Bella - STIR 5.3-qt. Tilt-Head Stand Mixer with 12 Speeds - Slate

I’ve had mixers in the past. Never got a KitchenAid for myself since it wasn’t worth it for the little I use one for, but I did buy one for my mom one Christmas and it was amazing. The mixer I’ve had for years was an inexpensive one from Amazon, but was nice, all metal and very solid. But it leaked oil and I never actually got to use it. This year I picked up a pizza oven and I started making my own dough, so I thought this would work well for that. Up to now I was mixing by hand which gets to be a bit of a pain. Good design, and comes with the one attachment I absolutely will use. And compared to the one I never got to use due to the oil leakage, it’s a better dough hook. I’ve uploaded photos showing the difference. I like that this one has a flattened part to help it actually move material compared to the standard pointed end. The bowl is a good size, just right for me making my dough since I do enough for three at a time. Speed knob is easy to use, it moves smoothly and doesn’t bind up. And I like that it’s a rotating knob, not just a lever you slide. Easier to get the speed you want quicker. Noise level is about average. There are suction cups on the bottom like they all have, to help hold it in place on the counter. I wish they had placed the release switch on the back of the neck or something, not on front right by the speed ring. I continuously reach for the wrong location by habit when trying to raise and lower it. Mixing the pizza dough went well. Fastest I’ve ever had dough made. And it blended everything very well, with me just having to lift the stand once to scrape things off the side to get them incorporated with the rest of it. I used a low speed as to not overwork the dough. But there was a lot of flex throughout the structure as it made the dough, which leads to my next point. I’m not a fan of all the plastic. It feels cheap and not very sturdy. It just didn’t remain as stable and solid as others I’ve used. So, I got curious and opened it up. The entire top part is secured just by four screws, so was easy to remove. The part covering the gears for the mixer is held on by two screws, so it was just a few minutes to get at everything. I’ve uploaded photos of the insides. Plastic gears everywhere. So this is definitely a lightweight mixer. Other mixers are described as “heavy duty” and those will generally have metal gears and other internal structural elements so ensure it holds together and lasts. There is a reason this one wasn’t referred to as “heavy duty.” Now, for me, the only thing I’ll likely EVER use this for is pizza dough. And while it had a lot of movement throughout the structure while making it, at no point did I think it was going to come apart. So I should be fine with this. Cake mixes, etc, should be fine, anything that doesn’t make too heavy a dough. The other downside is the lack of an attachment point. But again, since this is almost all plastic, I can see why they couldn’t. But that means some of the other attachments I had are not usable with this one. But face it, this thing retails at about 25% of the cost of the CHEAPEST KitchenAid mixer. There’s a reason for that. As I said, I wouldn’t waste the money on KitchenAid for myself since I don’t USE it hardly at all. So the price point here gives me an option I wouldn’t otherwise have for an actual stand mixer. Knowing what you’re getting into, and not needing something that can use attachments, this may be a good fit for you, as it was for me.

The Bella Stir 5.3-qt. Tilt-Head Stand Mixer is a capable enough mixer that should please most everyone for it's price-point. The mixer is simple enough to assemble. The clear plastic splash guard seems awkward at first but once you see how it attaches, it becomes second-nature and becomes easy to put on & take off between uses. The overall mixer is constructed of plastic and as a result, is very lightweight. Additionally, because of the plastic (vs. much more expensive & heavier mixer products...), the hollow nature of the chassis makes for a louder than usual operation. It's not too terrible loud but does exhibit a few rattles - in use. The motor noise is somewhat loud but smooth in character. Again - price point appropriate. The power cord is long enough for those countertops with nearby AC outlets. Honestly, a cord another 12 inches in length would have been preferred. We decided to tackle two different common recipes; whipping cream and making chocolate crinkle, cookie dough - with the latter being a solid challenge to get right before refrigeration & baking. While attempting to 'spin up' your typical grocery store whipping cream that comes in a carton, the Bella Stir did an admirable job producing a firm & fluffy whip. No real complaints on this specific task. Moving over to the cookie dough batch, the Bella Stir 5.3-qt. Tilt-Head Stand Mixer handled the task of mixing thoroughly a dough that thickens up pretty darn quickly. What resulted was a consistent, smooth yet expectedly very firm consistency that ended up producing excellent chocolate crinkle cookies. They came out of the oven perfect! In both mixing scenarios, the Bella Stir did what it was supposed to do. Our only real complaint was the fact that in both cases, it was required to aid in the mixing with a hand spatula because the mixing head attachments simply do not reach the inner wall/surfaces of the stainless bowl. For the money, that is Ok in our estimation. No demerits for that limitation... Pros: Lightweight making it easy to store away and pull out for countertop work Solid build quality in terms of how the assembly/disassembly goes and the functionality of knobs, tilt mechanism and attachments. Adequately long power cord Modern, smooth design aesthetic Cons: Made of plastic Some rattling in operation Short reach of the various attachment heads, inside the perimeter of the stainless bowl - which requires a lot of manual, spatula assistance A longer power cord would make this appliance more practical, for more consumers

