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Mixers/whisks

(41 Posts)
ExDancer Thu 06-Nov-25 15:30:17

I have had a Kenwood chefette mixer for over 40 years and its done great service as I like baking. This afternoon I decided, belatedly, to make my Christmas cakes - and it gave up the ghost and died.
So I thought to myself, Christmas is coming so here's my chance to ask DH for something I really would like for a present, and I checked up online to see how much they cost.
Please don't bother telling me you'd hate a kitchen gadget for a gift - we don't have money to spare for diamond rings and expensive perfume and I'd be upset if I was given something frivolous.
The choice of mixers is huge.
What do other bakers on here recommend as a reliable basic mixer for making everyday things like sponge cakes?
I'm not fussed about the manufacturers but would prefer British or European made, and not a huge semi professional one, under (say) £100.
(the cake is in the oven and looking good, so all's well)

Ilovecheese Thu 06-Nov-25 17:44:52

I had a Kenwood hand held mixer, lasted 45 years. I have had a new Kenwood for about 2 years now. So don't know about the longevity but it is easy to use and light to hold .

Allira Thu 06-Nov-25 17:57:49

I bought an expensive Kenwood mixer as a present to myself but don't really like it. The mixture needs constantly scraping down and it's probably fine for making about three cakes at once but not just one.

So I thought a hand mixer might be useful for smaller amounts so bought a Salter (seemed a reliable make). However, the slow speed is very fast and the ingredients fly out of my largest bowl and all over the worktop and wall tiles!

Allira Thu 06-Nov-25 18:04:34

Sorry, that's two I'd avoid rather than a recommendation.

teabagwoman Thu 06-Nov-25 18:44:24

Watching with interest as I have a Kenwood Chef which I’m finding heavy to move about. I have a very cheap Tesco hand mixer which is fine for some things but, like Allira’s the so called slow speed is much too fast.

Allira Thu 06-Nov-25 20:00:10

teabagwoman

Watching with interest as I have a Kenwood Chef which I’m finding heavy to move about. I have a very cheap Tesco hand mixer which is fine for some things but, like Allira’s the so called slow speed is much too fast.

They are, aren't they.
It sits on a work surface, ignored most of the time. I did make a cover for it so it is kept clean!

Allira Thu 06-Nov-25 20:03:03

teabagwoman

Watching with interest as I have a Kenwood Chef which I’m finding heavy to move about. I have a very cheap Tesco hand mixer which is fine for some things but, like Allira’s the so called slow speed is much too fast.

Sugar and butter was flying everywhere!
I used a proper Mason Cash large mixing bowl too.

Another unloved gadget.

twiglet77 Thu 06-Nov-25 21:04:04

I loved the Chefette that lasted for very many years. Now I still use the bowl bit with a cheap hand-held mixer with three speeds. It does everything I need it to - I use a wooden handled dough which for bread - and I’ve never been inclined to try a food processor nor even a Kenwood Chef, they take up too much space.

ginny Thu 06-Nov-25 21:42:53

I’ve only ever had a hand mixer and I make a lot of cakes. I didn’t worry about the make , just went to a shop and tried the weight of them in my hand.

Cabbie21 Thu 06-Nov-25 22:05:15

Sorry no useful suggestions. My Kenwood has broken too. The little lip on the plastic top broke off, so it won’t work now, though the blender attachment works but I hardly ever use it.
I still use an ancient Moulinex which has either a whisk or dough hooks . It must be over 55 years old!
I’m not sure whether to bother with a replacement.

Ziplok Thu 06-Nov-25 22:28:17

I have a kenwood hand held electric mixer and it’s very good.

Gin Thu 06-Nov-25 22:30:10

I had a Magimix that lasted forty years before giving up the ghost. As a replacement I bought a not very expensive Kenwood that is so flimsy and had a plastic blade! It was useless but bought a metal blade from their spares dept. It is OK but not thing like my Magimix but they are so expensive these days.

Mostly I use my mother in laws ancient Moulinex hand mixer, but the modern version looks very insubstantial. I would get a cheap one which will be light and easy to use but may not last long.

