We Tested 23 of the Best Stand Mixers, but Only These 9 Are Worth a Spot on Your Countertop

Best Overall

Breville Bakery Chef Stand Mixer

View On Breville.com View On Sur La Table $300

No matter what type of recipe we tried to make, we found that the Breville the Bakery Chef Stand Mixer was up to the challenge. It earned perfect scores across the board for its design, performance, features, and size, making it the best stand mixer we tested.

Equipped with a standard flat beater, wire whisk, dough hook, and a spatula, the mixer has plenty of attachments to handle mixtures of different densities. There's also a scraper beater, which prevents unmixed ingredients from clinging to the sides of the bowl. Plus, it comes with a 5-quart glass bowl and a 4-quart stainless steel bowl, so there's plenty of room to make a double batch.

During our tests, we found that the Breville the Bakery Chef stand mixer had no trouble working with different dough types. When making whipped cream, it successfully created stiff peaks in the mixture in just 18 seconds without splattering, and when we used it to make a cookie recipe, it had no trouble beating all the ingredients into a consistent dough in just one minute.

Even when making bread dough, we were shocked that the motor had no trouble handling a denser mixture and effectively kneaded the dough to the perfect elasticity. That’s because the Breville the Bakery Chef mixer has 12 different speed settings designed to handle different types of mixtures, including cookie dough, cake batter, bread, and more.

It also automatically senses when particularly heavy dough is being mixed and will automatically adjust the power to maintain speed. In fact, we found that the bread dough setting was a game changer; it allowed the machine to handle a thicker consistency without rattling or overheating.

Product Details: Attachments: Scraper beater, flat beater, dough hook, wire whisk, spatula, splash guard, pouring shield | Wattage: 550 watts | Bowl Size: 4 quarts (stainless steel) and 5 quarts (glass) | Dimensions: 11.4 x 14.8 x 14.3 inches

Best Budget

Hamilton Beach Classic Hand and Stand Mixer

View On Amazon $50 View On Target $60 View On Wayfair $55

If you're shopping for an effective yet budget-friendly stand mixer, the Hamilton Beach Classic Stand and Hand Mixer is a great option. While it lacks some of the bells and whistles of a more expensive machine, it impressed us with its reliable performance and effectiveness on several recipe types.

Unlike many of the other mixers we tested, this model features a detachable base, so you can use it as a hand mixer or re-attach it for hands-free operation. When making whipped cream, we found that the stand mixer had no trouble incorporating the ingredients to create perfect peaks in the mixture in a little over a minute.

We also used the machine to make cookie dough, and were impressed that the beaters scraped everything off the sides of the bowl as it went so there was no need to do so manually. Though the mixer started to shake a bit once the dough had formed, the machine suctions to the countertop for stability, preventing it from moving around.

With a 4-quart stainless-steel bowl, the mixer offers plenty of room for bigger recipes, and we felt it had plenty of space to mix ingredients without spills or splattering. It comes with a set of two traditional beaters, a whisk, and two dough hooks, but the manufacturer also offers other attachments you can buy separately, if you choose.

During testing, we found that the Hamilton Beach Stand and Hand Mixer had trouble kneading the whole wheat bread dough. Once the dough started to thicken, the machine got extra loud and shook significantly. For this reason, we don't recommend using this mixer on denser dough types.

Product Details: Attachments: Dough hooks, whisk, beaters | Wattage: 290 watts | Bowl Size: 4 quarts | Dimensions: 10.5 x 5.9 x 9.7 inches

Best Splurge

Kenwood Chef Kitchen Machine

View On Amazon $560 View On Williams-Sonoma $560

If you spend a lot of time baking in the kitchen, you may be willing to spend a little bit more for a truly high-quality mixer that can handle frequent use and diverse recipe types. Throughout testing, we loved the Kenwood 5-Quart Chef Titanium Kitchen Machine, which has a compact stainless steel exterior and is effective for making dough, batter, frosting, and more.

Despite being a 5-quart machine, the Kenwood stand mixer is quite compact, so you can leave it out on your countertop without sacrificing tons of space. It comes with three different beater types: a whisk, a dough hook, and a K beater that is designed to mix ingredients together more efficiently. We like that the stainless steel bowl includes handles on each side, making it super easy to remove from the machine without risking a spill or dropping it.

When we tested it in our lab, we found that the Kenwood stand mixer had no trouble handling whipped cream, cookie dough, and even bread dough. For each test, it easily incorporated all of the ingredients into one seamless mixture in a matter of minutes, creating the perfect consistency for the recipe without any sign of the machine overheating.

