I currently own a " KitchenAid Ultra Power Plus 5 speed hand mixer " ( see photos ) that I purchased 15 to 20 years ago for $79.99. I'm pleased to inform everyone that this hand mixer has never failed to produce and is still in excellent working and cosmetic condition after all those years and at least a hundred uses during that time frame. I decided I would purchase the new KitchenAid Architect KHM926Cu Digital 9 speed hand mixer and compare there performance. The only reason I purchased this item is because Sears.ca had it on sale for a few days ago for a whopping $52.00 off the regular price of $129.99 or ( $77.99 ). I decided I would make a batch of "Soft and Chewy Oatmeal Cookies" and use them both during the mixing portion of this recipe. Anyone who bakes will certainly agree that any cold butter cookie dough recipe is a challenging recipe for any hand mixer and the torque from the hand mixer can be brutal on your wrist. A KitchenAid Pro Line 7qt Stand mixer is the correct tool for this task but there is a lot more cleaning involved when using a stand mixer and its a great recipe to gauge the quality of your current hand mixer.I would have placed this review on Amazon.ca ( my favourite place to buy things ) but unfortunately at this time this item it is not currently being sold by Amazon.ca. Hopefully my neighbours to the south will benefit from this very honest and in-depth review of this product even though it's not a verified purchase through Amazon.com. I will post it on Amazon.ca as soon as I see it listed and shipped and sold by Amazon.ca.There is very little difference in size or weight or balance for these two items. They both stand on there end on the counter and the older 5 speed sits more secure and sold ( less likely to tip over ) than the new 9 speed. The cord length is generous on both but the 5 speed power cord is in a fixed position on one side while the 9 speed offers the versatility of changing the power cord position either to the left or right or centre on the hand mixer. The new 9 speed power cord also has avery nice and permanent rubber strap at the end of the power cord that allows you to neatly fold up the power cord for easier and better storage. The 5 speed only came with a pair of quality stainless steel beaters and the new 9 speed comes with a better grade of beaters, 2 dough hooks , 1 whip and 1 blending tool that can be inserted in either side of the hand mixer. It should be noted that the dough hooks are intended for lighter recipes or less dense mixtures than bread dough like tea biscuits etc. It's doubtful in my mind ( and I'm not even going to try ) to make bread dough using a hand mixer with dough hooks. A stand mixer is far better suited for that task .Both these units use powerful Direct -Current Motors and both produced the very same top speed and torque. If there was any difference between the 5 speed on high ( #5 setting ) and the 9 speed on high ( #9 setting ) it was not detectable by yours truly. The Digital 9 speed does have a definite lower speed on #1 setting than my older 5 speed and thats a blessing. The 9 speed automatically goes to the lowest setting ( #1 ) every time it is turned and I like that feature. The digital control on the 9 speed is slower than the old slide mechanism on the 5 speed when adjusting the up and down speeds. On the 9 speed you must push the arrow once for every increase or decrease in speed. The amount of torque on my wrist from both was the same and the noise generated from both was identical and not as quiet as some have stated in their reviews and is still noisy. The beaters ejected easily on both and both units cleaned up quickly after use.The bottom Line. The only improvement I personally found between the new 9 speed and my old 5 speed was the lower speed on #1 setting. The colour of the new 9 speed is nice. The side view photo below ( 4th from the left ) depicts the exact colour of the KHM926CU hand mixer. The tool bag is well made and a nice feature and will keep your hand mixer tools all in one area and easier to find. The power cord ( strap ) used for storing the unit on the 9 speed is also well made and well designed.I gave the KitchenAid KHM926CU 9 speed Digital Architect hand mixer FIVE STARS because there is absolutely nothing wrong with this product and I purchased it for $2.00 less than what I paid for my old KitchenAid 5 speed hand mixer many years ago. If your in the market for a hand mixer and budget is a priority, then the KitchenAid 5 speed at less than $50. is a quality product at and excellent price and you will not be disappointed with the 5 speed hand mixer. If you can afford a few dollars more and prefer the digital controls and the newer design over the 5 speed model, then by all means go for the 9 speed or even the 7 speed. Be patient. All small appliances items constantly go on sale through-out the year. I recommend this and any KitchenAid products when it comes to a Hand Mixer or a Stand Mixer.