Hamilton Beach 6-Speed Stand Mixer Review

We purchased the Hamilton Beach 6-Speed Stand Mixer so our reviewer could put it to the test in her kitchen. Keep reading for our full product review.

Stand mixers have become popular, but not everyone needs a near-professional model. So we were curious about the Hamilton Beach 6-Speed Stand Mixer, a compact mixer with a modest capacity and a 300-watt motor. We made a super-fluffy frosting, we whipped cream, and we made cornbread, cupcakes, and cookies. Then we put this mixer to the ultimate test: kneading bread dough. After some serious snacking, we have our opinions.

Setup Process: Not much to do

Aside from washing the bowl and attachments, there was no setup required before the first use. To install the attachments, we simply pushed them onto the shaft. To remove them, we pulled. The first time we installed them, it was a tight fit, but it seemed to get easier after a few times. Since the attachments didn’t twist and lock on, we worried that they might detach themselves in use, but we didn’t have any problems. However, over time it’s possible they could loosen and become less secure. Fortunately, replacement attachments are available.

Design: Utilitarian

This isn’t the prettiest mixer we’ve seen, with its square edges and plastic exterior, available in either an all-black model, a black and stainless model, or a very dark gray with stainless accents. Looks aside, this is a compact appliance that might even store in a kitchen cabinet. Along with the small size comes light weight, making it easy to move when you need to store it—it’s even light enough to carry one-handed. To keep it from wandering the counter while it’s working, it has four suction cup feet that keep it steady. However, if your counter has a rough surface, the suction cups won’t be as effective.

The mixer’s bowl doesn’t have a handle, making it less convenient to install, remove, and empty, but it snugs easily into the base. The bowl has another oddity—the hollow base has holes in the bottom. In use, that doesn’t have any effect, but when we washed the bowl and left it upside down to drain and dry, we got a surprise splash of water when we turned it upright.

To lift the tilt-head, we had to press a button, and the head remained in position until we pressed that button again to lower it. While it was nice that the head couldn’t fall, it was a little annoying to keep pressing the button when we had to repeatedly scrape the bowl. Fortunately, because of the shorter bowl and the high tilt, the mixing attachments cleared the bowl enough so we could remove the bowl with the attachment in place, without risking spillage. On the bottom of the mixer is a cord wrap, so it can be kept neat and tidy in storage.

Performance: Your hand mixer, turbocharged

With easy tasks like whipping cream, making butter, and whipping our fluffy frosting, this mixer did a great job. When we moved on to cake batter, we had to scrape the bowl several times and found unmixed ingredients at the bottom of the bowl. Our first cake batter was a bit lumpy, which was disappointing, but when we tried another recipe, the batter was smooth. We’ll have to blame the recipe for the lumps but still caution that the bowl will need to be scraped to ensure even mixing.

When we moved on to a soft yeast dough, the mixer seemed to strain just a little, but it still gave us a silky smooth dough. A denser dough caused even more straining, and although we managed to get the dough kneaded, we wouldn’t risk it on a regular basis.

Features: Six speeds, plus folding

This mixer has six speeds and a handy guide on the side of the mixer that reminded us that the dough hook is used on speeds 1-2 for yeast doughs, the paddle is used at speeds 1-6 for cake batter and cookie dough, and the wire whisk is used at speeds 5-6 for whipping fluffy foods.

To the left of the “off” setting on the dial is the fold option, which turns the mixer on at a slower speed, and turns off when released. This is handy for folding in delicate ingredients as well as for the initial mixing of ingredients that might fly out of the bowl at higher speeds. We’re looking at you, flour.

While this doesn’t include a recipe book, the user manual included a few recipes. We found it interesting that the bread recipe required kneading at speed 4, even though the general instructions and the mixer itself say that kneading should be done at speed 1 or 2.

Included Accessories: The usual attachments

This mixer comes with a wire whisk, a plastic paddle, and a chrome-plated aluminum dough hook. We were a little disappointed that the paddle was plastic, but it seemed sturdy enough for cake batter and cookie dough.

Cleaning: Best to hand wash

The manufacturer says that all the attachments are dishwasher safe, but we’re a bit skeptical. The dough hook is made from aluminum, which doesn’t fare well in a dishwasher. Although it’s plated, several online reviewers noted that their dough hook oxidized in the dishwasher, so we’d recommend hand washing to be safe. With all the plastic on the other attachments, we prefer washing those by hand, as well.

The mixer bowl is made from stainless steel, so it should hold up well in the dishwasher. No matter how you wash it, remember to turn it over to drain the water from the base. Like other electric appliances, the exterior of the mixer should be wiped clean with a damp cloth.

Price: In the budget

This is an inexpensive mixer, making it affordable for just about anyone who needs to ditch the hand mixer and upgrade to something easier. It’s not the largest or most robust mixer, but it did almost everything we asked it to do.

Hamilton Beach 6-Speed Stand Mixer vs. Aicok Multi-Functional Stand Mixer

The Aicok Multi-Functional Stand Mixer that we also tested has a price tag similar to the Hamilton Beach, but they have some significant differences. The Aicok has a larger capacity and a more powerful motor, making it appealing for kneading bread dough. Hamilton Beach is a well-known brand, which can be very important if problems arise. We’d have to call this a tossup, depending on the user’s priorities.