Stand mixers are great for mixing cookie dough, bread dough, and making loads of other recipes that you and your family love. The great thing about a stand mixer is that you don't have to stand there and hold it while it mixes your dry and/or wet ingredients like a hand mixer. Stand mixers are great to have in a kitchen, especially if you like to cook or bake.

The one thing that you want to consider is the size, as in most cases, you won't purchase a stand mixer that you'll hide away in the cabinet. Most stand mixers, no matter the brand, will require a permanent place on the counter top, so keep that in mind when purchasing a stand mixer, as you'll probably want the color to match your kitchen decor, and yes, you can purchase kitchen mixers in different colors, although they most commonly come in white.

Depending on how much time you spend in the kitchen and how much time you think that you'll spend using a stand mixer, you'll want to consider the following features of common stand mixers.

• Watt size- how much power the mixer uses.
• Number of speed controls
• Attachments
• Whether there is a tilt-back head
• How large the mixing bowl is
• Any warranty on the product
  

• 350 watt motor
  
• 12 speed controls
• 4.0 qt. stainless steel bowl
• Bowl selector switch
• Tilt locking head
• On/off and speed indicator light

You don't have to spend hundreds of dollars on a stand mixer, and that's just not the best option if you don't plan on using it often. With the Sunbeam mixer, you are getting a great product that works perfectly. The Sunbeam stand mixer is a simple mixer that has a powerful motor that allows you to mix your ingredients thoroughly in no time.

• 325 watt motor
  
• 10 speeds and a stir option
  
• Tilt-back head
• 5.0 quart stainless steel bowl
• Includes flat beater, dough hook, and wire whip
• 2 piece pouring shield with large chute for adding ingredients
• 1 year warranty

KitchenAid is a great brand, and the Artisan Mixer is has great reviews. You can purchase the KitchenAid stand mixer in 24 colors, so that you have no problem matching your kitchen accessories to your kitchen decor. The KitchenAid mixer uses a unique mixing technique where the beater spins clockwise and the shaft spins counter-clockwise, which ensures a thorough blend of your ingredients. And, with the rubber feet, the stand mixer is able to keep a good grip on your counter tops. You'll find that the KitchenAid Artisan Mixer is very sturdy and perfect for whatever your needs are- whether you plan on using the mixer daily, weekly, monthly, or just once or twice a year.

• 290 watts
  
• 6 speeds
• Adjustable bottom
• Shift and stir bowl
• 4.0 quart bowl
• Can be used as a hand or stand mixer
• Includes regular beaters, dough hooks, and whisk

For the price, the Hamilton Beach stand mixer is ok. The mixer doesn't have a lock feature, so you have to be careful that your ingredients don't fly out of the bowl. You have to start the speed low and slowly build up the momentum in order to save your ingredients from poofing or sloshing out of the bowl. Hamilton Beach is generally a good brand of kitchen appliances, but if you plan on using a stand mixer on a regular basis, you may want to consider a different brand or just a different model.

• 250 watts
  
• 10 speed controls
• Tilt-up head
• 4.50 quart bowl
• 1 year warranty
• Includes flat beater, wire whip, and dough hook, instruction guide with mixing tips, and 67 recipes
  

This KitchenAid stand mixer has a smaller motor, so it doesn't have quite as much power as some of the other KitchenAid mixers. But, overall the Classic KitchenAid Mixer is perfect for those who don't plan on using the kitchen appliance on a daily basis. It is a very sturdy stand mixer that is guaranteed to mix all of your ingredients thoroughly, as the it not only spins on its axis, but it also is rotates around the edge of the bowl. Because you get two motion rotations, there is no need for an rotating bottom. Even though the Classic stand mixer is a little bit more expensive than the other models, it is worth the money, as it will definitely last longer than many of the other brands, and you will be satisfied with the service that it provides.