Updated 14 May 2011

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Introduction

A benchtop food mixer is a solid investment for serious cooks. We tested 9 models priced from $170 to $1000.

Bench mixers make light work of mixing cake batter, kneading dough and beating egg whites at the turn of a dial. So if you’re a keen baker, buying one of these machines is money well spent.

We tested the mixers on everyday kitchen tasks and checked how easy they were to use. We also explain the features to look for when you're buying a new mixer.

Models we tested

This report contains test results and recommendations for the following models of benchtop mixers:

Checklist

If you're considering buying a benchtop mixer, here are the features to look for:

• Bowl lock: Gives extra stability during mixing.
• Easy release or eject button: Lets you keep your hands clean when you’re removing the beaters.
• Spring-loaded tilt-head lock: Makes it easier to lift the mixer head.
• Single dough-hook: Performs better than twin dough-hooks.
• Whisk attachment: Useful for making foamy whipped mixtures or for beating egg whites.
• Splashguard: Prevents ingredients from splashing out of the bowl – and it’s handy for “containing” flour (which has a tendency to make a cloud of dust when added). The splashguard’s chute also makes it easy to add ingredients without having to stop the machine and lift the motor head.
• A range of speed settings: Allows different speeds for different functions: slow for kneading and folding; light mixing for puddings and muffins; beating or creaming for butter and sugar or heavy batters; whipping and aerating for cream and egg whites.
• Heavy-duty or “K” beater: Good for mixing cake batter and biscuit dough.
• Stainless-steel bowl: More durable than a glass bowl. It should last the life of the mixer.