Hand Mixer Vs. Stand Mixer – Which Is Better For Baking?

Are you all mixed up and wondering: hand mixer versus stand mixer – does it really matter which one you use when baking? There are noticeable differences in the way these appliances function. Here we explain the differences, advantages and drawbacks to owning and using both.

Hand Mixer – Small and light, a hand mixer is easy to store and portable so you can mix at the stove top, sink or counter using any of your own bowls or pots. It’s usually easier to operate than fancier stand mixers and it’s definitely less expensive and easier to clean. On the downside, you can’t walk away from it while it’s mixing and sometimes it takes longer to mix.

Stand Mixer – You’ll have more speed and power with a stand mixer which you often need for big batches of dough or baking several desserts at once. It’s hands-free, allowing you to multi-task while it does its job. A stand mixer also has many attachments like a paddle for creaming and a whisk for whipping egg whites. Yet, you are definitely paying for the benefits of a stand mixer, both in price and the room needed in your kitchen to store it. Plus – they can be really heavy.

So can you use a hand mixer when the recipe calls for a stand mixer? The answer is yes – for many recipes it can. Most cake and cookie dough batters as well as frosting or cream can be done with either a hand mixer or stand mixer like the recipes below.Carrot Cake

Chocolate Ho Ho Cake

Four Layer Cake With Creme Chantilly & Berries

But there are some recipes, such as for bread dough, that a hand mixer cannot be used in place of stand mixer. You’ll need a stand mixer to make our Cinnamon Raisin Bread, our Stollen or our Cinnamon Rolls.

A stand mixer will come with a dough hook attachment that is needed for mixing bread dough. Stand mixers also have a bigger motor than hand mixers so they are stronger and can handle bigger jobs like kneading dough.

So which mixer should you use?  Best case scenario is to own both. They definitely both have a time and a place in the kitchen. If you aren’t planning to do heavy duty mixing, making bread, or running a small business from your kitchen, you can probably get away with owning a hand mixer until your budget allows for you to invest in a stand mixer.

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