While they lacked the portability factor, the fact that they could stir and blend and whip on their own was a boon for home chefs — as much then as now.
Here’s a look back at some of the features and options available on these vintage stand mixers from the 1950s through the 1990s.
Stand mixers can do many kitchen chores (1954)
By Shirley Lowry – Chicago Tribune (Chicago, Illinois) December 5, 1954
There’s an electric table mixer on the market today which will do everything but switch off the light and put out the cat.
It kneads bread, shells peas, buffs silver, opens cans, chips ice, sharpens knives, freezes ice cream, beats dough, chops food, and squeezes, strains, slices, and shreds. It also will press the last drop of oil out of a peanut or a kernel of corn.
This handy machine starts at $59.50, but goes all the way up to $123.50 as attachments are added to it. For instance, a dough hook, which will knead bread, costs an extra $1.95 in the smaller model, and $3.95 in the big one.
Bowls, including three-, four-, and five-quart sizes, are part of the machine’s paraphernalia, as it is a pouring chute. The ice cream freezer attachment makes up to two quarts.
Chrome stand mixer
The last word in the electric mixer world is a machine with lots of eye appeal. It is all chrome, with stainless steel mixing bowls. Introduced this season, it sells for around $52.75.
Table top mixers among nationally known brands range from $29.50 to $123.50. Models have anywhere from six to 10 speeds, and each does a variety of tasks. One model has what it calls a “merry-go-round bowl.”
For the tiny apartment house dweller, or the cook-in-a-hurry, electrical appliance stores and departments are recommending portable hand mixers.
The juniors in the mixer field, they can whip up cake and cookie batters, and mix drinks. They also can be toted to the stove and used to mash potatoes still warming in the pot.
The differences in mixers
Various details distinguish the different types available. Some have heel rests, storage hangers, stop-n-go switches at a thumb’s touch, three-speed selector dials, and even beater ejectors so that hands need not get sticky when removing spindles. Weight of some is less than three pounds.
For easiest speed control… try Hamilton Beach! (1949)
Easiest speed control: Mixguide puts 10 tested speeds right under your thumb, right under your eye — magnified for flash reading. No stopping to change speeds.
Easiest operation: Hold the mixer in one hand, set the speed with your thumb. Frees your other hand to hold a pan or add ingredients.
Easiest portability: Beater unit slides off stand for use at the range, table, anywhere. Nothing to release or detach. Easy off, easy on… with one hand. Compare!
Easiest juicing: Strainer collects seeds and pulp. Juice flows directly into serving glass. No bowl to wash. Extractor lifts out for cleaning. Rustless.
Easiest bowl control: Ever-turning bowl assures even mixing — always. Finger-tip control shifts bowl while beaters are turning. Compare!
Gilbert Food Mixer machine (1949)
It does everything but plan your meals!
Let this wonder machine do all your mixing and fixing! It even chops fresh cuts of meat in a few seconds!
16 precision speeds at your fingertips! Just twirl the knob to the right task.
Extra-powerful Gilbert motor glides swiftly and easily through the toughest mixing, beating and chopping jobs!
Swing it, tilt it easily — the exclusive Gilbert swivel bracket lets you swing beaters freely from side to side as they work, for more thorough mixing. Beaters tilt up too, so bowl can slide out freely.
Lifts from stand with one hand for mixing right at the stove!
Attachments lock into place in a jiffy. Extra power outlet is built right in.
Easy to clean — sleek white enamel machine, stainless steel beaters, sturdy glass bowls whisk clean quickly.
Westinghouse Food Crafter (1951)
The mixer with the power to do everything… better.
Mixing anything is child’s play with this marvelous new Food Crafter. It gives you power at your finger tips to do all the hard work…
- Power for heavier mixes
- Power for smoother batters
- Power for more juice
- Power for one-speed mixing
In fact, it has power to spare to mix, whip, beat, fold, cream, juice… so much better, easier and quicker. You’ll love the way the beaters pick up the mixture from the bottom and sides of the bowl and blend it all together.
New juice crafter gets more juice. Pitcher-type bowl pours easily, holds 24 ounces. Special action sweeps all the pulp away. Juice flows freely.
New mix dial… Up front where it can be seen; sets with the flick of a thumb, 6 basic speeds, plus 20 variations. Designed for left or right-hand use.
Short-cuts your mixing. You can add the full quantity of ingredient at once, even 2 at a time, if desired. All thanks to perfect blending action.
