Step-Up · Hand mixer
Hand mixer: what nine speeds buy
Hamilton Beach's six-speed against KitchenAid's nine-speed KHM926. Range and attachments, not raw power.
Save for cookies, cream and cake batter. Spend if you want a slow first speed and the extra attachments.
Updated · First published.
Hamilton Beach 6-Speed Hand Mixer (62682)
Six speeds, a snap-on case for the beaters, and enough power for cookie dough.
- Motor
- 250 W peak (listed)
- Speeds
- 6 plus QuickBurst
- Included
- 2 beaters, whisk, snap-on case
- Extras
- Bowl rest
- Warranty
- 1 year limited (listed)
KitchenAid 9-Speed Hand Mixer (KHM926)
Nine speeds including a slow first gear, plus steel beaters, whisk, dough hook and blending rod.
- Speeds
- 9
- Included
- Turbo Beater II beaters, pro whisk, dough hook, blending rod
- Accessories
- Dishwasher-safe
- Listed power
- 100 W
- Warranty
- 1 year replacement (listed)
What the extra money buys
| Line | Base | Step-up |
|---|---|---|
| Speeds | 6 plus burst | 9 |
| Attachments | Beaters, whisk | Beaters, whisk, dough hook, rod |
| Storage | Snap-on case | Not listed |
| Listed power | 250 W peak | 100 W |
| Warranty | 1 year | 1 year replacement |
Spend if
- You often fold in chocolate, nuts or dry ingredients and want a slow start.
- You would use the dough hook or blending rod.
- You bake every week.
Save if
- You whip cream and mix cake or cookie batter now and then.
- You own a stand mixer for the heavy jobs.
- You keep losing beaters. The Hamilton Beach's case fixes that.
The trade-offs
Wattage misleads here. The KitchenAid lists 100 watts and the Hamilton Beach lists 250 watts peak, yet both handle ordinary batters easily. Makers measure power in different ways, so the number tells you little across brands.
What the KitchenAid buys is range and kit. A slow first speed keeps flour in the bowl, and the dough hook and blending rod stand in for two other gadgets on the odd occasion. If you would never use them, the Hamilton Beach does the core job, and its storage case solves a small problem the pricier model doesn't mention.
Listing checks before you buy
- Number of speeds, and how slow the first one is.
- Which attachments come in the box.
- Whether attachments are dishwasher-safe.
- Cord length, if your outlet is far from where you mix.
Red flags
- Watt claims used as the main selling point.
- Cordless mixers with no battery run time listed.
Product facts checked on October 30, 2026. Advice is research-based: we read makers' specifications and warranty terms rather than using the products ourselves.