Buying guide
The best stand mixers in 2026
Updated Aug 30, 2026 · prices dated per offer
Most of the difference between these four mixers comes down to bowl size, whether the mixer has a power hub for attachments, and warranty length, not brand loyalty. We priced a specific color of each mixer, since KitchenAid in particular charges different amounts for the same machine depending on the finish, and we only used the rating tied to that exact color and listing.
None of these mixers were run in a lab. Every spec below is either a figure the manufacturer publishes or a number pulled from the retailer page we linked, checked today.
| Spec | KitchenAid Artisan Series 5 Quart Tilt-Head Stand Mixer | Cuisinart Precision Master 5.5 Quart Stand Mixer | KitchenAid Ultra Power Plus 4.5 Quart Tilt-Head Stand Mixer | Hamilton Beach 7 Speed Stand Mixer |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Best price | $399.99 at Target | $319.95 at Sur La Table | $299.99 at Target | $126.99 at Target |
| Checked | ✓ AUG 30 | ✓ AUG 30 | ✓ AUG 30 | ✓ AUG 30 |
| Shopper rating | 4.95,408 ratings | 4.62,402 ratings | 4.81,910 ratings | 4.7229 ratings |
| Bowl capacity | 5 quart stainless steel bowl (Contour Silver) | 5.5 quart stainless steel bowl (Silver) | 4.5 quart stainless steel bowl (Light Silver) | 4 quart stainless steel bowl (Silver) |
| Motor | 325 watts (KitchenAid rating) | 500 watts (Cuisinart rating) | 300 watts (KitchenAid rating) | 300 watts (Hamilton Beach rating) |
| Speeds | 10 speeds | 12 speeds | 10 speeds | 7 speeds |
| Head type | Tilt-head | Tilt-back | Tilt-head | Tilt-up |
| Included attachments | Coated flat beater, coated dough hook, 6-wire whip, pouring shield | Chef's whisk, dough hook, flat mixing paddle, splash guard with pour spout | Coated flat beater, coated S-dough hook, 6-wire metal whip | Dough hook, whisk, flat beater |
| Attachment hub | Yes, powers 10+ optional hub attachments sold separately | Yes, one power hub for optional pasta roller, pasta extruder, meat grinder and frozen dessert maker | Yes, powers 10+ optional hub attachments sold separately | None |
| Weight | 25.8 lb | 21.1 lb | 25 lb | 10.2 lb |
| Warranty | 1 year limited | 3-year limited | 1 year limited | 1 year limited |
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Best overall
1. KitchenAid Artisan Series 5 Quart Tilt-Head Stand Mixer
The 5 quart bowl and front power hub give it the most headroom of the mixers here: it handles bigger batches than the two smaller-bowl options and opens up KitchenAid's long list of hub attachments if you want a pasta roller or grinder later.
We tracked the Contour Silver finish at $399.99 at Target, price checked 2026-08-30. Other KitchenAid colors and retailers price the same mixer differently, in some cases over a hundred dollars apart, so check the specific finish before assuming the price carries over.
Skip it if: you only bake occasionally and do not care about attachments; the Hamilton Beach below does the core job for a third of the price.
Best warranty
2. Cuisinart Precision Master 5.5 Quart Stand Mixer
It matches the KitchenAid Artisan on price but adds a bigger 5.5 quart bowl, a higher rated 500 watt motor and a 3-year limited warranty against KitchenAid's 1 year.
We found it at $319.99 at Target and $319.95 at Sur La Table, both checked 2026-08-30, so the price is consistent across retailers rather than swinging by finish the way KitchenAid's does.
Skip it if: you already own KitchenAid hub attachments; Cuisinart's power hub does not take them, and the smaller ecosystem is the main cost of switching brands.
Best mid-range
3. KitchenAid Ultra Power Plus 4.5 Quart Tilt-Head Stand Mixer
It keeps the Artisan's tilt-head design and attachment hub but drops to a 4.5 quart bowl and a slightly lower 300 watt motor, which is enough for everyday cookies, cakes and single loaves.
We tracked the Light Silver finish at $299.99 at Target (reduced from $449.99), price checked 2026-08-30, a hundred dollars under the Artisan at the same retailer that day.
Skip it if: you bake bread often or want the largest bowl in the KitchenAid tilt-head line; the Artisan's bigger bowl and slightly stronger motor handle that better.
Best budget
4. Hamilton Beach 7 Speed Stand Mixer
At a 4 quart bowl, 300 watts and 7 speeds, it covers standard baking without an attachment hub, and at 10.2 lb it is by far the lightest mixer here to lift out of a cabinet.
We verified $126.99 at both Target and Hamilton Beach's own store, both checked 2026-08-30, so this is the one mixer in the group priced identically everywhere we looked.
Skip it if: you want the option to add a pasta roller or grinder down the line; this model has no power hub, so what is in the box is all it will ever do.
Common questions
Which of these mixers is the best value?
The Hamilton Beach 63385 does the most per dollar if you only need the core job of creaming, whipping and light kneading. If you want room to add attachments later, the Cuisinart Precision Master gets you a bigger bowl and a longer warranty for about the same price as the KitchenAid Artisan.
Do I need the biggest bowl I can afford?
No. A 4 to 4.5 quart bowl covers most home baking, and the two smaller mixers here, the KitchenAid Ultra Power Plus and the Hamilton Beach, are priced lower partly because of that smaller bowl, not because they are worse-built.
Is KitchenAid worth paying more for than Cuisinart or Hamilton Beach?
The main thing you are paying for with KitchenAid is the size of its attachment ecosystem and the range of colors. On raw specs, the Cuisinart Precision Master we checked has a bigger bowl, a higher rated motor and a longer warranty than the KitchenAid Artisan at a comparable price.
Why do KitchenAid mixers show different prices for different colors?
Retailers price each finish of a KitchenAid mixer separately, and it is common to see the same model vary by fifty to over a hundred dollars between colors at the same store on the same day. Always check the price for the specific color you want rather than assuming it matches a review or ad you saw for a different finish.