Speeds cover a good range from slow to fast, although the slowest is possibly a little fast compared to some others on the market.

An everyday hand mixer with no overcomplicated settings or attachments, this Russell Hobbs is fabulous for anyone who doesn’t want to spend over £20.

It isn’t the most powerful. It isn’t the prettiest. It doesn’t have the biggest range of speeds. But for something which can offer help to get through batters and mixtures which would otherwise take a lot of arm power.

Speed control is a letdown. Whereas it seems logical to have slow to fast (especially when there are six settings), this model has fast to, well, faster. The differences between each are minimal, so if you have a lot of dry ingredients be prepared for a bit of a flour shower if you don’t plan ahead. Control is also sensitive, so it is easy to turn it off when lowering rather than slowing it down.

But the price will likely appeal to you, and it is a lovely compact easy-to-hold shape so great for anyone who finds grip difficult. The mess can be rectified by investing in a deeper bowl and maybe covering slightly with a tea towel, so don’t let it put you off.

It is also incredibly lightweight, so great if the kids want to get involved or for elderly relatives.

With a strong build, variable speeds, and at a budget price, this is a good option if you want a mixer which is for periodic use or it will be your first, and you need to get used to how they work.

There have been some improvements with the older design, such as the motor now starting slowly automatically until your mix is stable enough to not risk flyaways. The vents are also far enough away from the whisk to avoid flour and other debris entering, which was a previous issue.

It tackles a range of mixtures as expected, from egg whites to cake batter. The five speeds are generous and easily differentiable from each other.

We have mentioned the vents, and these are presumably in place to cool the motor down which is not something which features in a lot of other models. It is needed though, as the motor seems to run for about five minutes before needing about ten minutes rest.

Therefore, it isn’t one for anyone who likes batch cooking or needs to get through big tough mixtures, but for the occasional egg whisk or part-help with your baking, the price makes it worth having in the cupboard for those ‘just in case’ moments.