Best hand mixer: The best electric hand whisks for fluffy cakes and smooth batters

Whether you’re creaming butter, making a sponge or whipping up a smooth sauce, a hand mixer is a must-have tool for both occasional and seasoned cooks. The best hand mixer will make the aforementioned tasks a piece of cake, leaving you with consistent results in super-quick time.

However, not all hand mixers are up to the job and, while you can pick up some decent options on a budget, you should think twice before simply picking up the cheapest thing on the virtual shelf.

To help you sort the good from the bad, we’ve put together a simple buying guide with tips on what to look out for and what to avoid when choosing a hand whisk. Below this, you’ll also find our recommendations of the best electric hand mixers for every budget and task.

Best hand mixers: At a glance

• Best budget hand mixer | Bosch CleverMixx
• Best hand mixer for soft butter | Breville HeatSoft
• Best cordless hand mixer | KitchenAid Cordless

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How to choose the best hand mixer for you

Should I get a hand mixer or a stand mixer?

Hand mixers are obviously the cheaper choice for whisking and beating, but if you do a lot of baking, you might want to consider a stand mixer instead. Stand mixers are bigger and pricier but offer far more versatility in the kitchen.

With a stand mixer, you’ll be able to mix far more in less time, and they typically come with a greater range of attachments and mixing speeds for more precise baking. Stand mixers are also fantastic for kneading large amounts of dough, something electric hand mixers can’t really do. Some high-end models can even prove dough and melt chocolate for you.

Before you settle on an electric whisk, be sure to check out our roundup of the best stand mixers. If you’re only an occasional baker, a hand mixer is likely your best bet, but a stand mixer could transform the way you work in the kitchen.

Should I get a hand mixer with lots of different speeds?

An electric whisk with several speed options will give you greater control over your baking and is essential if you plan on using it for a multitude of cooking projects. Some ingredients require a less vigorous whisking than others, so for optimum results you’ll want to be able to control the whisking speed as much as possible.

What kind of mixer attachments do I need?

Beaters: These mixing attachments are the most common you’ll find when you buy an electric hand mixer. A beater is typically a 3D rectangular shape, composed of flat pieces of metal that cross over at the bottom, with large gaps in between to allow mixture to pass through. They’re fine for most tasks but are typically used for medium to heavy mixtures such as when you’re creaming butter or sugar.

Balloon whisks: Balloon whisks are, unsurprisingly, balloon-shaped. In contrast to a beater, a whisk is made up of thin metal wires that cross over at the bottom. Here, mixture passes through more finely, in the process whipping more air into ingredients. This makes them ideal for any mixtures that need to be super airy and light such as egg whites and certain sponge batters.

These are the two most common attachments for electric hand mixers and the ones you’ll need the most but some will come with extra attachments for different tasks, such as kneading dough.

What’s the best wattage for a hand mixer?

Typically, the higher the wattage, the more powerful the motor. This usually means that a hand mixer with a higher wattage will deliver a decent result more quickly and is less likely to suffer motor burnout when mixing tough or large quantities of ingredients.

Wattage isn’t everything, though. The RPM also makes a big difference to how quickly and how well ingredients are incorporated and can cut mixing times down significantly. So looking out for an electric mixers with a high RPM is also advisable.

Moreover, a hand whisk with a high wattage but cheap or unsuitable attachments will also leave you with poorly mixed ingredients, as they won’t work in the intended way.

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The best hand mixers to buy

1. Bosch CleverMixx MFQ3030GB: The best cheap hand mixer

Price: £25 | Buy now from Amazon

The Bosch CleverMixx is ideal for those who enjoy making the occasional cake or loaf but don’t want to commit to anything more expensive. It comes with two beaters as standard but, rather unusually, has a set of dough hooks for kneading as well. There are four mixing speeds to switch between, as well as a pulse function for short, sharp blasts.

We like that the beater attachments are a kind of beater/balloon hybrid, with a wider rounded body and thinner prongs, as this helps increase the amount of air you can get into ingredients. The dough hooks are sturdy enough, but we’d advise sticking to fairly small quantities of dough to avoid putting too much stress on the motor.

It might not be the most attractive electric hand whisk, but it’s a great budget option and will serve you well in most basic tasks.

