Mixer Brand Comparisons

KitchenAid Mixers
Two Tilt-Head KitchenAid mixers ($200-$400) have a 4.5-quart capacity, operate at 250-300 watts, and have 10 speeds. Flat beaters, wire whips, and dough hook are standards. Three five-quart, 325-watt, 10-speed tilt mixers ($300-$500) come in designer colors, mix two loaves of dough in one batch, and have a hub for additional attachments.

Four five-quart Bowl-Lift models ($250-$430) operate at 325-450 watts, have 10 speeds, and are high performers, as are two six-quart lift models ($400), which have 575-watt motors. These lift models have direct-drive transmissions and steel gears, and can handle up to 12 cups of flour and three loaves of bread dough. KitchenAid offers more than a dozen attachments to expand the abilities of hub mixers.

Four KitchenAid hand mixers ($50-$90) have three, five, seven, and nine speeds. The nine-speed model has electronic digital controls, three slow-stir speeds, a high-whip speed, and an electronic mixing sensor.

KitchenAid? KSM150PSOB Artisan Series Stand Mixer-Onyx Black

Sunbeam Mixers
Sunbeam offers 12 MixMasters ($39.99-$199.99). Sunbeam's stand mixers range from 200 to 450 watts. Models are available with two glass or chrome bowls. The 200-watt mixer has six speeds and handles whipping and mixing. All other models (many that work well with bread dough) have 12 variable speeds. Sunbeam stand mixers are tilt-head machines, many offering the Burst of Power feature. More powerful Sunbeam mixers have dual motors for three-way beating action, and synchronized bowl and beater speeds.

Sunbeam offers seven six-speed, 200- to 250-watt hand mixers ($18.99-$59.99), some with Burst of Power features. Mixers that are 240-250 watts include dough hooks and can work a small batch of cookie dough.

Hamilton Beach Mixers
Hamilton Beach stand mixers are available as hand/stand mixers. The Eclectrics Line ($199.99-$249.99) are tilt-head mixers, featuring all-metal construction with 400-watt motors, and they come with three mixing accessories and two-way rotating mix action. The Power Deluxe stand mixer ($44.99) has a 275-watt motor, six speeds, and a Quickburst button.

Hamilton Beach offers four hand mixers priced from $19.99-$29.99. These are six-speed hand mixers with Quickburst buttons for added power shots.