Stand Mixers – Budget Models: Price VS Features

Stand mixers are generally a luxury kitchen appliance. Everyone seems to have the basics: a stove, a refrigerator, a microwave, and generally a toaster. However, mixers are a special appliance with a limited presence in the kitchens of confectionery lovers.

As anyone who has bought stand mixers can tell you, not only are they a specialty kitchen appliance, but they also tend to be expensive!

Even cheap mixers can get quite expensive with prices starting around $50 depending on where you shop and what discount you can find. If you are considering purchasing a budget stand mixer… If you are considering purchasing a budget stand mixer, there is one important point to keep in mind… No lower priced mixer is going to compare in any way to a high end mixer. Just as you wouldn’t compare a Kia car to a Maserati car, it’s pointless to compare a budget blender (under $75) to a mid-range ($75 to $175) or high-end blender (over $175).

While in theory they perform the same tasks (in the case of mixers, they stand in place and mix the dough and in the case of cars, they run on four wheels and transport people from one place to another), in practice , well, let’s say that in practice, there is NO comparison!

With that being said, there are several good reasons to consider buying an inexpensive stand mixer:

• You’re a passionate baker and you already have a higher priced stand mixer, but you want one for your vacation home and you know all you’ll be doing is mixing cookies for the grandkids. An inexpensive mixer may be right for you.
• You live in very tight spaces and won’t be able to keep your stand mixer on the kitchen counter all the time. An inexpensive, lightweight mixer may be right for you.
• You need a stand mixer for a one-off treat, like baking cupcakes for a friend’s wedding. An inexpensive mixer may be right for you.
• Not sure if you’d use a stand mixer enough to justify a higher-end model. By all means, try an inexpensive mixer first, and then if you use it enough, move on to a more expensive model with more bells and whistles.

If you’ve decided that buying an inexpensive stand mixer makes sense, here are a few things to think about…

ONE – On the lower end, you may find that the machines available are a hand blender/stand combination.

With a combination hand/stand mixer, you have the option of removing the mixing head, including motor and beaters, and using it off the base, like a hand mixer.

TWO – Also, with inexpensive mixers, there may be limited options in accessories. I have seen some models that only have beaters and dough hooks, and others that only have beaters.

THREE – In many cases, these mixers are quite lightweight. While this can be an advantage if you need to store it elsewhere or plan to transport it frequently, it can be a disadvantage when mixing. You obviously need to closely monitor any stand mixer in operation, but this can be especially important with the lighter models. Making your mixer dance off the counter and onto the floor can be a real disaster!

OVEN – Inexpensive mixers often have fewer mixing speeds than the 10-12 speeds offered on more expensive models. If I remember correctly, I’ve recently seen them with 6 or 7 speed mix.

FIVE – Lastly, budget stand mixers have much less powerful motors than higher-end models. To give you an idea, cheap mixer motors will run in the 200-300 watt range, while more expensive models can run in the 350-550 range.

Motor power is directly related to how effectively a mixer can work with heavy dough.

Realistically, cheap mixers will probably be able to handle cookie dough, but nothing much thicker than that. Many of them can’t handle bread dough, and in fact, may not even have the option of a dough hook.

However, gluten-free bread dough, which tends to have a much wetter consistency than regular bread dough, may be possible, but I wouldn’t buy a mixer until I know someone has been able to use it for that purpose.

TIP: Reading reviews online can be very helpful in getting this kind of information.

Bottom line, budget-priced stand mixers will never directly compare to their higher-priced cousins, but they can be a smart choice for someone who understands their limitations.