If you're looking for a budget friendly mixer with decent capacity, then the Bella Stir is for you. The mixer comes with all the necessary attachments you would need to mix dough, batter, or whipping. There's also a clear shield with drop funnel for adding liquid while preventing splatter. The stainless bowl is a great feature and at 5.3 quarts, it the right size for most recipes. I like that the mixer has suction cup feet, it helped it stay in place on my non-porous quartzite counter. The mixer is considerably lighter than any mixers I've owned, which is due to its entirely plastic build. The 500w motor is capable of making pizza dough without getting bogged down. I've found many things that would deter me from suggesting it to others. First and foremost, the build quality is entirely made of plastic, and not very sturdy plastic at that. The mixing attachments are coated with a non-stick polymer, which will start flaking off into the mix after a short time. The motor is quite noisy due to the hollow sounding plastic cover. While making the aforementioned pizza dough, it was bouncing and warping all over the place, thankfully the suction feet held it in place. I don't foresee this mixer lasting very long in my kitchen, but then I bake 3-4 times a week. I think this mixer would be fine for the beginner or occasional baker who needs a mixer to round out their kitchen but doesn't plan on using it outside of special occasions. For the entry-level price point, it's pretty decent.

[ Summary and Verdict ] Powered by a 500W motor, the Bella 5.3‑qt (5‑liter) Tilt‑Head Stand Mixer delivers solid overall performance. Its three included attachments handle the full range of mixing tasks: the wire whip to whip air into mixtures like egg whites and cream (the coconut macaroons turned out great), the flat beater for thick batters and everyday mixing, and the dough hook for kneading yeasted doughs (it did not struggle with a heavy, heavy dough; however, the mixer's head moved quite a bit). Where the mixer falls short is in its build design. It’s extremely lightweight for a stand mixer and noticeably plastic, relying on suction cups for stability, unlike heavier models such as a KitchenAid, which use their mass to stay put. The suction cups work as feet okay, but they could wear over time and make repositioning the mixer a bit of a hassle. After two weeks of testing, I’d rate it Recommended, 4 out of 5 stars: a capable, well‑equipped mixer with some compromises in durability and feel. [ What comes with the mixer ] * Large Capacity: 5.3QT * 500W power delivery with a 12-point motor speed control to support various mixing tasks; the lower numbers, 1 - 3, prevent dry ingredients (like flour) from puffing up and dusting your kitchen counter * 5 small suction cups ("Non-skid feet") for providing stability, preventing shaking or shifting so it doesn't "walk" or skitter across the counter, for example, while kneading stiff bread dough * Tilt-head design and an easy-install pouring shield make adding ingredients easy and mess-free (when tilted, it's 19.5 inches (50 cm) high and might still fit under the kitchen cabinet * 3 Hooks (wire whip ("balloon whisk"), flat beater ("paddle"), and dough) can handle any recipe; no information on material is provided * 1 Splash shield (plastic) * Stainless steel bowl with an ergonomic handle * Quick Start Guide, which includes a Chocolate Chunk Cookies recipe * Instruction Manual * Limited two-year warranty for mechanical defects, and 90 days for non-mechanical parts [ Other thoughts, which are not necessarily a deal breaker ] * No attachment hub -- The mixer lacks a front‑facing attachment hub, so you can’t use add‑ons like a meat grinder or pasta maker. It functions strictly as a mixer * Missing details on used material (except for the bowl) -- There’s no information on whether the bowl, hooks, or the splash shield are dishwasher‑safe, whether the materials are BPA‑free, or what the non‑bowl components are made of * Questionable long‑term durability -- The predominantly plastic construction and its suction cups might raise concerns about how well the mixer will hold up over time

