Electric hand mixer: 6 handheld models compared for baking

An electric hand mixer handles light batters, whipped cream, and the occasional soft dough without the bulk of a stand mixer. These six handheld models are judged on speed steps, included beaters, grip, weight where a maker publishes it, and current US prices, not on motor watts alone. Switch the mixer off and unplug it before changing beaters, and keep hair and fingers clear of the moving heads.

Quick Verdict: The Cuisinart Power Advantage HM-50 is the Best Overall pick, pairing five speeds and extra-long beaters with a documented $49.95 price and a three-year limited warranty. This is an editorial pick based on published specs as of October 2026, not in-house testing. Check the current price and confirm the beater attachments on the listing before you buy.

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By DIY Ideas 4 Home Editorial Team

The Best Electric Hand Mixers Reviewed

These picks were drawn from current US manufacturer pages, model-specific listings, and major retailer specifications rather than hands-on trials, and the site compares published specifications and manufacturer documentation. Listed prices run from about $49.95 to $159.95 as of October 2026, before any optional accessory. The main measures are the number of speed steps, the beaters and hooks in the box, handling weight where published, and the stated electrical input, which does not describe kneading strength.

Cuisinart Power Advantage HM-50: Best Overall

Best For: Home bakers who want a dependable five-speed beater for cakes, cream, and soft cookie dough without extra gadgets.

The HM-50 earns the top spot less for raw features than for how little it leaves unanswered: a clear five-speed layout, extra-long beaters, and a swivel cord cover everyday mixing without the price conflict that follows the HM5100 or the variant gaps that trail the Breville. It gives up the nine-step control of the pricier Braun wheels and the scraper beaters of the premium pick, so cooks who whip stiff batters daily may want more gradations. For most frostings and light batters, the simple dial is enough.

Cuisinart’s product page for the HM-50 lists five electronic speed settings, a manufacturer-stated 220-watt electrical input, and a rotating swivel cord, backed by a three-year limited warranty at a current $49.95. The page frames the watt figure as an electrical rating rather than a torque number, so read it as context, not a dough-handling score.

On the counter it stays manageable, since the maker lists the body at 8.07 inches long, 3.56 inches wide, and 5.91 inches high, light enough to hold through a batch of meringue. The extra-long beaters reach the floor of a deep bowl, and Cuisinart sells replacement beaters for the model. Store the cooled unit with the cord wrapped loosely so the strain relief is not stressed.

Pros:

• Five electronic speeds with extra-long beaters for deep bowls.
• A three-year limited warranty backs the $49.95 list price.
• Rotating swivel cord keeps the cable clear of the bowl.

Cons:

• Only five speed steps against the nine on the MultiMix 5 wheels.
• No chopping or whisk accessory arrives in the box.

Who Should Buy It: Pick the HM-50 for straightforward light mixing on a budget; step up to the Breville Handy Mix Scraper BHM800 if scraper beaters and a work light matter more than price.

KitchenAid Ultra Power KHM512CU: Best for Everyday Icing

Best For: Cooks who frost cakes and mix light doughs a few times a week and want a familiar brand with a cord that locks aside.

KitchenAid’s KHM512CU trades the Cuisinart’s longer warranty story for a recognizable shape and a cord that locks to one side, keeping the cable out of the bowl as you move along a counter. It is not the most accessory-rich option here, because the inspected package centers on beaters rather than whisks or hooks. Where the HM-50 wins on price and the Braun models win on speed count, this one wins on one-hand familiarity for routine jobs.

The KHM512CU product page describes five speeds, turbo-style beaters, a beater-eject switch, and a lockable swiveling cord at a manufacturer-stated $54.99. KitchenAid does not promise every optional attachment in each color box, so confirm the exact silver listing before counting on a specific accessory.

Retailer specifications put the mixer at about 2 pounds and roughly 8 inches deep and 6 inches high, small enough to leave in a drawer between uses. The eject switch drops the beaters without hand contact once the motor stops, and the body wipes down while the beaters are washed on their own. Keep the cord lock engaged in storage so the cable does not spring loose.

Pros:

• Lockable swiveling cord routes the cable away from the bowl.
• Beater-eject switch releases the beaters without touching them.
• Two turbo-style beaters are included at the $54.99 price.

Cons:

• No whisk or dough hook in the inspected package.
• Five settings trail the nine on the Breville and the MultiMix 5.

Who Should Buy It: Choose the KHM512CU for a familiar locking-cord mixer; save money with the Cuisinart HM-50 if a plain five-speed at a lower price is all you need.

Braun MultiMix 2 HM2110BK: Best for Compact Storage

Best For: Small kitchens that need a light mixer with beaters and dough hooks tucked into a drawer between bakes.

The MultiMix 2 is the lightest conventional mixer in this group, which makes it the easy answer when storage space, not speed count, is the constraint. Braun ships it with both beaters and kneading hooks, so it covers whipped cream and a modest dough from one box, unlike the beater-only KitchenAid. Its four fixed settings plus turbo give less fine control than the nine-step MultiMix 5 line, a fair trade for the lower weight and price.

