CSN: Cuisinart 7-Speed Hand Mixer

Happy Thursday!

I hope you guys liked seeing photos of the Royal Wedding courtesy of People magazine! :D

If you haven't seen them, you can click this link:

Wedding: Prince William and Kate Middleton.

Anyway, how is your week going? I hope you are all having a good week. :)

A few months ago, CSN Stores gave me another opportunity to review an item from one of their many stores. They generously gave me $55 to order whatever I would like to review. My first instinct was to look at the shoes, of course. But, when I really thought about it, I came to the conclusion that I don’t really need a new pair of boots or sandals! Yeah, my Mom would be so proud to learn that I am now thinking practically, haha. ;)

So then, what did I order? I got myself a Cuisinart 7-Speed Hand Mixer! One of the best decisions I made because 1) I love to bake, and having this hand mixer really makes it easier and more fun to whip up some baked goodies, and 2) I was finally able to give my sister her mixer back. :D

It's original price is $90, but when I ordered this, it was on sale for about $49 (if I remember correctly) – such a bargain! I was hoping to get an actual stand mixer, but those are way beyond my $55 budget, so finding this Cuisinart Hand Mixer was a blessing! One day I will buy myself a stand mixer, but for now I am a happy girl with my hand mixer. :)

So, moving on… here are some details about the Cuisinart Hand Mixer:

Simple Operation – One touch provides easy speed control. Press the beater release lever for quick cleanups.

Automatic Power Boost – 220 watt motor with automatic feedback adds more power to mix the heaviest ingredients when needed. More Mixing Options – 7 speeds, including 3 extra-low settings, let you mix small to large batches of ultra-light to heavy ingredients.

Clean Counters - SmoothStart® feature starts extra slowly to eliminate splatters. A Cuisinart exclusive.

Comfortable Handling – A balanced handle and rotating swivel cord make mixing comfortable for right- or left- handed users. A Cuisinart exclusive.

It has a limited 3-year warranty. The LED display makes it easy to see how fast your mixer is going.

The mixer comes with extra-long self cleaning beaters with no central post, a stainless steel professional chef’s whisk, and a spatula.

Besides instructions and a user guide, its manual also has some mixing tips and recipes ranging from cinnamon muffins to cappuccino cheesecake to gorgonzola soufflé!

I’ve been using my hand mixer for a few months now, and I’ve had no problems with it (besides the normal heating up of the machine, of course). It starts out slow, so no messy splatters for me. And I love its extra-long beaters because it doesn’t matter if my mixing bowl is filled to the brim with batter. The beaters are dishwasher safe, but I prefer to wash and dry it by hand. ;) The spatula is also a really good kind – very sturdy!

I really think this hand mixer is a great buy! Especially if you’re just starting out with baking, or if like me, you love to bake but don’t get to do so as often as you’d like. I find that starting out with a simple hand mixer is better than going for a full-on stand mixer right away. :)

Do you use a hand mixer? What brand and kind do you use?

If you are using a stand mixer, what brand and model would you recommend?

I also just wanted to share with you guys something I discovered… since the hand mixer only cost about $49, I had more or less $6 left over, and I didn't want that to go to waste.

I didn’t know that you can order rug samples! Did you know that? I found some for about $3.50, and it’s free shipping!

Right now, I don’t really know what to do with it, but I’m sure one day it’ll come in handy. ;)

Any ideas on what I can use it for?

Have a fantastic rest of the week, guys! Hang in there, the weekend is almost here. :D

And, don't forget to enter my giveaway for a chance to win a $100 Shopbop gift card!

Thanks to all those who entered and good luck! :D