Hamilton Beach stainless steel stand mixer (1956)
Sparkling chrome! Stainless steel bowls! Give the gifts with the guarantee!
- Lustrous beauty that lesser gifts can’t match
- Ends hit-or-miss mixing — combination of new beaters and Bowl Control action beats everything
- New Mixguide puts 10 tested speeds under the thumb
- Mixer slides off stand for easiest portability
G-E Triple-Whip mixer (1953)
This Christmas, give your favorite cook the new G-E Triple-Whip mixer!
You’ll be setting her free! You’ll be setting her free, for years to come, from the kitchen’s most tedious, tiring chore! You’ll be sparing her the drudgery and arm ache of hand beating — and saving her time, as well!
New, greater power is at her fingertips. Speed Selector, with 12 tested speeds, provides the right power for each job, assures uniform results.
Instant beater-release allows the 3 heaters to slide out without tagging. To release them, just turn Speed Selector knob beyond the “Off” position.
Built-in light shines down into bowl, spotlights the mixture, shows how it’s coming. Just one of many G-E features that all add up to “controlled mixing.”
You can fine confidence in General Electric.
Sunbeam Mixmaster (1956)
Only Sunbeam Mixmaster has all the marvelous features that give you higher, lighter, finer-textured cakes — creamier, fluffier mashed potatoes — velvet-smooth icings and sauces — makes all your food-preparing easier and better.
Only Mixmaster gives you all these advantages in a food mixer!
- Larger Bowl-fit beaters
- Automatic Bowl-Speed Control
- Motor that gives Full Power on all speeds
- Automatic Heater Ejector
- Automatic juicer and the famous Mix-Finder Dial.
Deluxe Sunbeam automatic Mixmaster mixer (1960)
Her Christmas will be happier when you give her a famous Sunbeam Mixmaster Mixer.
It takes even the heaviest batters in stride, gives perfect mixing results every time with its exclusive Bowl-Fit Beaters.
Sunbeam quality-built motor has full power on all 12 mixing speeds. Famous Mix-Finder Dial. In a choice of 5 kitchen bright colors.
Sunbeam Vista Mixmaster vintage stand mixer: A compliment to your taste… (1963)
Owning it — or giving it — is a source of quiet pride, because you know it’s the finest, both in performance and in styling.
What other mixer offers the convenience of twelve mixing speeds, bowl-fit eaters to ensure the most thorough, even mixing, large and small mixing bowls, automatic beater ejectors, plus a governor-controlled motor that maintains a constant speed under all conditions!
Lighter, finer cakes are only part of its work — there’s a use for it at every meal. And beyond performance, it has the fresh, new styling that’s inherent in all Sunbeam Vista appliances.
Vintage kitchen table mixers from Sears (1971)
Avocado green Sunbeam Mixmaster vintage stand mixer (1972)
Whip up a tray of treats with the Sunbeam Mixmaster mixer.
In Avocado, White, Harvest Gold, and Chrome.
Bowl-fit beaters mic thoroughly, blend evenly. 12-speed Mix-Finder dial eliminates guesswork. Portable mixer convenience at a touch. Bowl-shift lever positions bowls just right. Extra-large 4-quart and 1-5/8 quart mixing bowls included.
At Sunbeam, good enough is never enough.
MORE: Vintage Pyrex from the ’50s: Color bakingware, glass Pyrexware, dinnerware, flameware & more
The Oster Kitchen Center (1974)
It could turn your friends green… your family pink… and your cordon bleu.
Good News From Oster! Three “most-wanted” kitchen appliances in one: multi-speed Mixer, powerful Food Grinder, Controlled Cycle Osterizer Blender.
Handsome, compact, always counter-top-ready to help you turn out hundreds of company-pleasing, family-tickling recipes. Not only brings out the best in you, but saves your time and energy every meal-time, every day.
In Harvest Gold, Avocado or Starlite White, at fine appliance, hardware and department stores. You’ll agree — it’s the nicest thing to happen to your kitchen since the dishwasher.
Shirley Jones for Sunbeam Mixmaster vintage stand mixers (1976)
“The Sunbeam Mixmaster mixer makes real homemade bread because it comes with dough hooks to do heavy kneading. And a powerful 225-watt motor with governor control that maintains full power on all twelve speeds.
