Our 10 Favorite Stand Mixers for Making Year-Round Treats (2025)

Featured in this article

• A New Favorite

  

  Photograph: Adrienne So

  Ooni

  Halo Pro Spiral Dough Mixer

  Kicking things off by stirring the pot … mixer, in this case. A new mixer has dethroned KitchenAid in recent testing, performed by WIRED editor Adrienne So. Whereas every other option on this list (except for hand mixers) follows the basic orbital mixing protocol, where the tool itself rotates around inside the bowl, the Ooni Halo Pro is a spiral mixer, which is what commercial bakeries use. In this mixer, the bowl rotates around the tool, making it easier to mix stiff bread doughs, like sourdough loaves or bagels.

  Perhaps befitting a commercial-style mixer, the Halo Pro has a double-size 7.3-quart bowl—even though the mixer's body size is comparable to the KitchenAid). Despite this, and as proven in testing, it stays cool under pressure and does not overheat, nor does it cause a ruckus in terms of increased decibels. Internal lights fixated on the bowl put a spotlight on what you're working on, while the dial on top helps with getting the mixing speed just right. To be clear, there are 58 speeds to choose from.

  Design	Tilt head
  Motor power	650 watts
  Bowl capacity	7.3 quarts
  Speeds	58 (!)
  Included attachments	Geared whisk, flexible beater, spiral dough hook, splash guard with spout

  WIRED

  • Spiral-style mixing is great for stiff doughs
  • Interior light
  • Many speeds

  TIRED

  • New, so long-term reliability and durability are unknown

• The Kitchen Cornerstone

  

  Courtesy of KitchenAid

  KitchenAid

  Artisan Tilt-Head Stand Mixer

  An Italian marble countertop or high-end smart oven may create a talking point in your kitchen, but to really make a statement, nothing beats a colorful die-cast metal KitchenAid stand mixer. With its original planetary mixing motion and curvy body, this iconic small appliance has been turning heads since it was first launched in 1937. And the KitchenAid continues to produce excellent results for baking and prepping meals. No wonder it's usually a family heirloom gifted to newlyweds and new homeowners—they have a history of quality and longevity.

  The Artisan is a knockout design that I enjoyed using. I found that the mixer’s lever lifted the tilt head smoothly so I could change attachments. With speed settings on one side and the lever on the other, I did find myself having to lean around the model to lift it when needed. The KitchenAid’s attachments fix on easily, but you will need to learn the knack of lifting and turning to the left to take them off the beater pin. Inside the box, you get four attachments in total, including a dough hook for proofing bread and a wire whip that’s great for meringue peaks and cream. There’s also a pastry beater that is good at breaking down stiff butter, and a flex edge beater that manages to get right up to the sides of the bowl so no cake mixture is left behind. A spatula and a splash guard that fixes in place on the top of the two bowls—5 quarts (4.8 liters) and 3 quarts (2.8 liters)—complete the spec.

  The beauty of this timeless design is that it feels built to last. I also like that you can add to its functionality with extra attachments such as a metal food grinder for mincing meat, an ice shaver, a pasta roller, and a spice and citrus grinder. Plus, unlike some designs I’ve tried in the past that can wobble like a train carriage at high speed, the KitchenAid Artisan sits firmly and safely on the countertop. —Emily Peck

  Design	Tilt head
  Motor power	325 watts
  Bowl capacity	5 quarts
  Speeds	10
  Included attachments	Coated flat beater, coated dough hook, 5-wire whip, pouring shield

  WIRED

  • Tilt head design offers easy, streamlined functionality
  • Four included attachments help you tackle a variety of recipes (and kickstart your attachment collection

  TIRED

  • Buying direct from KitchenAid or Amazon will offer you the most colorway varieties, so keep that in mind when investigating

• For Bigger Batches

  

  Photograph: Julia Forbes

  KitchenAid

  7 Quart Bowl-Lift Stand Mixer

  Perhaps you're the go-to home baker who regularly fires up your stand mixer to make homemade treats for friends and family. Or maybe you've been tasked with creating a seven-tier wedding cake and have to hash out some serious cake batter. Either way, the beauty of KitchenAid's 7-Quart stand mixer is that it can dish out large batches without breaking a sweat (or teetering around on your counter, for that matter).

