Hello, I am having lots of trouble making frosting. It's not so much the making part but the actual mixer - I've already completely broken 2 cheapish hand mixers and have recently invested in a Kichenaid hand mixer thinking this should handle the thick mixture better but even this is starting to show signs that it doesn't like it! My question is - what does everybody use to make frosting? I think because the mixture of butter and icing sugar is a thick mixture it's wearing the motor out but if so how does everybody else make frosting? I can't afford to keep buying hand mixers! Please help! Thankyou xx

I use a KitchenAid stand mixer. I guess most of us are also using a stand mixer. Those machine are a lot stronger than hand mixer.

what is your recipe, chelseaanastacia? you are right to be alert for the motor straining -- 

I have two stand mixers..One KitchenAide & One Kenwood.  I use the Kenwood most.  Invest in a good stand mixer, the motors can handle more.  I've never had issues making frosting in either one.

and how much are you trying to make at once?

As   K8memphis posted, how much are you making at one time? And as others have posted, if you want to make big batches of icing, or run the mixer for any length of time, you need a good stand mixer.

I have a KA and the only time it struggles is when my icing is too thick before I add the liquid. There have been many tines I thought that I would kill it, but I didn't...yet lol

Do try this recipe:  https://www.cakecentral.com/recipe/22469/2-icing    I have used it to make icing with a cheap hand-held and it did fine.  Good luck :)

Your icing must be really thick, because I've made frosting a million times with an inexpensive Black and Decker hand mixer.  I now have a KitchenAid stand mixer which I use (two, in fact) and it has never struggled making icing.  One of my KA's is a seven quart pro model purchased solely for it's powerful motor, which I use to make fondant, gum paste and yeast breads, all of which are much heavier and thicker than any frosting I've ever made.  I use the 5 quart Artisan for making frosting, unless I am making a huge batch.