Cuisinart Stand Mixer review: A great budget-friendly option for the occasional baker
If you bake at least five times a year, this machine has the capacity and power to handle most tasks, and if it's on sale, it's a spectacular value.
Our experts independently review everything we recommend. If you buy through our links, we may earn commission.
If you enjoy baking but have been using a hand mixer , let me introduce you to the luxury of a Cuisinart stand mixer on your countertop. As a culinary school graduate and Yahoo's resident cookware tester, I've evaluated hundreds of kitchen appliances and have owned an iconic KitchenAid stand mixer for 20 years. Having never tried a stand mixer from another brand, I was curious to see how the Cuisinart Precision Master 5.5-quart stand mixer would compare.
In this story
At first glance, the die-cast metal Cuisinart model looks sturdy, powerful and promising. It features a tilt-head, 12 speeds and the requisite dough hook, beater blade and whisk attachments, plus a two-part plastic pouring shield. Read my honest Cuisinart stand mixer review ahead to see if it's a match.
Cuisinart Precision Master stand mixer review
Style: Tilt-head | Bowl capacity: 5.5 qt. | Speed settings: 12 | Motor power: 500 watts | Dimensions: 11.2"D x 16.5"W x 15.9"H | Weight: 17 lbs. | Included: mixing bowl, flat beater blade, dough hook, whisk, splash guard | Warranty: 3-year limited
This stand mixer is powerful and stable enough to handle most baking tasks. With a 5.5-quart capacity, whipping up double batches of cookies is a snap. You can also easily maximize its usefulness by buying an attachment like an ice cream maker bowl or a vegetable spiralizer/slicer.
Buyer verdict: One five-star review pitted the Cuisinart mixer against its higher-priced KitchenAid counterpart, saying: "This mixer is such a great value for the money! The quality compares with Kitchen Aid, but at a better price. It also accepts their attachments. That makes this mixer versatile and adaptable."
Another satisfied buyer reported that it held up to his substantial baking needs, "I am a serious bread baker [...] This Cuisinart mixer has a strong motor, easily changeable mixing blades and a big bowl. It has handled all of my breads with perfection. Never once overheated or struggled to keep turning through the stickiest of doughs."
- Powerful motor
- Durable die-cast metal body
- Affordable
- Bowl and attachments are dishwasher-safe
- Tilt-head lever is hard to reach
- You'll need to scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl often
What I like about the Cuisinart stand mixer: Stability and speed at a reasonable price
✅ Setup is easy-peasy:
The Cuisinart stand mixer performed well when I used it to make cookie dough, challah dough and whipped cream. At 17 pounds, its weight makes it stable enough for many tasks, but it did rattle and bob a bit when I added chocolate chips to the cookie dough; otherwise, it was steady. I should note that for a die-cast metal machine, this is significantly lighter in weight and easier to move from the counter to a cabinet than other similar models.
The speed dial on this stand mixer is easy to use and has helpful stickers with suggestions for which speed range to use for each attachment/task.
(Lisa Schweitzer/Yahoo)I liked its smooth speed dial with suggested ranges for each attachment. Interestingly, it has a very powerful 500-watt motor, but its speeds don't reflect much of that power until you set it to 10 to 12 on the dial. After using the whisk to whip heavy cream for more than a few minutes at the lower and medium speeds, I had to turn it all the way up to 10 to achieve any volume. When I walked away from the machine for a minute, it quickly overbeat the cream.
When it comes to value, let me start by saying this Cuisinart stand mixer costs $320, which is about $100 less than a similar KitchenAid model, and that's when it's not on sale. I have consistently seen this model on sale for under $230 in at least one of the eight colors it comes in, so it's certainly a lot less of a financial commitment. And if you're not sure how often you'll use it, and you relish the idea of hands-free cookie batter, bread dough and whipped cream prep work, it will make baking much easier and more efficient.
What I didn't like about the Cuisinart stand mixer: The tilt-head lever and the height of the attachments
The thing that bothered me most about this stand mixer was the tilt-head lever at the back of the machine. I found it very annoying to reach around to the back every time I wanted to raise the mixer head. If it had been on the side, it would have been much easier to access, but in its current spot, it's quite cumbersome to use.
I also found the attachments' height relative to the bowl a bit too high. There were consistently ingredients left unincorporated on the bottom of the mixing bowl and the sides. I had to use a spatula to scrape down the sides and fold in the unmixed ingredients several times.
I rarely use a splash guard with a stand mixer, but I understand its appeal — no one wants flour flying out of the mixing bowl or wet ingredients splattering the counter. This model comes with a two-piece splatter shield that was fiddly to work with and ultimately more trouble than it was worth.
The bottom line: Is a Cuisinart stand mixer worth the money?
If you consider its power, bowl capacity and stability, I'd say yes, the Cuisinart Precision Master 5.5-Quart Stand Mixer is worth the money if you can get it on sale. Unlike cheaper models with plastic bodies, this machine is the closest in heft and stability to the KitchenAid models, without the higher price. Does it perform as well as a KitchenAid model? No, but it gets the job done. It's powerful, easy to clean and includes all the usual attachments, plus it has an accessory port for larger attachments (sold separately) such as a vegetable spiralizer or a pasta maker. It also comes with a 3-year limited warranty — great should you have any problems with the machine.
This stand mixer is more stable than less-expensive plastic models, has more power and costs less than similar KitchenAid models with the same general functionality. However, if you often make bread and tougher doughs, it may not be sturdy enough.
We received complimentary samples of some products and purchased others ourselves, but we reviewed all products using the same objective criteria.
