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Best stand mixer for 2022: For every budget from Aldi, Lakeland and more



Whether you’re just starting out on your baking adventures or are a seasoned pro worthy of a Paul Hollywood handshake, a stand mixer is an essential piece of kit for your kitchen arsenal.

Even at their most basic – and affordable – the best stand mixers take the chore out of baking, letting you effortlessly whip eggs whites into glossy peaks, knead dough to perfection or beat butter to golden creaminess. They save you time, effort and usually washing up, too.

There’s a huge range of stand mixers at various of price points: it’s possible to snag a simple mixer for under £50 – or to spend upwards of £500 on a professional-standard model with dozens of blingy features.

You do, generally, tend to get what you pay for. Cheaper stand mixers usually have less powerful motors and are designed for light use – say, that weekly Victoria sponge or traybake. At their most expensive they are built to withstand a lifetime of frequent, heavy-duty dough processing or ultra-precise patisserie production. Some can even make meringue or melt chocolate for you, like some kind of automated Delia.

Ultimately, the best stand mixer for you will depend on how frequently you bake and what you like to make; as well as, of course, your personal style preference and storage situation. That’s why we tested mixers of every price point, listing those that provide good value for money.

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How we tested

We put each of our best stand mixers through the same three tests. We whipped egg whites to soft peaks, creamed cold butter with sugar until smooth, and we made a basic bread dough with flour and water. If there were additional key extra features included with the mixer – say, the aforementioned ability to melt chocolate – we tested those too.

Finally, we marked each of our mixers based not only on how well and precisely they mixed, but how intuitive they were to use, how easy they were to clean and our impression of their durability. And, we considered looks, after all, a stand mixer might be a kitchen workhorse but much like a fridge or microwave, for most of us, it’s also going to be on show. At the very least it shouldn’t be an eyesore, but ideally, it should add as much pizazz to your kitchen décor as it does to your bakes. These are the ones that rose to the occasion.

The best stand mixers for 2022 are:

  • Best overall – Swan 800W retro stand mixer: £109.99, Swan-brand.co.uk
  • Best lifetime buy – KitchenAid mixer tilt-head 4.8l artisan with accessories: £549, Kitchenaid.co.uk
  • Best for alternative design – Morphy Richards mixstar compact stand mixer: £129.99, Morphyrichards.com
  • Best multi-tasker – Bosch kitchen machine mum5 scale 1000: £449.99, Bosch-home.co.uk
  • Best hand and stand mixer – Lakeland 2-in-1 hand and stand mixer 3.5l: £64.99, Lakeland.co.uk
  • Best for star bakers – Kenwood titanium chef patissier xl: £649.99, Kenwoodworld.com
  • Best mid-priced mixer – Cuisinart precision stand mixer: £315, Cuisinart.co.uk
  • Best budget with style – Aldi pistachio classic stand mixer: £49.99, Aldi.co.uk
  • Best big format budget mixer – Tower 1000W 6-speed 5l stand mixer: £77.93, Wayfair.co.uk
  • Best for smoothie fanatics – Sensio home 6-speed 4.5l stand mixer: £82.28, Wayfair.co.uk
  • Best retro-style premium – Smeg SMF03 stand mixer: £449.95, Smekuk.com

Swan 800W retro stand mixer

Best: Overall

Rating: 9.5/10

  • Bowl size: 4l
  • Power: 800W
  • Attachments: Whisk, beater, dough hook

Since the 1920s, British brand Swan has been making stand mixers for the nation’s kitchens. And this retro-style model proves that decades of design experience pays dividends. It looks sleek and chic, coming in a range of candy-hued tones. It’s notably slim, too – great if you have tight kitchen corners – and yet still features a good-sized 4L bowl that will suit most cake mixes. But the main reason we loved it? It sells for just a smidge over £100. If we didn’t know better, we would have thought it costs double that.

We couldn’t fault the Swan’s performance in our tests; it creamed butter and peaked egg whites with ease. Its solid-feeling attachments and splash guard clicked easily and confidentially into place. And unlike some other cheaper models, it didn’t rattle around when kneading our bread dough.

