Suggest a kitchen mixer?

As much as I COVET a Kitchenaid Standing Mixer (in that lovely cream colour!), I need to pick up a reasonably priced hand-held one for the time being.  Then, when we move house to somewhere with cabinets and counter-space, I'll have saved up enough for the "real deal". 
 What brands would you guys suggest? Where should I buy it? I was looking at both amazon and argos, but it's hard to tell which mixers are a good deal and which will fall apart fairly quickly--even when there are reviews.
I bake breads, cakes, muffins--you name it.  So, any good brands out there?

I bought a super cheap-y hand mixer from Robert Dyas and its been great. I've made cakes, bread and cookies with it. Even though I now have a Kitchen-Aide, I still use my hand mixer occasionally.

Mine's a Kenwood and probably cost about £20. It looks more or less like this one, but mine's around six years old. It's been great! I left my KitchenAid in the US when I moved over in 2003 and have always intended to replace it, but just haven't got round to doing that. In the meantime, there's nothing my little Kenwood hasn't been able to handle! Like pkmac, I use it for cakes, bread, cookies, etc. It's brilliant! 

I have that Kenwood one too and it works great!

I have a Kenwood.  I think it cost about 15 and I used it for about two years and it now smells when I turn it on and makes squeaky noises.

I just bought a Dualit from John Lewis, it was expensive, but it has a balloon whisk, which I love, plus the flat beaters and dough hooks.  (My Kenwood had the hooks as well).

I am happy with it and it seems much sturdier than my Kenwood. 

Excellent. I will look around.  Now, if only I could find cocoa powder and powdered sugar... in seems to be hidden somewhere at my local Sainsbury's.

I tend to find cocoa powder near the powdered drink mixes (hot chocolate, instant coffee, etc) and shelf stable milk. 

Powdered sugar is the same as icing sugar and you'll find it with all the other sugars.

I tend to have to hunt for cocoa powder, as there is usually only a couple of brands, though loads of hot chocolate drinks.  I buy Green and Blacks.

I am trying to convince Dan to let me blow all of our wedding John Lewis vouchers on a Kitchen Aid, but he's having none of it!

Vicky

I am trying to convince Dan to let me blow all of our wedding John Lewis vouchers on a Kitchen Aid, but he's having none of it!

We're the opposite! DH is telling me to go ahead and get one since I've wanted it for years, but realistically there are things we need more than that, so I think I'll say no (for now).

Ahh, yes.  I had wondered if the icing sugar was what I was looking for (I'm using it to make icing, after all)--but I hunted high and low for cocoa powder and couldn't see it.  I'll start looking more closely at the drinking chocolates. Or something. I think, for this specific recipe, I could almost get away with getting very, very dark chocolate and melting it.

This is going to sound weird, but I found cocoa powder in my local Oxfam shop. 

They have a section that sells Fair Trade products and it was in with that.

New of course, not used!

I got my Kenwood from Morrisons for about £10-15 it came with regular blades and dough blades as well.

We're the opposite! DH is telling me to go ahead and get one since I've wanted it for years, but realistically there are things we need more than that, so I think I'll say no (for now).

OMG, you're SO strong!!!

I stuck a KitchenAid on our wedding list just because I figured the worst that could happen was that no one would buy it. But one of DH's relatives who had come into a bit of money at a very opportune time actually phoned up John Lewis and said "what's the most expensive thing on their list?" and bought it!!!  I adore it. But I have to admit there are times when I'd like to have a little cheapish hand held one because I don't have enough counter space to keep the Big Mama out all the time (and she weighs a tonne!!)

OMG, you're SO strong!!!

I stuck a KitchenAid on our wedding list just because I figured the worst that could happen was that no one would buy it. But one of DH's relatives who had come into a bit of money at a very opportune time actually phoned up John Lewis and said "what's the most expensive thing on their list?" and bought it!!!  I adore it. But I have to admit there are times when I'd like to have a little cheapish hand held one because I don't have enough counter space to keep the Big Mama out all the time (and she weighs a tonne!!)

Strong or stupid? 

I did exactly the same thing you did! I put the KitchenAid on the list assuming that nobody would buy it. Unfortunately, in my case, I was right. Nobody did. Your DH's relatives are obviously more flush than mine!

I don't think I could keep lugging it out onto the worktop all the time! I always kept mine right there where it was handy because I used it so often!