Like any tool you need to evaluate your personal baking needs. Are you going to baking cookies or lots of breads. If baking breads are in your future you will need a mixer that has more power and is geared slower. This does not necessarily mean more expensive. 

If you are going to do any type of breads and want to knead 2 loaves at a time you will need at least a 5 quart mixer. Look very closely at the maximum dry flour the mixer can handle. Then look at your recipes to make sure it will work for you. Also, check the wattage is there enough power to knead the dough. I feel the minimum for me was 500 watts. 

My loving husband searched for hours comparing different modals of stand mixers. We decided to get a very basic inexpensive stand mixer that would be a back up mixer incase our expensive dough mixer had issues. So this stand mixer needed to be at least a 5 quart mixer with at least 500 watts of power. 

With the current supply issues it took time and my first couple of choices were not available. We ended up buying an Ostba Stand Mixer. I have to say for $99.00 it's a 5.5 quart and 600 Watts. I am very pleased it has worked perfectly. It has plenty of power and is geared slow for kneading dough.  

For most bakers who just bake for their needs this is a fine little mixer. I need a second mixer that will handle larger amounts of dough that will hold up to everyday mixing. 

When my stand mixer finally quit on me I started searching for a new mixer. It can be overwhelming all the options and price points. Everyone's needs are different and that's where you should start when considering a new mixer. 

Once you have a few choices in your price range you need to get down to the details of the machine. The dough hook is vital in your kneading of the dough. There are two basic shapes, so what is the best shape to knead bread?

C-shaped dough hooks tend to ride up the hook or the sides of the bowl. That results in the gluten to develop uneven. You will have to constantly pull the dough back into place during the operation. 

​S-shaped dough hooks usually give you a much more even mix to the dough hence a more even gluten development. If all the other factors are the same like the power, quality and size. Go with the mixer that has more of an S-shape dough hook.