  Cheesecake, brioche, recipes that required stiff peaks—anything I tasked this mixer with, it basically was like, “That's all you got?” You know, if a mixer could talk. At high speeds, the decibel level remained tolerable. I've always used planetary mixers, so the bowl-lift design took some getting used to, as well as the three-point locking mechanism. Once you get the hang of it, it's no sweat, and it helps with keeping your precious project secure. But imagine a forklift moving around pallets (again, really emphasizing heavy-duty baking here)—popping the stainless steel bowl in and out with every batch of dough felt relatively in the same ballpark.

  Design	Bowl-lift
  Motor power	500 watts
  Bowl capacity	7 quarts
  Speeds	11 (10 and ½ speed)
  Included attachments	Double flex edge beater, flat beater, spiral dough hook, wire whip, 11-wire elliptical whip, pouring shield, pastry beater, flex edge beater, pastry scraper

  WIRED

  • Increased capacity doesn't negate stability or create too much noise
  • Attachments help you tackle any pastry project (hello, stainless steel pastry beater)

  TIRED

  • If you're used to planetary mixers, the locking bowl has a learning curve
  • Some attachments (pastry beater and pastry beater scraper) are only available if you purchase through KitchenAid

• An Excellent KitchenAid Alternative

  

  Courtesy of Cuisinart

  Cuisinart

  Precision Master 5.5 Quart

  I’ve tried a selection of Cuisinart small appliances over the years, including blenders, food processors, and grinders, and I’m always left impressed at how aesthetically pleasing and well-built the products are. In terms of timeless, well-realized design, the Precision Stand Mixer does not cut corners. With a powerful 500W motor, there’s a lot to admire here. It comes with a generous 12-speed control dial that allows you to get precise tempos for your ingredient, be it at a slow and steady 3 for when you’re adding flour to your cake mixture, or at a fast and effective 12 for whipping cream or eggs.

  You get three accessories in the box, including a chef’s whisk, dough hook, and flat mixing paddle, as well as a splash guard with a pour spout that sits just above the bowl and makes sure ingredients pour in neatly. There’s a good mix of color options available here that adorn the body’s die-cast metal construction, including statement black or white and a glossy red. Similar to KitchenAid, you can buy accessories to add on, including a pasta roller and cutter, pasta extruder, meat grinder, and more, which makes it a versatile appliance to add to your kitchen repertoire. —Emily Peck

  Design	Tilt head
  Motor power	500 watts
  Bowl capacity	5.5 quarts
  Speeds	12
  Included attachments	Chef's whisk, dough hook, flat mixing paddle, splash guard with pour spout

  WIRED

  • Twelve speeds for absolute precision (and preventing overmixing)
  • Numerous colorways to pick from (some extend to the accessories)

  TIRED

  • Only basic attachments included

• Best for Bakers on a Budget

  

  Courtesy of Aucma

  It may not look as carefully designed as some of the better-known stand mixer brands out there, but I think this Aucma appliance is excellent value and thoughtfully made. It has lots of useful design features, such as the splash guard that fixes conveniently to the tilt head instead of sitting atop the bowl. I found that having it there meant that it didn’t get in the way when I went to lift the head to check the ingredients in the bowl. With six speeds and a pulse function, it doesn’t have as many settings as, say, the Cuisinart or KitchenAid models, but the Aucma’s 1400W pure copper motor did provide impressive power for ramping up the speed in a matter of seconds.

  The lever and speed controls of the Aucma Mixer are positioned near each other, which I found useful as it makes the whole thing easier to control once you’re stuck into baking. The speed dial also lights up, which adds a nice touch. There are three attachments here including a whisk, beater, and dough hook to cover all your basic baking needs. It comes with a 6.2-liter bowl and a 5-liter bowl that fit a lot of mixtures and make it useful for batch baking or catering to large households. With two handles it’s easy to lift the bowl too. Nicely done. —Emily Peck

  Design	Tilt head
  Motor power	660 watts
  Bowl capacity	6.5 quarts
  Speeds	6
  Included attachments	Whisk, dough hook, mixing beater, splash guard

  WIRED

  • Potent 1400W motor and a large-capacity 6.2 L bowl
  • Two handles for holding onto heavy batches of dough