The one small downside? You’re not meant to run it for more than about eight minutes consecutively (do note, this isn’t unusual among cheaper stand mixers). But frankly, unless you’re baking elaborately or highly frequently, you shouldn’t need to. And in turn, with the Swan you get a great-looking mixer that gets the job done.

KitchenAid mixer tilt-head 4.8l artisan with accessories

Best: Lifetime buy

Rating: 8.5/10

  • Bowl size: 4.8l
  • Power: 300W
  • Attachments: Additional 3l bowl, whisk, paddle, flex edge beater, dough hook

When it comes to stand mixers, KitchenAid is practically iconic. In fact, for many bakers out there, KitchenAid is the only stand mixer. Its lofty reputation is justified; the American brand has been the category flag-bearer in the US since the 1930s. It’s big, it’s heavy (over 10kg) and it’s built to last – our tester’s mum has one she’s been using since the Nineties that still works like a dream. From the robust attachments to the super-solid bowl, this is a machine that, when properly cared for, can be baking with you for decades.

The brand’s range is concise, models vary mostly by size and colour (it’s known for its striking limited-edition colour palettes; this year’s ‘colour of the year’ is beetroot). But the 4.8l artisan with accessories model, in our eyes, is the perfect buy. It’s just the right size for bakes small and large, and comes with a raft of handy extras, including a flexi-edge beater and a second bowl that nestles neatly inside the main one.

As for performance? Impressive. There’s real force behind this machine; it seems like it could run for hours without faltering (not that that’s necessary, given our egg whites reached soft peaks in mere moments). Because it’s heavy, even when tackling stubborn bread dough it sticks confidently in place on your counter, powering through the mixing bowl’s contents with ease. It’s easy to clean and the attachments are high-quality too.

Read more: 9 best cake stands to flaunt your showstopping bakes

But this can do so much more than just mix. If you buy additional attachments – anything from a meat grinder to a spiralizer – you can use the machine’s motor for all sorts of other kitchen tasks. However, the fine print is that, like the machine itself, these can be quite pricey.

There’s no major downsides with this machine either. Switching between mixing speeds isn’t quite as smooth as it is on some other premium-priced competitors, and in moments of patisserie panic, some distracted bakers might confuse the speed dial with the one that flips the mixer head up (we’ve done this more than once). It’s also not really suitable for mixing very small quantities (for that you’ll want the 3.3l model instead). And, of course, it’s expensive; even more so if you want a limited-edition colour, which costs extra. But if you’re going to have this machine forever – and you really might – it’s worth the investment.

Morphy Richards mixstar compact stand mixer

Best: For alternative design

Rating: 9/10

  • Bowl size: 4l
  • Power: 650W
  • Attachments: Whisk, beater, dough hook, scraper

We’ll be upfront: when we first saw this stand mixer next to the lineup of cool retro-styled models, we weren’t sure if we liked it. But as we used it, it grew on us very, very quickly. The unique set-up – which uses a dual-pronged mixing attachment that’s powered from within the bowl, rather than the usual way from above – is practical on many levels.

Unlike traditional stand mixers with a central top-down mixing head, you can really see everything that’s happening, all through the clear domed lid. This allows for precision (we knew the exact moment our egg whites were perfectly peaked) and keeps everything neat too, minimising splatters. It makes it easy to clean too, as everything can just be piled into the dishwasher.

The attachments are well-designed, popping easily on and off from the central mixing shaft. An optional scraper keeps your butter or batter from sticking to the side of the bowl as you mix, too. All the attachments store neatly inside a tray in the 4l inner bowl, so nothing goes astray.

It’s light (less than 5kg) and, thanks to that design, easy to store in a drawer or cupboard – a real selling point if you don’t have much counter space. As a final cherry on top, there’s an automatic timer built in, so each time you start mixing you know exactly how long you’ve been going for. A real winner at the price point.

Bosch kitchen machine mum5 scale 1000

Best: Multi-tasker

Rating: 9.5/10

  • Bowl size: 3.9l
  • Power: 1000W
  • Attachments: Whisk, beater, dough hook, 4 shredding/grating disks

Love the idea of a stand mixer, but don’t know if you can dedicate the counter real estate – or cash – to one machine? This magic all-rounder is the buy for you.

