Stand mixers for home bakers can cost up to $800+, and if you’re on a tight budget or only bake on occasion, that just ain’t gonna fly!

So I decided to answer the question: Can you get a decent stand mixer for sourdough baking for under $200?

I bought and tested 10 budget stand mixers ranging from $79.99 to $167.79, and spoiler: most were terrible.

That said, two of them led the way as my frontrunners, and I put them head-to-head to deliver our final winner.

Disclaimers! This entire review post is 100% honest (and brutally so). I have not been paid or sponsored by any of these mixer brands in any way. One of the 10 mixers (Lemuugo) was sent to me at no cost. The rest I paid for with my own money. This post contains affiliate links. If you choose to purchase after clicking, I may earn a commission, which helps fund this website, recipe development, and monthly giveaways. I sincerely appreciate your support.

TL;DR: The Winning Budget Stand Mixer

I go way into more detail later in the article, but I know some of you are like, OK Rebekah… love the details but can you just get to it – what’s the best budget stand mixer?

Ultimately, my top choice is the Gourmia 7.4 Quart mixer, currently priced at $167.79 USD.

Here’s why it won:

• It’s the heaviest mixer of the bunch at 17.8 lbs, which gives it way more stability than the other budget options, especially when mixing stiffer doughs
• 800W motor – the strongest in this price range that actually delivered on its promise
• Brings dough together faster than my other top contenders
• Has a built-in timer that starts automatically when you begin mixing
• Large 7.4-quart bowl – plenty of room for 1-3 loaves
• The brand actually has a website – gives me some peace of mind that they won’t just disappear and rebrand out of nowhere

Obviously, this isn’t an $800 machine. I’m not going to reach for this over my other stand mixers like the Ooni, Ankarsrum, Zacme, or Bosch. The tilt head still rocks at higher speeds (keep it on Speed 2 or lower for dough), and it goes out of stock frequently.

BUT, compared to the other budget mixers I tested, the Gourmia stood out by simply getting the job done consistently.

Testing Process For Each Budget Stand Mixer

I didn’t test these mixers side by side like I did for my high-end mixer review. And that’s because most of them were ruled out immediately.

It was typically something obvious – instability, overheating, the machine literally dying (like the Beautiful by Drew in the video below) – that made it clear I would never advise someone to spend their money on this.

As I worked through them, I kind of had to adjust my expectations. These are budget machines, after all. But even within this category, a couple of machines stood out.

Why This Article Was Surprisingly Hard to Write

I started buying these budget stand mixers in August 2025. By September and November, several of them were temporarily unavailable, or the product listing was completely removed from Amazon.

Some had an even shorter window – I purchased the Cooklee in November, and by January… poof! The listing is gone.

In some cases, the listing would disappear and then reappear as a “new” model with minor changes, such as a slightly larger bowl or a different attachment. 

I can’t say for sure whether these “new” versions perform any better than the exact models I tested unless I keep buying replacements – and I’m not doing that – but I strongly suspect they don’t.

Same Manufacturer (Sanlida)

It became pretty obvious that most of these mixers seem to come from the same manufacturer (Sanlida) and are simply rebranded.

The biggest tell was seeing the same red spatula and white plastic egg separator in every box. Several of them also had the same splash guard.

Typos on the Mixers?

Also, most of the mixers are clearly made by Chinese manufacturers. I don’t have an immediate issue with that, but when there are typos in the instruction manuals – or worse, printed directly on the mixer itself (“cancle” instead of “cancel” will forever live rent-free in my head) – my trust disappears fast.

If a company can’t be bothered to proofread the words on the machine, I’m not confident they’ll be there when something goes wrong. Add in the fact that product listings keep disappearing, and my trust in their customer service is basically zero.

They’re budget-friendly, sure. But if you end up replacing the mixer two or three times in the span you could’ve owned one quality mixer, you’re not actually saving money. And I think that’s the heart of the issue with this particular review, at least for me.

Best Budget Stand Mixers for Sourdough Bread Baking

Kneading dough requires a lot from a stand mixer, and to be blunt, most budget options on this list cannot knead dough effectively. Most work just fine for light tasks, like making whipped cream or paddling up some cake batter.

But motor strength, stability, speed control, and heat buildup become real limitations within our $200 budget. 

Many of these machines simply aren’t built to handle dough, and it’s unrealistic to expect the same performance you’d get from a premium stand mixer.

That said, not everyone can (or wants to) spend $800 on a high-end machine. And if you don’t bake a lot, a budget option can still make sense.

