Best Stand Mixers
4 Best Stand Mixers From KitchenAid Sage Kenwood and Swan
It's time to get your Great British Bake On with the best stand mixers you can buy from £99 to £300
Whether you're a regular fan of The Great British Bake Off, a seasoned baking ninja, or just fancy flexing your baking muscles at home, then there's simply no two ways about it – you need a stand mixer. The best stand mixers help you to be a better cook: they can take the hard work out of mixing cakes and batter, and even knead bread dough so you don't have to.
The results are better than any amount of arm-breaking, muscle-aching hand mixing: cakes are fluffier, breads and pizza bases are lighter, cream is whipped to perfection. And while some kitchen appliances are more hassle than they're worth, a stand mixer saves you valuable cooking time without adding to the load of dishes. After all, you were going to dirty a bowl and a beater anyway, and even if you are feeling supremely lazy, the attachments and bowl are often dishwasher-safe. Some brands can also power accessories such as jug blenders and food processors, so one space-saving appliance can do the job of multiple electricals.
The best stand mixers to buy
1. KitchenAid K45SS Classic Mixer: The classiest-looking stand mixer around
This is the smaller of KitchenAid's two popular home mixers with planetary action. But the other, the Artisan, is only a fraction larger and costs at least £100 more. And we're not convinced you need it, because the Classic really does much the same job.
Our only concern is the mixer's power – 275W doesn't sound like enough. Even if you get the Artisan that's 300W.
In practice, both mixers are plenty powerful enough for home baking, but tough jobs such as kneading dough are a struggle for the motor – so if you plan to use your stand mixer for your daily bread, then go for something more powerful. But if you're more of a Bake Off cook, the KitchenAid won't disappoint.
Our other, smaller quibble is that it doesn't come with a splash guard, so you'll have to pay extra for one. This really should come as standard on a mixer at this price.
Read More About KitchenAid K45SS Classic Stand Mixer - White Click Here
2. Swan Retro Stand Mixer: The best stand mixer under £100
This isn't just an affordable stand mixer – it's an affordable, gorgeous stand mixer. If you love colourful retro styling and you're on a budget, then look no further.
Despite the price tag, the solidly built Swan Retro Mixer comes with all the basics you might need. It's supplied with three attachments: an aluminium dough hook, stainless steel beater and whisk. Both the dough hook and beater are Teflon-coated for easy cleaning.
Mechanically speaking it has eight speeds and a planetary action. The latter helps the attachments pick up all the food in the bowl, which is good because this is a powerful mixer – turn it up to eight and your mixture really does fly out sideways. You'll be thankful for the see-through splash guard on top then. We love the fact you can store the cord when not in use too.
Learn More About SWAN SP21010BLN Vintage Stand Mixer, 1000 W, Blue Find Here
3. Sage by Heston Blumenthal Scraper Mixer Pro: The best stand mixer for foodies
Heston Blumenthal lends his name to this Aussie brand for good reason. Sage appliances are always innovative and designed with foodies in mind: unusual features give them the edge over rival premium appliances.
All four attachments are dishwasher-safe. Most notable is the scraper beater with flexible edges that wipe the side of the bowl – think of it like a windscreen wiper for your cake mix. This along with planetary action means it keeps everything in the mix. Results are super-smooth, and mixing is much faster because you never have to scrape ingredients down.
Its other main innovations are a countdown (or count-up) timer to help ensure you don't over-whip, and load-sensing technology that detects when heavy batters are being mixed and automatically adjusts the power to maintain the selected speed.
It comes with a splash guard, spatula and cord storage too.
Click Here To Read More About Sage by Heston Blumenthal the Scrape Mixer Pro, 4.7 L, 1000 W - Silver
4. Kenwood kMix KMX050: A gorgeous-looking stand mixer
A classic yet contemporary design. The styling has fifties curves, but it wouldn't look out of place in a modern kitchen. In fact, thanks to its range of bright colours and see-through mixing bowl, it would be a centrepiece.
Its large five-litre capacity means you can whip up a dozen eggs at a time or make a hell of a lot of cake batter – almost 3kg of it, enough for two or three cakes.
The kMix has eight-speed settings and an electronic sensor keeps them consistent, regardless of load. This mixer will literally see you through thick and thin.
With stand mixers, it's often hard to keep an eye on the mix but the Kenwood's see-through mixing bowl and splash guard make it a breeze.
Its other star turn is the fold setting – a very gentle speed that combines ingredients without making them fly everywhere. It works brilliantly with the creaming beater, a soft attachment designed to get all the batter off the sides.
And, finally, there's a power outlet above the bowl for adding accessories like a grinder.
Find Here To Learn More About Kenwood Stand Mixer, 5 kg, 500 W - White
