The Best Way to Store Your Stand Mixer

For a lot of home cooks (and home bakers!), the stand mixer is as important a fixture as, say, the sink or the fridge. It’s basically an essential item and it’s used almost daily. And many would argue that a stand mixer deserves a place on the countertop for this reason alone — or because they think it just looks good on display.

But what happens when there isn’t room for it on the counter? Or you don’t actually like how it looks? (Some people are countertop minimalists!) It’s a heavy piece of equipment, and the idea of pulling it in and out of the cabinet day after day is often too much handle.

A mixer lift is exactly what it sounds like — a lift for your mixer (like a car lift that mechanics use, only for your small appliance). It mounts on the inside of a lower cabinet and then (almost) magically pulls out to present you with your mixer when you need it. Get a sturdy one and you can even use the mixer right there on the lift, creating bonus counter space!

Note: You will need to devote an entire cabinet to the lift. Make sure you measure a few times to confirm that the lift (and the mixer!) will fit inside. And while installation is more complicated than, say, putting a mixer on a shelf, it’s really not all that hard.

• Rev-A-Shelf Full Height Base Cabinet Heavy Duty Mixer Lift, $87: This spring-loaded system can hold up to 60 pounds and is far sturdier than a lot of other options on the market.
• Rev-A-Shelf Appliance Lift with Soft-Close Mechanism, $159: Is the soft-close function worth the extra money? That’s a personal preference, but if you have soft-close cabinets (or toilet seat lids!) you know how nice the feature is and you may be willing to pay up for it.

Do you have a mixer lift? What do you like (or not like) about it?