The Best Stand Mixers for Cakes, Cookies, and All the Carbs
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The secret to making fluffy sponges, perfectly peaked meringues, and house-warming loaves is in the equipment you use. Mixing, kneading, and whisking by hand may feel wholesome, but why bother when you can get a stand mixer to do the hard work for you? Whether you’re a seasoned baker or a total novice, stand mixers are not only convenient and easy to use, but also look great on the kitchen countertop.
Otherwise known as a food mixer, stand mixers can be found in various shapes, sizes, and colorways to suit your setup. With stylish finishes and statement hues to choose from, it’s an appliance you’ll want to keep on display to tempt you to get baking when the opportunity arises. But as many of the best stand mixers are an investment buy, it’s worth thinking about your priorities to find a model to best suit your kitchen requirements—and your sweet tooth. We’ve put them through their paces (while stuffing ourselves with cake) to rate the latest models on performance, versatility, and design.
Updated December 2024: We've added the KitchenAid 9-Speed Hand Mixer, Breville The Bakery Chef, and the luxurious 2024 Design Series Evergreen Tilt-Head Stand Mixer, also from KitchenAid.
For more of WIRED's kitchen guides, check out our Best Blenders, Best Air Fryers, Best Electric Kettles, and the Best Gear for Small Kitchens.
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Things to Consider When Buying a Stand Mixer
Versatile attachments: On top of the standard mixing, kneading, and whisking tools, some mixers offer attachments that can be bought separately. These include extra attachments for tasks such as shaving ice, rolling pasta sheets, grinding meat, citrus juicing, shredding, and slicing.
Speed settings: These vary from model to model, but a stand mixer with a good variable speed range means you can launch gently to combine liquids and lighter ingredients and dial up the speed for thicker mixes when needed.
Useful extras: Most designs come with a spatula in the kit that is useful for scraping out ingredients left in the bowl, while a recipe booklet is always a bonus to push you out of your cooking comfort zone. Some stand mixers also come with a splash guard that works well to make sure flour or liquids stay in the bowl and don’t spill out onto your countertop when you start mixing.
Storage: Larger than a kettle or toaster, stand mixers can be rather cumbersome. It’s a good idea to house it on the worktop if you have the space, so you can plug in and start it up easily when needed. But also consider storage space for all the extras such as a secondary bowl and attachments.
Cake Baking Tips From Paty Zamarripa, Pastry Chef at Hotel Chelsea in NYC
Take It Steady
To make the perfect sponge cake, the most critical step is whipping the egg whites. Room-temperature egg whites are more elastic, which helps trap air more effectively. Always whip at medium-low speed. Don’t rush the process; incorporating air gradually ensures uniform bubble sizes. If you whip at high speed, you'll get uneven bubbles, and during baking, the larger ones will burst, causing the smaller ones to collapse as well.
Add Dry Ingredients
If you don't have a bowl cover or pouring shield, before adding dry ingredients, stop the mixer and cover the bowl with plastic wrap, leaving a small opening to pour in the dry mix. This trick prevents the dry ingredients from puffing out of the bowl. Add them gradually on low speed. Be careful not to overmix once the flour is in, as over-developing gluten will yield a dry, tough sponge.
Frosting Tips for a Smooth Finish
For smooth and creamy frosting, make sure your butter and cream cheese are at room temperature. If you're short on time, gently heat the butter and cream cheese with a kitchen torch, moving it evenly around the bowl. This softens the mixture just enough without melting it.
Perfectly Whipped Cream for Decorating
If you love decorating with whipped cream, chill the mixer bowl with the cream in the fridge for about 30 minutes before whipping. This keeps the cream cold for longer, helping it whip faster and hold its structure without breaking.
- Photograph: KitchenAid
Best Overall
KitchenAid Artisan Stand MixerAn Italian marble countertop or high-end smart oven may create a talking point in your kitchen, but to really make a statement, nothing beats a colorful die-cast metal KitchenAid stand mixer. With its original planetary action and curvy body, this iconic small appliance has been turning heads since it was first launched in 1937. And the KitchenAid continues to produce excellent results for baking and prepping meals. It looks especially well finished in 2023's color of the year, hibiscus—which is inspired by the flower’s verdant fuchsia hue and matches the equally beautiful Hibiscus K400 Blender.
