The Sunbeam Mixmaster 12-Speed Stand Mixer 2379 offers an economical option for those who want the added power and performance of a stand mixer without the extra bulk of a larger model.

This unit has a 300-watt motor, concealed inside a detachable mixing head. The mixing head mounts on a raised arm, which is attached to a platform stand with a spinning turntable. The entire mixer, with the exception of the turntable and the rubber handle, is covered in a gleaming chrome finish, with black accents.

The unit comes with two stainless-steel mixing bowls (2-quart and 4-quart) and six attachments, including two chrome flat beaters, two dough hooks and two whisks. There are 12 mixing speeds, which are accessed via a rear control dial. For all its versatility, this model was surprisingly compact, standing approximately 14 inches tall, with a 9-inch by 14-inch footprint. A nice feature is the ability to detach the mixer head, which saves a considerable amount of storage space.

We tested the unit with several basic tasks. We found it to be extremely capable when mixing cake batter, creaming butter and sugar, and even whipping egg whites, which took under two minutes to reach stiff peaks. We were surprised at how efficiently the mixer handled stiff cookie dough, never flinching under the strain of adding the dry ingredients. The beaters are positioned off-center, which not only makes it easier to add ingredients or stir, but also causes the turntable to rotate freely. Our only complaint is that there is no true stir speed. Even the lowest speed turned out to be moderately fast, so dry ingredients tend to spray a bit. By contrast, the highest speed is a blur of motion, whipping cream lightning fast.

We loved the convenience of having two mixing bowls, which are helpful when preparing recipes. The small bowl is ideal for whipping cream or egg whites, since the narrow dimensions allow more contact between the beaters and the ingredients. The larger bowl is excellent for cookie dough, and even though we noticed a bit of spraying when the flour was added, all of the ingredients stayed in the bowl, where they belong. We also liked the fact that the bowls twist-lock onto the turntable. This helps keep the bowl properly positioned during mixing. There is also a bowl-selector lever that repositions the turntable depending on whether you are using the 2-quart or the 4-quart bowl.

Other features include a tilt-back mixing head, which locks in both the raised and lowered positions for safety; an easy-to-use beater-eject button; and a large handle with rubberized grip, which facilitates lifting of the mixer. This unit is one of the few stand mixers we've seen that offers a Burst of Power button. The button, which is more commonly found on hand mixers, increases the speed for an immediate power boost. We found that the mixer was powerful enough that the boost wasn't really necessary. For all its power, this mixer is incredibly lightweight, weighing only 5.5 pounds.


Pros: Detachable mixer head, 12 speeds, two stainless-steel bowls, 300 watts
Cons: Bowl vibrates somewhat during mixing, noisy

Warranty
1 year, limited