A mixer is the first thing to get in order to quench your baking passion. This kitchen appliance has been saving our time and labor for years! That is why this appliance is pretty common in any kitchen. As we all know, we can find two types of mixers in the market, one is a Hand Mixer & another one is a Stand Mixer. Now the question is which one to get for your kitchen? Worry not, here’s our in depth presentation on hand mixer vs stand mixer.
You all know the basic differences between stand mixers and hand mixers. Obviously, they are different in size and function. Also, the price range is another fact to consider.
But still, they have some concealed differences that you might not know. In this post we are going to discuss everything about them.
So let’s dig in—
Table of Contents
Hand Mixer Vs Stand Mixer: The Ultimate Battle
Before getting into the differences, you should know about mixers. We are kind of familiar with this handy kitchen appliance from our childhood. That time we had known this appliance as an egg beater.
The only thing our grandmas & moms used to do with is appliance was whipping eggs. To know more about mixers, check out our researched representation on “Blender vs Mixer vs Juicer vs Grinder vs Food processor”.
The electric appliance is actually a successor of hand whisks. We all have this tool for whisking eggs or mixing soups to make it lump free.
However, whipping eggs to stiff peaks by a hand whisk was extremely time consuming and aching for hands. This electric machine kind of brought about relief to every baker.
Because an electric hand beater can literally whip up the eggs in minutes.
Another way we used these egg beater was to whip creams. The function of an egg beater is pretty much confined to these two things. You can use this for mixing any cake batter.
But you know mixing cake batter with a hand mixer over-mixes the cake and makes a rock hard cake eventually.
A hand mixer is a pretty similar version of an electric egg beater. But a stand mixer is quite different from it in terms of both usage and outcome.
So you really need to set your priorities before deciding which one to buy.
Anyways, here are some differences between a hand mixer and a stand mixer—
Size of Hand Mixer vs Stand Mixer
The first thing we all notice about their differences is obviously their size. A hand mixer is quite a handy appliance, it gets its name for its handheld feature.
You can definitely move with a hand mixer here and there. Especially when you need to whip any food in a place where a large appliance can not reach. Besides, a hand mixer is more compact in size. So you can keep it anywhere you want.
For example, when you’re making Italian meringue buttercream, you have to beat the egg whites with sugar on a double boiler. Your sugar needs to melt completely.
Otherwise, your cream will not be smooth, rather it will have a sand like texture. You have to vigorously beat the egg whites so that it does not curdle. So using a hand mixer is a preferred way.
You can not use a stand mixer for this task we mentioned. Because a stand mixer is kind of a fixed appliance. You can not move the appliance here and there easily.
It’s heavy and more importantly, it’s not that much flexible for using anywhere you want. Besides, a stand mixer is really not a suitable appliance if you have a small kitchen.
Because it takes up a lot of space. So whenever you are looking for flexibility, a hand mixer is your friend.
On the other hand, a stand mixer is more like a professional sized appliance. It’s bulky and huge. Usually, a stand mixer can handle a lot of food at once.
So whenever you’re making a large batch of your cakes or cookies, a stand mixer is the one to choose. Although the size is not everything that makes the verdict.
But still, it is quite an important point to keep in mind.
Functional Design of Hand Mixer vs Stand Mixer
Another important thing to consider for this battle of hand mixer vs stand mixer is obviously the functional design.
Because this measure is important for you to learn about the flexibility and usefulness of their designs. Obviously, both hand mixer and stand mixer have different design goals.
Perks Of Hand Mixers
We already discussed how the compact size of a hand mixer allows you to have more flexibility while cooking. The structure of a hand mixer is pretty simple, the motor base and whisk attachment.
It does not have any bowl or any base like a stand mixer. So you can efficiently move with the appliance as far as its wire allows.
Since it doesn’t have any bowl, you can keep your food in any utensil to mix. So you can use it on your stovetop or your countertop, it doesn’t matter.