The Artisan is a knockout design that I enjoyed using. I found that the mixer’s lever lifted the tilt head smoothly so I could change attachments. With speed settings on one side and the lever on the other, I did find myself having to lean around the model to lift it when needed. The KitchenAid’s attachments fix on easily, but you will need to learn the knack of lifting and turning to the left to take them off the beater pin. Inside the box, you get four attachments in total, including a dough hook for proofing bread and a wire whip that’s great for meringue peaks and cream. There’s also a pastry beater that is good at breaking down stiff butter, and a flex edge beater that manages to get right up to the sides of the bowl so no cake mixture is left behind. A spatula and a splash guard that fixes in place on the top of the two bowls—5 quarts (4.8 liters) and 3 quarts (2.8 liters)—complete the spec.
The beauty of this timeless design is that it feels built to last. I also like that you can add to its functionality with extra attachments such as a metal food grinder for mincing meat, an ice shaver, a pasta roller, and a spice and citrus grinder. Plus, unlike some designs I’ve tried in the past that can wobble like a train carriage at high speed, the KitchenAid Artisan sits firmly and safely on the countertop.
- Photograph: Kenwood
A Quality Alternative
Kenwood kMix [UK Only]Dull countertops will instantly be lifted with the Kenwood kMix Stand Mixer’s special-edition metallic finishes. There are four metallic finishes to choose from, including this glamorous Rose Gold edition that instantly caught my magpie eye. It’s the ultimate attention seeker in the kitchen and has the goods to back up its looks.
The kMix has beautifully rounded corners, ergonomic controls, and well-built, stainless steel accessories including a stainless steel K-beater for cakes and everyday baking tasks that scoops up ingredients nicely from the sides of the bowl. There’s also a whisk for meringues and cream and a dough tool for breads and pizza bases. These fit on effortlessly and are easy to wash after use with a splash of warm tap water and a little dish soap.
The mixer’s 1000W motor is powerful but the mixer has feet that stay firmly put when in use. There’s a smooth control dial that’s well positioned on the front of the mixer that provides the incremental power to start mixing slowly and ramp up the speed when desired—this meant I didn’t get clouds of flour puffing up in my face when baking, although there is also a splash guard included in the box. It doesn’t have clips that secure it firmly to the bowl like the KitchenAid mixer, but it does sit neatly on top. The kMix is often pitted against the KitchenAid stand mixer in terms of performance and you’ll often discover that bakers are either Team KitchenAid or Team Kenwood. In this test, the KitchenAid just pips it, but I am always reassured that Kenwood also has a rich history of making good-quality kitchenware that is built to last.
- Photograph: Cuisinart
Excellent Variable Control
Cuisinart Precision Master 5.5 QuartI’ve tried a selection of Cuisinart small appliances over the years, including blenders, food processors, and grinders, and I’m always left impressed at how aesthetically pleasing and well-built the products are. In terms of timeless, well-realized design, the Precision Stand Mixer does not cut corners. With a powerful 500W motor, there’s a lot to admire here. It comes with a generous 12-speed control dial that allows you to get precise tempos for your ingredient—be it at a slow and steady 3 for when you’re adding flour to your cake mixture, or at a fast and effective 12 for whipping cream or eggs.
You get three accessories in the box, including a chef’s whisk, dough hook, and flat mixing paddle, as well as a splash guard with a pour spout that sits just above the bowl and makes sure ingredients pour in neatly. There’s a good mix of color options available here that adorn the body’s die-cast metal construction, including statement black or white and a glossy red. Similarly to KitchenAid, you can buy accessories to add on, including a pasta roller and cutter, pasta extruder, meat grinder, and more, which makes it a versatile appliance to add to your kitchen repertoire.
- Photograph: Aucma
Great-Value Design
Aucma Stand MixerIt may not look as carefully designed as some of the better-known stand mixer brands out there, but I think this Aucma appliance is excellent value and thoughtfully made. It has lots of useful design features, such as the splash guard that fixes conveniently to the tilt head instead of sitting atop the bowl. I found that having it there meant that it didn’t get in the way when I went to lift the head to check the ingredients in the bowl. With six speeds and a pulse function, it doesn’t have as many settings as, say, the Cuisinart or KitchenAid models, but the Aucma’s 1400W pure copper motor did provide impressive power for ramping up the speed in a matter of seconds.
The lever and speed controls of the Aucma Mixer are positioned near each other, which I found useful as it makes the whole thing easier to control once you’re stuck into baking. The speed dial also lights up, which adds a nice touch. There are three attachments here including a whisk, beater, and dough hook to cover all your basic baking needs. It comes with a 6.2-liter bowl and a 5-liter bowl that fit a lot of mixtures and make it useful for batch baking or catering to large households. With two handles it’s easy to lift the bowl too. Nicely done.
