Best Hand Mixers

A hand mixer earns counter space a stand mixer never will: it is cheap, it stores in a drawer, and it is plenty for whipped cream, meringue, boxed cake mix, and most cookie doughs. Below are five real picks across every budget, from an honest sub-$30 starter to the premium option with a built-in scraper.

On the shows: Not every bench gets a stand mixer. On shows like Nailed It, where home bakers race the clock, and across the Food Network championship kitchens on Holiday Baking Championship, a handheld beater is the quick tool reached for to whip cream or a fast meringue. The Great British Bake Off tent keeps handhelds within arm's reach too, though the tent's own models are Dualit rather than any brand listed here.

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Our picks at a glance

Start with the job you need the tool to do. The price bands are a quick way to compare investment level, not a promise of an exact price.

Pick 1 · KitchenAid

KitchenAid 9-Speed Digital Hand Mixer (KHM926)

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Best for: Frequent bakers who want stand-mixer-adjacent power without the counter footprint.

Mid-range

Pick 2 · Cuisinart

Cuisinart Power Advantage Plus 9-Speed Hand Mixer (HM-90S)

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Best for: Bakers who want a full-featured mixer without paying KitchenAid prices.

Budget

Pick 3 · Hamilton Beach

Hamilton Beach 6-Speed Electric Hand Mixer (62682)

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Best for: Occasional bakers who need a mixer for a few uses a month, not a few uses a week.

Budget

Pick 4 · Braun

Braun MultiMix 5 Hand Mixer (HM5100)

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Best for: Bakers who prioritize ergonomics and motor smoothness over attachment variety.

Mid-range

Pick 5 · Breville

Breville Handy Mix Scraper (BHM800)

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Best for: Frequent bakers who want the closest thing to a stand mixer's scraper paddle in hand-mixer form.

Premium

How to choose hand mixers

Start with the task

Match the tool to what you bake most often, the batch size you make, and how much counter or storage space you can give it.

Check useful specs

Compare capacity, included parts, materials, and manufacturer-stated features that affect day-to-day use rather than headline claims.

Pay for the difference

A higher price makes sense when it buys capability you will use. For occasional baking, the simpler pick is often the better fit.

The picks, explained

Each recommendation below explains who it suits, why it earned a place, and which published detail is worth checking before you buy.

KitchenAid

KitchenAid 9-Speed Digital Hand Mixer (KHM926)

Mid-range

On the shows: Holiday Baking Championship · CNN Underscored spotted a KitchenAid 7 speed hand mixer on the Holiday Baking Championship set; this 9 speed is the brand's step-up model

The most powerful hand mixer most people will find, with a digital speed display and a soft-start feature that stops flour from puffing out of the bowl. Worth it if you bake often enough to notice a weak motor bogging down in stiff cookie dough.

Best for: Frequent bakers who want stand-mixer-adjacent power without the counter footprint.
Manufacturer: KitchenAid lists a 9-speed digital motor with soft-start and a self-cleaning turbo beater option.

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Cuisinart

Cuisinart Power Advantage Plus 9-Speed Hand Mixer (HM-90S)

Budget

Reliably undercuts KitchenAid on price while still offering 9 speeds, a snap-on storage case, and three low SmoothStart speeds that keep flour from splattering. Not as smooth ramping up from a stop, but for the price it is hard to fault as an everyday mixer.

Best for: Bakers who want a full-featured mixer without paying KitchenAid prices.
Manufacturer: Cuisinart lists a 220W motor, 9 speeds, and a storage case with beaters, whisk, and dough hooks.

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Hamilton Beach

Hamilton Beach 6-Speed Electric Hand Mixer (62682)

Budget

The honest budget pick, usually well under $20. It will not hold up to daily heavy use and the plastic body feels it, but for occasional whipped cream or a birthday cake it does the job without regret.

Best for: Occasional bakers who need a mixer for a few uses a month, not a few uses a week.
Manufacturer: Hamilton Beach lists 6 speeds with a snap-on storage case.

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Braun

Braun MultiMix 5 Hand Mixer (HM5100)

Mid-range

A well-built European alternative to the usual American names, with a smooth speed dial and a comfortable grip for long whipping sessions. Attachments beyond the standard beaters and whisk are limited compared to KitchenAid.

Best for: Bakers who prioritize ergonomics and motor smoothness over attachment variety.
Manufacturer: Braun lists a 5-speed motor plus a pulse/turbo boost function.

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Breville

Breville Handy Mix Scraper (BHM800)

Premium

The premium pick, and it earns the price with a built-in silicone scraper beater that folds batter against the bowl as it mixes, cutting down on manual scraping. Overkill if you only bake a few times a year.

Best for: Frequent bakers who want the closest thing to a stand mixer's scraper paddle in hand-mixer form.
Manufacturer: Breville lists a 9-speed motor with a dedicated scraper beater attachment.

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How we built this guide

We compare the intended use, manufacturer-published specifications, and relative price band of each pick. Show references are included only when we can connect the equipment to a named baker or production source. Brands cannot buy a place in the list.

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