Before you fork over your hard-earned dough for a stand mixer, you should make sure you are purchasing the best one for your needs.
Mixers that are more expensive tend to come with more power and more attachments, but there are less expensive options that cover your basic stand mixer needs. Size, features, attachments, price, and speed settings are some of the features you will want to consider.
The Sunbeam 5-Speed Stand Mixer is one of the smaller and less powerful mixers available on Amazon.
While it isn’t ideal for a large baking and mixing jobs, it is an affordable and compact mixer with a great deal to offer.
Although there are many positive features of this, there are some negative features as with most products, so make sure you know all the facts before you decide.
Contents
Sunbeam 5-Speed Stand Mixer: The Details
In a Nutshell
- Weight: 7 pounds
- Dimensions: 12 x 8 x 13 inches
- Capacity: 3 quarts
- Speeds: 5 speed settings
- Bowl type: Stainless steel
- Motor: 250 Watts
- Warranty: 1-year warranty
Features
Burst of Power
This Sunbeam Stand Mixer comes equipped with a ‘burst of power’ button. When pressed, this button gives the mixer an extra jolt of energy to get the job done.
It’s a button perfect for a stubborn, thick, or lumpy batter that’s not surrendering under the normal, consistent high speed force.
This was our favourite feature because there’s nothing worse than mixing a thick cookie dough batter until your wrist hurts, making this nifty extra a step further in convenience.
Two Mixers in One
With just a single touch, this mixer operates as both a stand and hand mixer.
This opens the door to recipes that call for both types of mixers without having to own both types of mixers.
If you’re in a tight space, this feature can help a lot.
5-Speed Settings
This two-in-one mixer features five speed settings in addition to the Burst of Power button.
The first speed setting is intended for mixing liquid batters or mixing a combination of liquid and dry batters. This setting is perfect for mixing instant pudding.
The second speed setting is intended for batters that need a brisk mix while the third setting is perfect for mixing cake batter as well as creaming both sugar and butter.
The fourth speed setting is perfect for beating whipped cream or frosting and the fifth speed setting is ideal when a light and fluffy consistency is needed – such as whipping up mashed potatoes.
It may seem like low, but five really is the magic number when it comes to mixer speeds.
Despite its low watt motor, the settings on the mixer are relatively high. Most bakers wouldn’t have a reason to go beyond the third speed setting in terms of power.
Heel Rest
The heel rest is a convenient feature allowing you to put the mixer down (when being operated as a hand mixer) without worrying about the beaters touching your kitchen counter tops.
This is a very handy feature if you need to add additional ingredients to the batter, but don’t want to make a mess of your kitchen throughout the process.
Although baking always ends up with some sort of mess, the heel rest makes it so much better.
Rotating Bowl
When using the Sunbeam Mixer as a stand mixer with the bowl locked in, the bowl turns as you mix to make sure all your ingredients are mixed evenly.
This means there is no need to participate in the annoying task of stopping your mixer so you can give your ingredients an extra push.
A small but handy feature.
Sunbeam 5-Speed Stand Mixer: Review
The Sunbeam 5-Speed Stand Mixer could be the right two-in-one mixer for you to add to your kitchen.
It really comes down to the finer details. So, let’s take a look at what the mixer can offer you as well as what the mixer lacks.
The Positives
Compact and Lightweight
For a two-in-one, this mixer displays a surprisingly simplistic design, making it small enough to easily store away in a kitchen that lacks space.
Thanks to this advantage, it also weighs very little, so if you’re planning to help family across town with Thanksgiving dinner, no worries about lugging around a monstrosity.
More Control Over Your Mixes
A common problem with mixers is finding the right speed setting. Either you can barely make it stir warm butter or it’s ruining your recipe with incredible power.
This Sunbeam, however, gives you varying levels of speed for varying needs. The combination of five settings with a burst of power ensures you can devote the specialized care each recipe requires.
Need to be soft? Need to beat it to death? You have control.
Noise Level
Noise levels are always a huge downside to mixers.
Can you bake cookies at three in the morning without waking up the whole house? Fortunately, the noise level is comparable to other similar mixers and shouldn’t cause too much of a problem.
Our testers were able to make a homemade cake while everyone in the house was asleep – without issue!
Some mixers are almost too powerful and loud, but this one is just right.
Easy to Clean
No need to spend hours scrubbing and wiping at your mixer after an evening of baking with the Sunbeam.
