THINGS WE CONSIDERED: How comfortable was it to hold? How powerful does it feel? Any special features?
Best for speedy baking
QuickMix Lite 300w hand mixer, £24.99, Kenwood
A smart choice for small kitchens, this diminutive mixer really punched above its weight. To begin with, the slow setting moved at a comfortable pace – it didn’t send clouds of flour outside the bowl. As we moved through the speeds, we were impressed by how powerful it felt. Unlike other the mixers in this test, it didn’t come with dough hooks, but the whisking beaters that are supplied are dishwasher safe, making clean-up quick and simple. We love that the grey plate used to cover the fan at back of the mixer doubles as a neat cable tidy.
Best for batch baking
Matte Grey 300w Scandi hand mixer, £16, George Home
With its tasteful matte finish and wood effect details, this is a super stylish option. We were a little worried that butter would create grease spots, but they wiped away. It has five speeds, plus a turbo button, which was helpful when using the dough hooks in thicker mixtures. The speed is changed using a slider on the top of the handle. We found this was too easy to use, as we unintentionally changed the speed a few times. This mixer may be a little overpowered for some – at its slowest speed it made 1lb loaf mixture splatter, but if you’re batch baking, it could be perfect.
Best for colourful kitchens
Cavaletto Pink 300w hand mixer, £19.99, Tower
This lightweight handheld mixer is really easy to use and is quiet even on the highest setting. It has five speeds and an added turbo button. The mixer