After adjusting expectations accordingly, only a few performed well enough to recommend for regular sourdough baking.

Stand Mixer Comparison Chart

Before getting into the detailed reviews, here’s a side-by-side look at how these budget stand mixers compare based on price, speeds, wattage, weight, and more.

	Price	Weight Capacity	Attachments	Speeds	Bowl Material	Wattage	Weight
Gourmia	$167.79	7.4 Quart	3	10	Stainless Steel	800W	17.8 lbs
Cooklee	$150	9.5 Quart	3	10	Stainless Steel	660 W	12.3 lbs
Kitchen in the Box	$159.99	8.5 Quart	3	10	Stainless Steel	900 W	12.57 lbs
Instant Pot Stand Mixer	$149.95	6.3 Quart	3	6	Stainless Steel	400 W	11 lbs
Hamilton Beach	$126.95	4 Quart	3	7	Stainless Steel	300 W	10.2 lbs
Powwa	$79.99	6.5 Quart	3	10	Stainless Steel	300 W	8.18 lbs
Aucma	$129.99	6.5 Quart	3	6	Stainless Steel	660 W	11.68 lbs
Lemuugo	$99.99	6.34 Quart	1	2	Stainless Steel	350 W	8.2 lbs
Beautiful by Drew	$125.00	5.3 Quart	3	12	Stainless Steel	300 W	9.1 lbs
Heynemo	$95.99	5.2 Quart	1	1	Stainless Steel	200 W	9.78 lbs

Although these bowls are made of stainless steel, they are nothing like the bowls that come with higher-end machines.

These are really thin and lightweight – I honestly thought they were another material altogether. They scratch easily, and for some reason, it’s really hard to get many of them clean.

Budget Stand Mixer Reviews: The Best of the Budget Mixers

My three frontrunners ended up being Gourmia, Cooklee, and Kitchen in the Box.

I found Gourmia and Cooklee to be a little more effective than the Kitchen in the Box, so I put them head-to-head and ended up with my winner: the Gourmia.

Gourmia Stand Mixer Review

Price: $167.79

The Gourmia stand mixer didn’t really stand out to me when I first tested it. It got the job done, but there wasn’t anything that exciting about it.

But the more I used it, the more it became a frontrunner. And ultimately, this is my top choice for sourdough bakers looking to spend under $200 on a stand mixer.

Pros:

• It mixes dough well – primary goal achieved!
• Has a nice timer that starts as soon as you start mixing
• It brings dough together a little faster than my other budget frontrunner

• Large bowl capacity for a budget mixer
• 800W motor
• More solid frame than all other budget mixers I tested – it’s actually the heaviest one of the bunch
• The brand actually has a website – I really appreciate that. Many mixers on this list have no formal website or way to contact them.
• Did great with the whipping attachment – made whipped cream in about 2 minutes!

Cons:

• Frequently out of stock/low on inventory
• The digital display isn’t intuitive and feels backwards (speed up on the left, down on the right)
• As speed increases, the tilt head rocks and moves around – keep the speed low for doughs!

Verdict: The Gourmia is my top pick! It’s the sturdiest machine of the bunch, it does well with a variety of dough types, and the bowl is a great size for home bakers who want to make 1-3 loaves at a time. Perhaps most importantly, it’s actually still available to purchase, though it tends to go out of stock often.

Cooklee SM-1551 Stand Mixer Review

Price: N/A (I paid $150 for mine)

Well… the Cooklee (model SM-1551) is unfortunately one of the mixers that is no longer available on Amazon. It was one of my frontrunners – I was trying to pick this or the Gourmia – but perhaps all of that consideration was in vain.

Cooklee does have an Amazon page (and a website that simply links to it), though it’s partly branded as Sanlida (the manufacturer of a lot of these stand mixers). On their Amazon page, all the mixer models are marked as unavailable.

So, even though this was finally a budget mixer that impressed me, I don’t even think it’s on the market anymore!

Was it perfect? No. But it achieved a windowpane in under 10 minutes, which immediately set it apart from the rest at this price point.