But it matters for a stand mixer. Every stand mixer comes with a separate bowl. You need to keep the food in the bowl and set it on the base of the mixer. So it doesn’t provide much flexibility like a hand mixer.
Perks Of Stand Mixers
Even though, stand mixers have some certain perks that a hand mixer cannot actually provide. As you know a hand mixer is a handheld device.
So you need to hold it with your hand until you finish your job. This is pretty much painful and troublesome if you are doing a large batch of something.
Besides, while you are using your hand mixer, your hands are only busy with it. You can not actually multitask while using a hand mixer.
A stand mixer doesn’t really have this problem. This bulky device not only can handle a large batch at a time but also if lets you multitask with other preparations to make the recipe less time consuming.
You do not need to hold it with your hand, the heavy device will not vibrate and move while you run it. So you can leave the mixer as it is and focus on other tasks.
Another reason for using a stand mixer is, it doesn’t let your kitchen get dirty. The deep bowl doesn’t really spill and splatter the foods while mixing it.
Besides, a lot of stand mixers now comes with a transparent lid. So it makes it a lot less messy and efficient.
A hand mixer is however, is the king of splatter. Using hand mixers for a few decades, I never faced a splatter free mixing. It made my countertop messy even the machine itself had to be cleaned after use.
So either way, both of these have certain pros and cons in terms of design functionality.
Motor of Hand Mixer vs Stand Mixer
One of the most important factors of their battle is obviously the motor. There’s no doubt a stand mixer has a far stronger motor than a hand mixer.
Usually, a stand mixer has a strong 500 to 1000 watt motor. So you can achieve the highest mixing speed to whip up your eggs pretty instantly.
Besides, if you have a large batch, you need to run your mixer on a high speed to achieve quicker results. That way a stand mixer really helps.
On the other hand, a hand mixer does not have such strong motor like a stand mixer. But this really makes it a great advantage because of its electricity consumption.
A hand mixer barely uses any electricity compared to a stand mixer. So you never have to lift your electricity bill for mixing small mixtures which can be easily done by a hand mixer. But in case of large batches, a stand mixer is still the easy choice.
Although, we would prefer to use hand mixers for baking at home.
Extent Of Use
The extent of use is hands down the most important point to consider in this battle. Because each of them is good for different works.
Also, a stand mixer has a whole another set of functions that made it truly different and a mere hand mixer.
So let’s dig in—
Use Of Hand Mixer
As we mentioned earlier, a hand mixer has only a few functions to cover. Its usage mostly covers whisking eggs or whipping heavy creams.
Another interesting use of a hand mixer is shredding boiled chicken. You can easily shred a chicken breast with the whisk attachment to make pull off chicken. In some cases its usage is more efficient than even a stand mixture.
You are probably wondering how exactly does a hand mixer outshine a stand mixer. In our opinion, it is actually better to use a hand mixer for whipping up cream. As the hand mixer does not run as strong as a stand mixer, using it has a less chance of splitting the cream.
As you all know, heavy cream tends to split if you over whip it. So a slower mixer actually provides more control over the specific texture you are looking for. You can easily produce soft peaks or firm picks based on which dish you’re going to use it.
A hand mixer also comes with a dough attachment, which is actually useless. We never got to make good use out of it. But you can use this attachment to mix cake batters or any soft dough. Although we would prefer a stand mixer for this task.
Uses Of Stand Mixer
A stand mixer is kind of all in one appliance for many reasons. Depending on the model, a stand mixer can actually replace some of the real fancy kitchen appliances. But first, let’s see the basic uses of a stand mixer.
The uses of a stand mixer can be sorted according to its attachments. Usually, all the stand mixers come with a balloon whisk, a dough hook and a paddle attachment.
But some of the other stand mixers also have a set of different attachments like a pasta maker, a meat grinder and even a vegetable spiralizer.
Let’s see what you can do with these attachments-
Balloon Whisk
The balloon whisk is actually an updated version of the whisk attachment of a hand mixer. This whisk is fluffier and larger in size, which makes it more efficient than the whisk attachment of a hand mixer. You can use it for pretty much everything a hand mixer can do.
