Customer Reviews

Sunbeam 2591 350-Watt MixMaster, Black

5 star:		(7)
4 star:		(10)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(3)

 

 

I bought a mixer to make cookies. Sick Cookies, that is. Anyway, using a mixer once a year didn't warrant my $200, so I spent $65 at target on a sunbeam with a 350-watt moter and 4 quart bowl. Made 9 batches of cookies tonight and it worked great!

Easy to clean and work with.

The lowest speed does not allow for a smooth start and is entirely too fast. Because the beaters sit high in the bowl I had a hard time just creaming eggs, sugar and butter. Detaching the beaters to use without the stand was not easy. In manufacturing they used some type of machine oil that exudes an obnoxious odor. After one week the odor was just as strong and permeated my entire kitchen. In comparison to the 'old style' Hamilton Beach mixers, the new stand mixers all have a lot to be desired. Maybe the new Cuisinart stand mixer is the way to go?

This mixer is great for the price, and for the average baker. If you want something inexpensive, but you are a heavy duty baker, don't be cheap! You need to pay for what you need to serve your purpose. There are no accessories available for this mixer, but it serves it's purpose even if you bake often. Contrary to one reviewer's comments, Walmart sells a different model Sunbeam stand mixer with bread hooks. Buyers should be mindful of the fact that these mixers have various model numbers, yet have the same physical design. Investigate what you want to buy first, and make informed decisions. Kitchen Aids are great, but who needs a $200-minimum priced mixer for average baking and other purposes. There are also other Sunbeam models that offer additional accessories that bakers use. This mixer works well for a multitude of purposes. If you need heavy duty, then investigate other Sunbeam models or by yourself a Kitchen Aid.

I bought this product in April 2009 after I was unable to find parts for my older stand mixer, which was also a Sunbeam, but a lesser model. I remembered the durability of a Mixmaster that I had had for years before that one, and didn't think that my infrequent mixer use really justified buying a premium model this time around, even though I could finally afford one. I wish I had made another choice, though, because this model has some problems. It doesn't have the power to handle doughs (cookie dough, even) of any stiffness, so, although I was careful, I could occasionally smell the motor getting too hot. The machine would also inexplicably turn off and then on again sporadically as the mixer speed dial was turned up. That was bothersome, but tolerable. What ended my use of the mixer was that one of the beaters would no longer stay in place, and when I took the assembly off the stand to investigate, I could hear some broken internal part rattling around. And yes, the silicone/plastic cap at the end of one of the beaters came off as others have reported, but much earlier than the demise of the machine. I found the cap, but couldn't push it back on. Sorry, but this product should have been made better. I don't use a mixer very often, but I wish I had spent another $150 to $200 on something that probably would have lasted ten times as long.

Update: Since the mixer was already broken, I took it apart. What I had thought were broken internal parts are just bits of hardened insulation that have broken off of some of the wires. The main problem seems to be a couple of very small and thin metal pieces that are attached to a sliding plastic piece into which is molded a plastic snakelike spring. Each of these metal pieces holds one beater in place on one side only. The knob at the end of the beater pushes through the hole, moving the plastic and metal pieces aside and snapping into place when the spring moves back. It is supposed to stay in place until the user pushes a button that moves the plastic piece slightly and the metal piece just enough to allow the knob to pass and the beater to be released. The spring then snaps the metal and plastic pieces back into place, ready for the next use. Each time the mixer is run, however, the knob end of the beater grinds against the little metal piece that is supposed to hold it in position, soon wearing that piece out.

Bought this last year at Target. I have always wanted a stand mixer, but the price of a Kitchenaid seemed steep. This is great for medium duty use. I like that it easily disassembles and can be quickly put away in a cupboard. It is not prohibitively heavy either like a Kitchenaid. What I don't like is that the low speed is pretty fast. There are not real differentiations between the speeds. I've also used it on some heavier batter and it seems to struggle. The beaters also don't really get to the sides of the bowl as well as I would like, but use a spatula to push it in and you'll be fine. I get the feeling this won't last as long as my Mom's Mixmaster which is 40+ years old and has been used for some real heavy duty stuff. I'm waiting for Mom to pass on her awesome Mixmaster - but I don't think she'll part with it that easily.

I bought my mixer in late September. I used it twice in December. The first time it worked OK but did not seem to have the same power as my Kitchenaid. The second time it was used the mixer died. The gears froze and I was not able to finish my baking. I need a mixer I can rely on and this isn't it. The old saying you get what you pay for is true. I will never purchase a Sunbean Mixmaster again. Do yourself a favor and invest in a Kitchenaid. There is nothing worse then a major appliance going out in the middle of holiday baking.

My reliable Kitchenaid mixer is currently in storage and my grandmother had an old Mixmaster so I figured it would be a good product. Wrong wrong wrong!!

Purchased the model 2591. Great mixer. Went on Sunbeam site and purchased the dough
hooks, small and large glass bowls . Used the dough hooks with no problem.
Have made over twenty batches of cookies that require dough hooks , the Springerle.

I needed a stand mixer I could take back to India where you can only buy hand mixers.
So I needed one that wasnt too heavy- baggage allowance and all! Also an inexpensive one so if I had to pay duty on it since I declared it I wouldn't burn a hole in my pocket.
This fit. Ive had it two years, use it often and its going strong. Its a good size and can do large pound cakes and large amount of cookie batter but even if you had a dough hook its motor isnt strong enough for breads, shortbreads and pastry.
I had to get a small but heavy transformer because power is different here- which was a nuisance and cost about what I paid for the machine but it works.
The speeds dont change much because of the transformer issue, I think, but I can still make even complex cakes well.
Ive done gingerbread, banana, carrot, various chocolate cakes, pound cake, egg whites, mayonnaise, chocolate chip and oatmeal cookies and a bunch of other stuff really well. Its easy to clean though there are small cavities in the body that are difficult. The stainless steel bowl has done well. It also lefts off easily from the body to become a stand mixer. Its not too good with small amounts of egg white or batters because the two rotator blades are just short off the bowl.

I purchased this item about a month ago and love it. I'm a retired single guy and like to bake. I read all the reviews on this item and most were good. Some said save up your money and buy a kitchen aid mixer. Well I'm on a fixed income and cannot afford a $350.00. This does all that I need and saves my hands and fingers from the pain of arthritis. Just dump in you mix recipe and go. I do have to admit it is not like my mother's old Sunbeam mixer but what is these days. Seems to have plenty of power to do whatever I need. Do not have the dough hook attachment but I'm not into making my own dough except for pie dough and you don't need a mixer for that. I give the Sunbeam 2591 5 stars for it's price range.

Ok, I got my Sunbeam Mixmaster for Christmas yesterday, and so far have used it to whip egg whites into submission, make 3 batches of cookie dough and I'm about to whip up some heavy cream. So far, it's working like a champ. I'm not an avid baker, and I see this mixer as being perfectly suited to my needs. Granted, I wish it had the whisk attachment for those egg whites and cream, but my old hand mixer did the job, so not having to stand there and do it is pure bliss.

If you plan on baking enough loaves of bread to feed the multitudes, yeah, maybe you should consider a pricier model, but if Holiday baking and the occasional birthday cake or batch of cookies for a bake sale is how you roll, this one will be fine.