Pros:

• Achieved a windowpane quickly
• Strong motor for the price (660W)
• Suction cups worked well and kept the machine stable
• Felt noticeably more capable than most other budget options

“I have enjoyed using my Cooklee. I have had it for about 1 1/2 yrs and haven’t had any issues. I tried making a double batch of bagel dough last week and it started struggling at about 3 minutes so I abandoned it and kneaded by hand.” –Review from Lynn Schulz Riley (Facebook comment to me)

“I have an earlier version of this mixer, I believe, that I got for a wedding gift. So, four years ago. It’s held up really well and I like it. Of course it’s not meant for doing multiple loaves at a time. But for cinnamon rolls, cookie dough, sandwich bread, etc it gets the job done.” –Review from Kayley Fritz (Facebook comment to me)

“I have 3 kitchen aids and this exact one!!! I love this mixer!! It’s more thorough in my opinion!!!” –Review from Leon N Erika Hollis (Facebook comment to me)

Cons:

• Apparently not available anymore?
• The tilt head does jostle at higher speeds; staying at speed 2 felt much more secure
• There was a faint motor smell at first, though it felt more like a new motor than a real issue
• The dough hook sits low in a very large bowl, which limits how much dough you can realistically mix at once
• The frame feels cheap overall – definitely not as sturdy as the Gourmia

Verdict: The Cooklee stand mixer has a good motor inside a very average body, but given the price, that’s a tradeoff I can live with. While it’s one of my top 2 budget stand mixer picks, the disappearing listing and inability to actually buy the mixer are obviously a non-starter.

Kitchen In the Box Stand Mixer Review

Price: $99.99 (I actually paid $159.99 for mine, so I think they’ve lowered the price permanently)

The Kitchen In the Box stand mixer performed pretty well overall compared to most others on this list.

Pros:

• Handled high-hydration dough very well using the paddle attachment
• Felt more stable than several other budget mixers
• Large 8.5-quart bowl offers plenty of room for mixing

“I have this Kitchen in a Box. I love it. I have a 4.5/5 qt Kitchen Aid that I use for single loaves but when I’m doing 2 or 3 I use my KiaB. Works wonderfully.” –Review from Kitty Nottellin (Facebook comment to me)

“I bought this one because the Cooklee wasn’t available. I’m loving it.” –Review from Angela Aneff (Facebook comment to me)

Cons:

• The tilt head does wobble – even at the lowest speed (Speed 1), with a typical artisan bread dough, it was jostling around a little bit
• Definitely need to give this machine periodic breaks if you want to thoroughly mix your dough. I’d suggest mixing for about 2 minutes, then stopping and covering the bowl for about 10 minutes. Rinse and repeat.
• The motor is 900W, but the frame isn’t strong enough to really take advantage of that potential power – it’s too flimsy! And it certainly doesn’t outperform my Ooni, which is rated at 650W.
• Construction still feels very budget – not durable and all cheap plastic

Verdict: The Kitchen In the Box stand mixer isn’t a powerhouse, but it’s one of the more capable budget mixers I tested, especially for high-hydration sourdough. Would I genuinely recommend this mixer to a friend? No. But it was one of the top 3 mixers of the bunch.

Budget Stand Mixer Reviews: Fine (But Not Great) Mixers

These mixers weren’t horrendous, but I still would not recommend them for various reasons.

Lemuugo Dough Maker Review

Price: $99.99

The Lemuugo dough maker was the only mixer in this roundup that was sent to me by the brand, so thank you to Lemuugo for the opportunity to test it.

Using it was a mixed experience overall. It wasn’t a total failure, but when it comes to sourdough baking, I wouldn’t ultimately recommend it.

Pros:

• Setup is easy with almost no assembly required
• The suction cups do a good job keeping it stable on the counter
• Includes a bowl scraper, which is helpful when working with sticky doughs
• The bowl locks into the base smoothly
• The mixer uses a start-and-stop mixing pattern, just like a bread machine
• It mixed my dough successfully

Cons:

• The proofing function runs at 98–102°F, which is great for commercial yeast but too warm for sourdough – I don’t like to go above 85°F (30°C)
• Only 2 speed options
• The dough hook is hard to remove – I honestly thought it wasn’t removable at first
• This is a dough-only mixer. No whisk or beater attachments for those looking for multi-functional appliances
• Typos in the manual and misspellings on the control panel like “cancle” instead of “cancel,” which I just can’t get past

Verdict: While the Lemuugo can mix dough well and probably works perfectly for yeasted recipes, the lack of versatility and a proofing function that doesn’t work for sourdough are dealbreakers for me.

Instant Pot Stand Mixer Review

Price: N/A (I paid $149.95)

Here we go again! Another mixer that is no longer available on Amazon.

Instant Pot has listed a completely different style of stand mixer (a different model from the manufacturer Sanlida) and slapped their logo on it.