Spinnaker Thu 06-Nov-25 22:59:13

Kitchen Aid stand mixer
Magimix processor
Dualit hand held mixer

All the above are extremely robust and are my three workhorses in the kitchen (apart from me) 😂

Deedaa Thu 06-Nov-25 23:06:53

I had a Kenwood Chef for about 30 years before the motor gave up. I replaced it with a Kenwood hand held mixer, which takes up a lot less space and copes with all my normal baking and gets the Christmas cake started off as well.

Esmay Thu 06-Nov-25 23:36:28

I cut my butter up into very small pieces into a warm bowl and after adding the sugar cream together using a cheapo hand held mixer .
I think that I bought it from Lidl .
I used to have a Kenwood and it was wonderful-but now I have so many short cuts that I can manage without.

Spidergran3 Fri 07-Nov-25 00:34:23

I’ve got the small KitchenAid handheld mixer. Sadly not British or European but like a lot of American kitchen equipment, extremely well made. Mine’s red, I love it.

Calendargirl Fri 07-Nov-25 06:58:54

I still make cakes the old fashioned way, by hand.

Either creaming the butter and sugar together, or simply just mixing Christmas cake mixture together.

My little hand held mixer, a Kenwood, I’ve had for over 50 years, but never use it for cakes.

I’m odd, I know!

Greyduster Fri 07-Nov-25 07:08:46

For more years than I care to remember, I had a Phillips hand held mixer. It gave up the ghost in 2012 and I bought a Kenwood hand held one which is doing sterling service. I don’t have space in my kitchen for a stand mixer among all the other paraphernalia, but this does the job perfectly.

M0nica Fri 07-Nov-25 07:14:33

I have a 50 year old Kenwood Chef. It sits on the worktop and doesn't need to be moved. I would be lost without it. I have the liquidiser and mincer attachments over and above the standard ones.

It is not that I use it a lot, but it is ideal when I do.

Flippinheck Fri 07-Nov-25 08:07:50

I have had two expensive stand mixers but have reverted to a hand mixer, currently a Kenwood. With a hand mixer I can feel the consistency more accurately and my cakes are more successful. The dough hook never worked properly and is no match for hand kneading. The other problems I found with stand mixers are: there was always that bit of uncombined mixture at the bottom of the bowl; too easy to overmix; took up too much room on my countertops; too heavy. Frankly, the whole palaver of moving the mixer, setting it up then dismantling and cleaning it was not worth the effort, but maybe that’s just me being lazy.
Anyway, a good hand mixer with at least three speeds would be my recommendation.

ClicketyClick Sat 08-Nov-25 13:21:43

I've bought a Magimix about 10yrs ago which is still going strong. Nit the cheapest but it does earn it's worktop space. Various attachments including for making dough and the soup making attachment is great. For me, it was well worth the cost which was over my intended budget and got it at sale price.

Eddieslass Sat 08-Nov-25 14:04:49

I too had the Kenwood Chefette for over 45 years and it was fine. The "liquidiser" I think it was called fitted onto the end and was useful for a few recepes. When it broke I replaced it with another Kenwood Chefette but this has a large metal bowl which I didn't like using so still use the old white bowl. There's no attachment to it either which I do miss. So really I might just have well bought a simple hand-held mixer.

Aelfrith Sat 08-Nov-25 15:19:23

I use either a sturdy John Lewis hand held mixer or my Kenwood chef. Depending on what I'm doing and batch size.
I'm my trusty Kenwood died I honestly would replace it. Bought mine 14 years ago and still going strong; more than recovered its cost.
We can't afford diamonds either and Chef is a bloody sight more useful!

Suzieque66 Sat 08-Nov-25 15:26:45

I bought a £5.00 hand mixer 10 years ago and its still going ... sponges, macaroons, fruit cakes etc ...

barbaraellen Sat 08-Nov-25 15:28:38

I have a Magimix food processor which is used all the time. The Magimix is more versatile than a mixer. Mine is used to make bread, cakes, soups, grating/slicing vegetables,juicing apples ,making pates, pastry etc.

I see there are many discounts available at the moment.
I also have a Dualit hand mixer I use for meringues.
I would love a Kitchenaid stand mixer but cannot justify the price as I can do most things with the Magimix.
Overall the food processor is good value for money. Check out their website with up to 40% discount and free delivery.