The article traces the history of the kitchen mixer, beginning in 1856 with Ralph Collier’s patent for the first mixer with rotating parts in Baltimore. This was followed by E.P. Griffith’s whisk patent in 1857 and the Monroe brothers’ hand-turned rotary egg beater in 1859, which became known as the “Dover beater.” In 1885, Rufus Eastman invented the first electric mixer in the U.S., and by 1914, Hobart Manufacturing Company introduced a key model that helped shape the industry.
In 1908, Herbert Johnston at Hobart developed an electric standing mixer inspired by bakery dough-mixing methods, and by 1915, Hobart’s 20-gallon mixers became standard in large bakeries. In 1919, Hobart launched the KitchenAid Food Preparer for home use, marking a significant milestone in making electric mixers popular in domestic kitchens by the 1920s. These innovations revolutionized cooking and baking, making electric mixers a household staple.
