Review on Braun HM5100WH MultiMix Mixer White by Liz West

Side by Side Comparison, Kitchenaid 5 Speed vs. Braun 9 Speed. The results are below. I bought this in hopes of replacing two blenders I already have: a Kitchenaid 5-Speed hand mixer and a Kitchenaid 5-Quart Artisan Tilt-Head (Beast) Countertop Mixer. It might seem silly to compare a hand mixer to a powerful stand mixer, but the stand mixer sits in my basement collecting dust - it's too heavy and I bake less than I used to. So I want the best hand mixer I can find. A Kitchenaid hand mixer costs about $50. 60W power. Braun is 50% more expensive but offers 350W of power and more speed. So what. The question is, whose top speed is higher? Brown. In addition, it offers great flexibility in changing speeds. Noise: The Braun is much louder and has a more intermittent, rattling noise. Kitchenaid purrs in comparison. Torque on the Braun Mallet shafts is also slightly higher and this is a big problem. Torque will tire this blender more quickly over time. Kitchenaid easily wins Kitchenaid: air vents that allow dough to get stuck inside. Brown: Hermetically sealed design, no vent holes for batter to get into. Therefore it is easier to keep clean. Braun wins Kitchenaid: Steel whisk Braun: Steel whisk and steel "hook" for bread dough (a mixer I really only need for one purpose.) Kitchenaid whisks are all metal. Braun has a plastic end, the part that fits into the blender and snaps into place. They hold up great but if I drop the Braun mallet on the floor the plastic could break and I'll have to buy new mallets. It looks and feels like a cheaper label. Kitchenaid wins here. But it really comes down to power, doesn't it? I tested each mixer by beating an egg white for three minutes. The same bowl was used, the eggs were the same age and temperature. Results: Brown wins. Flared faster and White held his spades. However, the Kitchenaid did its job, and since we're talking about two different priced blenders, I think the Kitchenaid is still pretty darn good for a blender in this price range. But if you're willing to shell out the extra $25, Braun does more, faster, but with more noise and worrying torque. I wanted to give up Kitchenade, but I'm sticking with it. I am keeping the brown for now but am leaning towards donating it. I don't need two and doubt the durability of Braun.