Trib Tested: OXO Illuminating Digital Hand Mixer
The claim: OXO, which is known for sturdy kitchen gadgets, has entered the field of electrical kitchen appliances with products like the OXO Illuminating Digital Hand Mixer. OXO researchers noticed that electrical outlets often are located in an area of the kitchen that is not well lit, making it hard to see into a bowl. This gave them the idea to integrate a soft-glow LED headlight into the mixer. The mixer has a range of six digital speeds from splatter-free slow to very fast and is always consistent. The DC motor is quiet and works like cruise control; it's powerful enough to maintain the speed selected no matter how thick batter gets. A cord flip allows the cord to swivel to either side of the mixer to stay out of the way while mixing. It has a flat base for maximum stability.
Cost: $79.99
Where: Retailers such as Williams-Sonoma and Bed Bath & Beyond
I question paying $80 for a hand mixer, but this definitely is one good mixer. Perhaps it is worth the splurge if you pull yours out of the cabinet more than once or twice a year like I do. (And I'm still using one gifted to my mother-in-law more than 30 years ago that she passed along to me.) That one more than does the job, but it definitely doesn't have the bells and whistles of OXO's Bright Illuminating Digital Hand Mixer.
As the name states, this mixer comes with a light — a soft-glow LED headlight that helps you see what is going on in the bowl. The power motor does a great job and does it quietly. The product has six speeds, two beaters and a great design expected from OXO.
Overall, this is a great mixer. You'll just have to decide if it is worth the cost.
T he timing couldn't have been better. My Kitchen Aid mixer of 19 years died as I was in the middle of baking. That is a huge loss. I bake biscotti every week. Creaming butter and sugar is a must, which only a mixer can achieve. I was ecstatic when my husband said he was bringing home the OXO hand mixer to try.
I am sold! Despite it being a bit heavy to hold, the illuminating headlight is an ingenious feature that makes up for any shortcomings. The up-and-down touch arrows for speed control were different for me to get used to, but by my second try, I had it mastered.
Another key selling point for me is the beater clip. The beaters attach to the clip, which, in turn, attaches to the mixer. I will never have to search through the utensil drawer again.
I'm ready to go for next week's baking. Anyone up for bacon-chocolate-chip biscotti?
W hen my husband and I combined households, we each came into our marriage with a stand mixer. Neither of us was willing to give one up and, 17 years later, we continue to have our two individual mixers. His is a combination mixer and blender. Mine is especially special because it has a headlight — and it can be easily used by a left-handed baker.
It was with delight that I tried out the new OXO hand mixer, which, among its other features, sports a headlight — and the cord flip makes it easier for all of us lefties.
I love the OXO line and have a number of the branded kitchen gadgets in my pantry. Their foray into small kitchen appliances follows the same mission of manufacturing sturdy, well-made products.
This heavy-duty hand mixer can be stored in a compact package in which the beaters hook into a clip. The motor is smooth and quiet and easily moves from the lowest through the highest of five speeds with a slight nudge of the thumb. As evidence of the power in this mixer, the package includes kneading beaters. Those low-end hand mixers would burn out the motor on such heavy batter.
The price is certainly higher than many of those cheaper brands, but I think this one is well worth the upgrade.
