Hi Everyone!
I need some recommendations for a good, heavy duty hand mixer. I have burned up 4 hand mixers making buttercream and I have no idea what I'm doing wrong!!! Does anyone have any suggestions? I have a Sunbeam stand mixer but it's too bulky to set up when I'm just making small batches of frosting. I've tried several different brands and always have the same result. My last one was a Hamilton Beach and it lasted longer than the others, but it just bit the dust a few minutes ago. Does anyone have a secret to making buttercream using a hand mixer? I've been increasing the speed of the mixer as the frosting gets thicker when I add the powdered sugar. Should I keep it on low? I appreciate any advice I can get! Thanks!!

I have been told that the only mixer that could stand making icing would be a counter top mixer, such as the Kitchen Aids, Wolfgang Pucks, Cooks, etc. and the reason why is because of the wattage on the mixers. They are designed to handle heavy duty work. Handmixers are designed for light mixing.

But if you keep buying the handmixers, it's almost like throwing your money away. Just try to invest or save up for a good mixer, you wont regret it, and you will save so much more time if you get one..you can make 2 batches of icing (6 cups) at a time with a Kitchen Aid or such. It would be about 200.00 plus, but well worth it. JC Penney has a couple of mixers that start at 130.00 with a 700 watt motor..Kitchen Aids have 325 watts and they are great also.

I have been doing cakes for 10 years and use it often and I have only burned one mixer out. So its still possible to do the same with a larger mixer but it took me 5 years to do it.

Before you purchase one, do your homework, go online and price walmart, department stores in your area, Bed Bath and Beyond, Target..If you purchase one, you wont regret it , I promise.

Kitchenaid stand mixer all the way...

Cuisinart 7 qt. with a timer and 1,000 watts.

KitchenAid for me! My boyfriend saw how much I needed one and made it my Christmas gift especially when he rationalized that this was also for him because he is my guinea pig who tastes my stuff. We did look around for sales. Mine was on sale at Macy's. Sometimes they are super cheap.

Kitchen Aid mixers still having lots of bad problems, I think.

http://www.consumeraffairs.com/homeowners/kitchenaid_mixers.html

That's why lots of people are changing to Cuisinart.

Be careful with the plastic gears housing in KA and with oil leaking into food because "KA gears are oiled for life."

http://www.thefreshloaf.com/node/18215/check-out-if-your-ka-mixer-broke

KAs just aren't what they used to be. Cuisinart are waaaaay better. Viking is also good. And when you're ready for the bigun' - Hobart.

Wattage is the key. Don't look at anything under 300 watts. I have a 300 watt hand mixer that I've had for 7 or 8 years. I didn't use it very much until I took the Wilton classes last summer. It took me through all 3 classes (made royal icing with it) and it's still going strong (knock on wood).

I don't have room for a stand mixer in my tiny kitchen so a hand mixer works for me. I've been on the lookout for a spare 300+ watt hand mixer but it seems they are going down in wattage instead of up. Remember WATTS =POWER. Buy the most watts that you can afford. HTH

I have this hand mixer and it's quite good.

http://www.amazon.com/dp/B000MVQEJ8/?tag=cakecentral-20

I couldn't believe how inexpensive it was!