It is difficult to define what would be considered a retro mixer. Stand mixers usually come to mind, but they have remained more or less unchanged, at least on the outside, since the middle 1930s. The main primary differences between modern tabletop electric mixers and those produced in the past is the color scheme of the mixer and the bowl. Because of this, the history of electric mixers is somewhat straightforward (admittedly leaving out a lot of the corporate details!).
Prior to electricity, most mixing in the home was done by hand. For smoother mixtures, such as scrambled eggs or pancake batter a hand mixer was usually used. For thicker mixtures, such as bread dough, a large metal spoon was generally the tool of choice. These were usually effective methods, but could be quite tiring and it was often difficult to produce a smooth mixture.
The first commercial electric mixers were manufactured by Hobart Manufacturing in the early 20th century. These were large, expensive and were sold primarily to bakeries. The 80 quart mixer was a huge timesaver for making bread in commercial quantities, but wasn't practical for homes for obvious reasons.
After World War I, the company, which had changed its name to the more consumer friendly KitchenAid, released the first 5 quart tabletop electric mixer for home use. Although well received, the mixer was still expensive and weighed over 60 pounds. Because of this, only a few people purchased the mixer when it was released.
As time passed both the cost and the weight of electric mixers decreased and by the mid 1930s the price had dropped to around .00. Expensive back then, but within reach of many households. The popularity of electric mixers was helped by both the increased availability of electricity throughout the United States as well as an effective advertising campaign in which saleswomen would go door to door to demonstrate the uses of the electric mixers.
Although tabletop electric mixers are not as common as they have been in the past, they are still sold and the basic design hasn't changed for decades. Newer models have more technology and options, but they still consist of a mixer on a pedestal that can be rotated into a bowl. A "retro" electric tabletop mixer is very similar to the current version. Many of the older models had white trim and often a clear or colored glass bowl, while modern models often don't come with a bowl (the buyer supplies their own) or a plastic or metal bowl.
Fortunately, if you're looking to decorate your kitchen with a retro theme, there are mixers produced today that have a definite retro style. Even better, many of these are available in different design and color variations. One of the most popular models, the KitchenAid Artesian 5-Quart Stand Mixer, is available in thirty different colors!
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