KitchenAid 5-Speed Ultra Power Hand Mixer, Stainless Steel/Plastic, White

Why it's worth it

This is the mixer that does everything a home baker needs without fuss. Five well-separated speeds, stainless steel beaters that won't stain or warp, and a genuinely gentle start that keeps flour in the bowl instead of on your shirt.

The low speed is the reason to buy it. Most hand mixers treat speed one as a formality — you press the trigger and flour goes everywhere. This one ramps up gradually, and owners bring it up constantly as the thing that surprised them coming from an older mixer. If you've ever cleaned cocoa powder off a backsplash, you'll notice the difference on the first batch.

Noise is the other thing people mention without being asked. Compared with the budget models here, it runs noticeably quieter, which matters more than you'd think in an open kitchen or an apartment where someone's on a call in the next room. It's still an appliance with a motor. But you can talk over it.

From our review of 5 hand mixers, by David Sinclair, Managing Editor

What we like

• +The low speed is the reason to buy it
• +Noise is the other thing people mention without being asked
• +At about two pounds it's among the lighter mixers here, and that shows up over a long session
• +The stainless steel beaters are a real durability upgrade over plastic

What to know

• –Five speeds is fewer than the premium models here, and there's no digital readout or timer
• –No dough hooks in the box