$20Memorial Day weekend is just around the corner and so is the start of grilling season! See our list for economical meats and ways to prepare.
Mixers Performance
Cheap Mixers Mixing Results.
Ingredients are certainly critical, but even the best won't give you delicious results if the mixing process is subpar.Mixer reviews for the Hamilton Beach Hand/Stand Mixer 64650 are, well, mixed at Macys.com, where one post says batters mix up smoothly and another reports it doesn't mix well in standing mode and is very heavy to use in hand mode. The Sunbeam Heritage 2350 stand mixer takes some hits from users in mixers reviews on Walmart who report that some ingredients get pushed to the sides so you have to manually help the mixing process along.
Cheap Mixers Cleanup.
Baking and whipping can get messy, which makes clean up an issue -- but it doesn't seem to plague this product category. According to a mixers review of the KitchenAid Artisan 7-Speed on Amazon, this low-cost model is easy to use and clean -- just wipe it down, pop the beaters off and stick them in the dishwasher. Another mixer that scores on the clean up scale is the Cuisinart HSM-70; hand/stand mixers reviews on Amazon give this model favorable ratings and one baker says it's fairly easy to clean but for the batter that sometimes sticks to the ledge of the beaters.
Low-cost Mixers Ease of Use.
Consumers expect mixers to be user-friendly, meaning an acceptable weight and convenient attachments; a digital screen and slow-start are welcome extras. The KitchenAid Artisan 7-Speed delights users, according to mixers reviews at Cooking.com; consumers like its light weight, easy-to-read display screen, steady power, and slow start option. Other users write that it's a breeze to use and the portability is a plus. Although the KitchenAid 5-Speed Ultra Power hand mixer doesn't garner reviews as favorable as the mixers reviews of the KitchenAid Artisan 7-Speed, one user posting on Amazon is pleased with the light weight and assorted attachments. Easy to use is a strong selling point for the Cuisinart HSM-70 Power Advantage; mixers reviews on Amazon appreciate the flexibility and convenience of this combined hand/stand mixer and one user calls it the best of both worlds. The Kalorik 5-Speed earns points with cooks for its light weight and hand/stand versatility, but a couple of mixers reviews on Overstock grumble about minor issues, like needing two hands to tilt the mixer out of the batter (one to press the release button and one to pull the mixer up) when it's in the stand position.On the other hand, ease of use seems to be a problem for the hand/stand Hamilton Beach 64650. One mixers review on Amazon points out its faults: it lacks a locking mechanism to hold the head on the stand, the bowl spins if you don't hold it in place, and without a slow start option, the action starts out too fast. The Hamilton Beach 64650 fares slightly better in mixers reviews at Cooking.com, but one consumer gripes about the design, pointing out that the short stand makes it hard to add ingredients even when the bowl is pushed to the side.
Cheap Mixers Durability.
For the most part, cheap mixers seem to last quite a while. Durability is a strong suit for the KitchenAid Artisan 7-Speed hand mixer; one mixers reviews at Target reports it's been going strong for 10 years and another mixers review on Epinions says the KitchenAid has gotten a heavy workout for four years and shows no sign of giving up -- even after being dropped. Mixers reviews of the Cuisinart HSM-70 Power Advantage hand/stand model on Cooking.com are mixed, with one user noting it seems sturdy but another complaining about noise from parts rubbing against each other. But overall, users like the sturdy feel of this mixer, according to mixers reviews on Amazon and say it seems like it will last for years. Consumers seem to recognize the physical limitations of the Kalorik 5-speed, and those using it for lighter tasks report few breakdowns. But others write in mixers reviews on Meijer and Overstock that the motor konked out when faced with thick, heavy doughs.Indeed, durability seems to be a problem for some cheap mixers. Several users posting mixers reviews at Target mention that the motor on the Hamilton Beach 64650 died within a year of purchase (one specified two months) or after being used for heavy batters. Additional reviews of the Hamilton Beach 64650 on Amazon air similar gripes; one user reports that this cheap mixer broke after nine months and only about 10 uses.
Back to top »
Filed in:
Baking,
Blenders,
Cooking,
Dining,
Home and Garden,
Juicers,
Kitchen,
Mixers,
Slow Cookers,
Small Kitchen Appliances
Cheapism.com on Facebook
Don't Bother Cheap Mixer
Hamilton Beach 64650
Don't be fooled by the low price tag on this hand/stand mixer. Even on paper the Hamilton Beach Hand/Stand Mixer seems a little lacking: it has no slow start option and no display screen to easily adjust the speed, although it does feature 290 watts of powers and comes with a four-quart mixing bowl, beaters, dough hooks, and whisk. Users have multiple complaints about this mixer, including durability and a tendency for the motor to die when mixing thick batters.
Products Mentioned in This Review
Hamilton Beach 64650 ReviewCuisinart HSM-70 Power Advantage Review
Kalorik 5-Speed Review
KitchenAid Artisan 7-Speed Review
Best Cheap Meats for Grilling
Weekly Update: Cheap Compost Bin Recommendations, What to Buy in May and More
April showers bring May flowers, and savings are already sprouting. ...
8 Tips For Landscaping on the Cheap
Since most people will judge your home by it's landscaping, why not spruce it up with these cheap gardening ideas.
© 2013 Cheapism
We do not accept payment or other gratuities from manufacturers or retailers to recommend or discuss their products on Cheapism.com. Nor do we accept any payment or other gratuity from websites to blog about their news stories or posts.
Made in NYC