A balloon whisk comes in great use to prepare foods that need to be incorporated with air. So that your food gets more fluffy, airy and light. For example, making buttercreams in a stand mixer produces far lighter and smoother cream than a hand mixer. Also you can definitely make the stiffest peak on your egg whites or whip up your cream instantly.
One little problem you might face while using the balloon whisk is, the high speed may provide less control over your food. So you need to stop again and again and check if you reached the right consistency. Otherwise, you can overmix your food and spoil the food in some cases.
Dough Hook
The dough hook is like a lifesaver for all the bakers and home cooks out there. This handy appliance can knead your dough till perfection. We all know the pain and hassle of kneading our own dough.
You have to keep kneading some doughs for some minutes to develop the gluten in it. Like pizza or bread dough.
A dough hook effectively ensures your dough is well kneaded. This particular attachment works pretty well for any kind of dough. The strong motor also helps to get a really impressive outcome!
Stand Mixer Paddle
A stand mixer paddle is actually for mixing batters like cheesecake batter or cake batter. It can efficiently combine the ingredients without deflating it. So you can get the smooth, light and airy texture in your cake.
A paddle attachment is also useful for making buttercream too. Fluff up the butter until light and airy and then add the caster sugar and vanilla essence. This paddle attachment is another reason why you should get a stand mixer.
Pasta Maker
This attachment is not available to all the stand mixers, only the specific models come with a pasta maker. There is nothing new to tell how useful a pasta maker is. It’s a really cost effective idea to skip a whole appliance and buy the attachment instead.
Meat Grinder
Like the previous one, this one is another effective attachment that fulfills the need for a whole new appliance without spending money. As a stand mixer has a rather strong motor, you can easily grind your meat and make your own burger.
Vegetable Spiralizer
A vegetable spiralizer attachment is not so common as the previous two. But this appliance is quite useful for people like us who loves curly fries. Besides, you can shred vegetables with the attachment too. So do not miss this attachment if your stand mixer supports a spiralizer attachment.
Durability
Considering durability, a stand mixer definitely gets a point. Because the strong motor and strong buildup produce literally an indestructible appliance for your kitchen. On the other hand, a hand mixer doesn’t have much strong build or motor, so it often gets broken or dysfunctional.
Price
About the price, a hand mixer is one of the cheapest kitchen appliance ever. You can find even a decent quality hand mixer within only 10 to 15 dollars. There are expensive hand mixers costing you as much as 80-90 dollars, but the function is pretty much the same.
On the other hand, a stand mixer pretty expensive compared to a stand mixer. A good quality stand mixer can cost you as much as 700 to 800 dollars. But considering its diverse use and function, the appliance is still worth the money.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I knead dough with a hand mixer?
With the dough attachment, sometimes you can knead a soft dough by a hand mixer. But most of the time it is pretty useless and doesn’t provide a decent result.
Can I make mayonnaise with a hand mixer?
Yes, you can. Run the hand mixer on high speed and add oil to your egg mixture gradually
Why are stand mixers so expensive?
Stand mixers are actually expensive due to its strong motor and solid build quality. So the price is pretty higher than a hand mixer.
Does a mixer get overheated?
If you run the mixer for a long time, it may overheat. So it is wise to run the mixer keeping a specific interval.
Are egg beaters and hand mixers the same?
The egg beaters are actually a previous version of the hand mixer having a weaker motor or no electricity at all. Other than that, they are pretty much the same.
So there goes our ultimate battle on hand mixer vs stand mixer. We hope you really got to know the basic differences between them.
Our verdict on this battle is to buy a stand mixer if you have the budget and space in your kitchen. Because this appliance can be a really good investment of money for everyday use.
If you have any queries about this topic, please leave the questions down the comment sections. We will get back to you as soon as possible and try to find a solution. Until then, happy cooking!
