5 Questions You Should Ask Yourself Before Buying a Kitchen Mixer

stand mixer should you buy one or not pictureQuestions to Ask Yourself Before Buying a Kitchen Mixer

So your old kitchen mixer broke, or you’ve decided to get your very first one.

Congratulations! Purchasing a new updated kitchen mixer is a great idea.

While kitchen mixers seem fairly simple, there’s an enormous range of types, sizes, and variations that you’ll need to consider before purchasing.

Luckily, we have a list of five questions you should ask yourself before buying a kitchen mixer to make the selection process a little bit easier. Check it out!

Five Questions To Ask Yourself Before Buying A Kitchen Mixer

Engage in some inner dialogue before rushing to buy a new kitchen mixer.

1. Do I need a stand mixer or a hand mixer?

This should be the first question you ask yourself before being your research on the best kitchen mixers to purchase.

Stand mixers look lovely and can be an aesthetically pleasing appliance to add to your kitchen. However, sometimes a hand mixer can satisfy your cooking needs for a lower price.

Do you regularly make the follow items?

  • Bread
  • Marshmallows
  • Food for a lot of people
  • Heavy duty recipes
  • Shredded meat
  • Meringue
  • Frosting

If you do, a stand mixer will be an excellent choice. If you never make these items, however, a hand mixer could be a better choice for your specific cooking and baking needs.

Of course, you can opt for the stand mixer anyway! There are a ton of benefits to having a stand mixer even if you don’t regularly make the above items, including:

  • Hands-free baking
  • Increased power
  • Significantly less of a mess
  • Faster results
  • Numerous attachments for different needs
  • More versatility
  • Multiple uses for the stainless steel stand mixer bowls (DIY double broilers, molded cakes, etc.)

Just keep in mind that a stand mixer, especially a high-quality one, will be more of an investment than a hand mixer.

2. Do I need a kitchen mixer for purposes other than baking?

This question isn’t asked necessarily to deter you from purchasing a kitchen mixer. Rather, its purpose is to help you decide exactly what type of kitchen mixer you need.

There are a ton of kitchen mixer brands and models out there that each has specific strengths.

If you want to get into making your own bread, look for a kitchen mixer with fast speeds and higher power.

If you want to get into making your own pasta, consider a kitchen stand mixer with well-made pasta press attachments.

Make a list of all the things outside and inside of baking that you’re going to be making. Use this list to find the right catch-all kitchen mixer for you.

3. Would I use my kitchen mixer more than once a week?

You may be feeling pretty excited about all the new things you will be able to make with a new kitchen mixer, but try to be a little more realistic– Will you use your kitchen mixer more than once a week?

If you will, a kitchen mixer is going to save you a ton of work and mess.

If not, you shouldn’t opt out of purchasing a kitchen mixer altogether. Consider buying a hand mixer instead of a stand mixer if you’re only going to need mixing assistance once a week or less.

Review your typical cooking and baking habits to decide if a stand mixer is right for you and worth the investment.

4. Do I have the space for a kitchen mixer?

If you’ve owned a stand mixer before, you know just how heavy and bulky these appliances are.

Nobody wants to take out and put away stand mixers all the time. If you have a fairly small kitchen with little counter space, consider choosing a hand mixer over a stand mixer.

If you do have the counter space, a stand mixer could work for you. There are also a ton of DIY ways to organize your attachments in a way that doesn’t take up even more space, too.

5. What is my kitchen mixer budget?

After all of the above questions, you’ve probably made the choice whether or not to opt for a kitchen mixer purchase.

Now you should ask yourself if you can afford it. Kitchen mixers, especially the high-quality ones, are an investment and may not be very cheap.

Stand mixers specifically can range from $50 to $400-500. That’s quite a big difference!

Typically, if you’re big into baking bread, you should opt for the larger price tag. Bread mixing requires a lot of power, which can come at a heftier price.

However, investing in a stand mixer is just that– an investment. Paying more will get you a kitchen mixer that works better and lasts longer.

Ask yourself how much you’re willing to spend on a quality kitchen mixer and stick to that budget.

Along with this question, ask yourself if you can afford the inevitable maintenance. Like any worthwhile kitchen appliance, there will be some maintenance needs in the future.

Ask yourself if you’re willing to shell out the money to get your kitchen mixer fixed in a year or two before taking the plunge into buying one.

On top of the initial cost and maintenance costs, consider kitchen mixer warranties as well.

Typically, most kitchen mixers (especially stand mixers) will come with some kind of manufacturer or brand warranty. Usually, all you need to do is fill out a simple form with proof of purchase and send it out to the kitchen mixer manufacturer to validate the warranty.

Warranties are handy, but you might want to consider purchasing extended warranties for your kitchen stand mixer as well.

Extended warranties depend largely on the cost of the kitchen mixer, so you can expect an extended warranty for a high-end kitchen mixer to be more expensive than an extended warranty for a low-end inexpensive kitchen mixer.

Think of an extended warranty as life insurance for your kitchen mixer. If your mixer is expensive and you use it regularly (especially if you use it professionally) consider expanding your budget to accommodate a kitchen mixer extended warranty.

Buy That New Kitchen Mixer!

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