KitchenAid was rated ‘cream of the crop’ in Canstar Blue’s mixers ratings for the THIRD year in a row, earning five-star reviews for performance, ease of use and cleaning, design, and overall satisfaction.
Mixers are a handy addition to any kitchen, especially if you enjoy making oven-baked goodies and treats. While mixing was often the bane of many cooks and weekend creators, with the old-school mixers usually leaving you with hand cramps – in addition to taking a good chunk of time – brands nowadays offer a wide variety of mixers that do the work for you. With plenty of options available, narrowing them down can be tricky, especially if you haven’t had much experience before. Our review compares mixers on customer satisfaction, so you can find out what other Aussies think about the compared brands before you go ahead with a purchase. Think of it as like asking hundreds of your closest mates which mixers they think are best!
Canstar Blue surveyed 539 Australians for their feedback on the new mixer(s) they’ve purchased in the last three years. Note: This includes electric handheld mixers and stand/bench mixers/beaters and does not include blenders.
Respondents rate their satisfaction with their mixer brand(s) from zero to ten, where zero is extremely dissatisfied and ten is extremely satisfied. Brand satisfaction was rated by respondents on the following criteria:
The winning brand is the one that receives the highest Overall satisfaction rating once all the scores from the Overall satisfaction criteria are combined and averaged.
Brands must have received at least 30 responses to be included, so not all brands available in the market have been compared in this survey. The brands rated in this survey are listed below in order of best overall satisfaction.
• KitchenAid
• Kenwood
• Kambrook
• Sunbeam
• Breville
• Kmart
KitchenAid scored five stars for performance, ease of use and cleaning, design, and overall satisfaction. Runner-up Kenwood earned top marks for performance, ease of use, value for money, features and functionality and ease of cleaning, while Kambrook cleaned up in value for money.
Find more detailed information on our ratings methodology.
Not sure which mixer to buy? Check out our buying guide below.
KitchenAid stirred up five stars for performance, ease of use and cleaning, design, and overall satisfaction. It settled on four stars for features and functionality, and three stars for value for money.
KitchenAid is arguably the king of small kitchen appliances and offers a large range of hand mixers and stand mixers with enough variety to satisfy your inner chef. KitchenAid mixers also come in a variety of colours, allowing you to find one to suit your kitchen’s look. Stand mixers can cost anywhere between $539 and $1,399. Many of the models come with several accessories such as a flat beater, wire whisk, dough hook, and a stainless steel bowl.
If you have limited bench space, KitchenAid now has a range of Artisan Mini tilt-head stand mixers that are smaller and lighter than the brand’s Artisan tilt-head mixers, while still being able to handle serious amounts of dough – up to five dozen biscuits. Alternatively, you can grab models like the KitchenAid 4.8L Stand Mixer (KSM195) that is made to handle heavier mixtures.
Kenwood scored five stars for performance, ease of use, value for money, features and functionality and ease of cleaning, and four stars for design, and overall satisfaction.
Kenwood may be a worthwhile option for those shopping for a versatile mixer and who don’t mind spending a little more. Most Kenwood stand mixers tend to sit on the higher end of the price scale compared to other major brands, although there are several mid-range units. You can typically grab a hand mixer from Kenwood for $59 and up to $139, or a stand mixer for between $349 and $1,799.
Aside from the usual whisking and beating, some Kenwood stand mixers have additional functions like warming and folding. The Titanium Chef Patissier XL (KWL90.004SI), for example, lets you prove dough and melt ingredients straight from the mixer. It also contains built-in scales and six pre-set modes such as dough kneading, chocolate melting, all-in-one cake and Swiss meringue. There’s also a variety of attachments that allow you to transform the mixer into a food processor.
Kambrook earned five stars for value for money, and four stars for ease of cleaning, design, performance, and overall satisfaction. It finished on three stars for ease of use and features and functionality.
Kambrook offers a couple of hand mixers, at the time of writing, and are available at affordable prices from $39.95 up to $89.95. These handheld mixers are on the cheaper side compared to other leading brands and cover the basics, each providing multiple speed levels and turbo boost, and rapid beater functions. The Kambrook 7-Speed Hand Mixer (KHM655BLK) offers a little extra, such as a two-year replacement warranty (as opposed to 12 months for the Kambrook Power Mix Hand Mixer) and controlled slow start functionality. It also comes with beaters, a whisk, and dough hooks.
Sunbeam achieved four stars for performance, ease of use, value for money, ease of cleaning, and overall satisfaction. It finished on three stars for features and functionality, and design.
A giant within the kitchen appliances market, Sunbeam offers a variety of both stand and hand mixers. The majority of Sunbeam’s mixer range comprises of Mixmaster mixers, which echo the classic designs of mixers in the 1950s, blended with modern functionalities. Expect prices ranging from $44.95 up to $109 for hand mixers, and between $99.95 and $499 for stand mixers.
Several of these models stand out with features such as the 2-in-1 design in the Mixmaster Combo Mixer Pro (MXP1000WH), allowing you to detach the head of stand mixers and convert it into a handheld mixer. Sunbeam’s Mixmaster HeatSoft Hand Mixer (JM7000) similarly breaks the mould with HeatSoft Technology, which lets you bring the ingredients to room temperature.
Breville rated four stars for performance and overall satisfaction, and three stars in every other category including, ease of use, value for money, features and functionality, ease of cleaning, and design.