- Photograph: Smeg
Easy on the Eyes
Smeg ’50s Retro Stand MixerComplete with Smeg’s signature retro styling, this stand mixer comes in multiple color finishes, including an attractive Pastel Blue finish (shown). Like the majority of stand mixers I’ve tried, it comes with a wire whisk, flat beater, and dough hook that covers all the basics, and I found these easy to take on and off. Like the KitchenAid, there’s also a front port for adding optional attachments, including a pasta cutter, ice cream maker, and meat grinder. The tilt-arm model provides planetary beating and whisking action and up to 10 variable speeds. But these settings are positioned at the top of the machine (as opposed to the side), which I found convenient to access.
The design of this Smeg is well balanced with a 4.8-liter bowl that sits neatly in the base, and I found setting number 7, in particular, a steady speed for combining ingredients. Its 800W direct drive motor is powerful and great for loose mixtures, but when I tried mixing dough on a fast 10-speed setting, the appliance shook a little too much for my liking. After this, I was careful not to ramp up the speed too much when mixing stiff ingredients such as hard butter and dough. I found that the flat beater did very well to mix ingredients for a fluffy vanilla sponge on setting number 8 in a matter of minutes, so I steered toward using this for cake, cake, and more cake.
- Photograph: Emily Peck
The Luxury Choice
KitchenAid 2024 Design Series Evergreen Tilt-Head Stand MixerDescribed by WIRED editor Kat Merck as “what might be the most attractive stand mixer of all time” (7/10, WIRED Review), the KitchenAid Evergreen is wonderfully Instagrammable. The 5-quart solid walnut bowl is a thing of beauty.
But looks aren’t everything, and if you’re going to invest in this, you’ll need to consider the practicalities. Wood isn’t as robust as stainless steel and can't be chilled. It also needs to be regularly seasoned with a food-safe wood oil and needs to be hand washed and dried immediately after use. But it is beautiful.
Functionality-wise, however, it is the same mixer as our best-buy Artisan KitchenAid (above), with easy access to the bowl via its tilt-head and 10-speed settings for flexible beating, whisking, and kneading. Whether you're happy to pay the substantial premium for a showstopping wooden bowl is up to you, but either way, you're investing in what is currently our favorite kitchen mixer.
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- Photograph: Emily Peck
Best Mixer With a Timer
Breville The Bakery ChefI am convinced that, one day, I will accidentally smash the 5-quart borosilicate glass bowl supplied with this Breville cake mixer, but it does give you a clear view of what you’re mixing without having to constantly lift the lid. I had success making both a fluffy vanilla sponge cake and stiff meringue mixture, thanks to the mixer’s fast double-sided scraper that replicates the same planetary mixing action used in commercial bakeries.
You do get a secondary 4-quart polished stainless steel mixing bowl, which is lightweight and also chillable for making batters and doughs. It's good to have the variety, but you will need ample storage space for the spares.
It comes with a flat beater, dough hook, and wire whisk, which covers most culinary mixing tasks. I also love how easy it is to switch between the 12 speeds, including those for kneading, folding, whipping, and so on. There’s also a countdown timer with an LED indicator so you don’t overbeat your ingredients, a feature that's sorely lacking on most other cake mixers. It produces great results too, although the powerful 550-watt motor is noisy, measuring 90 dB on my decibel meter app.
(This model goes under the name Sage in the UK.)
- Photograph: Emily Peck
Durable Hand Mixer
KitchenAid KitchenAid 9-Speed Hand MixerThis 9-speed hand mixer is a great choice for small kitchens, and in reality, even if you have a stand mixer, it's a great tool for quick-fix tasks such as mixing up a small batch of cupcakes.
As this 9-speed hand mixer purred along on its highest speed at an inoffensive 78 decibels, I could tell it has a good quality motor. It comes in either a glossy “candle apple red” or “medallion silver” finish, and has stainless-steel Artisan Beater accessories that fit effortlessly. The beater set was ideal for making a sponge mix in a glass dish, but there’s also a pro whisk that works well for meringues, two dough hooks for bread, and a blending rod for soups and milkshakes or anything else that needs light mixing.
The mixer has a soft start feature that minimizes the amount of splatter caused when combining wet and dry products together. The ingredients combined quickly and evenly and the mixing never got too maniacal—even on speed 9, I felt in control and pleased with the results.
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