THE HANDY HAND MIXER

There are times when a small portable mixer beats the large stand mixer in function, convenience and at all times, of course, in cost.

First of all, when you use the portable mixer, you’re in control. The beaters can be moved around the inside of the bowl as you please, touching all areas of the food. Minimum amounts of egg whites or whipping cream can be beaten more efficiently and quickly in a smaller bowl by using the hand mixer instead of the stand mixer.

Another advantage is that the lightweight appliance can be brought to the mixture in its own container, instead of the mixture to the mixer bowl. For instance, when mashing potatoes in a saucepan, the portable mixer works as a better tool than the cumbersome stationary mixer.

By way of design, most hand mixers still carry the ‘50’s look and haven’t really changed much in features. For those who still own their original tools, is there a need to upgrade?

“Consumers are trading up,” says Barbara Pape, marketing manager of food preparation products for Black & Decker, “They’re looking for mixers with more features, especially features that provide more speed and power boost.”

To fill the niche in the marketplace, Black & Decker just introduced its 175-watt Five-Speed Power Boost Mixer ($29.95). It has a push button power booster and it’s amazing what this feature can do. It reminds me of a car equipped with a power button. When the mixer starts slowing down or strains in tough tasks (as in cookie doughs), just press the power button and it instantly goes back to the the original speed setting. Egg whites start foaming right away and take no time to fluff up when this power boost is activated.

“Black & Decker upgraded existing models by offering consumers a feature that allows the mixer to move instantly from any speed to maximum power,” Pape said. “Competitive models offer only a 25% power increase at each speed setting.” Another nice feature is the easy gliding of the control switch from one speed to the other. The lowest speed also allows you to fold meringue or whipping cream gently without danger of over-beating.

A lightweight hand tool, the Black & Decker mixer has a sleek, streamlined contemporary design. The new unit comes in quartz gray with trim accents of storm gray and aqua. It has a slim gray cord that affixes from the center bottom; it’s generously long enough to move about while mixing.

Pulling away from the more traditional look is Krups with its Eurostyle group of hand mixing appliances. Designed in West Germany and manufactured in Ireland, the Krups 3-Mix 2,000 Hand Mixer ($34.99) has a 150-watt motor with three speeds, and comes with a set of dough hooks, and turbo beaters designed with intertwining wires. The appliance is equipped with a wall bracket with hardware for neat storage. It is available in white and now in cobalt blue, a color that is increasingly becoming popular in appliances these days.

An upgrade of this model is the Krups 3-Mix 4,000 ($44.95) kitchen mixer system that has similar features as the 2,000 model except for its 160-watt motor, which allows for heavier beating chores. It has front and rear power drives for use with accessories. The unit can be purchased separately or as a component of the favorably rated Krups Combi Stand Mixer. Other options include purchase of accessories such as the Mini Chopper ($10) and the Drink Mixer/Blender ($10) with one pint capacity.

The newest mixing gadget from Krups is the 3 Mix Mobil ($50), a cordless hand mixer that can be completely recharged in one hour. One charge lasts for up to half an hour of light duty beating (meringues, sauces and creams ) or up to 10 minutes of heavy tasks (small batches of cookie dough.

Designed for people who love the maneuverability of cordless appliances, this Krups mixer comes with a balloon whisk, a turbo beater and stirrer. The appliance can be mounted on the wall with its bracket and hardware provision. Other neat features include signal indicator light and adjustable cord length.

The Krups 3 Mix Mobil is available at Robinson’s and Williams Sonoma. The Krups 3-Mix 2,000 and 4,000 hand mixers are available at Robinson’s, Bullock’s and May Co.

The Black & Decker Five-Speed Heavy Duty Portable Mixer is available at Adray’s and K mart.