Written by Tom Scalishi | Published 1:45 PM, January 25, 2021

If you purchase a product through one of our links, BobVila.com and its partners may receive a commission.

There are many DIY-friendly projects that require some specific work. From building the deck to erecting a new mailbox, concrete helps ensure that your project remains safe, durable, and firmly anchored. However, unless you use the best cement mixer for a particular project, preparing a cement mixture can be daunting.

Although you can mix concrete with a shovel in a wheelbarrow or a mason’s bathtub, mixing water and cement can be a tedious and tiring process. Using the best cement mixer can significantly shorten this time, while also saving energy for the project at hand. This guide will help you understand how to choose a machine that suits your purpose and why the following products are considered the best cement mixers on the market.

Most people use the terms "cement" and "concrete" interchangeably to some degree, and this guide does the same. Although this is a common misunderstanding, there is a difference between cement and concrete.

Cement is a kind of adhesive that can set, harden and adhere to other materials. Therefore, it is a key component of concrete, which is an aggregate of several different components. Cement is a fine powder that is hardened by a chemical reaction with water. Generally speaking, the cement referred to in concrete is Portland cement, which is usually derived from limestone.

Concrete is an aggregate composed of water, stone or gravel and Portland cement; other adhesives can also be added to repair the scene. The addition of gravel and stone reduces the amount of Portland cement required, which is generally more expensive and not readily available than gravel. Gravel also increases the strength of cured concrete. Please note that the mortar used to hold the bricks in place is a mixture of cement, water and sand (no gravel).

According to this definition, there are no cement sidewalks, cement slabs or cement mixers. Each is actually specific, but the terms are interchangeable, so much so that manufacturers use "cement" to describe their mixers.

Choosing the best cement mixer requires a solid knowledge base. You need to know which style, size, and weight of the machine best suits your needs, as well as power and capacity, so please keep reading to enrich yourself.

Of course, old-fashioned shovel may be suitable for mixing concrete. But the cement mixer can complete the work faster and reduce the chance of unmixed cement (this will result in a poorer finish and lower strength).

The hand-held mixer is essentially a large, double-handle, heavy-duty electric drill, and can use long mixing paddles. Insert the paddle into the bucket filled with concrete mixture and water and start mixing. These mixers are very suitable for mixing concrete in small batches or in remote areas, which may prohibit the use of large mixers.

The barrel mixer has a rotating barrel, which mixes the water and concrete mixture together by rotating, thereby pouring the dry mixture into the water. They are available in electric and gas options. For most homeowners and DIYers, an electric mixer is the best because it requires little maintenance, while professionals may prefer heavy-duty gas mixers.

For many reasons, the frequency with which you plan to use the cement mixer will play an important role in choosing the best machine.

If you plan to use the cement mixer frequently, it is easier to carry the bucket mixer on your back. After the task of dumping the heavy concrete mixture in the bucket, the user only needs to add water and let the machine do the work.

For those who do not often mix concrete, a hand-held mixer may be a better choice. These mixers are much smaller and therefore easier to store when not in use. Keep in mind that using a hand blender does require effort, although it is not as good as a shovel and a trolley.

Bucket mixers are large and usually heavy. When the bucket mixes concrete and water together, the weight helps stabilize them. However, dragging one of the machines around, or storing one in the garage, may be a problem.

Lightweight mixers weigh less than 100 pounds, which makes them easy to roll, and two people can put one on the bed of a truck. But even light bucket mixers will take up some floor space in the garage.

If giving up real estate is not an option, a hand-held cement mixer may be a better choice. They are often comparable in weight and size to heavy-duty hand-held drills, and the blades can be removed and stored on a shelf.

Concrete mixture is heavy, so the best cement mixer must have enough power to thoroughly mix the mixture and water.

Manufacturers tend to quantify the power of hand-held cement mixers by the wattage of the motor, and 1,500 watts or more is considered ideal. These machines are generally versatile because the adjustable speed allows them to be used to mix lighter materials such as slurries, paints and joint compounds.

Bucket mixers move larger volumes of concrete and require more power. Most manufacturers use horsepower to quantify the power of bucket mixers. Look for a 1/2 to 3/4 horsepower motor to ensure it has the "power" of mixing concrete.

The mixing volume only applies to barrel mixers, but this is crucial: the volume of barrel mixers varies from 2.5 cubic feet to 12 cubic feet. Although bigger may look better, this is often not the case.

Mixing larger concrete loads than you can use can quickly cause problems. The mixture will begin to solidify in the mixer, and once it has solidified after pouring, its strength will decrease. Even if you have a very large mixer, it is best to work under a lighter load to ensure that the mixing settings are in place, not in the machine. Use this guide to determine how much concrete your project needs.

