If I ever get any spare time, you’ll find me in the kitchen whizzing up a vanilla cake, delicious cheese scones, or a tasty homemade loaf using one of the best stand mixers. So, it always puts a smile on my face when I get the opportunity to review another appliance.
This time, I’ve got my hands on a stand mixer that is a little bit different from what I’m used to testing, and it’s from a brand that has a history dating back to 1953. Laura Ashley is a trusted home and clothing brand, and I’ve previously purchased sofas, curtains, and bedding from the company.
However, in 2024, Laura Ashley broke away from its textile roots and teamed up with VQ to start producing small appliances. VQ has also partnered with Cath Kidston, another brand known for its heritage prints.
Now that I’ve given you the background, I’ll share with you my first impressions about Laura Ashley’s stand mixer.
It’s floral
There’s no denying that you’ll either love or hate the design. The stand mixer has a traditional floral design, and it’s not subtle. The stand mixer I’m testing is in the China Rose collection, with all items in the range featuring a soft blue rose pattern on a white background.
Apart from the stand mixer, you’ll also find kettles, toasters, blenders, slow cookers, and a hand blender within the collection, so you can kit out your kitchen with a matching appliance if you wish.
It’s super lightweight
Having tested other stand mixers, I was surprised at its weight — just 7.9 pounds. I won’t need to ask the fitness team for bicep strengthening exercises to pick this stand mixer up! The lightweight nature of this appliance could be a real bonus if you don’t want to store your stand mixer on the countertop, as it’s easy to move.
It’s far lighter than any KitchenAid stand mixer, although there is a reason for it, and the price is a reflection of this difference. Laura Ashley’s stand mixer is currently $300 at Amazon. However, KitchenAid’s Artisan 5-quart tilt-head stand mixer (which weighs 22.8 pounds), is $499 at Amazon.
The KitchenAid has a solid metal construction, while the Laura Ashley stand mixer has a plastic coating.
It has suction feet
I was a little surprised to discover suction feet beneath the mixer, but given the mixer's light weight, I can see why they are needed. When it’s mixing dough, I can imagine it would otherwise move about, but the suction feet keep it firmly in place. I found it a little odd, though, as every time I tried to move the mixer, I had to give it a little tug to release the suction pads.
As a comparison, Cuisinart’s Precision Master stand mixer is available at a similar price point to the Laura Ashley appliance, but it doesn’t have suction feet. And during testing, it stayed on my countertop without too much shifting.
I’ll be reporting back on my full findings in my review, but for now, I reckon it’s a good little stand mixer for light to medium users, but if you want to be baking large quantities of dough, it might not be the best choice for you.
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