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The Cuisinart HM-90BSC Power Advantage Plus 9 Speed Hand Mixer is, in one word, amazing. A motor with feedback analysis, extra long beaters, 3 speed settings with a SmoothStart feature, and a one step power switch makes this hand blender stand out among the rest.
Cuisinart HM-90BCS Power Advantage Plus 9-Speed Handheld Mixer via Amazon
At a Glance:
Pluses:
- 9 Speeds
- SmoothStart feature
- Automatic Feedback Sensing
- Useful accessories
- Storage container for accessories and cord
And Minuses:
- Power cord is cumbersome
- Speed buttons are easy to bump
Let’s get into the finer details of these pluses and minuses:
Versatile 9 Speeds
The Cuisinart HM-90BCS can go slow for things like mixing in chocolate chips and easily transition to an extremely fast speed for whipping up meringue.
Regardless of what speed it’s set at, the 220-watt motor with automatic feedback lets the hand mixer know what kind of resistance it’s dealing with and can adjust the power to maintain the desired speed.
The mixer powers on and off with a single button. A digital screen displays the speed settings which are operated with up and down buttons. The only down side to this is every time the HM-90BCS is turned off, the speed resets instead of staying at the initial setting. That’s been an annoyance to some users, but not enough to say the machine isn’t worth it.
SmoothStart
This is a big feature everyone brags on! The SmoothStart feature engages during the first 3 speeds. The beaters will begin turning slowly so as not to set off a flour bomb. It’s not a big deal that it’s not included in the others ones—ideally you want to start slow and work the speeds up anyways, so this helps with that technique.
Crazy splatters are a thing of the past. No poofs of dry ingredients blow up in your face. In fact, because of the lower speeds with the SmoothStart feature, you are able to mix in chocolate chips and nuts on the first speed setting. The only other brand I’ve run across that offers the same thing is KitchenAid; all other hand mixers recommend mixing those ingredients in by hand.
All the Right Accessories
A big question that pops up is “can this make bread dough?” I’m here to answer with confidence, yes! The Cuisinart HM-90BCS is specifically made to handle tough doughs. Insert the dough hooks and you’re good to go! You might want to turn out the dough and begin kneading by hand sooner than usual, but it will mix everything together (if it doesn’t, refer to the 3-year warranty).
That being said, if you are going to be baking multiple loaves every week or tackling tough pizza dough, do yourself a favor and buy a strong stand mixer.
The extra-long wire beaters are also appreciated. These come in at 7 and a half inches long, which is roughly an inch longer than most other beaters. The wire beaters work so well that many people forgo the included chef’s whisk and use these for whipping eggs and cream.
Finally, the last accessory is the spatula. I know, I know, great—another spatula, how wonderful for my utensil drawer. But actually, it’s a pretty cool little spatula. Unlike traditional rubber spatula’s, this one is nicely curved specifically for mixing bowls. Not to mention…
Clear Storage Container
Several hand mixers include some type of storage feature, and this one doesn’t disappoint. The translucent plastic storage container easily holds the beaters, whisk, dough hooks, spatula, and 5-foot power cord easily.
Very rarely does anyone complain of the fit being either too tight or too loose, which has been a fairly common annoyance with other brands. Users also like it because rather than the mixer and accessories being stored separately, everything is kept together in this one place—directly with the hand mixer. No more rummaging around the kitchen looking for specific utensils.
In the Way
Speaking of the 5-foot power cord, this is actually the biggest complaint of the hand mixer. While the length is good, and it kinda-sorta swivels out of the way for left and right-handed use, it’s cumbersome when it comes to setting down the hand mixer. The robust power cord tends to knock the balanced hand mixer over because it doesn’t quite clear the way.
Tips, Tricks, and Techniques
If the workspace gets a bit powdery from measuring ingredients or kneading dough, unplug the power cord and give it and the hand mixer a once over with either a dry or slightly damp rag. This will remove some of the dust that might have clung to them. Otherwise, the next time the hand mixer comes out, the accessories and bottom of the storage container might be a bit dusty.
Thanks to that automatic feedback sensing feature, this hand mixer can cream together cold butter and sugar for cookies with no problem. When it comes to cheesecake, here’s a special trick that I didn’t know before testing the HM-90BCS:
Let the cream cheese and eggs come as close to room temperature as possible. The easier the ingredients are to blend (and softened cream cheese is very easy to cream,) the less air will be incorporated into the mixture. Less air means a less likelihood of the cheesecake coming out of the oven with a big split down the middle.
Cleaning and Care
The accessories are all dishwasher safe, or they can be hand washed and dried immediately. These accessories are going to stay rust free and looking great for a long time.
The unplugged hand mixer and power cord need only be wiped down with a damp rag.
Dimensions and Specs
The Cuisinart HM-90BCS is 8.46 x 3.94 x 8.94 inches and officially weighs in at 4 pounds. Most users swear it doesn’t feel like 4 pounds at all. Even those with self-admitted weak strength are quick to recommend this to others who suffer the same or who have arthritis. The voltage is 110-120.
What’s Included:
- The HM-90BCS and 5-foot power cord
- Extra-long, extra wide wire mixing beater
- Chef’s whisk
- Dough hooks
- Spatula
- Storage Case
- User Manual
Warranty Information
Cuisinart offers a Limited 3-Year Warranty. This is a much longer time period than all of the competition and is one thing you should consider when comparison shopping.
The Next Best Thing
There is really only one model that truly stands up to and surpasses the Cuisinart 9 Speed. It’s the Breville BHM800SIL Handy Mix Scraper.
Breville BHM800SIL Hand Mixer via Amazon
This model has many of the same features as the HM-90BCS, but also has a handy light for seeing what’s in the mixing bowl, a counting timer to let you know exactly how long it’s been operating, and silicone coated wire beaters for gently scraping the edges of the bowl. I know! It’s so cool! Read our review of the Breville BHM800SIL here.
Foodal’s Rating
- Power
- Performance
- Included Accessories
- Build Quality
- Warranty
- Value
Summary
The 9 Speed Cuisinart HM-90BCS Hand Mixer comes with beaters, dough hooks, a snap-on storage case, and more. In addition to staying organized, it keeps kitchen’s clean with the SmoothStart feature for less splatter or dry ingredient bombs. The 3-year warranty is as good as you're going to get in this category and is one or two years more than other competitors.
Before You Go…
The Cuisinart HM-90BCS 9 Speed Power Advantage Plus Hand Mixer is easily one of the best mixers on the market. There is a speed for any situation, the SmoothStart feature folds ingredients in before accelerating, and the storage container fits everything perfectly.
That automatic feedback function to the motor is too good to ignore. When it comes to hand mixers, this one is going to make you very happy!
Check prices and read customer reviews on Amazon now!
Have any questions about the Cuisinart 9 Speed? Ask me in the comments! If you’re still comparison shoping, head over to the Foodal Hand Mixer Buyer’s Guide and get the run down of the best models on the market.
Photos by Mike Quinn, © Ask the Experts, LLC. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. See our TOS for more details.
About Taylor Shaw-Hamp
Taylor Shaw-Hamp has loved food ever since she can remember. The more she grew, the more she discovered, and the more she had to know. Now she loves to write about her food adventures through recipes, product reviews, and blog posts. She can be found at local coffee shops across the world, so if you see her, stop by the table and say hi!
