5 Best Stand Mixers Under $200

Are tired arms preventing you from baking the bread you want? A stand mixer might be the right investment for you if this is the case.

Stand mixers are essential in the modern kitchen. Stand Mixers make mixing, kneading and preparing many recipes simple. You may not be able to imagine how you could have done without it in the future.

Stand mixers have many advantages over electric hand mixers. They have a wider range of speed settings, more horsepower, and more automation. They can also be used to make ice cream, pasta or noodles.

This guide will walk you through what stand mixers are and how to choose one for your kitchen. We also have our top picks to help you choose the best stand mixers in 2023.

Hand Mixers Vs Stand Mixers

Before making a purchase, buyers will need to choose between a stand mixer or a hand mixer. While there are some obvious differences, hand mixers tend to be more efficient and can handle heavier tasks. Stand mixers, however, are generally more powerful and easier to use, while hand mixers, while less expensive, are more manual and more reliable.

The main factor in deciding between them is not only the budget but also the frequency of their use. For enthusiastic bakers who use the mixer several times a week, a stand mixer is more convenient and reliable. A stand mixer can be more expensive and take up more space.

Hand mixers are suitable for those who only mix occasionally or don’t need professional-grade precision. These blenders have fewer speed options, but they are easier to store and use in a cramped kitchen.

How to choose a stand mixer

You will need to consider your specific needs when choosing the right stand mixer. These are some of the things you should consider when making your choice.

1. KitchenAid Artisan 5-Quart Stand Mixers

Imagine making your own bread, muffins or pizza from scratch whenever you wanted it. If you find the idea of kneading, mixing and stirring too labor intensive, the KitchenAid Artisan 5-Quart Stand Mixer will gladly do all the heavy work for you. All you’ll have to do is measure and add the ingredients, then turn the perfectly mixed doughs or batters into the right baking ware. The KitchenAid is also powerful enough to make smooth mashed potatoes without the need for a sore wrist. Airy meringues and other whipped desserts can also be created using the highest speed setting and the durable wire whisk attachment.

A number of helpful attachments make the KitchenAid Artisan Stand Mixer a versatile kitchen tool. This appliance comes with the basic dough hook, wire whisk and broad beater attachments, but the KitchenAid hub allows for other optional attachments. KitchenAid offers meat grinding, sausage stuffing and grating attachments as well. The 325 watt motor and 10 speed options give you power and control for executing all of your culinary experiments. A stainless steel, 5-quart capacity mixing bowl gives you plenty of room for large batches of dough and cleans up easily when you’re done.

This stand mixer also offers:

Tilt mixing head for quick attachment removal
Pouring shield to prevent splatters
Heavy duty gear transmission
67 Point Mixing Action

2. KitchenAid KSM75WH Classic Plus Tilt-Head 4-1/2-Quart Stand Mixer, White

Stand mixers take the work and effort out of perfect cookie dough, muffin batter or meringue. If you’re a hobby cook or baker, you need a seriously powerful machine for your kitchen. KitchenAid makes some of the strongest and most durable stand mixers on the market, and the KSM75WH Classic Plus Tilt Head is no exception. The sturdy stainless steel mixing bowl holds up the 4 and ½ quarts of mixing ingredients, allowing you to make large batches of cupcakes or mousse at once. Unlike other KitchenAid models, this appliance features a tilting head that makes removing the attachments or bowl easier.

If you’re tired of flimsy plastic appliance housings that scuff or break after a year or two of use, you’ll definitely appreciate the all metal construction of the KitchenAid Classic mixer. These stand mixers are designed to last decades under heavy kitchen use. This model comes with the standard beater, whisk and dough hook attachments, but the hub will accept any KitchenAid attachment including meat grinders, sausage makers and many other important tools. This mixer can handle the heaviest bread doughs that other stand mixers break trying to knead.

This stand mixer also features:

275 watt motor to power through thick mixtures
10 mixing speeds from a speedy whip to a slow churn
8 cup flour power for flour heavy recipes
Dishwasher safe bowl and attachments for easy clean up

3. Sunbeam 2371 Mixmaster Stand Mixer

The Sunbeam Mixmaster has been a part of American kitchens for over 30 years, and there’s a reason its remained one of the most popular stand mixers for over 3 decades. The Sunbeam 2371 Mixmaster combines a modern, streamlined style with enough power for any mixing chore. The white mixing head is smaller than other stand mixer models but still offers 12 speed options and a 350 motor. It is capable of mixing stiff doughs and creaming cold butter evenly and smoothly. The white case is accented by gray soft grip handles on the tilt head. The large handle makes it easier to tilt the mixing head back to add ingredients, switch attachment or remove the bowl.

