Classic KitchenAid mixers

The “Cadillac” of kitchen appliances is perhaps the modern KitchenAid Mixer.  Many bakers would love to have one of these stand mixers in their kitchens and lots of folks are lucky enough to have one. We have had several this year at estate sales. I probably should have bought one but I am trying to downsize and these appliances do take up some room.

The first mixer was actually developed by Herbert Johnson with the Hobart Manufacturing Company.  He noticed a baker hand mixing in a large bowl and watched the mans perspiration dripping into the dough!  Yuck!  So he came up with a prototype commercial mixer that was huge and bulky but turned out to be an invaluable tool for the Navy in their ship’s kitchens. This “H” model was so popular that it became a standard issue on all Navy ships by 1917.  

Hobart began working on a smaller version for the home but his prototype was still heavy and bulky.  He sent them home with company executives to give their wives to try.  They loved them and one wife said it was the best kitchen “aid” she had ever used and the name just stuck. 

Women were hired by Hobart to sell the mixers door to door but it was a struggle with the 65 pound machines. Hobart developed a smaller model “G” in 1927 that was smaller and easier to handle.  It sold 20,000 units the first year and many celebrities and executives purchased the mixers as well.

The 1937 “K” model has remained in production to this day and these mixers came with all kinds of attachments from grinders to pasta makers and any of the attachments fit any KitchenAid made between now and 1937. That in itself is an amazing feat in this age of planned obsolescence.  

Colored KitchenAid mixers began to be produced in the 1950’s. Up until then, the only color choice was white. Julia Child’s favorite Kitchen Aid mixer is now in the Smithsonian. The one millionth mixer produced was gold plated and is featured in the KitchenAid museum. In 1994 the company had a contest to find the oldest running mixer.  A 91 year old lady had a totally functioning model H from 1919 that she had inherited from an aunt in the 1940’s. 

The KitchenAid stand mixer is still produced in Greenville, Ohio. You can visit the KitchenAid museum and enjoy the displays of all the models and attachments and possibly get a behind the scenes tour of the manufacturing process.  Happy Collecting!