The mixer is designed to be easy to clean saving in time, energy, and groans.
The beaters and attachments are easy to eject and most of the mixer parts can be simply wiped clean with a damp cloth, before drying it off.
As for the bowl and attachments, you can toss them in soapy water or into your dishwasher.
Be sure to thoroughly dry the attachments after cleaning to prevent any rusting and try to avoid any abrasive or heavy cleaners during tidying – you probably won’t need it anyway.
Warranty
The Sunbeam 5-Speed Stand Mixer comes with a one year limited warranty to easy any troubled minds.
Whenever we make a purchase, especially when it comes to appliances, it’s always a little relieving to know that the company stands by its product with a promise.
If there are any manufacturing or defects in the craftsmanship of the mixer, Sunbeam will handle the issue by either repairing or replacing the mixer.
Just be sure to handle your mixer with care and Sunbeam will have your back.
No Maintenance
With such a low price tag, you’d think there would be some extra upkeep to keep your Sunbeam Stand Mixer in proper mixing condition.
However, with this mixer, no maintenance is required to keep it running. Just be sure to clean it after each use.
Note that if you should find any repairs that need to be done, Sunbeam asks that you contact them before attempting any repairs on your own.
Price
Let’s get real, the price on the Sunbeam 5-Speed Stand Mixer is incredibly attractive and hard to beat.
This mixer packs in a lot of features into its small price tag that will appeal to those who don’t want to take out a loan to bake a few cakes.
This is also a great point for beginners who are just starting out in the world of baking or cooking and want to experiment before committing to the hobby.
The Negatives
250-Watt Motor
The 250-watt motor provides the power needed for most batter consistencies. It isn’t going to have enough power for heavier and thicker mixtures, however, and for some people this is a deal breaker.
Bread, for example, requires a mixer with at least a 400-watt motor to mix the batter properly.
When considering this mixer, keep your goals in mind. Think of what goodies you want to bake and ask yourself if this 250-watt motor will be enough.
Low Speed Setting
While the speed settings are an advantage, they will also be a problem for some. The lowest speed setting on the mixer doesn’t necessarily offer a low enough speed for most bakers.
Fortunately, the mixer doubles as a hand mixer and you can just mix at the speed you need instead of using one of the automated mixing speeds.
Sticking Buttons
The buttons on the mixer are another slight issue, as they are smaller than many and tend to stick easily.
This may not be a bad thing if you consider it as more of a built-in childproofing feature, as it would make it difficult for children to push the buttons and operate the mixer.
Therefore, if you have little ones, you might decide this is a deal breaker or the perfect solution for your curious kids.
Lack of Attachments
In comparison to many other mixers, the attachments included with this one are lacking. Coming with only the bowl, the beaters, and the dough hooks, the mixer doesn’t offer a lot of variation.
If you plan to make several different recipes, this might not be the one for you.
If you’re okay spending a little more on some extra attachments, that is also an option. There is a huge array of accessories available, just not included.
Overall Verdict
The Sunbeam 5-Speed Stand Mixer isn’t a bad two-in-one mixer. It was designed to fit a very specific type of baker: someone seeking a light, compact, and cost-effective hand and stand mixer.
It offers control over your mixes, making it a great go-to option if you’re on a budget or looking to do only light baking.
Someone who is into heavy duty baking or someone with an interest in baking bread, on the other hand, would likely benefit from a mixer with a little more juice.
You’ll see that there are pros and cons with every mixer on the market. You just have to decide which one best suits your unique cooking needs.
Where to Buy the Sunbeam 5-Speed Stand Mixer
Sunbeam is another name we often hear in the kitchenware and cooking industry and has grown in popularity over the years to become a trusted brand.
This makes it a little easier to find the Sunbeam 5-Speed Stand Mixer in your local retail stores or online.
To start, check out these online retailers.
And of course, its also available for purchase on Amazon.
That’s all for our review on the Sunbeam 5-Speed Stand Mixer. Have you given it a try?
Sunbeam 5-Speed Stand Mixer Rated
MBAH Verdict
The Sunbeam 5-Speed Stand Mixer offers variety, durability and mixing power at a very affordable price.
The ease of use and simplicity is great for beginners though if you are a professional, you may want to opt for something a little more heavy duty.
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Mix Quality
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Variety of Settings
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Ease of Use
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Design
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Value for Money