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Head-to-head · Best Stand Mixers Under $500

Hamilton Beach 63391 7-Speed Electric Stand Mixer vs KitchenAid Classic Series 4.5-Quart Tilt-Head Stand Mixer (K45SS)

Which is the better buy? Side-by-side on rating, price, strengths, and watch-outs — with the published ratings we averaged to get there.

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The short answer

KitchenAid Classic Series 4.5-Quart Tilt-Head Stand Mixer (K45SS) comes out ahead by a clear margin (4.5 vs 3.4). KitchenAid Classic Series 4.5-Quart Tilt-Head Stand Mixer (K45SS) is best for: Beginners and occasional bakers with limited counter space who want KitchenAid attachment compatibility at a lower price than the Artisan. Read the strengths below before deciding.

Hamilton Beach 63391 7-Speed Electric Stand Mixer
Ranked #5 in Best Stand Mixers Under $500
Hamilton Beach 63391 7-Speed Electric Stand Mixer
1 source$151.95as of Oct 11

The Hamilton Beach Electric Stand Mixer is the tilt-head option for people who bake often enough to want a stand mixer and not often enough to justify a KitchenAid. A 300-watt motor drives planetary mixing in a 4-quart stainless steel bowl across seven speeds, and the whole machine weighs 13 lb. Homes & Gardens rates it 3.5 out of 5 and found its low-powered design struggles with thicker batters.

Strengths
  • — 4-quart stainless steel bowl suitable for most home baking tasks, as BestReviews lists
  • — Includes three essential attachments, per Homes & Gardens: dough hook, flat beater, and whisk
  • — 300-watt motor handles most basic home kitchen tasks, according to Homes & Gardens
Watch-outs
  • — Seven fixed speeds with no variable dial for gradations in between
$151.95 · Check Price on AmazonFull review →
KitchenAid Classic Series 4.5-Quart Tilt-Head Stand Mixer (K45SS)
Higher ratedRanked #4 in Best Stand Mixers Under $500
KitchenAid Classic Series 4.5-Quart Tilt-Head Stand Mixer (K45SS)
1 source$337.99as of Oct 16

The KitchenAid Classic is a compact tilt-head mixer with a 4.5-quart bowl, a 275-watt motor and 10 speeds. TechGearLab tested it with whipped cream, meringue, sandwich bread, focaccia and cookie dough, scored it 80 out of 100 and named it its pick for beginners, praising its whipping and its out-of-the-box beater height. It found the bowl has no handle, no pouring shield is included, and the motor works near its limit on dense doughs.

Strengths
  • — TechGearLab scored it 80/100 and named it Best for Beginners
  • — Whipped a full cup of cream to stiff peaks in about 2 minutes in TechGearLab's test
  • — Kneaded sandwich bread that passed the window pane test at nine minutes
Watch-outs
  • — The 4.5-quart bowl has no handle, which TechGearLab missed when moving heavy mixtures
  • — No pouring shield, so dry ingredients need care at higher speeds
  • — The motor heats up during extended use and the tilt-head jumped slightly with heavy cookie dough mix-ins
$337.99 · Check Price on AmazonFull review →

How they stack up

Hamilton Beach 63391 7-Speed Electric Stand Mixer

The Hamilton Beach Electric Stand Mixer costs far less than the KitchenAid Artisan Series 5-Quart Tilt-Head Stand Mixer and the Cuisinart Precision Master 5.5-Quart Stand Mixer. It gives up capacity and power for that: a 4-quart bowl and 300-watt motor against the Cuisinart's 5.5 quarts and 500 watts. At 13 lb it weighs far less than either, and its motor audibly slows on stiff bread dough.

KitchenAid Classic Series 4.5-Quart Tilt-Head Stand Mixer (K45SS)

TechGearLab tested it alongside the KitchenAid Artisan and says the Artisan adds a larger 5-quart bowl with a handle and a slightly more powerful motor (325 W against the Classic's 275 W). It is smaller and lower-powered on paper than the Cuisinart Precision Master (5.5 quarts, 500 watts) and the Bosch Universal Plus (6.5 quarts, 500 watts), and has a larger bowl than the Hamilton Beach 63391 (4 quarts).

Specs side-by-side

SpecHamilton Beach 63391 7-Speed Electric Stand MixerKitchenAid Classic Series 4.5-Quart Tilt-Head Stand Mixer (K45SS)
Bowl Capacity4-quart4.5 quarts
Motor Power300 watts275 W
Speed Settings7 speeds10
Mixer TypeStand MixerTilt-head, planetary
Weight13 lb21.1 lb (TechGearLab measured)
Bowl MaterialStainless Steel—
Dimensions14.5"D x 10.9"W x 14.4"H14" D x 8.8" W x 13.8" H (TechGearLab measured)
Voltage110—
Wattage300 watts—
Model—K45SS
Attachments—Flat beater, C-shaped dough hook, 6-wire whisk
Warranty—1 year
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