Mixing with Hamilton Beach

The holidays have been in full swing for weeks now. Starting the week of Thanksgiving cooking and baking we’re slowly cranking up. Now we are days from Christmas and baking is an everyday happening. My hand mixer died before Thanksgiving. I went through that holiday the old fashioned way. My arms were getting a good workout but I live with pain as a constant companion. I knew I needed a mixer. The search was on. I asked friends and family what mixer they preferred and why. I received various responses with the majority of younger family members telling they just get what is cheap and then replace, replace, replace. That is not for me. Hopefully that is going to change for them too.
A good mixer is definitely worth paying for. Here in my part of Alaska, a cheap mixer runs in the $30-40 range. Replace, replace, replace was going to get expensive, fast. I started looking at what Hamilton Beach had to offer. I really love this company. I can honestly say that over the years my Hamilton Beach products held up for a long time. I tend to look at what they have when I need or want to buy a small appliance. I still ask friends and family for their opinions. I like to compare products. I want to be certain to get the product that does what I need it to do. I definitely want a good price. As I was researching my options I received an email inviting me to review another Hamilton Beach product. (If you are looking for a food processor, please check out my review here.)
The Hamilton Beach ErgoMix Hand Mixer was one of the products offered.

 It caught my interest because of the design. Pain has made baking difficult. This mixer is designed to be easy on the hand and elbow. When I took it out of the box, it felt heavy. I was worried about that. I thought my arm would tire quickly. However when I used it, I adjusted to the weight of it. One thing that I wasn’t expecting was how quiet this mixer is! I frequently wake in the night and am unable to fall back asleep. I enjoy baking at this time but always hand mixed everything because the noise disturbed others sleep. I am now able to mix cakes, cookie dough and other things using the mixer without anyone waking. This was a bonus for me. I also like the way I can stand this mixer on the counter. It was super easy to let the batter drip of the beaters into the bowl. I was able to let the batter drip off the beaters cleanly into the bowl while I got my pans ready. My old hand mixer could not stand as this one does. Here are the photos: 

 out of the box 

the speeds and burst button

whisk and beaters that come with

mixing up the cake 

testing the stand position

 look how the beaters don't make a mess

I am in love with the mixer. Now I know you may be skeptical because I was sent the mixer to review. I would like you to know that I am not paid for my review though I do keep the item. My review is honest and based on the following things that I look for in products I buy. 

Is it easy to put together?

Is it easy to use?

Can it be easily stored?

If it has to sit on my counter, does it take up a lot of space? 

If it is on my counter, does it look good?

Does it perform well?

Is it easy to clean?

Is it durable?

How does it improve my life?

If I need parts replaced, is it possible?

What is the company reputation for customer service?

The Hamilton Beach ErgoMix Hand Mixer was very easy to put together. It comes assembled except for the whisk or beaters you will choose to use. These attached easily, stayed put and then popped out at the push of the button. It is very easy to use with the guide very conveniently placed. You can see the guide as you are mixing and easily change it or give it burst. It is a heavy mixer but I adjusted easily. I do have arthritis in my shoulder and hands so I was concerned. I think the design helps with the adjustment. If you are getting this for someone with hand/arm strength issues, you may want to have them try out the feel at the store. It is easy to store as it fit on my shelf, in the standing position.
I love the performance. This is another area of concern for me. I have purchased hand mixers in the past that died an early death. This is the reason why my review was held a bit. I wanted to be able to tell you if it died. I have used this everyday. It's the season. I have made eggs, mashed potatoes, an amazing amount of cookies, cakes and cupcakes. I have mixed sauces and even made meringue, (I can't begin to tell you how terrified I have been to make that. Now, I wonder what was wrong with me). The ErgoMix has held up beautifully and my hand and shoulder did not ache like it did with the other hand mixers. It performs well, is durable and has certainly made my holiday season easier. It is very easy to clean. Wipe the main part, (do not immerse in water),  and wash the whisk/beaters normally. As for the company reputation, I have used Hamilton Beach products for years. My mom used Hamilton Beach. I did not need to call customer service so I did not try speaking with them. Their reputation with me is solid from 40 years experience. Honestly, this is my favorite company. I check out others and am always interested in what people have to say, but I have never been disappointed with Hamilton Beach. 
If you are looking for a gift for someone who enjoys cooking and baking, the ErgoMix would be a good selection. It looks nice, works fabulously and is easy on the hand/arm. A huge plus is that while it looks pricey, it is not expensive. Go for it. You might get some tasty treats out of it. 

Thank you for stopping by today. If you have any questions or comments, please leave them below. I will answer them to the best of my ability. 

Review: Final Girls

Final Girls by Riley Sager
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Once I started reading Final Girls I couldn’t stop. I was glued all the to the surprising end.

