Mixing Technology with Tradition: Food Mixers and the Technology Behind Them
November 23, 2022
There’s a Keystone in every great invention.
Food Mixers and the Technology Behind Them
Leaves are falling, the temperature is dropping, and the aromas of freshly baked pies and roasted turkeys are right around the corner. Thanksgiving is a time for family and friends to celebrate and gather around meals that, more often than not, take hours or days to prepare and execute. So, what better topic to focus this month’s blog on than a tool that has sped up cooking times and processes in almost every kitchen?
History of Food Mixers
Many names in history can be credited with inventing early versions of food processors or blending utensils. However, what propelled food mixers into the kitchen superstars they are today is the invention and incorporation of the high-speed, lightweight universal motor. In the early 1900s, Chester Beach and L.H. Hamilton teamed up to form the Hamilton Beach Manufacturing Company and focused on incorporating Beach’s universal motor into the designs for new and improved food mixers. The motor ran on both AC and DC electrical currents and could reach up to 7,200 revolutions per minute.
Utilizing the motor for their food mixer and blenders, Hamilton Beach mixers paved the way for quicker cooking times for larger quantities of food. The success with their mixers allowed for Hamilton and Beach to incorporate their universal motor into other products such as the blender, which would coincide with the rise of smoothies and shakes as a popular new health trend.
Food Mixers of Today
Today, food mixers and blenders are staples of every household and main anchors of wedding registries everywhere. In typical fashion, electronics have transformed these mixers and blenders from the original countertop behemoths to cordless, handheld appliances. Batteries, especially higher quality lithium-ion batteries, have provided the aspect of portability when it comes to food mixers, increasing the ease-of-use and releasing the appliance from the ties to just one kitchen or household.
Smart technology is always finding its way into our homes wherever it can make our lives easier, and the kitchen is no different. Smart mixers have the capability to monitor parameters such as appliance battery levels, mixing power, and dough stiffness. Built-in sensors can track the performance and maintenance needs for components like blades and whisks, while also measuring levels or weight of ingredients. Paired with internal computers, some smart mixers can even store recipes and recommend different mixing settings based on recipe requirements and ingredient characteristics.
We live in a world where time is everything, and especially around the holiday season, the more time spent celebrating the better. Today’s technological advancements in food mixers have taken tedious chores and workloads in the kitchen and turned them into quick and easy tasks. Whether it’s whipping the potatoes just right or prepping the stuffing, Keystone components such as Battery Clips, Contacts & Holders, contact pins and battery clips, plugs, spacers, or screws provide an entirely new experience to Thanksgiving dinner preparations!
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