First, the naming
If you’ve read US buying guides, note the vocabulary: what Americans call a stand mixer is a food mixer in Ireland and the UK. Same machine — a motorised mixer with a bowl and a stand that whisks, beats and kneads hands-free.
Best overall — KitchenAid Artisan
KitchenAid Artisan 4.8L Stand Mixer
The design icon, and the mixer most people picture when they think 'stand mixer'. Across its owner base, what stands out is how well it mixes and how solid it feels — owners consistently praise the mixing performance and build, and it holds its resale value better than any rival. The only real objection is price: it's a premium buy, and you're paying for the design, the durability and the badge as much as the mixing itself.
Prime Day Amazon Prime Big Deal Days is on — a good time to check the live price.
Check current price on Amazon.co.ukWhat buyers praise
- Owners single out the mixing performance and solid build
- The design icon — and it holds its value
- 4.8L bowl and a huge range of add-on attachments
- A genuine buy-it-for-life machine
What buyers flag
- Premium price — the most expensive pick here
- Heavy to move on and off the counter
- You pay partly for the design and badge
At a glance
- Capacity
- 4.8 litres
- Dimensions
- 37D x 24W x 36H centimetres
- Power
- 300.00
- Weight
- 10.4 Kilograms
- Material
- Metal
- In the box
- 4.8 Litre Stainless Steel Bowl, Dough_Hook, Flat_Beater, Wire_Whip
For the full decision — capacity, attachments, motor — see the stand mixer buyer report.
Best for durability & value — Kenwood Chef
Kenwood Chef 1000W 4.6L Stand Mixer
The British workhorse, and the value pick. The Kenwood Chef is an Irish and UK kitchen institution, and its reviews say why: owners report it lasting for years and rate it good value for a capable, well-built machine — 1000W handles heavier bread dough than the everyday. The honest flags from the reviews: it's heavy, and a few find the plastic splash guard flimsy. But for durability per euro, it's the pick.
Prime Day Amazon Prime Big Deal Days is on — a good time to check the live price.
Check current price on Amazon.co.ukWhat buyers praise
- Owners report it lasting for years — a durable workhorse
- 1000W handles heavier bread dough
- Strong value versus the premium icons
- The trusted British food-mixer brand
What buyers flag
- Heavy on the counter
- A few owners find the splash guard flimsy
- Less of a design statement than the KitchenAid
At a glance
- Capacity
- 4.6 litres
- Dimensions
- 28D x 38W x 30H centimetres
- Power
- 1000 watts
- Weight
- 7.3 Kilograms
- Material
- Stainless Steel
Best budget — Tower 3-in-1
Tower 3-in-1 Stand Mixer with 6 Speeds
The budget route into a food mixer, from a trusted UK brand, at a fraction of the premium price. It does the everyday baking jobs — cakes, biscuits, whipped cream — with six speeds and a stand, and its owner base rates it well for quality and value. It's a smaller sample of feedback than the icons, so expect a simpler build: this is a sensible first mixer or an occasional-baker's machine, not a heavy-bread workhorse.
Prime Day Amazon Prime Big Deal Days is on — a good time to check the live price.
Check current price on Amazon.co.ukWhat buyers praise
- A fraction of the price of the premium mixers
- Six speeds and a stand for hands-free everyday baking
- Trusted UK brand; owners rate the quality and value
- A sensible first mixer for occasional bakers
What buyers flag
- Simpler build than the premium machines
- Not for heavy, regular bread dough
- Smaller pool of owner feedback than the icons
At a glance
- Capacity
- 5 litres
- Dimensions
- 15.7D x 31.2W x 30.8H centimetres
- Power
- 1000 watts
- Weight
- 5.2 Kilograms
- Material
- Stainless Steel
How we chose
These picks come from an analysis of verified buyer reviews, read across each mixer’s owner base and benchmarked against the category. We do not claim hands-on lab testing; the authority here is the accumulated experience of the people who own these machines. For how a stand mixer works and how it differs from a hand mixer, see how does a stand mixer work and stand mixer vs hand mixer; for the full US range, the best stand mixers.
