This mixer takes a lot of space in my kitchen on my countertop, but I keep it there for a reason. I make bread twice or three times a week. Ever since I got the mixer, my hands have been freed from kneading dough. I usually put it on speed 2. It does a good job for kneading throughly and efficiently while I am making myself a tea and just supervising the mixer. Haha. It makes my life easier. As for the sound, I don’t mind it too much. I mean, I am not going to use it in the middle of the night you know.