Honestly my wife has had wonderful luck with the KitchenAid ones. She's had 2. We had an exchange student who burned out her first one. It was the basic 3 speed. I bought her another of the basic 3 speed ones. Really nicely built little machines. They actually have a 9 speed one that is powerful enough to make bread dough in a pinch. Might be my wife's next hand unit but then she does have the big 8qt Commercial KitchenAid I obtained and rebuilt for her. And I have to say that thing is nice. We're hoping our youngest will FINALLY leave the nest and we'll give her the 3 spd and I will gladly buy my wife the 9 speed. Cuisinart has a decent one as well.
I have this one but I honestly don't use a hand mixer extensively, nor do I have much experience with other brands. But when I use this it works well, feels good in my hand, and I like the cord control. https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00CSMGN36/?tag=TVWB-20
thanks for the input...I looked a few times online for favorably 'rated' mixers...out of stock...
My wife had a gift card from Bed Bath Beyond----only one mixer in stock, a Cuisinart. She's happy.
A good friend purchased a KitchenAid and she was not pleased-probably a cheaper one.
Anyway, we have a mixer for the 5 x's a year we use one.