I finally decided to treat myself to a new hand mixer, and this one doesn't disappoint. I was amazed at how fast I could beat egg whites to stiff peaks.  The lowest speed is almost as fast as the highest speed on my old mixer. This means it's difficult to mix dry ingredients without a cloud billowing up. As a result I mix by hand until the flour is incorporated and then use the mixer after that. I wish the lowest speed was a bit lower.