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Review: Sleeping Beauties

Sleeping Beauties by Stephen King
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I both read and listened to this book. It is enormous but engrossing. It is definitely a book you want to plan the reading of, (I ended up making a daily goal for it). I first attempted listening to it, (the narration was impressive. Seriously, get an Audible copy). Then I was able to get a hard copy from the library and started over, alternating between the two.
The story was extremely interesting for me. My family is from the area where it is set. I wish I could say that some of the setting wasn’t accurate but, with the current drug issues, sadly it was. With a setting I knew and characters I might, I was easily sucked into the story. I really enjoyed it when “ Our Place,” came in to the story. That was interesting and the ending was an incredible ride. The book seems more like drama than horror to me. Though I would be freaked if women were to fall asleep inside cocoons. I will choose to leave it there as I don’t want to spoil the story by mentioning other aspects that freaked me out. There were plenty of moments of horror but mostly I saw the story as drama. It didn’t keep me up, terrified to sleep, like earlier works did. But I was invested early and stayed invested to the end. It is interesting to read of this during a time when men and women are struggling to find balance in this “equality” for all society.
I enjoyed the story. It was fun to read a story written by father and son. I have read, and am a fan of, Joe Hill, (I loved seeing him get a nod). This is my first time reading Owen King. He didn’t disappoint me and I am interested in reading other work by him. It is amazing how much writing talent is in this family, (though somewhat expected given both parents are excellent storytellers). I would recommend the book though I would caution not to expect the horror of previous books like The Shining or It. I think if you go in knowing that, you will be able to enjoy the story more.

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Review: What Of Us Remains?

What Of Us Remains? by Mila A. Ballentine
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

What Of Us Remains starts out a bit choppy but smooths out. I read other books by Ms Ballentine and she is a wonderful writer. The zombie genre, though, is a harsh one. Finding ways to stay true to it while incorporating fresh air is difficult. Ms Ballentine tries hard. The book is short so there really wasn’t the typical character building and scenery that you find in the author’s other books. I had a difficult time relating to the lead character. Some of that may be from the author trying to portray the typical New Yorker and giving her a toughness that makes it difficult to know her. It was interesting having a minority as the main character and having it start off in a big city. I haven’t found either to be in abundance in this genre, (could just be the books I choose as there has been an explosion in this genre). This gave the book a unique story. I would love to see the story fleshed out a bit. Perhaps made longer with the opportunity to get a feel for the characters, the neighborhood in the city and an addition of a few more zombie scenes.

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Review: Holiday Hearts A Sweet and Wholesome Romance Bundle

Holiday Hearts A Sweet and Wholesome Romance Bundle by Josie Riviera
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Sweet holiday stories. These are fairly quick reads. My favorite was Candleglow and Mistletoe followed closely by A Snowy White Christmas then A Portuguese Christmas. Though really they each are memorable in their own ways. Ms. Riviera does an excellent job creating a picture of where each story takes place. It is easy to become lost in them and ease the stress of the day. The stories are separate and don’t rely upon each other. This makes it an excellent choice for the busy holiday season. You can choose one in any order, escape in it for a bit and read the others at a different time. Or you can set aside time to read them all at once. With this type of set either way works well. If you are looking for easy stories to ease your stress and take you away, (A Portuguese Christmas is especially great at going away...the author did an amazing job with presenting an accurate Christmas in Portugal), I would definitely recommend this set of holiday books.

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Review: Girl's Guide to Witchcraft

Girl's Guide to Witchcraft by Mindy Klasky
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I enjoyed this book so much! I liked the majority of the characters a lot. Jane is a favorite and I am so invested in what happens to her. I want to begin reading the next book now. I like that no one is perfect in the story. I love all the emotions that Jane went through. Nothing was glossed over. It is one of the most honest, true to life paranormal story I have read in awhile. I love being taken away by fantasy and had forgotten how good it can feel to meet a character you can relate so well to. At times this book had the feel of Practical Magic for me. (That is good as that book is a favorite with my girls and me.) I'm not big on books I love being made for the screen. It is so iffy on how they will turn out that it scares me. However this is a series that I think would be truly fun to see made for the screen. I laughed way too often reading this book. It has definitely made my list of favorite reads for this year.

There are mature scenes though nothing explicit in this book for those who want that information.

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Review: In Time For Christmas

In Time For Christmas by Mona Risk
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

In Time For Christmas is a delightful story. Sylvia hasn’t made it home for the last couple of Christmases. This year she plans to have Christmas with her family. What she doesn’t have plans for is romance. But you know what happens with carefully made plans, right? And being too busy for romance is like tossing out a challenge. Will Sylvia make it home for Christmas? Will she get an unexpected Christmas gift? This book is a perfect book for relaxing after a day of holiday rushing around. When commercialism threatens your holiday spirit, put your jammies and grab some cocoa. Then get comfy and spend the evening reading. Let Mona Risk sweep you away from reality In Time For Christmas!
I purchased the box set, Sweet Christmas Kisses 4, which includes this story. My verified purchase will be on that book. This is a sweet romance so no worries about sexy scenes or language you prefer not to read. It is a safe Christmas romance for teen, young adult readers and those whose preference is clean stories.

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