Well-known in the kitchen appliances market, Breville has long been a family favourite when it comes to decking out the kitchen. It sells several hand mixers and stand mixers from $74.95 up to $529.95.
There are up to 12 speed controls, depending on which mixer you get, and a variety of attachments to bump up the versatility of the unit. Certain models, including the Handy Mix Scraper, also come with Beater iQ technology to recognise which attachment you’re using and automatically adjust the speed accordingly.
Kmart rounded up the ratings with four stars for value for money, and three stars for performance, ease of use, features and functionality, ease of cleaning, design, and overall satisfaction.
Budget-oriented retail chain Kmart seems to do it all – from air fryers to microwaves and even mixers. When it comes to mixers, functionality is fairly basic. Kmart’s cheapest hand mixers have five speed settings and an ejection button, while the stick mixers offer one or two speed options. Otherwise, you can opt for the Kmart Stick Mixer with Chopper Set which lets you convert the stick mixer into a makeshift food processor. Kmart’s stand mixers cost slightly more but offer more premium functions. The Kmart Bench Mixer, for example, provides seven variable speed controls, a tilt head stop function, and a 5L stainless steel mixing bowl.
Not all mixer brands in the market qualify for our ratings (based on minimum survey sample size), but that doesn’t mean they’re not worth considering. Here are several more brands to check out before making a purchase decision.
To help you cut through the fluff, we’ve compiled a buying guide where you can learn the different types of mixers, costs and popular purchase insights, to get your hands on the best machine for you. Happy baking!
With many kitchen appliance brands now offering a variety of models and mixer types, consumers are spoilt for choice when it comes to whipping up a storm in the kitchen. Mixers are generally split into two different categories – hand mixers and stand mixers.
Stand mixers generally offer more flexibility in terms of functions and can accommodate heavier mixtures, making these suitable for larger households or those who regularly bake or cook. However, stand mixers are often significantly more expensive and tend to have a starting price of just over $200 for basic features. It’s important to note our review considers all types of mixers.
When it comes to finding out what drives customer satisfaction after purchasing a mixer, our research revealed the following factors as most important:
Performance is the most important driver in mixer satisfaction, followed by how easy it is to use the machine. Interestingly, these two factors sit far ahead of value for money, which goes to show that when you need the batter battered or the cream whipped, you’ll want a mixer that will do it just right – no matter the cost.
Depending on the type, prices for mixers start at around $100 but can go up to almost $3,000 for those looking to amp up their cooking and baking skills. Our survey found that households spend an average of $172 on new mixers, with most people keeping theirs for about eight years.
When considering which mixer to buy, it would be wise to think about how often you’ll use it and what you’ll use it for. While 40% of survey respondents said they bought their mixer with the intention of doing more baking, about a fifth (21%) admitted they don’t use their mixer as much as they thought they would and 12% wish they had spent more money on a better mixer. Meanwhile, a third of respondents (32%) have cooked/baked more since purchasing their mixer.
Mixers are a handy appliance to have in the kitchen, saving you time – and your hands – while making short work of the preparation phase of recipes. KitchenAid seemed to be the all-rounder, impressing consumers on nearly all fronts. Meanwhile, Kenwood and Kambrook particularly stood out as being good bang for buck, with Kenwood also receiving top marks in several other categories.
But ultimately, which mixer you walk out the door with will depend on your personal preferences. Some useful questions to ask yourself might include:
Fortunately, households have no shortage of options when it comes to choosing a mixer, with both hand and stand models readily available to suit whatever you plan on cooking. With multiple brands and models available, narrowing down the best option can quickly become a struggle, with the motor size, safety features and optional attachments all factors to be considered.
Megan is Canstar Blue’s Home & Lifestyle Editor, leading the team that focuses on consumer products and services, ranging from supermarkets and groceries to home and personal appliances and retail stores. She interprets Canstar Blue’s bespoke research on the thousands of brands that we compare, rate and review, to help shoppers make better purchasing decisions.
Samantha Howse is Canstar Blue’s Consumer Research Specialist, coordinating the consumer research program behind our customer satisfaction awards across Canstar and Canstar Blue in Australia and New Zealand. Sam has earned a Bachelor of Business (Marketing) from Griffith University and, with seven years in market research and 2 years in marketing, she is experienced in survey design, implementation and analysis, coupled with an understanding of marketing principles and best practice.
*Prices are taken from respective retailer websites, correct as of December 2022.
Here are the past winners of Canstar Blue’s mixer ratings:
Appliances - October 5th
As one of the most multicultural countries on earth, Australian homes are also filled with a number of small and major appliances from across the globe. You may be surprised to learn that many of …
– Read more
Appliances - January 24th
Gone are the days of skipping on your green juice or morning banana smoothie because you’re running late for work or travelling. Thanks to portable blenders, you can blend, cap and go anywhere these days, …
– Read more
Appliances - January 3rd
If you want a Thermomix, you know you’ll have to pay through the nose. Top-of-the-line models retail for upwards of $2,000 and frankly, not everyone can afford this luxury.
Now, if you’ve been living under a …
– Read more
Appliances - January 18th
If you think of kitchen appliances with rounded shapes, chrome details, and bright colours, there’s only one brand that comes to mind – Smeg. The Italian premium brand is renowned for its 50s retro-style appliances, …
– Read more
Appliances - August 10th
Planning to head in store for your weekly Kmart fix? We bring you a guide on latest trends that Kmart has on offer in the small appliances space. Kmart boasts quality, value and contemporary design …
– Read more