If you’re tired of ingredients flying out of the bowl when you start mixing, the special soft start method used by this Sunbeam mixer will make you a happy cook. The mixers start out slowly, no matter how high you set the speed, to reduce disturbance that flings liquids or flour out of a full mixing bowl. Instead of a single stainless steel bowl, the Mixmaster comes with two tempered glass bowls for easy exchange when you need to create two separate mixtures. A special off-center mixing method allows you to scrape the sides of the bowl with the mixing attachment, rather than stopping to manually scrape ingredients back to the center of the bowl.

This mixer also features:

Multiple dough hooks, whisks and beaters
Locking mixer head
Lightweight plastic casing for easier storage
Modern white and gray color scheme

4. Cuisinart SM-55 5-1/2-Quart Stand Mixers

Smaller mixers may whip up a sauce or drippy batter just fine, but many of the 350 watt mixers commonly found in stores will overheat or snap a gear when trying to mix a thick bread or pizza dough for 10 minutes. If you need a stand mixer with the power to knead just like you can do by hand, consider the Cuisinart SM-55 Stand Mixer. The powerful 800 watt motor moves the mixing head through the toughest mixtures without slowing down or burning out. To protect this extra heavy duty motor, Cuisinart has wrapped this stand mixer in a dent resistant stainless steel case. You can find one with a white or black enamel finish, or choose the modern brushed chrome look.

12 speeds give you all the options you need for proper whipping, stirring or folding. The extra gentle fold setting also prevents flat cakes from overly vigorous blending. To prevent messy spills and splatters, the mixer starts off slowly no matter what speed setting is used. The slow start pushes dry and wet ingredients together enough to handle full speed mixing. If you need a kitchen workhorse that will replace other large appliances, the optional meat grinder and other attachments will interest you.

This stand mixer also has great features like:

A 5 ½ quart stainless steel mixing bowl for super easy cleaning
Whisk, dough hook, beater paddle included
Clear splatter guard for messy mixing
Tilting mixer head for easy attachment swapping

5. KitchenAid 4-1/2-Quart Ultra Power Stand Mixer, Empire Red

When it comes to stand mixers, nothing beats a KitchenAid. If you love color and want something brighter than a stainless steel or plain white appliance, choose the KitchenAid Ultra Power Stand Mixer in Empire Red. The bright cherry red finish compliments a retro or super modern kitchen décor scheme equally. Beyond the looks, this mixer has serious equipment under the hood to power through any challenging batter or dough you use it on. The all metal gears and direct drive transmission provides more power than other stand mixers, allowing you to fill the 4 and ½ quart mixing bowl with the thickest bread dough without burning out the motor. While other appliances use a few nylon gears, the transmission in this machine distributes the workload evenly over the extra sturdy gear system.

Mixtures will come out evenly mixed without you scraping the bowl or rotating it constantly due to the planetary action of the mixing head. Planetary action means the attachment moves through 67 different unique positions while spinning, ensuring every area is mixed and no pockets of flour or liquid are left. This model also features user-friendly design upgrades like a tilting mixer head for quick attachment changes or adding new ingredients without having to remove the bowl.

This KitchenAid Mixer also offers:

All metal construction for a long life span
Super powerful 300 watt motor
Direct drive transmission and all metal gears
Plastic Pouring Shield
Accommodates a 5 quart mixing bowl (not included)

How to choose a stand mixer?

Have you decided to get a stand mixer, but not sure how to choose the perfect model for you and your family? Consider these few points:

Is your kitchen modern or are there some retro touches? Unless you have large cupboards to store this type of kitchen appliance, your stand mixer should be placed on your counter at all times, in plain sight. You might as well choose one that will go well with your decor.
How often do you plan to use a stand mixer? Once a week ? Once a month ? If you want to buy a stand mixer because you intend to bake bread on a regular basis, it’s worth choosing a top-of-the-line model that offers a powerful motor, tilting head, and well-designed accessories.
If, on the contrary, you don’t expect to use it very often and you only want to make a few cakes or other desserts, a cheaper and less powerful model will certainly do the trick.
Do you want to make small recipes for you and your lover, or big recipes for family and large friends? Depending on the model chosen, the capacity in liters of the bowl will vary. Choose one according to your needs.

Here is just a model of stand mixer very popular with amateur chefs: KitchenAid Artisan 5-Quart Stand Mixers