handheld whisk vs electric hand mixer?

[dzhuo0606]

I've begin think of buying a hand mixer and a whisk recently, but as I think more about it isn't it better just to to buy a hand mixer

is there any advantage that a whisk has over a hand mixer?
what else besides speed and ease is there for a hand mixer?
are there recipes that specifically calls for one or the other
so basically what are the pros and cons of each.

Also I don't bake that much so that should factor in as something also.

 

[wildflower1]

This is a hand mixer...

http://www.google.com/imgres?q=electric+hand+mixer&num=10&hl=en&tbo=d&biw=1001&bih=458&tbm=isch&tbnid=I1O6Z_u4tg_VgM:&imgrefurl=http://gredmondson.hubpages.com/hub/Electric_Hand_Mixers&docid=JytFhr3mW7SF_M&imgurl=http://s2.hubimg.com/u/19077_f260.jpg&w=260&h=260&ei=-2KkUL-jG5Se8gSt84HwCw&zoom=1&iact=hc&vpx=2&vpy=2&dur=4766&hovh=208&hovw=208&tx=120&ty=65&sig=102822524376184660581&page=1&tbnh=139&tbnw=142&start=0&ndsp=12&ved=1t:429,r:0,s:0,i:73

I use mine to beat egg whites, mashed potatoes occasionally for a big dinner; sometimes to mix up a cake mix although a Stand Mixer is better for mixing up a cake mix. A Stand Mixer will do more things... it looks like this.

http://www.google.com/imgres?q=electric+hand+mixer&num=10&hl=en&tbo=d&biw=1001&bih=458&tbm=isch&tbnid=8eu7AvuBXz_vVM:&imgrefurl=http://bellalovespink-caking.blogspot.com/2009_11_01_archive.html&docid=_rNpXSrH18xr5M&imgurl=http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_T-TYM_hOD3I/Su-QbRmI_pI/AAAAAAAADsI/t3lWEm2CPEs/s320/mixer.jpg&w=280&h=280&ei=-2KkUL-jG5Se8gSt84HwCw&zoom=1&iact=hc&vpx=498&vpy=41&dur=51&hovh=224&hovw=224&tx=143&ty=150&sig=102822524376184660581&page=3&tbnh=141&tbnw=141&start=30&ndsp=18&ved=1t:429,r:45,s:0,i:212

The portable hand mixer is more convenient. But the Stand Mixer will do much more stuff. You can make bread dough with it. So don't lose the dough hooks like I did because I wasn't into making bread dough or pizza dough when I first bought it.

 

[MARTIN]

I use both. if i am making sauces or gravey or jello or pudding from scratch i use the wisks. for whipped potatos or whipped cream or cookie doughs or huge quanities of batter or scrambled eggs i use the mixer. i would be so lost in the kitchen with out the electric hand blender the counter blender the two hand mixer and even the 2 stand mixers. i picked sunbeams hand mixer for the sole fact the stand mixer is still going strong after 5 years of making cookie and bread doughs. my kitchen toys are sunbeam, oster, and hobart aka kitchen aid. if all that info helps you.