I would like to buy a stand mixer but need help in the selection. I would like a bowl that spins so that my hands are free for other things. I currently have a Hamilton Beach but the bowl doesn't spin properly so I use it as a hand mixer. My biggest concern next to the spinning bowl is the mixer having enough power to handle royal icing. I don't see myself making bread or using it for anything other than cake baking. What brand name is best for what I'm searching for in a mixer?

I heard that Kitchen Aid was the best. Is it really worth the cost $150 and up?

Thanks

I had a West Bend bowl mixer for years and years. I loved it and didn't think I ever needed a Kitchen Aid. Once I started doing cakes, though, I started to lust after a Kitchen Aid, and when I found one at an excellent price, I couldn't pass it up. Let me just tell you that I was so wrong before. A West Bend could NEVER replace my Kitchen Aid! I LOVE it! The bowl doesn't spin with a Kitchen Aid, though. The beaters spin inside the bowl.

I promise you that a Kitchen Aid will be so far superior to what you have now and you'll never regret the money you spend on it! People get so attached to their Kitchen Aids that they name them. Mine's named Dexter. Yes, I'm a bit nutso, but so are lots of other people!

Just shop around and be patient. You can find some really good deals. I actually got mine at Kohl's. You can also buy then "factory recondtioned" on the Kitchen Aid website. I'll stop rambling now.