Braun’s product page for the HM2110BK lists four speeds with a turbo boost, a manufacturer-stated 500-watt electrical input, and an included beater and dough-hook set at a current $69.95. The brand notes that the 500-watt figure is an input rating and should not be read as more usable torque than the 350-watt MultiMix 5 units.

The owner’s listing records the mixer at 2.33 pounds and measures 8.11 inches long and 3 inches wide, among the smallest here to hold overhead. The hooks snap in for soft doughs, though the manual steers heavy bread toward a stand mixer. Let the beaters stop fully before pressing eject, and dry the hooks before storing them with the unit.

Pros:

• A light 2.33-pound body is easy to hold through a long whip.
• Beaters and dough hooks both ship in the $69.95 box.
• Four speeds plus a turbo boost for quick bursts.

Cons:

• Only four fixed settings sit below the turbo button.
• No mini-chopper like the one bundled with the HM5130.

Who Should Buy It: Reach for the HM2110BK when storage space is tight; choose the KitchenAid KHM512CU instead if a locking cord and brand familiarity rank higher than bundled hooks.

Braun MultiMix 5 HM5100: Best for Frequent Mixing

Best For: Regular bakers who want nine speed steps and a hand-balanced grip for longer sessions at the bowl.

The MultiMix 5 HM5100 is built around Braun’s SmartMix design, which shifts weight forward toward the beaters so the wrist does less work through a long mix. Its nine speed steps plus turbo give finer control than the four-setting MultiMix 2 or the five-speed Cuisinart, which matters when a recipe moves from folding to full whipping. It costs more than those simpler models and, unlike the HM5130, leaves out the bundled chopper.

Braun’s product page for the HM5100 describes nine speed steps with turbo, a one-hand speed wheel, and a manufacturer-stated 350-watt motor at a list price of $99.95; a separate maker snapshot has shown a $79.95 promotion, so treat $99.95 as the standard figure and watch for sales. The SmartMix balance is a handling claim, not a published performance score.

A retailer specification lists the mixer at about 3.1 pounds and 8.4 inches tall, heavier than the MultiMix 2 because of the larger motor housing. The speed wheel sits under the thumb for one-hand changes, and the beaters eject with a button once stopped. Keep the vents clear of batter and let the motor cool before wiping the housing.

Pros:

• Nine speed steps plus turbo give fine mixing control.
• SmartMix grip shifts weight toward the beater end.
• One-hand speed wheel changes settings mid-mix.

Cons:

• Costs more than the compact HM2110BK model.
• No bundled 500-milliliter chopper as on the HM5130.

Who Should Buy It: Choose the HM5100 for frequent, longer mixing; pick the Breville Handy Mix Scraper BHM800 if scraper beaters and a built-in light are worth the premium.

Braun MultiMix 5 HM5130: Best for Mixing Plus a Chopper

Best For: Bakers who want the MultiMix 5 mixer plus an occasional small chopper for herbs, nuts, or a quick salsa.

The HM5130 is the HM5100 with a 500-milliliter chopper added to the box, aimed at cooks who want a single purchase to cover mixing and light chopping. That bundle is both its reason to exist and its main drawback, since the extra bowl and blade add parts to wash and store. Anyone who only beats batter can save with the plain HM5100, while anyone needing real slicing or shredding should look to a full food processor rather than this small accessory.

Braun’s product page for the HM5130 lists the same nine-step MultiMix 5 control and manufacturer-stated 350-watt motor as its sibling, now paired with a 500-milliliter chopper, at a current $119.95. The maker is explicit that the compact chopper is not a full-size processing bowl, so keep expectations at small jobs.

The hand unit itself matches the HM5100 at roughly 3 inches wide, with the chopper adding a second cooled-down piece to clean after use. The chopper lid locks before the motor runs, following the manual’s sequence. Rinse and dry the blade promptly, because herb oils and nut residue cling to the small bowl.

Pros:

• Includes a 500-milliliter chopper alongside the MultiMix 5 mixer.
• Nine speed steps and turbo carry over from the HM5100.
• A manufacturer-stated 350-watt motor drives both tools.

Cons:

• The chopper adds pieces to wash and find room for.
• Costs more than the chopper-free HM5100.

Who Should Buy It: Buy the HM5130 to add light chopping to your mixing; stay with the Braun MultiMix 2 HM2110BK if a lighter, cheaper mixer with hooks is the real need.

Breville Handy Mix Scraper BHM800: Best Premium Option

Best For: Serious home bakers who want scraper beaters, a built-in light, and a storage case, and will pay for them.

The Handy Mix Scraper sits at the top of this group because of what it adds, not a bigger motor number: silicone-edged scraper beaters that wipe the bowl, a built-in light over the mixing area, and an included case. Those touches suit cooks who mix often and dislike stopping to scrape, which the simpler Cuisinart and KitchenAid do not address. The price is the obvious trade, and Breville’s own pages show differing wattage and size figures across colors, so this is a feature pick rather than a spec-sheet winner.