We noted that the mixer became a bit loud when kneading bread dough, but it wasn’t loud enough that we couldn't have a conversation over it. We also liked that the bowl comes with a splash guard to prevent messes outside the bowl. During cleanup, crumbs and dried bits of dough wiped off the surface of the bowl easily, and the beaters and bowl are both dishwasher safe. Since the exterior of the mixer itself is smooth without any notches or crevices for food to get stuck in, we were able to wipe it down in just a few seconds.

Keep in mind that this stand mixer has a short power cord, so you may be more restricted about where you can use it in your kitchen. Be sure that you have plenty of space near an outlet to place this stand mixer before purchasing.

Product Details: Attachments: Whisk, dough hook, K beater, flexi beater, splash guard, spatula, spanner | Wattage: 750 watts | Bowl Size: 5 quarts | Dimensions: 15.75 x 11.75 x 9 inches

Best for Cookies

Aucma Stand Mixer

View On Amazon $160

Whether you're baking a classic chocolate chip cookie recipe or an extra-large batch of your favorite holiday cookies, having a stand mixer allows you to multitask more easily in the kitchen. While the mixer combines ingredients for a perfectly formed dough, you can prep other recipes, clean your workspace, or keep an eye on cookies already in the oven.

The Aucma 6-Speed Tilt-Head Stand Mixer earned our approval as the best stand mixer for cookies because of its large bowl size, useful accessories, and superior mixing capabilities. During our tests, it took the mixer less than a minute to combine wet and dry ingredients to form a smooth, consistent cookie dough.

Since the bowl is 6.5 quarts in size, there's plenty of space for a double batch if you're baking for a crowd. We found that the mixer had no trouble stirring the wet and dry ingredients together without the need to manually scrape the sides of the bowl, making it a truly hands-free operation. In addition to being extremely useful for baking cookies, the mixer also performed well when making whipped cream, forming stiff peaks in the mixture with ease.

Keep in mind that this stand mixer had trouble properly combining ingredients on thicker dough types, like bread dough. While the bowl provided plenty of room for bread dough, we found that the dough it created wasn't thoroughly kneaded and required manual kneading afterwards.

Product Details: Attachments: Beater, dough hook, whisk, splash guard | Wattage: 660 watts | Bowl Size: 6.5 quarts | Dimensions: 9.4 x 12.4 x 15.2 inches

Best for Bread

GE Stand Mixer

View On Amazon $150 View On Wayfair $299 View On Home Depot $259

Kneading bread dough can be a tiresome task, especially if you're trying to do it by hand. While not every mixer is capable of kneading bread dough effectively—many can become quite loud, shake violently, or overheat when working on dense dough—the best stand mixers will be up to the challenge. We were really impressed by the performance of the GE Tilt-Head Electric Stand Mixer, which performed well on our whipped cream, cookie dough, and bread recipe tests.

While other mixers needed frequent help with scraping ingredients off the sides of the bowl, the GE mixer's rotation is designed to cover the entire bowl, so we didn't have to lift a finger while testing. We also observed that the machine was quite lightweight, making it easier to lift or put away than others we tested. However, this didn't cause it to move around during operation; it stayed perfectly still on the countertop.

When mixing the whole wheat bread dough, the GE Mixer was the top performer of the day. We used it to mix the dough for 10 minutes, and during that time, the motor didn't become too hot, the machine didn't jolt around on the counter, and it didn't become excessively loud. The resulting dough was slightly sticky but quite elastic and easy to work with.

Similarly, this mixer was able to successfully create the perfect whipped cream consistency, and the 5.3-quart die-cast metal bowl is slightly larger than the standard mixing bowl size, meaning there's extra space for large recipes or double batches. The machine also features a slow-starting motor, which avoids sudden splatters when you change mixing speeds.

Keep in mind that this machine has a 10-minute automatic shutoff feature, so if you want to stir or knead ingredients longer than that, you'll need to turn the dial back to "zero" and restart it.

Product Details: Attachments: Flat beater, dough hook, wire whisk, pouring shield | Wattage: 350 watts | Bowl Size: 5.3 quarts | Dimensions: 16.3 x 13.6 x 9 inches

Best Attachments

Cuisinart Stand Mixer

View On Amazon $227 View On Target $250 View On Wayfair $250

If you like to try a wide variety of recipes in the kitchen, you will likely need a bunch of different attachments to get the most out of your stand mixer. We particularly liked the accessories included with the Cuisinart 5.5-quart stand mixer, making this machine is a great choice for an everyday baker who prefers variety.

This stand mixer comes with a 5.5-quart stainless steel bowl and a convenient tilt-back head for easy access when adding ingredients. It also includes a dough hook for kneading, a whisk, a flat mixing paddle, and a splash guard to prevent splatters. While many of the other stand mixers we tested included these features, we particularly liked how easy it was to operate and clean the attachments on the Cuisinart mixer.

