Our favorite mixers for cookies, cakes, and doughs—plus buying tips on capacity, power, and attachments.
Heavy-duty countertop kitchen appliance for baking enthusiasts, offering multi-speed performance, generous stainless-steel capacity, and wide accessory compatibility to expand home cooking capabilities.
KitchenAid Classic Series 4.5 Quart Tilt-Head Stand Mixer K45SS in Onyx Black (Price: $259.00) blends timeless style with reliable power for everyday baking and cooking. Built with metal construction and a precision planetary mixing action that engages 59 touchpoints around the bowl, this tilt-head model delivers even ingredient incorporation across 10 speed settings—perfect for everything from stirring batter to whipping cream. The included 4.5 quart stainless-steel bowl is dishwasher-safe and can handle up to 8 dozen cookies per batch when using the flat beater, while the tilt-head lifts for easy ingredient additions and secure locking during operation. Model K45SS ships with a coated flat beater, coated dough hook and a 6-wire whip; the front accessory hub accepts 10+ optional attachments (sold separately) to make pasta, ice cream, veggie noodles, burgers and more. Compact enough for most counters yet rugged enough for frequent use, this KitchenAid mixer is an essential appliance for home bakers who want consistent, long-lasting performance.
Top notch. Ask anyone. I got this for my wife about a year ago and she cannot stop raving about it. For her it’s so convenient and she can make things she never made before because it was too difficult to mix by hand. Cleaning is a breeze and has a lot of power. — Dan Henderson
Late birthday present to myself! I really want to cook and bake more so this was a big deal for me. I debated whether I wanted the artisan or the classic and I chose the classic because I read a Reddit post that basically said the both were the same. Not much difference in functionality. The parts are interchangeable. The biggest difference I see is the classic does not have a handle on the bowl and it only come with one bowl. The artisan comes with two. But I can always buy extra bowls if I want. I can’t wait to buy all the attachments! — Ms. Hull
I am amazed by this kitchen appliance! It has made such a difference in our cooking routine. Since I surprised my wife with it a year ago, she can't stop praising it. The convenience it offers is unmatched, enabling her to whip up dishes she never dared to try before due to the tedious hand-mixing process. Cleanup is a breeze, and the power it packs is truly impressive. I highly recommend this fantastic appliance! — anjalina prasad
Commercial-grade countertop appliance built for batch baking and heavy-duty dough preparation.
The Aucma 6.5‑QT 660W tilt-head kitchen appliance blends professional performance with user-friendly design for home bakers. Its 660W pure copper motor and 6-speed control with pulse deliver fast, consistent results while keeping operation quiet (≤76dB). The roomy 6.5‑quart stainless steel bowl with dual handles and included dough hook, wire whip and flat beater make this unit ideal for cakes, breads, cookies and pastries; a splash guard with an access hatch keeps additions mess-free. Thoughtful touches—blue LED power indicator, stainless-steel trim and a two-layer painted housing—give reliable function and a stylish finish on your countertop.
i made pupusas with it! makes the process a lot easier after doing it by hand with family lol. Works very well and is simple enough to figure out. We throw the detachable pieces in the dishwasher on the hottest setting and it lasts. — Gabriella f.
I was really surprised how much I like this mixer. My Kitchenaid light professional model had to be repaired and I just could not do without a mixer for that amount of time. I didn't want to spend too much and this mixer seemed like the best of the lower end models. I love it. It is much more powerful than I expected and is great for the average sized batch of cookies or smaller bread dough batches. It won't do my larger bread dough batches, but It's perfect for anything the average baker would need to do and at a much lower price than the artisan model of Kitchenaid. — Cornelia C Wiegert
I purchased this Dec 26, 2023 and I have been addicted to baking ever since. I use it every single week at least once and it's still going strong. I've read reviews where some attachments melted in the dishwasher. So, to be on the safe side, I always hand wash everything. — Brittany Jackson
A versatile countertop baking appliance ideal for home cooks who need reliable performance for doughs, batters and whipped toppings.
The Gourmia 5 Quart 10-Speed Electric Stand Mixer delivers powerful, countertop performance for home baking. Its roomy 5 qt stainless bowl handles bread, cake, cookies, frosting, brownies, whipped cream and meringue with consistent results. The 10-speed dial plus pulse control provides precision for everything from gentle folding to high-speed whipping, while the included dough hook, whisk and beater tackle kneading, creaming and aerating tasks. A tilting head and locking bowl make attachment changes and ingredient access quick and simple, and the included splash shield keeps countertops clean. The suction-cup base adds stability during mixing, yet the compact footprint stores easily in cabinets or on counters. Backed by a 1-year Gold Standard Warranty—with two extra years when registered—this Gourmia mixer is a practical gift for home bakers seeking professional-style results without the bulk.
