You can't beat a loaf of freshly baked bread, gooey cinnamon rolls, or a batch of homemade cookies warm out of the oven. But it's tough to mix the dough with just a wooden spoon or even a hand mixer.

You don’t have to be a contestant on a reality baking show to appreciate the capabilities of a sturdy stand mixer. With one, you can plow through thick cookie dough and whip heavy cream into a frothy ...