I love baking with my son however his concentration is limited and we started by making cake kits which often just required just adding water and milk. As my son got older I wanted to make cakes the proper way so decided it was time to invest in a mixer to ensure there is enough air in the cakes.

I browsed through the Argos book and decided against the cheapest option and plumped for the Kenwood HM220 mixer which is currently £14.49 in Argos. I found that some were in chrome but did not see the point of paying extra as it was going to be stored in the cupboard so chose the white one.

One of the main reasons I chose this mixer over cheaper options was the fact it has Stainless steel beaters opposed to Chrome plated. The research I did prior to purchase suggested that the chrome plating often tends to flake off with wear and tear. This product does not have dough beaters so if you think you would use a dough mixer it is worth paying slightly more to incorporate these attachments.

The mixer itself is 1500 watts and has 3 speeds which others I looked at were 5 speeds however. It has a long wire which is just over 150 cm long; this means where ever I put my bowl I am able to stretch. It also comes with a grip clip which attaches to the mixer and you can clip the beaters to the mixer for storage however I keep mine in its original box in the cupboard but this does look a useful tool if you were storing elsewhere and reduce the time searching for the attachments. It is simple to prepare for use it is simply a case of pushing the attachments into the hole and clipping them in then all set. It does claim to have an advance cooling system for an energy efficient motor.
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When I bake cakes with my son we now cook in the kitchen and I weigh out the ingredients which he pours into the bowl he then does the initial mix then I put the mixer on. While I find this quite a light mixer for my young son finds it too heavy to hold but will often hold onto my hand while we mix together. Changing speed is simple and I can do with without stopping mixing my ingredients. The mixers stands up vertically when not in use as there is a large surface area for this so falling over isn't a real issue.
When you have finished by simply pushing a button it releases the mixing attachments so these can just be dropped in the washing bowl for easy cleaning .Like all these mixers cleaning these can be a bit fiddly but this is not really an issue.

I have owned this mixer for about six months now and I do think I would prefer a more powerful mixer as I always feel I would like it to go faster one the initial ingredients are mixed. This product shows no signs of damage or wear and tear.


While writing my review my son has discovered another use for the beaters and they actually make excellent robot hands.


This product has revolutionised our cake baking and there is a noticeable improvement in the rising and taste of the cake. I' am very happy with this product for the price and while it is not the most stylish mixer I have seen I would recommend as a basic hand mixer for occasional use.