Bests & Worsts Reviews from Amazon

I needed to replace a 30-year-old Sunbeam hand mixer that was a true workhorse. My previous purchase of a KitchenAid hand mixer did not meet my expectation and was returned for the purchase of this Hamilton Beach 62633R Hand Mixer. I ordered the Hamilton Beach 62633R Hand Mixer on 1/21/17 and it was delivered on 1/23/17, excellent turnaround time. The mixer and 4 other items I ordered were well padded in the box and all the items were intact. However, the mixer's original factory box had one corner crunched. The box was secured with clear packing tape along the seam where the two flaps meet but the end of the tape near the crunched corner was stuck to itself and not fully adhering to the box itself. I mention this because it caused me to wonder if I was getting a returned item or a refurbished one. Some previous reviews said damaged mixers or mixers that appeared to be repackaged were received. I examined the mixer very closely and there was no evidence of damage. No scratches, cracks or broken bits. The beaters, whisk and dough hooks were sealed in the plastic bag from the factory. The mixer was in a plastic bag as was the case. The cord was coiled and held with a twist tie. Everything was packaged in the box exactly as you would expect it to be if you were pulling it off the shelf at a Target or Walmart. Who knows where or how that box was damaged as it was but as everything looks ok and the mixer is working I will use it and monitor its performance. I bought the mixer in red and it is a lovely deep and rich shade of red. The beater blades are traditional in design and I prefer this over the newer thinner wire blades that seem to be popular. In fact, I previously ordered and returned a KitchenAid hand mixer specifically due to the wire blades being weak and easy to bend. If I took 2 of the wire blades on the KitchenAid and pinched them together they moved easily. I have not used the whisk or dough hooks yet. The whisk looks like a whisk so I have no reason to think it won't do its job. The dough hooks are smaller than I thought they might be but are in proportion to the mixer so again I have no reason to think they won't work well. I do think the hooks will do the job of mixing chocolate chips into finished cookie batter. Really, I think the intention of the hooks is to finish a process. I've never baked bread so I have no idea if the hooks will knead dough well or not. **ADDING THIS TO ORIGINAL REVIEW: I have one complaint regarding the attachements that might be considered minor but it bugs me a little. The way of releasing the blades is not quick and easy. Changing speed means pushing forward to increase or pulling back to decrease speed. To get the blades off one has to PUSH DOWN on the speed lever/switch to release the blades and in my mixer it takes quite a bit of pressure to release both blades at once. I had to read the directions twice to make sure I got it right. In my experience the function is hard to execute. I can get one to pop off quickly, one will stick a little and then I have to give it another push to get the "click" you would hear when the blade is loosened. I found this to be the case using it for the first time mixing cake batter and frosting from scratch. Since then I have not used the mixer. I don't consider this a reason to return it or to remove another star. I will stay at 4 stars for now. 1/28/17** The KitchenAid was light and didn't feel sturdy. This Hamilton Beach hand mixer has a more substantial heft to it than the KA, 3.5 lbs. for the HB and 2 lbs. for the KA. I don't find the difference in weight too heavy to wield easily or tire my hand and arm. This mixer is powerful for a little guy. 275 watt and 6 speeds with a burst of speed feature. The speeds increase to a powerful number 6 setting and yes, it's a little loud. I can see the whisk would whip egg whites to a stiff peak quickly. The slowest speed is not a mild let's-just-go-for-a-stroll speed. It is faster than you might expect. The mixer does not advertise a slow start feature so it's not realistic to expect it. I read reviews saying sugar or flour were sent flying by the mixer causing a real mess. I mixed cocoa powder and confectioner's sugar to make frosting. I started at the lowest speed then increasing to the middle to finish. I didn't have a problem with sugar and cocoa dusting the kitchen. The frosting was smooth and fluffy because I whipped a fair amount of air into it using a higher speed. The whole thing was easy to clean and stores nicely in the case. Having an attached storage case was a real bonus for me. I think it's great to have all the attachments in one place and to be able to wind the cord in the case as well. The mixer snaps securely on to the case and has a small foot print. It easily fits in a small lower cabinet in my small kitchen. Regarding the cord: it is fixed to one side and is the flat kind. It would be nice to have the option of locking the cord direction from left to right hand use. I would have preferred a round cord as opposed to the flat because a round cord is easier to keep clean. Bottom line: All in all, I am pleased with my purchase. Sturdy mixer, strong beaters and attachments. Powerful motor. Excellent storage case. The entire full size unit fits well in small spaces. Pretty to look at. If I encounter any problem I will update with my experience. I am removing one star because of the cord issue, the blade release issue and because the box was damaged. It may be picky but I would NOT have chosen a box with a crunched corner and dicey tape off a store shelf. The cord is a design element I think would improve the overall function of the mixer. My experience of sticking blades is inconvenient. I think it's a mistake to use the switch that slides forward to adjust the speed to release the attachments by pushing down on the switch. There should be a separate button or something else to push.