It’s a stand mixer, yes, whisking egg whites with ease and swirling bread dough like a pro. But it’s also a digital kitchen scale, grater and chopper. Invest in additional attachments and you can further transform it into a meat grater, pasta maker, even a blender – and not at a ridiculous premium (the glass blender add-on costs £50, as an example). Basically, if you’re someone who only bakes occasionally but generally loves to cook, you’ll find great value for money in the Bosch.

Read more: 12 best baking trays to get your mitts on

It’s a looker, too, with soft curves and an easy-to-wipe white exterior that will look chic in any kitchen space. The design is compact, so it takes up a minimal footprint on your counter and the attachments that come with it – including beater, dough hook, paddle and four grating wheels – come packed in a neat little pouch so they’re easy to store too. Working out how to use some of them for the first time is a bit like putting together a jigsaw, but once you become familiar with how everything clicks into place it’s super easy to use.

If that’s not enough, the Bosch has a strong motor – 1,000W – and an integrated timer, so you’ll never accidentally overwhip your egg whites if the doorbell rings mid-meringue. That built-in kitchen scale means you can weigh everything directly into the bowl, saving on washing up. The only trade-off, besides price, is that for some more elaborate cooking endeavours the 3.9l might prove a tad small. But really, this little machine is genius.

Lakeland 2-in-1 hand and stand mixer 3.5l

Best: Hand and stand mixer

Rating: 8/10

  • Bowl size: 3.5l
  • Power: 400W
  • Attachments: Beater, dough hook

There are bakers out there that will be wondering whether a stand mixer is for them – or whether they should just get a smaller, more flexible hand mixer. With this clever (and thrifty) piece of kit from Lakeland, you don’t need to decide. Because you’re getting both.

It’s a smidge awkward to operate at first – we didn’t find that plugging in the mixing attachments was all that intuitive – but once you get the hang of it, there’s lots to love in this mixer. When used with the stand, the beaters are slightly offset from the centre of the bowl, so batters swirl in a way that prevents them from sticking to the sides (bravo, Lakeland).

What’s more, the motorhead is easy to lift off the stand and start using right away as a hand mixer. Just what you need if you’re hopping between multiple mixing bowls in one big bake fest. There’s a three-year guarantee too, not bad at all for a £65 machine.

Kenwood titanium chef patissier xl

Best: For star bakers

Rating: 9/10

  • Bowl size: 7l
  • Power: 1400W
  • Attachments: Additional 5l bowl, beater, whisk, k-beater, dough tool, spatula

We know that this is a lot of money to spend on a stand mixer. But heavens, what a mixer. For serious bakers, there’s truly no better machine. Everything about it is considered, from the digital display to the built-in light that illuminates the finer details of your mixing bowl contents. There are dozens of possible mixing settings, allowing for complete precision and consistency. And – most game-changing of all – it comes with a warming option.

That’s right. This machine melts chocolate. It proves dough. It makes Italian meringue. It comes with two enormous bowls – one 7l, one 5l – so you can be making, say, a chocolate sponge in one and a buttercream in the other without having to interrupt your flow. Basically, it makes tricky bits of baking easier and cuts time and effort so you can bask in the fun of playing star baker.

Read more: 10 best cake tins to make showstopper bakes in

Like any bit of intricate machinery, you do have to get the hang of using it. While it is super responsive, there are also a lot of settings to get your head around – you can adjust speed, stirring frequency and timing with every mix (for example it can stir ultra-slowly, every few seconds, in order to carefully fold in ingredients). And there are also a number of pre-programmed settings which help ensure you get ideal results every time. The “egg white” option, for example, frothed ours to peak perfection quietly, smoothly and calmly.

It’s got a sizeable countertop footprint, but when in action, this machine feels the epitome of mixing elegance. Is it for everyone? No. Price point aside, if all you make is the odd sponge or batch of scones, if anything its array of settings might prove a hindrance rather than a help. But if you are keen to push your baking repertoire to the lofty heights of Bake Off stardom, this machine will be your new best friend.

