Have you ever wondered how that trusty kitchen tool, the mixer, came into existence? Well, let’s take a journey back in time to explore the fascinating history of this essential appliance.

The Early Days of Mixing

The story begins in the mid-19th century when Baltimore tinner Ralph Collier patented the first mixer with rotating parts in 1856. This invention was followed shortly after by E.P. Griffith’s whisk, patented in England in 1857. The Monroe brothers, J.F. and E.P., also made their mark with their hand-turned rotary egg beater, which was patented in the US in 1859.

These early designs caught the attention of the Dover Stamping Company, who acquired the Monroe brothers’ patent. The Dover egg beaters became a beloved American brand, often referred to as the “Dover beater.” Back in February 1929, a recipe from the Gazette newspaper of Cedar Rapids, IA, even featured the famous Dover beater in a delightful dessert recipe called “Hur-Mon Bavarian Cream.”

The Rise of Electric Mixers

It wasn’t until 1885 that the first mixer with an electric motor emerged, thanks to the ingenuity of American inventor Rufus Eastman. However, it was the Hobart Manufacturing Company that truly revolutionized the industry with their large commercial mixers. In 1914, the company introduced a groundbreaking new model that would forever change the mixer landscape.

In the early 20th century, two notable American brands, the Hobart KitchenAid and the Sunbeam Mixmaster, became popular choices among consumers. Despite their popularity, domestic electric mixers were still a rarity in most households until the 1920s when they began to be widely adopted for home use.

The Birth of the Stand Mixer

In 1908, Herbert Johnston, an engineer for the Hobart Manufacturing Company, had a eureka moment while observing a baker mixing bread dough with a metal spoon. Johnston realized that there had to be a better way and started working on a mechanical counterpart to simplify the process.

By 1915, Johnston’s 20-gallon mixer had become standard equipment in most large bakeries. And in 1919, the Hobart Manufacturing Company introduced the Kitchen Aid Food Preparer, also known as the stand mixer, for home use. This revolutionary invention soon became a staple in kitchens across the country.

The mixer has come a long way since its humble beginnings in the 19th century. From the hand-turned rotary beaters to the introduction of electric motors and the birth of the stand mixer, this essential kitchen tool has undergone numerous innovations to make our lives easier in the kitchen.

So, the next time you whip up a batch of cookies or blend together a mouthwatering cake batter, take a moment to appreciate the rich history behind your trusty mixer. After all, it’s a testament to human ingenuity and the desire to simplify everyday tasks.

A meat grinder (also known as a “meat mincer” in the United Kingdom) is a kitchen appliance used for mincing (fine chopping) and/or mixing raw or cooked meat, fish, vegetables, or similar foods. It takes the place of tools such as the mincing knife (which is also used in the creation of minced meat, filling, and so on). The minced food is placed in a funnel that sits on top of the grinder. The material then enters a horizontal screw conveyor, which can be hand-cranked or operated by an electric motor. The screw crushes and blends the food. The meal is fed via a fixed plate at the end of the screw, where it exits the machine. The size of the holes in the plate determines the fineness of the minced food.

Karl Drais invented the first meat grinder in the nineteenth century.[1] The first meat grinders were hand-cranked and drove meat into a metal plate with many small holes, producing long, thin strands of flesh.

Manufacturers created powered equipment when electricity became more widely available, and modern electric meat grinders can easily and uniformly process several pounds of beef. Some models include attachments to add functionality, such as sausage-making, kibbe, and juicing, which has dramatically expanded the range of applications for meat grinders.

Share on Facebook