Plus, you can add other Cuisinart attachments, such as a spiralizer, pasta cutter, meat grinder, and ice cream maker, to this machine (sold separately).

We also loved that the mixer has pre-programmed settings for common baking needs—such as whipped cream, mixing batter, and kneading dough—allowing you to achieve the desired texture for every recipe. In our tests, we found the Cuisinart 5.5-quart mixer to be perfect for creating whipped cream, combining the powdered sugar, cream, and vanilla without splashing to form stiff peaks in less than two minutes.

We also successfully made oatmeal cookies with this machine, noting that it even scraped ingredients off the sides as it mixed for a perfectly clean bowl. Once the dough started to become firmer, the mixer shook slightly but not enough to raise concerns. If you're planning to use this mixer to make bread, be sure to scrape the sides of the bowl as the machine mixes, as it seemed to have trouble combining ingredients on dense dough types during testing.

Product Details: Attachments: Dough hook, whisk, flat mixing paddle, splash guard | Wattage: 500 watts | Bowl Size: 5.5 quarts | Dimensions: 16.5 x 15.9 x 11 inches

Best for Large Batches

KitchenAid Professional 600 Series 6-Quart Bowl-Lift Stand Mixer

View On Amazon $430 View On Wayfair View On Wayfair

Since many stand mixers are designed to work on single-batch recipes, making food and desserts for a crowd can be a bit of a hassle. It often requires either making the same recipe twice to accommodate more people or owning a separate mixer designed to handle large quantities.

However, we found that the KitchenAid Professional Series 600 stand mixer expertly balanced the large capacity needed for large recipes while remaining quite effective at mixing smaller batches together. We tested the 6-quart model, and when making whipped cream, cookie dough, and bread, we found that this stand mixer had no trouble forming the perfect consistency for each recipe. The motor didn't overheat, and the machine didn't become loud when kneading the bread dough, making us confident that it would be able to handle dense dough types without issue.

We also found that the KitchenAid Professional Series 600 mixer was quite easy to clean, since the bowl, attachments, and the splash guard are all dishwasher safe. The splash guard prevented any spills or splatters on the mixer itself, so all we had to do to clean up was swipe it with a damp rag.

Though this large batch stand mixer comes with a dough hook, a wire whisk, a flat beater, and a pouring shield, you can purchase 12 other compatible attachments, meaning you'll be able to use this mixer for just about any recipe under the sun. The stainless steel bowl features a convenient handle for easy carrying, and the mixer comes in 10 different colors to match your kitchen color scheme.

Keep in mind that securing the mixing bowl into place on this appliance can take a bit of practice. Since it's a bowl-lift mixer, we had some trouble getting the bowl in place under the mixer head, but this became less of an issue once we got the hang of it.

Product Details: Attachments: Dough hook, whisk, flat beater, pouring shield | Wattage: 575 watts | Bowl Size: 7 quarts | Dimensions: 16.5 x 11.25 x 14.5 inches

Best Mini

Kitchenaid Artisan Mini Plus 3.5-Qt. Stand Mixer

View On Amazon $380 View On Wayfair $380 View On Walmart $300

If you lack space in your cupboards or countertop for appliances, you'll likely want to look for a stand mixer that's more compact and easy to transport, so you can keep your kitchen from looking cluttered. We fell in love with the 3.5-quart KitchenAid Artisan Mini Plus Tilt-Head Stand Mixer, which is perfectly sized for single batch recipes while remaining lightweight and easy to clean.

During testing, this small stand mixer aced our tests for whipped cream and cookie dough, incorporating the ingredients just as easily as the larger stand mixers we tested. We observed that the bowl size was perfect for a single batch of cookies, but there wasn't enough space for a bigger batch, should you choose to double the recipe.

Even when kneading bread dough (which required a bit of extra help to fully incorporate) for long periods of time, the motor did not become hot or overworked. This made us confident that it'd be capable of handling a wide variety of dough and batter types without any clunking or accidental breaking. Plus, we loved that this mixer's bowl and attachments are all dishwasher safe, so cleaning up after baking was an extremely simple task.

Since it weighs just 18 pounds, the KitchenAid Artisan Mini Plus stand mixer is much easier to move around your kitchen without exerting too much energy. Its compact dimensions make it easier to slide into a cabinet for out-of-sight storage, but its sleek design and 10 different color options also make it attractive enough to display on your countertop, too.

Keep in mind that this mini stand mixer took on a high-pitched whine when mixing dense dough types like bread dough. While this wasn't enough to deter us from using or buying the appliance, some shoppers may prefer to purchase a quieter machine.

Product Details: Attachments: Dough hook, whisk, flat beater | Wattage: 250 watts | Bowl Size: 3.5 quarts | Dimensions: 12.3 x 12.3 x 8 inches