Cuisinart precision stand mixer

Best: Mid-priced mixer

Rating: 9/10

  • Bowl size: 5.2l
  • Power: 500W
  • Attachments: Whisk, beater, dough hook

There are a lot of cheap mixers out there, and a lot of really pricey ones. But Cuisinart gets a gold star for producing a machine that works brilliantly, looks premium and – while not exactly cheap – shows excellent value for money. When it comes to the more straightforward bits of baking it can easily compete with many of the mixers that are sold for £500 or more. And yet, there’s so much more finesse to this mixer than you’ll get with cheaper models.

It’s noticeably quiet, but still with 12 speed settings, so you can customise your mixing to exactly the level that suits your bake best. It’s solid, too, tackling bread dough and egg whites both with the same sturdy, confident finesse. And while it has one of the largest bowls of the mixers we tried – 5.2l – because of its slim stand design it doesn’t feel like it takes up inordinate amounts of room in the kitchen.

That 5.2l bowl size is perhaps the mixer’s only potential downside; it’s not really suitable for mixing small quantities. But, then again, there are worse things in life than having so much batter that you need to bake an extra batch of red velvet cupcakes.

Aldi pistachio classic stand mixer

Best: Budget with style

Rating: 8/10

  • Bowl size: 5l
  • Power: 800W
  • Attachments: Whisk, beater, dough hook

If you’ve only got £50 to spend on a stand mixer, you could do far worse than this Instagrammable model from Aldi. With its retro shape and eye-catching pistachio hue, it’s better looking than many mixers four times its price point.

Is it built to last? Jury’s out. There is a three-year warranty, which is promising, but from our tests this feels like a mixer mostly designed to withstand occasional, straightforward use – say, that bi-monthly Victoria sponge or an out-of-the-box brownie mix.

Read more: 8 best electric hand mixers that whizz up a storm in the kitchen

That’s not to say it’s not good value. It’s well equipped, coming with a dough hook, whisk and beater, plus a bowl that’s dishwasher safe. It’s pretty foolproof to use, too. While our egg whites did take a bit longer than expected to reach soft peaks, and the base wobbled while we whipped our cold butter, it did ultimately get the job done. You’re only meant to operate it for five minutes continuously before giving the motor a break, so keep it for those quick and simple jobs, or gift it to the budding baker in your life.

Tower 1000W 6-speed 5l stand mixer

Best: Big format budget mixer

Rating: 7/10

  • Bowl size: 5l
  • Power: 1000W
  • Attachments: Whisk, beater, dough hook

This mixer hits a sweet spot with its fairly thrifty price – it’s sub-£80 – and winning performance. With a 1,000W motor, a sizeable bowl that’s capable of whisking up to two dozen eggs at once and a three-year guarantee, it’s sturdy enough to be used regularly and generally blends quietly and smoothly compared to other mixers around the same price.

We weren’t a huge fan of the lever that makes the mixer head move up and down – it felt like something we might get our fingers caught in or that could end up being tricky to clean. But we did like the style of the plastic guard, which had a proper funnel for adding ingredients (in many of the mixers we tried, it was so small it almost felt redundant). The handle on the bowl, too, which some other models lack at this price point, was handy when it came to pouring our beaten eggs and bread dough.

Sensio home 6-speed 4.5l stand mixer

Best: For smoothie fanatics

Rating: 7/10

  • Bowl size: 4.5l
  • Power: 1300W
  • Attachments: Whisk, beater, dough hook, blender

This handy two-in-one mixer is a solid buy for anyone with limited counter space that does as much blending as they do mixing. It’s not a small machine – in fact, at 4.5l, the bowl is roomy enough for making a big batch of bread dough. But the win is that it also comes with a 2.5l blender included. You can use the machine for one or the other function – or even both together. For example, you could simultaneously be blending fruit for a fresh drizzle for cheesecake, while whipping up cream cheese in the bowl below.

It’s not the quietest of mixers, nor the most stylish in our opinion – we could have probably done without the overt labelling splashed on the side that tells you which speed to use for which attachment. But if you’re not bothered by that (admittedly, helpful) design detail, then go for it.