Key specs – Number of speeds: 4; Additional attachments: dough hooks; Motor: 350W; RPM: Not stated; Dishwasher-safe attachments: Yes

2. Dualit Hand Mixer: The best mid-priced hand mixer

Price: £67 | Buy now from Amazon

If you want to splash out on something a little more premium, Dualit’s incredibly stylish electric hand mixer comes with plenty of standout features that are worth the extra dough. Alongside the traditional beaters, it also has two balloon whisks and dough-hook attachments. Another impressive feature of this mixer is its retractable cord and plug storage, which is built into the main body. It makes it incredibly easy to store away – a huge benefit if you already have a lot of corded appliances taking up space in your cupboards.

With four speeds and a 400W motor, it’s a little more powerful than some of the cheaper options on this list, meaning tougher mixtures will be slightly less of a struggle. We’d still advise caution when using this to knead a family-sized loaf, though. If there’s too much dough, it’s more of a hassle than a help, especially as this electric mixer is a tad heavier than most.

All in all, though, this is a great mid-price option. It looks the part, has multiple speed options and comes with those premium features that make a real difference.

Key specs – Number of speeds: 4; Additional attachments: balloon whisk, dough hooks; Motor: 400W; RPM: Not stated; Dishwasher-safe attachments: Yes

3. Breville HeatSoft VFM021: The best hand mixer for creaming butter

Price: £50 | Buy now from Argos

This electric hand mixer has a little trick up its sleeve. Not only does it have seven speed settings and a pulse function for whisking and beating, but it softens butter too. Using hot air, it can warm butter straight from the fridge so you don’t have to bother with the microwave or hob, which often produces butter that’s over-softened anyway.

With a 270W motor, it’s not quite as powerful as others on our roundup, but the additional features, speed settings and attachments make up for it. When using the Heat button, you can soften the butter as you beat, but we’d suggest gently turning on the hot air without the beaters running first, to ensure you won’t accidentally overbeat your butter.

It may not be the fastest electric mixer, but it does offer fantastic value for money, making it an ideal choice if you want lots of functions on a budget.

Key specs – Number of speeds: 7; Additional attachments: balloon whisk, dough hook; Motor: 270W; RPM: Not stated; Dishwasher-safe attachments: Yes

4. Kenwood by Mary Berry: The best hand mixer for ease of use

Price: £33 | Buy now from Lakeland

Kenwood is well known for making affordable yet durable kitchen appliances and this hand whisk is no exception. It’s relatively lightweight at 1.14kg and has five speed settings, as well as a pulse function. Attachment-wise, it comes with the standard beaters and two dough hooks for bread kneading. There’s also a useful little attachment-storage tool, so you can keep your beaters clipped in place when not in use, saving you from the inevitable drawer-rummaging each time you want to use them.

This is a budget hand mixer and as such it’s only 280W. Don’t let that put you off, though. If you’re an occasional baker, this is a perfectly decent electric beater and, while it’s not the most stylish, it’s easy on the arms and gets basic jobs done far quicker than a manual whisk.

Key specs – Number of speeds: 5; Additional attachments: dough hooks; Motor: 280W; RPM: Not stated; Dishwasher-safe attachments: Yes

Buy now from Lakeland

5. KitchenAid Cordless Hand Whisk: The best cordless hand mixer

Price: £150 | Buy now from Argos

While there’s nothing wrong with corded appliances, you won’t understand the life-changing freedom of a cordless whisk until you’ve tried one. Being able to whisk from any angle, anywhere in your kitchen is genuinely fantastic and with enough charge for around 200 biscuits, you don’t need to worry about plugging it every night with your phone.

With seven speeds and a soft start function, which brings the beaters up to speed slowly, you also get a lot of control over your mixtures, so whether it’s a light sponge or butter icing, you can adjust the speed perfectly. Another notable feature is the “self-standing” base, which keeps the whisk perfectly upright when not in use and means less mess when you come to a stop.

It’s frustrating this doesn’t come with additional attachments in the box but, in testing, the classic beaters still did a decent job, whipping lots of air into batters. As this is a rechargeable appliance, the motor isn’t as powerful as some of its corded siblings, so this isn’t the one to buy if you’re looking for an electric workhorse. But it’s a great little mixer for basic jobs and going cordless is so worth it.

Key specs – Number of speeds: 7; Additional attachments: N/A; Motor: 16W; RPM: 100-2,300; Dishwasher-safe attachments: Yes

Buy now from Argos