Whether you’re making a batch of cookies, whipping up meringue, or mixing frosting to top a cake, a hand mixer can make the process much simpler. As a professional baker and previous bakery owner, I have spent more than a decade using stand mixers and hand mixers for baking, both in a professional setting and at home.
Hand mixers take up far less room than a stand mixer if you’re short on storage or counter space. “A hand-held mixer can be used for nearly everything you would use a stand mixer for,” said Sandra Palmer, chef-instructor of Pastry and Baking Arts at the Institute of Culinary Education. “The price tag, even for a top-rated model, is less than one-quarter of the cost of a counter-top model.”
In order to find the best hand mixers available, we tested 11 different models. These mixers were tested by creaming butter and sugar, mixing chocolate chips into stiff cookie dough, and whipping egg whites until peaks formed. We also assessed mixers based on how easy they were to hold, control in the bowl, and to clean once our baking was done.
Our top picks for hand mixers:
Best hand mixer overall: Breville Handy Mix Scraper Hand Mixer – See at Amazon
This hand mixer from Breville is incredibly quiet, yet powerful, with nine speed settings, a digital screen with a timer, and a snap-on storage case.
Best budget hand mixer: Black+Decker Easy Storage Hand Mixer – See at Amazon
For under $30, this mixer has a powerful motor with six speed settings to tackle a variety of tasks, as well as a convenient storage case.
Best cordless hand mixer: KitchenAid Cordless 7 Speed Hand Mixer – See at Amazon
This cordless hand mixer makes it simple to move and control the mixer around a bowl. It’s lightweight, yet powerful enough to work through cookie dough.
Best hand mixer for tough doughs: KitchenAid Professional 9 Speed – See at Amazon
Easily working through stiff cookie mixes and pizza dough, this hand mixer packs plenty of power through nine gradual speed settings. It’s quiet and comfortable to hold.
Best lightweight hand mixer: Hamilton Beach Professional 5 Speed Hand Mixer – See at Amazon
This lightweight mixer is comfortable to hold for long periods of time and has great variation in speed. It tacklse tasks with good control and comes with a snap-on case..