I’ve used the new Bella STIR 5.3 quart Tilt-Head Stand Mixer to prepare a few different recipes now, and overall I’m pretty happy with it. It arrived safely in the retail cardboard box packed into an outer box, like most small kitchen appliances, and everything was packed well enough that nothing was damaged. Unboxing it was simple, just pull everything out, give the bowl and accessories a quick wash, and you’re ready to get started. The bowl, splash shield, paddle, whisk and dough hook are dishwasher safe, and you just wipe down the mixer head and base with a damp cloth when you need to. Getting this mixer set up is about as easy as it gets. You press the tilt-head button to raise the head, lock the stainless steel bowl into place, attach whichever accessory you need, attach the shield if needed, lower the head, and then turn the speed dial to the setting you want. It’s very basic and easy to understand, which I actually appreciate. It comes with a quick start guide and an instruction booklet that walks you through getting started, explains the accessories, gives care and cleaning instructions, includes warranty information, and even has a cookie recipe inside. The mixer comes with a 5.3 quart stainless steel mixing bowl with handle, a flat paddle, balloon whisk, dough hook and splash shield. I used it to make yummies like cheesecake, cookies, and frosting for the cookies. The mixer did a great job with all three recipes. The attachments were easy to put on and take off, and they stayed locked into place while mixing. The bowl also stayed locked into the base well without any problems. The mixer has suction cups on the bottom side that actually do a good job helping keep the mixer in place on the countertop. The 500-watt motor and 12 speed settings give you a nice amount of control. I like being able to start slow and gradually work my way up, especially when mixing dry ingredients or frosting, so flour and powdered sugar aren’t flying everywhere… and trust me, I've had that happen before. The splash shield also works well too in case you are mixing something that splashes a lot. It attaches around the mixing head and twists into place, and it really does help keep ingredients from splattering out of the bowl. I’m the kind of person who can make a mess pretty easily while baking, so I think this splash shield is going to be nice to have. One of the first things I noticed about this mixer is how lightweight it is. If you don’t like the traditional heavy metal stand mixers, or if you have trouble moving those around, this bella mixer is going to feel like a breath of fresh air. It’s very easy to pick up, move around, and store. For some people that will be one of the biggest selling points. You don’t feel like you’re dragging out a piece of kitchen machinery every time you want to make cookies. That being said.. the downside to having suction cups on the bottom means that you might have problems pulling it off of the back shelf of a kitchen cabinet, because it wants to hold onto the shelf. I would suggest Bella to consider adding a new accessory to future models. A thin plastic base that the unit can rest on, when not in use, something that will release from the suction cups with ease and allow them to stay clean also. The lightweight design does make me question long-term durability a little bit. When you tilt the head back and look inside, a lot of what you see is plastic, and the whole unit just doesn’t give me the same confidence as one of those heavier mixers that people keep for decades. There is also a little bit of give in the mixer head. If I press down on the top, it lowers slightly more, and I really noticed that when the splash shield was attached because there was a tiny gap that closed when I pushed down on the top. Maybe that bit of movement is intentional, but it does make the mixer feel a little cheaper. The stainless steel bowl works well, but it also feels lightweight to me. When I turned the bowl by the handle to unlock it from the base, I could feel a little bit of give in the handle. I’m not a welding expert, so maybe it’s perfectly secure, but just looking at it and feeling it, I do wonder how that handle will hold up after years of use and if it’s just going to snap off one day. That’s really my biggest question with this mixer. It works well now, but only time will tell how well the lighter plastic and thin stainless steel parts hold up over the years. I also don’t know if I love the tilt-head button… with this button, the head can spring back pretty quickly if you’re not holding it. It works fine, and I got used to it, but I do think I would prefer a lever or a slightly smoother release. The mixer also sways a little while running. The suction cups keep it from walking around the counter, but you can still see and feel some vibration and movement, especially while mixing heavier ingredients. It wasn’t anything extreme, but it is noticeable. There is a cord wrap area underneath the mixer, which is nice, but I wouldn’t really call it full cord storage. You can wrap the cord to shorten it, but there isn’t a great place for the plug to tuck away neatly, so it still kind of hangs out the back. It’s not a huge deal, but I do wish they had designed a cleaner storage solution for the cord. I also want to mention that I don’t think this is necessarily a completely unique mixer design. I’ve seen strangely similar models from other brands/company names. That doesn’t really say whether it’s good or bad, it’s just something I noticed. One thing I do really like is that it comes with a limited two-year warranty. A lot of products like this only seem to come with a one-year warranty, so seeing two years gives me a little more confidence. That being said… I’d love to see Bella push that to three or even five years in the future, especially on a product where long-term durability is one of my main questions. Overall, I’m happy with the Bella STIR stand mixer. It’s simple, lightweight, easy to use, and it worked well for the cheesecake, cookies and frosting I made. I don’t think this is the mixer I would recommend to someone expecting a premium all-metal machine that will definitely last for decades. But for someone shopping on a budget, especially if you can get it on sale, I think this is a really good option. It has a nice size bowl, useful accessories, 12 speeds, a 500-watt motor, and it’s easy enough for almost anyone to use. I do recommend it for everyday home baking, as long as you understand that it is a lightweight mixer and not a heavy-duty professional stand mixer.