Have you decided that you need to buy a mixer to add to your home? If so, you have a choice to make between either a hand held or a stand mixer. The two are not the same and should be treated as two different kitchen appliances. The difference between a hand held and a stand mixer are minor, knowing exactly what they are can help you in your future appliance purchase.

I do want to point out that mixers and blenders are two different types of appliances and should not be confused. Blenders are used to cut up, blend, and liquefy food and drink items with the help of a sturdy, sharp blade. Mixers on the other hand do not use a blade at all instead use a variety of mixing tools depending on which you decide to purchase.

If you have very little kitchen space and are on a tight budget, the hand held mixer is definitely the kitchen appliance for you. Hand held mixers are pretty small and fit in your hand for easy mixing. They are also much cheaper then a stand mixer. Prices for a sturdy hand held can cost anywhere from $10.00 to $75.00, not so bad considering the hand held can help you out in the kitchen by mixing cake batters, beating eggs and smoothening up mashed potatoes.

Another plus for those who are in the market to buy a hand held is that almost every retail store around carries them in the housewares department. No worries on the color either, you will have different colors to choose from, white is not the only color there is. Other choices to be made is whether or not you prefer the battery operated, or an electric. Either way, it is still a good space saver. If you are looking for a name brand hand held, Kitchen Aid carries an assortment of different styles.

Hand held mixers are usually used for specific kitchen use since they do only have three speeds, low, medium and high. Most uses for hand held mixers are for blending cake, whipping eggs, blending thin batters, and even making pudding. Hand held mixers are very easy to clean up after as well. Just take off the mixing tools, rinse and put the other part away. Another advantage to using a hand held is the size in which the mixing bowl has to be, it’s your choice, no need to worry about that.

Stand up mixers on the other hand are for those who have a lot of counter space to part with. They are also much more expensive and could set you back a few hundred dollars. However those who do choose to go with this mixer use it as if it were part of the family. Most do come with two mixing bowls as well as two mixing tools one of which is usually a dough hook for preparing dough.

When buying this type you can have speed controls that range anywhere from 1 to 15 speeds depending on which you choose. Kitchen Aid sells a one that has 15 speeds for all your mixing needs. Back when baking was work, controls on the these were either button style or turn knob, not anymore. Now they come with a digital screen for easy viewing as well as a timer just in case you have to do something else at the same time.

If you are going to go with a name brand, the usual accessories that come with name brand are a standard size 5 quart mixing bowl, a standard mixer, and a dough hook. If you need other accessories for your stand mixer, many are available either separately or you can buy a bundle of them, which is usually less expensive. Luckily you will not be forced to buy a bland looking stand mixer since it does come in a wide variety of vibrant colors as well as stainless steel for those who love the contemporary look.

Large department stores as well as online stores are the best place to find stand mixers, you will not find them in every retail store. Buying a new appliance should be like buying a new car. You should always do your research on exactly what kind of hand held or stand mixer you want to purchase. You should always compare prices as well as brands to get the one that will benefit you in your kitchen while you cook. They are an investment for avid cookers, be selective in the one you choose.