  TIRED

  • Only six speed (plus pulse) settings, so watch your recipe closely to prevent overdoing the mixing

• Best Multitasker

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    Photograph: Julia Forbes

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    Photograph: Julia Forbes

  Bella

  3.5 Qt Hand Stand Mixer

  “Fits-anywhere kitchenware” is the tagline of this 2024-launched appliance brand known for space savers like a 3.5-inch-wide toaster and cookware sets with removable handles. Like many other Bella appliances, the Hand & Stand mixer is a two-in-one: Use it like a regular hand mixer with either the included beater or dough hook attachments, or snap it into a nested, lidded bowl that rotates as you blend, turning it into a stand mixer. (The motor is 200 watts; about 75 less than a KitchenAid head-tilt model.) You add ingredients through a clear slider window on the top, which is removable for use as a bench scraper.

  The hand mixer and its accessories fit in the bowls with the lid on, for stacking. I wasn’t especially impressed when using the Bella in hand mixer mode—the chunky, boxy handle eventually caused my hand to cramp when making whipped cream. And as a stand mixer, it left plenty of unmixed flour around the sides of the bowl when I made an angel food cake. Where it did excel beyond expectations, however, was in shredding meat. I often shred cooked chicken, pork, turkey, and beef with a hand mixer, and no matter how large the bowl or how careful I am, meat juice and shreds always manage to fly out. With a bowl that’s not only enclosed but that rotates, the Bella made short work of my tests with both chicken breasts and thighs.

  If you shred a lot of meat, this is so efficient it’s worth buying for that task alone, but I can also see buying this for a young person just starting out who doesn’t have much space and doesn’t plan on making anything especially elaborate. In addition to the pictured Surf color, it also comes in Seaglass, Blossom, Plum, and Oatmilk. —Kat Merck

  Design	Handheld
  Motor power	200 watts
  Bowl capacity	3.5 quarts
  Speeds	Adjustable
  Included attachments	2 dough hooks, 2 egg beaters, bench scraper

  WIRED

  • Hybrid design gives you a 2-in-1
  • For BBQ and meat-shredding experts, this is a one-stop shop
  • Very affordable

  TIRED

  • Not the best for pastry production, as it can leave ingredients unmixed

• Best Retro Vibe

  

  Courtesy of Smeg

  Smeg

  ’50s Retro Stand Mixer

  Complete with Smeg’s signature retro styling, this stand mixer comes in multiple color finishes, including an attractive Pastel Blue finish (shown). Like the majority of stand mixers I’ve tried, it comes with a wire whisk, flat beater, and dough hook that covers all the basics, and I found these easy to take on and off. Like the KitchenAid, there’s also a front port for adding optional attachments, including a pasta cutter, ice cream maker, and meat grinder. The tilt-arm model provides planetary beating and whisking action and up to 10 variable speeds. But these settings are positioned at the top of the machine (as opposed to the side), which I found convenient to access.

  The design of this Smeg is well balanced with a 4.8-liter (5 quarts) bowl that sits neatly in the base, and I found setting number 7, in particular, a steady speed for combining ingredients. Its 800W direct drive motor is powerful and great for loose mixtures, but when I tried mixing dough on a fast 10-speed setting, the appliance shook a little too much for my liking. After this, I was careful not to ramp up the speed too much when mixing stiff ingredients such as hard butter and dough. I found that the flat beater did very well to mix ingredients for a fluffy vanilla sponge on setting number 8 in a matter of minutes, so I steered toward using this for cake, cake, and more cake. —Emily Peck

  Design	Tilt head
  Motor power	600 watts
  Bowl capacity	5 quarts
  Speeds	10
  Included attachments	Flat beater, flex edges beater, wire whisk, dough hook, pouring shield

  WIRED

  • Settings are found on top of the machine instead of the side for convenience
  • Unique, retro look with easy-to-use attachments

  TIRED

  • Higher speeds may cause shaking

• Most Instagrammable

  

  Photograph: Emily Peck

  KitchenAid

  Design Series Evergreen Stand Mixer

  Described by WIRED editor Kat Merck as “what might be the most attractive stand mixer of all time," the KitchenAid Evergreen is made to be photographed. The 5-quart solid walnut bowl is a thing of beauty. (Note: The mixer body is now also available in the vintage-inspired Porcelain colorway.)