The BHM800 product page lists nine speeds plus a temporary boost, scraper beaters, and additional whisk and dough hooks at a manufacturer-stated $159.95. Because the maker shows conflicting power and dimension numbers across variants, this review does not rank it on watts and points buyers to the exact color spec sheet.

The listed case unit measures about 3.7 inches wide and 10 inches high, compact enough to shelve with the beaters inside. The work light helps in a dim bowl, and the scraper edges flex against the sides as the beaters turn. Treat the silicone edges gently and hand-wash the beaters if the manual advises it for that color.

Pros:

• Scraper beaters wipe the bowl sides while mixing.
• Built-in light and a storage case are included at $159.95.
• Nine speeds plus a temporary boost for heavier batters.

Cons:

• The highest price among these six mixers.
• Maker pages list conflicting wattage and size by color.

Who Should Buy It: Pick the BHM800 for scraper beaters and a work light; the Cuisinart Power Advantage HM-50 makes more sense when a low price outweighs the extras.

How to Choose an Electric Hand Mixer

A hand mixer is a light-duty tool, so match it to how often you bake and what you mix rather than to the largest figure on the box. The four points below separate these six models without leaning on marketing language.

Match the Speed Steps to Your Batters

Five models here offer either five or nine usable steps, and the gap shows when a recipe shifts from gently folding flour to fully whipping cream. The Cuisinart and KitchenAid keep five settings, the two MultiMix 5 wheels and the Breville offer nine, and the MultiMix 2 gives four plus a turbo. More steps help you ease into a batter and avoid flinging it, but occasional cake and frosting work rarely needs more than a few clean speeds.

Check the Beaters and Hooks in the Box

Included accessories vary more than the motors do. The MultiMix 2 packs beaters and dough hooks, the HM5130 adds a 500-milliliter chopper, and the Breville ships scraper beaters plus a whisk and hooks, while the KitchenAid package centers on beaters alone. Decide which heads you will actually use, since a chopper or whisk you ignore is only more to store and wash.

Weigh Grip and Handling for Long Sessions

Weight and balance matter once a mix runs past a minute or two. Braun lists the MultiMix 2 at 2.33 pounds and the MultiMix 5 near 3.1 pounds, and KitchenAid’s model sits around 2 pounds on retailer pages, while Braun’s SmartMix grip is designed to tip weight toward the beaters. A swivel or locking cord also keeps the cable out of the bowl, a small comfort that adds up over a big baking day.

Read Watt Ratings as Input, Not Strength

Wattage describes electrical input, not how much dough a mixer can move. The MultiMix 2 lists 500 watts and the MultiMix 5 units list 350 watts, yet Braun warns against reading the higher number as more real-world power, and the Cuisinart’s 220-watt figure is simply its own input rating. Judge dough ability by the included hooks and the manual’s limits instead of by the watt label.

Frequently Asked Questions

These questions cover the ownership choices a speed count or a price tag cannot settle, and they help separate a handheld beater from a stand mixer.

How many speeds does a hand mixer need for cake batter?

Three usable speeds are generally enough for standard cake batter, letting you start slow to combine and finish faster to aerate. Every model here offers at least four, and the nine-step wheels simply add finer control for cooks who want it. The more important habit is starting low so dry ingredients do not spray before they are incorporated.

Can a hand mixer knead bread dough safely?

Only lightly, and only with the dough hooks and the time limits the model’s manual sets. The MultiMix 2 and HM5130 include hooks for soft doughs, but stiff bread dough belongs to a stand mixer, since a hand unit’s motor can overheat under a heavy load. Stop if the housing grows hot and let it rest before continuing.

Do hand mixer watt ratings tell you how strong it is?

No, a wattage figure is an electrical input rating rather than a measure of torque at the beaters. A 500-watt label does not make the MultiMix 2 stronger in dough than a 350-watt MultiMix 5, as Braun itself points out. Use the included hooks, the speed steps, and the manual’s guidance to judge capability.

Can hand mixer beaters go in the dishwasher?

Often yes for the beaters, but only when the model’s manual says so, and never the motor body. Eject the cooled beaters and wash them separately, and hand-wash silicone scraper beaters like the Breville’s if the instructions advise it. Wipe the housing with a damp cloth instead of rinsing it.

Final Thoughts

For a dependable five-speed beater with extra-long beaters, a documented $49.95 price, and a three-year limited warranty, the Cuisinart Power Advantage HM-50 remains the Best Overall choice. One priority can change that: if you mix often and want silicone scraper beaters and a work light, the Breville Handy Mix Scraper BHM800 earns its premium, while the Braun MultiMix 5 HM5130 suits cooks who also want a small chopper. Confirm the current price and the exact accessories shown on the model listing before ordering, since bundles and promotions move.