There are some other factors that may make a particular barrel model the best cement mixer for your needs. The paint coating on the drum helps improve its durability, while the lightweight plastic drum reduces the load. Some machines also have detachable or foldable handles, making them easier to store in a garage or shed.

Adjustable speed can increase the usability of the hand-held blender. Although concrete requires lower speeds and a lot of torque, higher speeds can be used with paint and slurries. In addition, features such as automatic shutdown help reduce the risk of burning the mixer when it overheats.

Now that you understand the criteria for choosing a high-quality cement mixer, you can start shopping. Whether you are facing a large-scale project or a quick repair, you may find the cement mixer that best suits your needs in the following models.

Those looking for a medium-sized barreled cement mixer for various concrete projects should check out Kushlan's 3/4 horsepower 120 volt cement mixer. This trolley-handled machine can handle up to 3.5 cubic feet of concrete mixture, providing enough volume for most small projects such as fence posts and mailbox foundations. Its 3/4 horsepower motor rotates the barrel 28 times per minute, so it does not take long to mix a new batch of concrete.

This Cushland is about durability. It has a 5/16 inch thick, dent-resistant, crack-resistant, and rust-resistant polyethylene barrel. Polyurethane flat tires can carry up to 180 pounds of concrete mixture, allowing you to roll the mixed load directly into your work. However, the machine itself weighs only 75 pounds, and pulling the pin foldable handle makes it more compact and easy to store.

Not all concrete projects require large, expensive cement mixers. For mixing concrete by barrel, the affordable F2C Pro 1600W adjustable 7-speed cement mixer can get the job done. This hand-held blender is equipped with a 1,600 watt motor, has seven adjustable speeds, and rotates up to 700 RPM.

F2C Pro is equipped with all the parts needed for mixing, including motor mixers, shafts and spiral blades, as well as tools for cleaning and maintaining the machine. All in all, it weighs just over 14 pounds-light enough for easy handling, but heavy enough to resist the torque generated by the propeller in thick concrete.

Whether it is concrete, mortar, slurry or paint, VIVOHOME's 110V 1600W electric hand-held cement mixer can handle it. This handheld cement mixer has a two-speed gearbox that can increase the torque of thick concrete or the speed of thinner materials. It also provides multi-position speed control.

In addition to the adjustable output, VIVOHOME also has an efficient cooling system that sucks in cold air from the top of the machine and exhausts hot air from the bottom of the machine. If the machine overheats after heavy use, it also has an automatic shutdown function. It is equipped with a mixer, agitator shaft, paddles, and tools needed to maintain and clean the machine.

When storage, portability and capacity are all factors, Kobalt's 4 cubic feet 1/2 horsepower cement mixer may be the appropriate model. This barrel cement mixer has a 0.5-horsepower electric motor that rotates the drum at a speed of 24 revolutions per minute. The drum's 4 cubic feet capacity can handle up to 235 pounds of concrete mixture, while the entire machine weighs only 83 pounds.

This cement mixer uses durable rotomolded plastic rollers to eliminate the worry of rust while still being easy to clean. It also has a dumping handle for dumping the concrete mixture without dumping the entire machine. The wheels are 10 inches in diameter, so they can pass through uneven surfaces relatively easily.

A bag of dry concrete mixture is heavy by itself; add some water and the weight can be exhausting. For Kushlan's 6.0 cubic feet, 3/4 horsepower cement mixer, it doesn't matter. This bucket mixer can hold up to 300 pounds of mixed concrete, and its 14-inch flat tires and wheelbarrow-style handle roll on site.

Kushlan is equipped with a 5/16-inch polyethylene drum that will not crack, dent or rust, increasing its durability when used in large quantities. Between the steel frame, 115V motor and wheels, the entire unit weighs 107 pounds, which is reasonable for such a sturdy mixer. The handle also has two pins for easy storage.

For more useful information about buying and using the best cement mixer, please check the answers to the frequently asked questions below.

There are two main types: handheld and barrel. Hand-held cement mixers are best for mixing concrete in buckets. Bucket mixers are best for projects that require large amounts of concrete.

It is easy to fall into the "more is better" mentality, but this is not always the case with cement mixers. A mixer in the range of 3.5 to 4 cubic feet is more than enough for most small projects, such as fixing mailboxes or fence posts to the ground, or even deck footings.

It's best to start with a wet drum, so use a hose to quickly spray the inside before you start. Start mixing with the wet mud, adding more concrete mix as needed. This guide on how to mix concrete will help.

Mix the concrete for 3 to 5 minutes. At this point, the concrete should resemble thick oatmeal and maintain its shape.

Disclosure: BobVila.com participates in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide publishers with a way to earn fees by linking to Amazon.com and affiliate sites.

You agree that BobVila.com can process your data in the manner described in our privacy policy.

Copyright © 2021 Acton Media Inc. all rights reserved.