We tried the new Russell Hobbs Emma Bridgewater stand mixer, and it's great for country kitchens

If you’re after a powerful stand mixer with a quirky flair, the Russell Hobbs Emma Bridgewater stand mixer is a good pick. This eye-catching mixer is a new collaboration between Russell Hobbs and iconic kitchenware designer Emma Bridgewater. And as part of their exclusive range, the mixer is designed in a multi-coloured, polka dot print with its trademark, hand-painted effect. 

Best of all, it offers a mighty 1000-watt power, and 5-litre bowl, which is perfect for whipping up those large mixtures or doing batch baking. Sounds promising! But while it looks the part, will it work wonders on mixing up delicious cakes and bakes to take a place in our best stand mixer lineup?  

I put it to the test to find out it if offers substance as well as country style…

Russell Hobbs Emma Bridgewater Stand Mixer

An attractive, stand mixer perfect for those who love baking or cater to big families. This is thanks to its powerful motor and large capacity mixing bowl. Best of all, it comes at such an affordable price, and will certainly make a stand-out feature on your kitchen worktop.

Product specs:

• Size: 402mm x 340mm x 275mm
• Bowl capacity: 5 litres
• Speeds: 10
• Cleaning: Bowl and attachments dishwasher safe 

What’s in the box?

Despite being in a smallish box (compared to other mixers), the Russell Hobbs Emma Bridgewater Stand Mixer is surprisingly big. It’s light enough to lift out of the box and carry to the worktop but its chunky size can take up quite a bit of worktop space. 

It comes with a generous, 5-litre stainless steel mixing bowl, three attachments – a large whisk, beater and dough hook, and a handy splatter guard. There is also an instructions book with delicious recipes inside for inspiration. 

The Russell Hobbs Emma Bridgewater line is one of our favourites, and it even features in our best kettle guide, so if you like match your stand mixer to your toaster, this one's a winner.

What is the stand mixer like to use?

Now, there are a few things to bear in mind before using. Firstly, the tilt-head goes up quite high, so if you have low-hanging cabinetry like me, there’s not much clearance. For this, I had to move the mixer closer to the edge of the worktop to avoid damage. If you're dealing with a smaller area, the Morphy Richards MixStar would be a good choice. Secondly, the suction on the rubber feet underneath is super strong, so it needs some strength to prise the mixer off the worktop.  Finally, the attachments can be a little tricky to fit, and I found if you didn’t attach and push up the spring hard enough, the attachment would drop out. 

That all said, once you’re all set up, the mixer gives a powerful performance. It goes up to 10 settings, with a pulse setting for those quick bursts. I liked the extra-large whisk which is great for quickly whipping up frosting. The quality of the beater and dough hook are also impressive and look far more expensive. 

Perhaps the only downsides are the noise levels - especially at higher speeds, and the basic-looking, speed control dial and lock lever. I felt the plastic feel of the dial let the bespoke design down but that’s purely from an aesthetic point of view.

Making cake in the Russell Hobbs Emma Bridgewater Stand Mixer

The best feature is its 5-litre, stainless steel bowl which gives you more than enough capacity for large mixtures. Plus, it’s quite deep, so easily accommodated all my sponge ingredients. I attached the flat beater and set it at a low speed to begin with, before turning up to around 6.

It mixed extremely well, quickly picking up any mixture left on the sides of the bowl which is often the case. The whisk attachment also worked wonders to whip up a fluffy and creamy frosting with ease, while the splatter guard does a fantastic job to keep mess at bay.  Overall, I was impressed with its powerful performance, not to mention my delicious cakes!

Making bread in the Russell Hobbs Emma Bridgewater Stand Mixer

Although the bread hook looks rather tame, it can knead surprisingly well. I’d added my ingredients into the bowl and set it to about 4. You probably wouldn’t need any higher as it’s pretty powerful but depends on your preference.

After some minutes, it worked the mixture into a firm dough - much better than I’d expected. The splatter guard came in useful for eliminating flour puffs and for adding water to the mixture. You do have to get used to the noise though, as it’s quite loud (not ideal to have a conversation!). However, the results are well worth it. I ended up with a tasty loaf, which had a lovely crisp and fluffy texture on the inside. Perfect to toast, too.

Cleaning

Despite the bowl, splash guard and attachments being dishwasher safe, you need to consider the high temperatures may affect the surface finishes. I actually found it easier (and much quicker) to just sink wash them all in warm soapy water. The outside of the mixer and dial can be wiped clean with a damp cloth.

Is the Russell Hobbs Emma Bridgewater Stand Mixer worth the money?

Compared to other powerful stand mixers, this offers great value for money. It also makes it one of the cheaper options, handy for those who don’t want to break the bank. Perhaps the key features are its exceptional power and large capacity, which are really the main things you’d need for baking.

So, if you don’t need fancy mod-cons or something more multi-functional, this is certainly a bargain. Granted, it doesn’t look or feel as high-spec as several on the market, such as the KitchenAid Artisan stand mixer, but its bespoke, polka dot design certainly makes it unique. 

The verdict: should you buy the Russell Hobbs Emma Bridgewater Stand Mixer?

For those often in the kitchen preparing a batch of cakes and bakes (school fairs?), the Russell Hobbs and Emma Bridgewater mixer will serve you well. Not only does it have a large bowl capacity but it is extremely powerful, which can cut your baking time in half. The beater and whisk attachments can literally whip up a storm in no time, while the bread hook can knead dough without fuss. The mixer itself is pretty wide, so you’ll need ample room on the worktop, and preferably not under a low-hanging cabinet as the head-tilt goes up high. If you did want a small yet superb mixer though, the Kitchen Aid Artisan Mini Tilt-Head mixer would be ideal. Overall, the country-style, polka dot design and affordable price of the Russell Hobbs and Emma Bridgewater mixer makes this one a real gem.

About this review, and reviewer

Cynthia Lawrence is a freelance lifestyle and homes/interiors journalist and writes for various national publications. With an unhealthy obsession for all things homes and gardens, she also has an interior design blog. When she’s not spending time surfing online for decor inspiration to revamp her 1930s home, she is busy reviewing some pretty awesome home appliances.

A regular contributor to Real Homes, she has written for Livingetc., Gardeningetc., Ideal Home, T3.com, Top Ten Reviews and House Beautiful amongst others. 

The Russell Hobbs and Emma Bridgewater Mixer stand mixer was tested over a weekend, while Cynthia and her family enjoyed sampling tasty cakes and bake treats.