  But looks aren’t everything, and if you’re going to invest in this, you’ll need to consider the practicalities. Wood isn’t as robust as stainless steel and can't be chilled. It also needs to be regularly seasoned with a food-safe wood oil and needs to be hand-washed and -dried immediately after use. But it is beautiful.

  Functionality-wise, however, it is the same mixer as the classic KitchenAid Artisan (above), with easy access to the bowl via its tilt-head and 10 speed settings for flexible beating, whisking, and kneading. Whether you're happy to pay the substantial premium for a showstopping wooden bowl is up to you, but either way, you're investing in a showpiece. —Emily Peck

  Design	Tilt head
  Motor power	325 watts
  Bowl capacity	5 quarts
  Speeds	10
  Included attachments	Flat beater, 6-wire whip, dough hook

  WIRED

  • Excellent performance in testing, and not just because of the solid walnut bowl
  • With proper care, it can easily become a family heirloom

  TIRED

  • You're paying for aesthetics only. If that's not important to you, get a regular KitchenAid
  • More colorway options with other KitchenAid mixers

• Best for Cakes

  

  Photograph: Emily Peck

  I am convinced that, one day, I will accidentally smash the 5-quart borosilicate glass bowl supplied with this Breville cake mixer, but it does give you a clear view of what you’re mixing without having to constantly lift the lid. I had success making both a fluffy vanilla sponge cake and stiff meringue mixture, thanks to the mixer’s fast double-sided scraper that replicates the same planetary mixing action used in commercial bakeries.

  You do get a secondary 4-quart polished stainless steel mixing bowl, which is lightweight and also chillable for making batters and doughs. It's good to have the variety, but you will need ample storage space for the spares.

  It comes with a flat beater, dough hook, and wire whisk, which covers most culinary mixing tasks. I also love how easy it is to switch between the 12 speeds, including those for kneading, folding, whipping, and so on. There’s also a countdown timer with an LED indicator so you don’t overbeat your ingredients, a feature that's sorely lacking on most other cake mixers. It produces great results too, although the powerful 550-watt motor is noisy, measuring 90 dB on my decibel meter app.

  (This model goes under the name Sage in the UK.) —Emily Peck

  Design	Tilt head
  Motor power	550 watts
  Bowl capacity	5 quarts
  Speeds	12
  Included attachments	Scraper beater, standard flat beater, wire whisk, dough hook, pouring shield, splash guard

  WIRED

  • Built-in timer, internal light, and a transparent borosilicate glass bowl help you monitor your progress
  • Home mixer cosplaying as a commercial one

  TIRED

  • Loud at higher speeds

• Best Hand Mixer

  

  Photograph: Emily Peck

  KitchenAid

  9-Speed Hand Mixer

  This nine-speed hand mixer is a great choice for small kitchens, and in reality, even if you have a stand mixer, it's a great tool for quick-fix tasks such as mixing up a small batch of cupcakes.

  As this nine-speed hand mixer purred along on its highest speed at an inoffensive 78 decibels, I could tell it has a good-quality motor. It comes in either a glossy “candle apple red” or “medallion silver” finish, and has stainless-steel Artisan Beater accessories that fit effortlessly. The beater set was ideal for making a sponge mix in a glass dish, but there’s also a pro whisk that works well for meringues, two dough hooks for bread, and a blending rod for soups and milkshakes or anything else that needs light mixing.

  The mixer has a soft start feature that minimizes the amount of splatter caused when combining wet and dry products together. The ingredients combined quickly and evenly and the mixing never got too maniacal—even on speed nine, I felt in control and pleased with the results. —Emily Peck

  Design	Handheld
  Motor power	Power cord; 120 volts
  Bowl capacity	5 quarts
  Speeds	9
  Included attachments	2 turbo beaters, 16-wire whisk, 2 dough hooks, mixing rod, cotton storage bag

  WIRED

  • Even at its highest speed, noise wasn't intolerable
  • Soft-start feature avoids splatter

  TIRED

  • Not the go-to device for regular, heavy-duty batches of dough