Stand Mixers and Hand Mixers

Stand mixer or hand mixer: counter space against control

A hand mixer is light, fits in a drawer and handles batters, whipped cream and meringues; typical models list five to seven speeds and around 250 to 300 W. A stand mixer holds the bowl and frees your hands, and its stronger motor kneads bread dough and mixes stiff cookie dough that would strain a hand mixer. Tilt-head stand mixers are easier to add ingredients to, while bowl-lift designs are sturdier for heavy loads, so check the height under your cabinets.

Capacity for a stand mixer is quoted in quarts. A 4-quart bowl handles a batch of cookies or one loaf of bread; larger households and heavy doughs need 5 quarts or more. Combination units pair a stand base with a detachable hand mixer. In every case check the attachments included: flat beater, whisk and dough hook are the basic three.

Attachments, grinder parts and frothers in the same aisle

This aisle is not only mixers. Meat-grinder knives and plates are accessories cut to fit a particular grinder hub, so match the maker and model, and the plate's hole size sets how fine the grind is. Handheld milk frothers, some USB rechargeable with several whisks, are small whisk tools rather than mixers. Replacement beaters and dough hooks fit specific models too; a beater from a different machine may not lock into the socket.

Questions about Stand Mixers and Hand Mixers

Is a 4-quart stand mixer big enough?

For most households, yes: it mixes a standard cookie batch, a cake or a loaf of bread. Larger families, double batches and heavy doughs fit better in a 5-quart or larger bowl. Remember that the working volume is less than the nominal capacity.

Can a hand mixer knead bread dough?

Only if it comes with dough hooks and you stick to small, soft doughs, and even then the motor can overheat. For regular bread, pizza dough or stiff cookie dough, a stand mixer or kneading by hand is the safer choice.

Are beaters and attachments interchangeable between mixers?

Usually not. Beaters, whisks, dough hooks and grinder plates are shaped for a specific model's sockets and hub. Check the model number in the listing against your mixer, and look at the attachment's shaft style before assuming a match.