I’ve been using the Gourmia 5 Quart 10 Speed Electric Stand Mixer for a few weeks now and I’m pretty happy with it. It looks nice sitting on the counter and doesn’t take up a ton of space. The stainless steel bowl is a good size for most recipes and the splash shield actually helps cut down on the mess, which I didn’t think I’d care about but turns out I do. I’ve tried all the attachments and they’ve worked well. The dough hook handled pizza dough without struggling. The whisk was great for whipping egg whites and cream, and the beater is what I use most for cookie dough and cake mixes. It mixes evenly and I don’t have to stop too often to scrape the bowl. I like having ten speeds since it lets me start slow and avoid flour clouds. The noise level is decent for a mixer like this, not too loud but not quiet either. For the price I paid, it feels like a really good deal. It makes baking more enjoyable and something I actually look forward to instead of dreading cleanup or uneven results. — Silas T
Really impressed with this mixer. It’s very well made and like how it has suction cups on the bottom to help it stick firmly to the counter top. It comes with three different attachment heads which are easy to change over and I’ve found they clean quickly. I like that the bowl is 5Q which is a very useable size perfect for all my baking needs and overall it looks very stylish so excellent value for money. — Jackson Elderton
I found this to be a great mixer. You can use it for so many different things and each tool does precisely what it's supposed to! All the pieces firmly attach to the handle and easily detach. Cleaning is easy. Everything just wipes right out. Its a very nice kitchen appliance to have if you're an avid baker like myself. I love that it's not a huge contraption but it really gets the job done. I am very happy with this mixer! — FoXyAF
High-performance kitchen appliance for home bakers and chefs seeking a compact 5.5-qt planetary food-prep solution with variable-speed control and durable stainless-steel construction.
Cuisinart SMD-50GPH Precision Pro 5.5-Quart Stand Mixer in Graphite brings professional-style performance to your countertop for $269.99. Powered by a 500-watt motor and offering 12 speeds, three preprogrammed food-prep settings and a visible LED display with countdown timer and auto-off, this unit delivers dependable results from whipping creams to kneading dough. The polished 5.5-qt stainless-steel bowl with helper handle, plus included whisk, flat paddle, dough hook and splash guard, make everyday baking and meal prep faster and cleaner; a built-in power outlet lets you add optional attachments when needed. Sleek graphite styling and compact footprint suit modern kitchens while robust construction supports frequent use.
My wife likes to make bread. This unit has made this a lot easier for her to try new recipes because it works so well and she can move it around where she needs it. — Jeffrey B.
The reviews all say KitchenAid is the best, right? It's also double the cost of this mixer from Cuisinart. This stand mixer has a more powerful motor and powers through tough tasks like bread dough with ease. It has great mixing ability for cake batter, doughs and whips cream effortlessly. It has a good weight, enough to hold it firmly on the countertop but you don't need 2 people to take it out of a cabinet. Feels strong and durable to use. True, it doesn't come in as many colors as Kitchen Aid, but it does look great in the colors offered. If you don't use or need all the special attachments, save some money and give this mixer a try. — Dennis D
Impressive quality. I had a kitchen aid mixer and thought this might not impress...totally love it. Slightly lighter weight, it fits better in my lower cabinet due to the profile. I've used it quite a bit now. I make a lot of egg white bread and though I've owned every option out there, this makes stiff egg white better then anything else, quite a feat. Plenty of power. I no longer make traditional breads so have not used the dough hook but what counts is the motor and build quality which are top notch in my book. — just sayin
High-capacity, app-enabled stand-style kitchen appliance with planetary action and a 6.3-qt stainless steel bowl for consistent baking and large-batch preparation.
The Instant Pot 6-Speed 6.3-Qt Stand Mixer in Base Black brings professional-style results to home kitchens. Powered by a 400-watt motor and planetary mixing action, it delivers even, no-splash mixing across six speeds plus pulse for everything from delicate whipped cream to yeast doughs. The 6.3-quart stainless steel bowl handles family-size batches, while the tilt-head design and removable pouring shield make ingredient additions and cleanup simple. Lightweight yet durable ABS housing combines portability with lasting style, and included paddle, dough hook, and whisk attachments expand what you can create. Built-in safety controls including an auto-shutoff provide peace of mind, and the free Instant Brands Connect App supplies recipes and inspiration. Priced at $149.95, this stand mixer is an affordable, feature-rich choice for everyday baking and cooking.
It works so well! It mixes all of my ingredients great and has speeds perfect for cookies that don’t get the flour everywhere. Also super light and easy to move, I put it on a top shelf. Love this and a great price!! — Elizabeth
This mixer is a great quality. I researched so many before deciding on this. I've used this mostly for bread and sausage balls. It's not very loud at all. The suction cups on the bottom make it sturdy. And the attachments are easy to get on and off. Very well made and a great asset in the kitchen! — Trisha L.
This mixer is nice and powerful and with all the attachments you need. It’s so easy a blind guy can use it. So far, we have whipped up eggs to make cloud bread and it made the stiff peaks super quick. My daughter made peanut butter cookies and sugar cookies. It never missed a beat never bogged down just powered through that stuff. Think this is a great mixer and Was in the price range we were looking for. — Outta Sight
Choose a mixer designed for dense doughs with sturdy gearing and overload protection for reliable kneading.
Tilt-heads favor convenience and smaller kitchens; bowl-lifts excel at stability and big batches.
A flat beater, wire whisk, and dough hook cover most tasks; expand with pasta rollers, grinders, and slicers via the hub.
