Russell Hobbs 1128 Classic

I have only fairly recently become the owner of a hand mixer, having previously relied on a balloon whisk and arm power. However, I found I was doing lots of cooking which required whisking and though I would give my poor arm a break and treat myself to a mixer.

So, why this model? The truth is that it was on special offer! I didn't really know what I was looking for, other than something that would whisk for me without making my arm drop off. What I got has proved to be a big asset to my kitchen.

For a start, it looks good. Bright and shiny stainless steel. It has two sets of attachments, beaters and dough hooks. I will now confess to never having used the dough hooks. However, the beaters are used on numerous occasions and are excellent for whipping cream, making meringue and various other tasks (I used them to make a cheesecake today).

The beater has 5 speed setings so you can start off on a low setting and gradually build up, thus helping to prevent the contents of your bowl from re-decorating your kitchen. It also has a booster button which you can hold down to give an extra burst of power if needed (although this should not be used for more than 30 seconds at a time).

The attachments are easy to remove with the press of a button and cleaning is very easy.

This model has everything I need in a hand mixer - it is not fancy but it does the job it is designed for. I paid £15.40, but as I said it was on offer - I think the normal price is around £20. I prurchased mine from Boots so imagine it would be fairly easy to find in any good electrical store.