I’ll keep my review of their 6.3-quart mixer just in case it’s helpful for anyone, but I fear this mixer review is entirely useless.

On paper, it checked a lot of boxes. But in practice, it just didn’t inspire much confidence.

Pros:

• Nice, clean design
• The bowl is easy to get in and out
• All parts are dishwasher safe

“I have 2 Instant mixers and love them! I do lots of breads in them and I have never had any issues! I honestly don’t even use my KA as much any more. That KA always gets a little toasty.” –Review from Shannon Marshall (Facebook comment to me)

Cons:

• The machine feels very plastic-heavy
• The stainless steel bowl is extremely thin
• The entire machine wobbles during mixing
• The tilt head moves and strains badly, even at low speeds

Verdict: I got through mixing my thin-crust pizza dough, but I was cringing the entire time. The overall instability makes me feel like this mixer isn’t going to last very long.

Budget Stand Mixer Reviews: Stand Mixers I Don’t Recommend

The following stand mixers were the worst of the bunch. I would not recommend any bread baker to purchase any of them!

Hamilton Beach Stand Mixer Review

Price: $126.95

The Hamilton Beach 4-quart (2.5 amps) stand mixer initially gave me a little hope. It doesn’t appear to be made by the same manufacturer as many others, which felt refreshing.

Unfortunately, that uniqueness didn’t translate into better performance.

Pros:

• Compact and lightweight (less counter space needed and easier to store)
• Dishwasher-safe parts

“I have this mixer I hate it I should have returned it when I was going to.” –Review from Michelle Lachance (Facebook comment to me)

“This mixer burned up with in months of me starting sourdough.” –Review from Tiffany McClung (Facebook comment to me)

Cons:

• The machine itself indicates that you shouldn’t go above Speed 1, which is very slow

• Maximum dough weight is 750 grams – less than a typical loaf of sourdough bread!
• Really overpriced for what you’re actually getting in my humble opinion – cheap parts, super small capacity, and a weak motor

Verdict: It did technically mix my dough within a couple of minutes, but there is zero (and I mean ZERO) chance of reaching a windowpane in any kind of reasonable timeframe with this machine, if at all.

Powwa Stand Mixer Review

Price: $79.99 (I paid $129 for this machine, but they removed that listing and created a seemingly identical one at this lower price point)

The Powwa 6.5-quart stand mixer was an immediate no for me. It’s clearly another rebranded unit, complete with the infamous red spatula.

Here’s what didn’t work:

• The dough hook is extremely small for the size of the bowl, so it barely engages the dough
• The suction cups are ineffective, which makes the machine feel unstable on the counter
• The timer automatically defaults to 15 minutes, which is just random
• The lowest speed is far too fast and immediately kicks flour everywhere
• The tilt head rocks aggressively even on the lowest speed—higher speeds weren’t usable at all
• There was a very strong burning smell almost immediately
• The top of the machine got extremely hot after just a few minutes of mixing on low

Verdict: Using this mixer felt stressful, not helpful. I wouldn’t spend money on it for sourdough or bread baking. It just can’t handle dough.

Aucma Stand Mixer Review

Price: N/A (I paid $129.99)

The Aucma 6.5-quart stand mixer was another immediate no for me. It looks nearly identical to the Instant Brand mixer (with only minor cosmetic differences), but it performed even worse.

It’s also not even available on Amazon, so it’s unclear whether this stand mixer model is still on the market.

What went wrong:

• Made a loud clicking noise every 30–45 seconds that sounded like someone throwing a bunch of change in a bowl. At first, I thought I’d broken something.
• The bowl and tilt head moved around and made screeching sounds during mixing.
• I smelled smoke after just 3–4 minutes of mixing and shut it off.
• The dough hook goes so far down into the bowl that you can’t use the bowl’s full capacity—the dough would just wrap around the hook and even the base of the tilt head.

Verdict: The Aucma stand mixer felt unsafe, unstable, and poorly designed for dough. I wouldn’t recommend it for bread baking in any capacity.

Heynemo Dough Maker Review

Price: $95.99

I started out loving the Heynemo dough-making machine and ended up loathing it. 

And also, I’m still confused about the brand name. The listing on Amazon says it’s from “Kiss the Water Store” and “Heynemo” is not on any of the listing photos. But the machine I got says “Heynemo.” I have no idea.

I’m assuming a manufacturer is pumping these out, and different people put various logos on them to resell on Amazon.