“It’s bowl-beaters, Mix-Finder dial and beater ejectors all help you make cakes, fudge, whipped cream… just think of the possibilities.” – Shirley Jones
DON’T MISS: After vintage automatic coffeemakers like these were invented, mornings were never the same
Sunbeam Food Preparation Center vintage stand mixer (1982)
Only one multi-purpose application has earned the right to be called the Food Preparation Center. Sunbeam!
It took Sunbeam know-how to create the Food Preparation Center. One appliance that does the work of four. As a mixer for batters, sauces and frostings.
A doughmaker that kneads dough for breads and pastries. A blender for juices, dressings or for grinding fresh coffee beans. And a food processor that slices, grates, chops, shreds, grinds, purees and dices ingredients for your favorite recipes.
Only one appliance gives you the versatility, power and performance of four appliances, yet only takes up the counter space of one. The Sunbeam Food Preparation Center.
Sunbeam table mixers (1980)
“Sunbeam has a Mixmaster Mixer for any and all foods you’d like to whip up.” – Shirley Jones
Sunbeam makes a complete of excellent mixers. Complete with features to help you make it right. Just look at the Power Plus Mix. It’s one of the most powerful motors ever to wear the Sunbeam, thanks to a 335-watt motor with precision controls.
It can help you prepare anything from fluffy egg whites to heavy yeast dough. It comes with deep, tapered stainless steel bowls to concentrate the ingredients into the beaters. So it mixes like no ordinary mixer can.
The Power Plus dough hooks and beaters are larger and heavier than standard mixers. So you can knead enough dough for three 1-pound loaves of bread at the same time.
All Sunbeam mixers are made with the same kind of quality. From the Burst of Power Hand Mixer right up to the Infinite Speed Mixmaster Mixer, Sunbeam just can’t be beat… So take a look at our complete line of mixers soon.
More power. More pizzazz. More performance. (1987)
These beautiful new KitchenAid Ultra Power mixers are as powerful as they are handsome. They actually have 20% more power than our popular K-45 mixer, to knead the toughest dough easily and without the strain that can shorten the life of lesser makes.
Besides the heavy-duty motor and transmission, they feature a solid-state speed control, all-metal construction and the remarkable KitchenAid planetary mixing action that mixes thoroughly to the sides of the bowl without having to scrape.
For quality, performance and durability, see the mixers especially designed for serious cooks who demand the best. The strong, stylish KitchenAid KSM90 Ultra Power mixers.
KitchenAid vintage stand mixers with lots of attachments (1986)
Just look at all the ways a KitchenAid mixer can turn recipes into reality. Its complete line of optional attachments lets you do almost every job in the kitchen without buying and storing separate appliances.
For quality, performance and durability, more serious cooks choose a KitchenAid mixer than any other. Its exterior is all metal, no plastic. Its motor is heavy-duty. And it’s built so well, it’s often handed down from mother to daughter.
With a premium KitchenAid mixer, all you have to do is attach your imagination.
KitchenAid vintage stand mixers (1998)
Improvise ingredients, not tools.
Every time the recipe says “mix,” “blend,” “beat” you have the right tool to do it. Sturdy, well-designed, [to stand up to repeated use], helpful right out of the box, the KitchenAid Stand Mixer is a value in the truest sense: because you value its presence in your kitchen.
- Flat Beater mixes ingredients (onions into meatloaf, butter into cookie dough)
- Dough Hook kneads dough (you will start doing this often now)
- Wire Whip fluffs things up (cake batter, egg whites, heavy cream)
This stand mixer is a classic for a reason! Perfect for kitchens of all sizes, the KitchenAid classic series stand mixer delivers the power and durability to mix large batches. Sturdy, all-metal construction. It has an easy-access, tilt-head design and a 4-1/2 quart, brushed stainless steel bowl.
NOW SEE THIS: See 10 vintage portable electric hand mixers & beaters from the ’50s
2 Responses
Disappointed there was no mention of my vintage 1977 K45 lift stand mixer! The last of the Hobart made Kitchenaids, it has lasted over 45 years! (Though I confess I have not baked as much in recent years as I did when it was new, or since my kid left home.)
I’m so glad I got mine before Hobart was sold to Whirlpool, as I’ve heard tons of complaints about the newer models.
But I sure wish I could have that groovy glass bowl they have for the new models.
Somewhere there’s a website/web page stating “All Kitchenaids parts fit *all* other Kitchenaid machines.” THEY DONT FIT THE K45!!! =^(
I have a Hamilton Beach hand mixer 1951 in box still runs # model JM-no.-51fm. 146023 is it worth anything