This top-rated Lakeland mixer gets the Bake Off look for £669 less

For fans of Channel 4's The Great British Bake Off, the equipment used is as much a part of the show as Paul Hollywood's handshakes. The pastel-hued KitchenAid Artisan mixers on every workstation have become instantly recognisable, but starting at £419 for the 4.8-litre model, one of those is a pricey piece of kit for home bakers.

Shoppers who want the same look without spending as much could opt for Lakeland's digital standmixer, which has similar retro styling but the addition of a digital display. It has a 6.5-litre bowl and comes in four colours - including the GBBO-tent-worthypastel blue and pink. It's reduced by £20, down from £249.99 to £229.99. There is also a light green version in a new Duluxe model, retailing at £249.99, which the brand says has an improved attachment system.

The KitchenAid's equivalent-sized model, the Artisan 6.6-litre version, would set shoppers back £899. So how do the two brands match up in terms of features?

The Lakeland mixer has a 6.5-litre stainless steel bowl, which is just shy of KitchenAid's 6.6-litre offering, making them both suitable for big batches of dough or cake batter. It offers 10 speeds, planetary action, and a timer so you can set mixing times precisely. The tilt-head design is similar to KitchenAid's, allowing the bowl and attachments to be swapped easily. Attachments include a whisk, beater, and bowl cover, covering the basics for bread, cake, and meringues.

KitchenAid's 6.6L mixer has 11 speeds and planetary action, but comes with a dough hook, whisk and two beaters, and it doesn't include a timer. The KitchenAid is also much heavier than the Lakeland version, weighing in at a whopping 15.7kg compared to 6.5kg.

Shoppers who have tried the Lakeland version say it holds its own. One buyer of the red digital model wrote: "I am really impressed by how easy it is to make bread dough, 'rub in' fat and flour, and whip up egg whites. I have used this mixer so many times and like the fact it can handle a large amount of ingredients without 'arm wobble' on the top part of the unit."

One reviewer who owned the now-discontinued black version added: "I love this machine so much! Easy to use and easy to clean, exceptionally sturdy - stays put when mixing (no leaping around the work surface!), a great solid machine. Makes light work of bread dough, cakes and meringues - I've tried them all and all turned out perfectly." And a third person wrote: "Really good, it is very quiet. All I expected it to be."

Not every review is glowing, however. One customer complained: "The only problem I have is the spatter cover which I find pretty rubbish. It falls off if you sneeze too close or look at it the wrong way and the open bit for adding ingredients has no cover so you still get quite a few splashes of cake batter flying out."

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