Ranked #3 in Best Stand Mixers Under $500
Hamilton Beach Electric Stand Mixer4.0
3 sources2 derived$139.99as of Aug 1The Hamilton Beach Electric Stand Mixer is the tilt-head option for people who bake often enough to want a stand mixer and not often enough to justify a KitchenAid. A 300-watt motor drives planetary mixing in a 4-quart stainless steel bowl across seven speeds, and the whole machine weighs 13 lb. Allrecipes calls it "just as good" as a KitchenAid for hundreds less, while Homes & Gardens stops at 3.5; the gap is what happens under stiff dough.
Strengths
- — 4-quart stainless steel bowl suitable for most home baking tasks
- — Includes three essential attachments: dough hook, flat beater, and whisk
- — Planetary mixing action ensures thorough mixing with no ingredient left behind
Watch-outs
- — Motor audibly slows on stiff, sticky bread dough and is not built for long kneading sessions
- — Owners report gearbox trouble after months of frequent heavy-duty use
- — Splatter shield is a guard rather than a seal, so fine flour still escapes at high whipping speeds
