Customer Reviews

Dualit 88521 Professional 5 Speed Hand Mixer in Soft Touch Finish, Red

5 star:		(6)
4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(2)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

This is an early review: I have had the red Dualit for a few days
now. So far, it makes a very sturdy and powerful impression, also
during use.
I found two problems:
1. The red mixer is advertised in a very nice bright red on all
the marketing pictures. Unfortunately, the real color is a
disappointing dark red. Very different from the pictures.
Shame on you marketing folks!
2. During my first use, I used the kneading hooks to make a yeast
dough. Admittedly, a tough job, but nothing out of the
ordinary. One of the kneading hooks came apart in the middle.
Possibly a manufacturing problem - I'll contact the customer
service and see what they say.

Update 2 years later:

Before getting the Dualit, I went through a number of hand mixers. They all disappointed me. The first one was an old Sunbeam I inherited from a friend. That one worked fine, but was annoying to use, because it was a little weak, and the plastic cover of the switch was broken.
The next one was a cheap Oster, which broke down smoking shortly after the warranty had expired. I went back to the Sunbeam.
Then came an Aldi sold product (I don't remember the maker), which fared similarly to the Oster. Back to the Sunbeam, which still worked just fine.
Next was a hand/stand mixer set by Hamilton Beach. The beater bearing broke. Out came the Sunbeam.
Fed up with the quality of the cheaper mixers, I decided to splurge and bought a Dualit. The reviews and maker web site pointed to good quality, so I was hoping to get someting lasting. The first unit came with a broken dough hook. That was replaced by the service company that does the support in the US. After a few months, one of the beater bearings came loose, so I could only use one beater. Looking at it, I saw that the housing of the bearings is plastic, and that broke. So, I sent the whole unit to the support company, and they repaired it under warranty. Then, after the warranty had expired, the beater bearing broke again, and made the mixer unusable.
Usage: Fairly normal cake and cookie baking. Some more use during Christmas preparations. No super-firm doughs that make the motor whine.
Guess what: I'm back to the Sunbeam, and it still works.

Pros: Nice design, sturdy feel, I love the retractable power cord, although it's difficult to maintain, so it does not always retract easily, or it gets stuck and you can't pull it out.
Cons: Does not stand up to the cake/cookie dough making I did.

I would like to reduce the rating to 2 starts, but the rating system does not allow me to change that.

If you are looking for a hand mixer for those times when you don't want to haul out your stand mixer and it is in your price range, I highly recommend this Dualit mixer. Made with the same attention to detail and quality as their industrial-strength toaster, this mixer has an amazing amount of power--my first use never took me past the first speed. The soft-touch really is extremely comfortable, and the mixer is light weight. The internal cord storage (one twists the back to roll the cord into the unit) is very handy for storage in tight spaces. You really can tell the difference between this mixer and those others that one can purchase at a hardware or discount store. While I love my Kitchen Aid (which is coming up on 18 years of heavy use), this has been an amazing addition to my kitchen.

Put it on your wish list--a great gift for anyone who loves to bake or cook.

We just turned our red Dualit mixer on for the first time. The mixer is designed with 5 speed settings. The very first speed - the "blend" setting - sent our mix spewing across the kitchen. Racy is indeed a correct term. Either our product is defective or the engineers have never made a cake and don't understand a slow start-up. Sadly, we're packaging and returning this mixer, and then washing the ingredients off the cabinets.

I too purchased this hand mixer as a backup for my kitchenaid counter mixer. The looks and weight of mixer are great. I like the exterior material that seems to take a beating if you bump it. The cord that twists back into the base is a cool idea to keep cords from hanging but mine tends to get tangled up inside and then its hard to get back out. The power of this unit has so far been awesome. I feel like I'm using a high quality power tool.

Mixer Head is very strong,good power. But.... the Beaters and Attachments
are a bit on the cheap side. Beaters & Attachments will be the problem area.

I bought this in Aug 2006 and used it until Oct 2008 making cookies and and general kitchen mixing. Used once or twice per week. Great mixer, until I tried it on some extra thick cookie dough and stripped or broke the drive mechanism. I would not rate it as professional quality. I'll probably get the same model as a replacement just to get the retractable cord.

Strong motor. Low noise level. Stores well. Could not be happier with this mixer. It replaced an old Black and Decker. No comparison...
Well, two years later the berring went out if one beater. If you want a good two year mixer.... go for it. Mine is now in the trash. High price for a two year mixer.

The roll up cord feature is great. Storing the mixer is no problem at all. Plenty of power and the attachements that it comes with are fantastic. Clean up is easy and the mixer is very easy to use.

I bought this mixer for my Mom who has been baking for over 60 years. She is in her late 80's She wanted a mixer that would be strong enough for her cookie dough recipes but also one that had a stir speed. She said this is truly the best hand mixer she has ever had. And she's had a lot. It is powerful and also very smooth. She loves the color too. I think I'll order one for me.

Don't waste your time with weak machines. Pay the extra for the real deal. Over the course of 5 years, the extra cost is next to nothing.