Mixers > 3 Speed Mixers > below $40

Advantages: mixes small jobs well and is easy to use and store away
Disadvantages: can't handle heavy batters

This mixer is a descent mixer for the low price. It gets a little bogged down with heavy batters, but generally it muscles through most jobs. The scraper attachment never gets used because it really isn't as useful as it looks. It is easier to get out a spatula and scrape the side of the bowl as you go. It has plenty of speed settings and it is relatively easy to eject the beaters. It wipes clean easily with little messes. It's size is small enough ... Read review

Advantages: Heavy duty, great quality & mixes evenly
Disadvantages: need at least the next to the lowest power level & difficulty scraping the bowl

I love my KitchenAid stand mixer. It is extremely heavy duty and hold up with the stifest batters and mixes. It evenly mixes and even fits well in a corner on a counter. It is a tight fit to get your spatula in the bowl and scrape the sides of the bowl so I just tilt the motor back to get to the bowl. Also I would recommend getting one grade higher than the lowest as far as speed. The lowest mixer in the line does not qualify for all the KitchenAid ...
...any attachments you may later want to purchase. Also recommended is buying an extra bowl and the pour shield for added convenience. The bowl holds up real well through washing in the dishwasher and the beaters I clean by hand. Definetly a must have in any cooks kitchen. ... Read review

Advantages: Strength, Ease of cleaning, large capacity
Disadvantages: None

I purchased the Bosch universal mixer recently for making whole wheat bread, which is notoriously tough for a mixer. I have been very pleased so far. It has done the job admirably. I also recommend the cookie paddles for heavy, thick cookie dough....only make sure that you keep them out of the reach of your children, as one of mine has mysteriously vanished! I do love the fact that I can now make 5-6 loaves (depending on the pan) instead of just ...
...cutting my prep time in half! I am looking forward to experimenting further with it. It also whips up egg whites into a fluffy meringue without all of the work involved with a hand mixer, and comes apart for cleaning so that you don't have food particles getting stuck and turning green! ... Read review

Advantages: Easy to use, efficient, and pleasant appearance
Disadvantages: can be difficult to store, takes up counter space

I just love this Kitchen Aid (Artisan series) stand alone mixer in cobalt blue. Mine was a gift from my mother in law who has made cakes professionally for many years and swears by Kitchen Aid. This model is so easy to use that my 11 year old daughter can and does use it regularly. I have made meat loaf and mashed potatoes with it as well as many yummy desserts, and my mother in law even used it to make one of her lovely cakes for us when she visited ...
...that came in the instruction manual. Recipes I have always liked have become even more enjoyable since making them with this mixer; I very much prefer it to the hand held I used to own. And it is a beautiful, deep, dark shade of blue. I personally think this particular model is both attractive and practical; I do not mind at all that it is too big for me to store and has to sit on the counter top. ... Read review

Advantages: FAST, easy, healthy, store food in the container it is prepared in
Disadvantages: Not hands free

I love my bamix. It is a huge time saver. I can do my mixing right in the pan while it is on top of the stove. Great for sauces and gravies. It replaces some of my bulkier appliances such as the mixer, food processor and blender. It's stand takes only a few square inches of counter space so it can sit out where it is handy. It crushes nuts, crackers and ice in seconds, you choose how finely you want things ground even to the point of making peanut ...
...in the jar you are going to store it in. You can make whip cream from skim milk, and ice cream from frozen strawberries and skim milk! Cleanup is a breeze. I melted my grinder attachment through my own fault and they replaced it even after a full year. It comes with a recipe book and a CD that contains how to videos. It's only drawback is that you have to hold it while you are using it, but as most things are very quick this isn't much of a problem. ... Read review