Moulinex Hand Mixer

I bought my Moulinex hand-mixer around five years ago, for about £10. Previously I had had larger mixers, the kind that come with a stand and a bowl. However I had found some distinct disadvantages with this type of mixer: for one thing, they either take up a great deal of space on the kitchen work surfaces, or get packed away in a cupboard and then it's a nuisance to get them out. 

Then there's the problem that only one bowl (that supplied with the mixer) will fit the base, so if I wanted to mix two or three things in separate bowls, I had to keep decanting what was already mixed, and cleaning the bowl out. And if the bowl breaks, the mixer becomes useless, unless you can find a replacement. 

With some mixers it's possible to remove the main mechanism from the stand, and use it as a hand-held one, but I never found that this worked very easily - and it occurred to me that it would be much simpler to have a simple hand-mixer that could live in a kitchen drawer, and be used in any bowl without hassle.

• The Moulinex Supermix •

When we needed a new mixer, we checked what was available, saw that hand-mixers were all around £8 - £15, and chose a brand we knew to be reasonably reliable. The Moulinex Supermix Compact 150 came in a simple cardboard box with minimal instructions, but then it's a fairly simple appliance. The main body containing the motor is white, weighing about 750g, with a comfortable grip. 

 There are two types of mixing tool attachment: ordinary beaters, and dough hooks. The tools are attached by slotting them into holes underneath the body of the mixer, and pushing gently until there's a little click which ensures they won't fall out. They can easily be removed for washing by pushing down a button at the front, on the top, which releases them.

• Using the mixer •

To operate the mixer, there's a pale green gently serrated disc near the top of the body, which can be set to 1 for slow mixing, 2 for medium speed, or 3 for fast beating. Setting to 0 switches it off. I find it well-designed, so that it's easy to hold the mixer in one hand, and use my index finger to adjust the speed, depending on what I'm mixing and how thick it needs to be. With something like cream, for instance, it's best to start on a slow speed until it begins to thicken, otherwise cream will splatter out of the bowl. 

 • Effectiveness •

 I find this mixer works just as well as the more expensive free-standing mixers that I've used previously. Evaporated milk will whip thickly in about a minute, and egg white even more quickly. Cream sometimes takes a little longer. On the highest speed, these things will whip to very thick consistencies, with the expected peaks, and trails left by the mixer. 

I rarely use the dough hooks; if I'm going to make bread or pastry, I tend to mix them by hand, since dough can easily get caught up in the hooks, and it tends to take me longer to keep pushing it off than it does to do it by hand. However I've found this with every mixer I've used, it's not unique to this one.

• Other advantages •

 I very much like being able to use the mixer in any sort of container, whether a pyrex jug or a mixing bowl of any size. I also like being able to move it around the bowl, rather than having the beaters only in one place for the whole time, since this seems to me to give a more even mix. I find it easy to use - I just take it out of the drawer, slot in the beaters, plug it in, and it's ready to go. 

 While all these advantages would probably apply to any hand mixer, this one is by far the most comfortable I've used. The balance is just right, the weight is not so much that my hand gets tired, but nor is it so light that it doesn't feel sturdy. The speed switch is extremely well placed for comfort. 

 • Cleaning • 

 Cleaning the beaters is very easy, since they can be removed after use and washed with general dishes. The body can only be wiped clean (when unplugged, of course!) and my one minor complaint is that it's very awkward to clean some little indentations on one side, which are probably air vents, and seem to get clogged up easily with minor splatters of food from the mixer. 

 • Life of the mixer • 

 After five years, it still works as well as it did when new. I don't use it every day, but once or twice a week, on average. That works out to £2 a year (so far) so I consider that it's been extremely good value, and when it finally dies I shall have no hesitation in replacing it with the same model (if I can find it) or something similar, preferably by the same company. 

 • Availability • 

Alas, I can't find any online shops where this particular mixer is still sold, which is a pity as it's such a good model. However it can no doubt be picked up second-hand at many places. I would recommend this (or something like it) to anyone - even if you already have a free-standing mixer, as it's so convenient.

2023 Update

This mixer lasted well until the summer of 2014, so it had an excellent life. I would have replaced it with another Moulinex hand mixer, but was given another model by a friend which still works well. However, I would certainly recommend the Moulinex hand mixer as a good, easy to use and inexpensive mixer that can be packed away when not in use.