Bests & Worsts Reviews from Amazon

I was a little skeptical buying a non-KitchenAid mixer, since they seem to be the mixer that every chef has. However, I really liked the look of this one, and it's less expensive, and it has a 3-year warranty as opposed to a 1-year, so I took my chances. Unlike the reviewer before me, I was pleasantly surprised when I pulled it out of the box. It was slightly bigger than I expected (bulkier than our KitchenAid Artisan), but it can still fit under the cabinets even when the head is lifted, and the finish is beautiful. It looks like brushed metal, but it has a glossy coat to make it smooth. The mixer seems very well-made. I had received a KitchenAid commercial style mixer previously as a gift and returned it, because the quality seemed really poor (the finish had numerous scratches and unfinished areas of metal) and it was really big and loud. I was amazed at how quiet the Hamilton Beach mixer was. It's quieter than our Artisan mixer - you can barely hear it at all when it's on lower speeds. I made a batch of cookies and it mixed up fine. I didn't have to scrape the sides any more than with the KitchenAid. One complaint I have is that the bowl feels pretty cheap and doesn't lock as securely as the KitchenAid, and I don't know if any other bowl will fit in it. I've only used the beater attachment so far, but I'm impressed with it. The white coating on it feels really nice and smooth - I was expecting plastic from the picture, but it's actually sturdy metal covered with some kind of glossy enamel. I'm still getting used to the quick-release button in the back as opposed to the lock on the side of the KitchenAid, but I think once I get used to it, it will make things quicker and easier. I was worried I'd regret going with a company I wasn't too familiar with instead of KitchenAid, but I don't regret it at all. It's gorgeous! UPDATE: I've had this mixer for almost 4 years now, and it still works as well as it did when I first got it. However, now that I've used it more, the bowl really annoys me. It doesn't have a secure lock into the mixer. It's okay when the mixer is running, but every time I have to stop the mixer to scrape the sides, it wobbles around and comes loose from holding the handle. Also, the grip on the bowl is not ergonomic at all and definitely feels inferior to the KitchenAid bowls. Hamilton Beach does not offer a better replacement bowl, so what comes with the mixer is what you're stuck with (although they do offer replacement parts should anything break). I would probably spend the extra money on a KitchenAid mixer next time just to have more options, but at the time I got this, it was worth the savings.