It may not be the fastest electric mixer, but it does offer fantastic value for money, making it an ideal choice if you want lots of functions on a budget.

Transition Southampton: this local social and environmental group produces a Sustainable Living Guide, with lots of top tips, including where to get things repaired, and also holds a monthly repair cafe, which aims to keep everyday items away from landfill, save resources, give people the opportunity to learn new skills and build community. Visit transitionsouthampton.org or search for Transition Southampton, Transition Town Romsey, New Forest Transition or Transition Town Fareham on Facebook. It is part of a national network. Visit https://curbkitchen.wordpress.com/ or search for Curb: The Real Junk Food Project on Facebook. Beyond the classic balloon style, there are plenty of specialty whisks. If you make a lot of sauces, a flat whisk is a good place to start. The wires are arranged in a single layer that’s perfect for scraping brown bits from the bottom of a pan while stirring béchamel, gravy, and other sauces. All of our whisks, no matter their size or features, are made from high-quality, lightweight material making them both reliable and easy to wield. Most are dishwasher safe too, to make sure clean-up is as simple as possible.It’s a question of how you want to live and what you’re comfortable with. I think it frees you up to be satisfied with what you have. I think you learn to treasure things more if you repair them too – giving them your time gives them more value.” READ NEXT: Best coconut oil for cooking The best hand mixers to buy 1. Bosch CleverMixx MFQ3030GB: The best cheap hand mixer She adds: “Once you become aware of it, you see more and more where people are just throwing things out. At first glance, whisks might look like a pretty basic kitchen implement. But that’s not the case. Kitchen whisks are highly designed tools with different whisks available for different kitchen jobs.

A favorite among baristas, its compact size and unique shape make it perfect for getting every last morsel of powder from the bottom and edges of the cup. Across five trials, we found this whisk easily grabbed every bit of matcha powder in the corners of the brewing pitcher. Its slim profile made it easy to grip between fingers for maximum control while mixing. In another test, we used this whisk to mix instant espresso powder before adding to a chocolate torte and found the flat shape and stiff wires adept at blending the coffee powder and boiling water. Books for Free: Free Books Southampton is based in the Third Age Centre in Bevois Valley. The project diverts books from waste and gives them away. Search for Free Books Southampton and Books for Free Romsey, on Facebook. Also, don't forget to use your local library!

These small, compact hand mixers are an essential addition to any kitchen

One day last year a friend and I went round to see what students had left and there were vacuums, tins of food, clothing – some of it washed and folded, loads of bedding, cooking implements, ornaments and so on. As well as a variety of full-sized whisks, we also offer a selection of mini whisks. They’re brilliant for doing everything a large sized whisk can, but in smaller pots and pans and bowls. Mini whisks are also ideal for smaller jobs too, like whipping up milk for frothy coffee and cappuccinos, getting the lumps out of hot chocolate, or for blending vinaigrette salad dressings in glasses and mugs. The latest silicone whisks But Claudia says that almost everything in her house was free. Recent acquisitions have included a sofa bed, a garden shed and some “lovely furniture”. You can use an electric hand mixer, stand mixer, food processor (see below) or balloon whisk (and elbow grease) but you need to adjust the timings depending on which method you use. If you plan on using a balloon whisk then the bigger the head is, the less effort you'll have to put in. A balloon whisk with a wire ball inside it (and hard ball inside that) will work even more efficiently. You can use a flat whisk, or at a pinch a fork – sometimes needs must – but it will take you much, much longer.

It washed easily in the dishwasher when finished, but hand washing would be better to maintain its shiny finish as some water spots remained after the dishwasher cycle. I need a whisk!!: Claudia and Debd are keen to maintain a sense of community in this Facebook group so to become a member you need to be Facebook friends with someone who is already in the group. If you're not, you could always think about starting a group of your own. Beaters:These mixing attachments are the most common you’ll find when you buy an electric hand mixer. A beater is typically a 3D rectangular shape, composed of flat pieces of metal that cross over at the bottom, with large gaps in between to allow mixture to pass through. They’re fine for most tasks but are typically used for medium to heavy mixtures such as when you’re creaming butter or sugar. The only negative on this affordable, reliable whisk was that after washing in a dishwasher, the handle had a slightly cloudy appearance. We recommend hand washing to preserve the shine of the stainless steel. Freecycle: This international network allows people to give away and request free items in their local area. Visit https://uk.freecycle.org/I don’t think people think about where things were made, how they’ve been shipped, delivered by lorry etc. I’m not saying I’ve always thought about that either, I haven’t. I think this lifestyle did grow out of ethics but I don’t give myself or other people a hard time about it,” she says.