Smeg SMF03 stand mixer

Best: Retro-style premium

Rating: 8.5/10

  • Bowl size: 4.8l
  • Power: 800W
  • Attachments: Whisk, beater, dough hook, flex edge beater

This retro-style Italian beauty would be a looker in any kitchen. Solid, heavy and with a smart gloss and metal exterior, it’s no pushover – it feels built to last. The 800W motor certainly has kick, and yet, this mixer does have an air of elegance to it too. Perhaps it’s the thin neck of the mixer head or the broad bowl. Either way, we can’t quite keep ourselves from thinking of this as the stand mixer equivalent to a Ferrari.

Rather than a standard style switch to pop up the mixing head, the Smeg has a push button at the back of the machine. We like this feature; it makes it impossible to flick up absent-mindedly while you’re mid-mix. We also like the speed dial, which runs as smoothly from one to 10 as if you’re revving up the engine on a luxury vehicle.

Read more: 11 best kids’ baking kits to inspire them in the kitchen

Meanwhile, subtle icons scrawled above the numbers remind you the best settings for whatever it is you’re making (for example, speed setting one and two for the dough hook) and all without detracting from the design. Another plus point? The flexi-edge beater, which has a bit more give for certain doughs and soft batters.

From our tests there’s not a whole lot we can fault about this mixer, other than to say that we wish it was cheaper. But that goes for all the premium-priced mixers on this list. They’re all lifelong investments for an enthusiastic baker.

Stand mixer FAQ’s

What to look for in a stand mixer?

First things first, consider the capacity you will need. Stand mixers can range from around 2qts of capacity, with larger stand mixers offering around 8qts of capacity. Somewhere halfway is sufficient for everyday meals and recipes.

Generally, a stand mixer can weigh anywhere from around 10–35lbs, but, the weights will also depend on their design and can vary widely. As a result, it’s important to consider how and where you will store your mixer –we recommend picking a lighter model if you are planning on storing it on a top shelf.

As all those listed here come with numerous different attachments, specific to their purpose you should also carefully consider what you will be using your appliance most for. That way you can be sure to pick one with attachments tailor-made to your specific needs rather than those that barely make it out of the box.

Stand mixer vs hand mixer

Why pick a stand mixer?

Pros: If you are an avid baker, or need a multi-tasking kitchen appliance, a stand mixer may be a better fit for you. Especially if you frequently try your hand at making breads and pastries, then these can withstand tougher mixing tasks such as kneading dough.

Naturally, you get the mixing bowl included with your stand mixer alongside larger attachments which get the job done a lot quicker. These also use a planetary mixing action – this means the mixer doesn’t just mix ingredients in the middle of the bowl but instead moves around the mixing bowl, reaching the edges for more thorough mixing.

Perhaps most handy though is that there is little to no effort involved in the mixing process. Simply leave your ingredients to mix while you get on with the rest of your recipe.

Cons: However, stand mixers will take up a lot more of your all-important cupboard space. They are, also, usually considerably more expensive, so are better suited to those who are more experienced in the kitchen and looking to make an investment. You may also find you struggle to mix smaller quantities and that they can be a pain to clean.

Why pick a hand mixer?

Pros: If you are more of an occasional baker, a hand mixer may be a better fit for you. They are small, saving you cupboard space, and cheap – you can pick one up for under £20. They are perfectly suited to smaller, occasional baking tasks like whipping up cake batter, whisking cream and egg whites.

Cons: Put simply, these can’t do as much as a stand mixer. They are less powerful, and perhaps, most noticeably, they are considerably more tiring to use especially for thicker mixes.

The verdict: Stand mixers

It’s tricky to pick a single winner here – because, with so many price points and features to consider, it’s a bit like comparing apples and oranges. But the stand mixer that over-delivers most on its price point – working like a dream, looking great, and providing superb value – is the Swan 800W retro stand mixer. We can heartily recommend it if your budget is just around the £100 mark.

If you have a bigger budget, and want a machine to last for decades, then the mixer you choose really depends on your individual requirements. For an icon that is certain to go the distance with your bakes, we’d plump for the KitchenAid mixer tilt-head 4.8l artisan with accessories. But for a stand mixer that provides truly tangible value, assisting with other kitchen duties beyond just mixing, you won’t regret the Bosch kitchen machine mum5 Scale 1000.

Finally, for the perfect in-between machine – where superior performance meets price – try the Cuisinart precision stand mixer.

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