Anyway, it includes a built-in scale and a ferment function, which immediately caught my attention.

Pros:

• Built-in scale is very convenient (a little dicey with small measurements like salt, but it caught up, and I think it was pretty accurate)
• It mixed the dough fairly well at first

Cons:

• Heats up very quickly during mixing
• The ferment function runs at 113°F (45°C), which, like the Lemuugo, is too hot for sourdough, making this function useless for us
• Only one mixing speed
• Removing the dough hook was a nightmare – it made getting the dough out messy and frustrating

Verdict: The Heynemo has a couple of good ideas, but between the overly hot ferment function and extremely frustrating disassembly, it’s not a machine I’d ever reach for again.

Beautiful by Drew Stand Mixer Review

Price: $125

I had notes on the pros and cons of the Beautiful by Drew mixer, but none of them mattered once the motor died after just three uses. 

I was mixing my sourdough Wonder Bread copycat recipe and had it on Speed 1 for about 4 minutes before it gave out.

This is the only mixer in this roundup that I ended up returning.

“I run a cottage bakery and my KitchenAid stopped working, so I picked this mixer up in a pinch to finish my Christmas cookies. Unfortunately, it struggled even with a basic sugar cookie dough, so I wouldn’t recommend it.” –Review from Christy Annesty ONeal (Facebook comment to me)

“I have the Beautiful mixer and it works perfect and have had no issues.” –Review from Suzy Celli (Facebook comment to me)

“I’m very sad to see this review as I’ve had my Beautiful by Drew mixer for almost 2 years and have used it for everything under the sun and it has always performed beautifully, even while making sourdough with it.” –Review from Danielle Bolt (Facebook comment to me)

“I used this one for mixing sour dough and bagels and pasta. It was the worst investment ever made! I went back to doing it all by hand.” –Review from Sabrina Landrie (Facebook comment to me)

“I had mine about 7-8 months and it snapped under the pressure.” –Review from Becca Runyan (Facebook comment to me)

Verdict: The Beautiful by Drew stand mixer may be fine for making cookies, cakes, frosting, whipped cream, butter, or even high-hydration doughs, but it couldn’t handle basic sandwich bread dough. For sourdough bakers, that’s a dealbreaker.

How to Make Budget Stand Mixers Perform Better

The key to making budget stand mixers last? Rest periods.

Pay attention to how your mixer sounds and smells as it’s working. After just a few minutes of kneading, you might notice straining sounds or even the smell of burning. The more you push through these warning signs, the shorter your mixer’s lifespan will be.

Check your manual for these important details:

• Maximum recommended speed for the dough hook (usually Speed 1 or 2)
• Weight limits for dough
• Time limits (many budget mixers recommend no more than 5 minutes of continuous kneading)

For recipes requiring extended mixing time (like when you’re trying to achieve a windowpane), incorporate rest periods instead of running the mixer continuously.

Here’s how:

1. Mix just until the dough comes together (2-3 minutes)
2. Stop the mixer and cover the bowl
3. Let the dough rest for 10-15 minutes
4. Mix again for 2-3 minutes
5. Repeat until you achieve a windowpane

This approach gives both the dough and the motor time to rest, resulting in better gluten development without burning out your machine.

Final Thoughts

This was very much a best-of-a-compromised-category situation.

The Gourmia isn’t my go-to mixer by any means. But compared to the other budget mixers I tested, which often felt flimsy, unstable, or downright stressful to use, it stood out by simply getting the job done.

Here’s my honest take: If you’re just starting with sourdough and want to test the waters before investing in a premium mixer, the Gourmia can make sense. It’ll handle 1-3 loaves at a time and should last you a couple of years with proper care.

But if you’re already baking weekly, making multiple batches, or planning to bake long-term? Save up for a higher-end mixer. The difference in performance, durability, and peace of mind is worth it.

Check out my high-end mixer comparison for those options. I’m also working on a mid-priced stand mixer review covering the $200-$500 range, including Breville and Zacme. Stay tuned for that in mid-2026!

Budget mixers can work for casual sourdough bakers, but they require realistic expectations. The Gourmia is the best option under $200, but “best budget mixer” doesn’t mean “best mixer” – it just means I think it’s the best at this price point.

Other similar articles you might like:

• The Best Kitchen Scale for Sourdough Baking – I Tested 20!
• Budget Sourdough: 20+ Tool Swaps for Amazing Bread
• The 30 Best Gift Ideas for Sourdough Bakers