Hamilton Beach 5-Speed Electric Hand Mixer with SmartBoost Technology, Mixer for Kitchen, Mint

Even if you have a stand mixer but don't always want or need to use it (like for a small batch of cookie dough), this is the hand mixer to have. Hamilton Beach makes over 30 different models of corded hand mixers ranging from $20 to over $75, so at $50, this one's on the higher end of the mixer-only models (as opposed to the mixer/stand combos)...and it's worth every penny. Neither the Walmart nor the Hamilton Beach website lists a wattage for this mixer, but its powerful DC (direct current) motor makes it a workhorse that plows through thick or stiff ingredients without straining or slowing down. That's a big deal for me, and it's something that even *some* high-wattage mixers with AC (alternating current) motors can't always do! Trust me on this one: I've been baking since the 1960s and have used countless different hand mixers through the years. (Hint: wattage isn't everything.) I'm not a fan of wire beaters or any that are coated with silicone (or whatever), so I appreciate the traditional stainless steel beaters it comes with. In fact, that's what sold me on this DC-motor model rather than the the $64 7-speed DC-motor model, which has coated traditional beaters. Bottom line: I am beyond pleased with this mixer and definitely recommend it for anyone who bakes a lot.

I like the storage container, the ambidextrous swivel cord, and the fact that my old mixer beaters fit the new one. The soft start feature is going to take some getting used to.