History of the Famous KitchenAid Mixer

Small Kitchen Apppliance Conquers Bridal Registries for a Century

Jan 17, 2009

Plastered throughout Modern Bride Magazine and still a very big "It" item on bride's wish lists', the KitchenAid mixer has become an iconic kitchen appliance.

Has KitchenAid established such brand recognition that it upholds an entire consumer category like Band-Aid or Kleenex?

Maybe not yet. Sunbeam, Cuisinart, and Hamilton Beach are on the heels of the KitchenAid’s established trademark, but it’s only fair to say that KitchenAid was first. Selling over one million mixers per year it is interesting to see how little this kitchen appliance has evolved over the past 100 years.

Of course there have been some changes. It used to only come in white, but now you can buy it in over 40 colors and finishes from Green Apple to Cornflower. While this may be appealing to the Modern Brides’ kitchen; the solid mechanics of the appliance have not significantly changed. A pea shucker attachment from 1919 will still work on today’s models.

Lighten the Load

The basic history of the mixer originates from Herbert Johnson’s ideas to make life in the kitchen easier. He came up with the idea in 1908 after watching a professional baker struggle with a bowl and a spoon. Johnson, founder of Hogart Mfg, invented the first 80 quart Hogart Model mixer in 1915. According to ideafinder.com, this mixer featured “planetary action,” where a single whisk spun in one direction while the bowl spun in another.

While the industrial-sized 65 lb Hogart mixers served their role initially in professional bakeries; a man named Egmont Ahrens decided to streamline the size and look of the mixer, which in turn, reduced the price from $189.50 to $55.00 in 1936. The new design made the mixer fit so perfectly on kitchen countertops that they decided to patent the design itself.

From Professional to Ordinary

In 1919 Hogart Mfg gave some of their executives mixers to test in their homes so that they could stew over possible names for the appliance. “I don’t care what you call it, all I know is that it’s the best kitchen aid I’ve ever had,” said one of the executive wives. By then, the name was born.

KitchenAid mixers didn’t take off selling at the get-go. In 1930 a man named Ivar Jepson created The Sunbeam Mixmaster which was sold for $15.00 in the early 1930’s. Times were tough then as they are now; surely people were hesitant to pay the $55.00 for the KitchenAid mixer.

Joining Forces

In 1986, KitchenAid was bought by Whirlpool Corp., but that only seemed to help rather than harm their reputation. The Kitchenaid stand mixer sold 308 million in sales in the year 1988.

Who knows what is in store for KitchenAid in 2009. Their advertising campaigns have targeted retailers like Bed Bath & Beyond, Macy’s, Target, and Sears, which are all leading retailers for bridal registries. The machine can now morph into a pasta maker, a food grinder/chopper, an ice cream maker, a sausage stuffer, a grain mill, or a citrus juicer.

"Mixed" Reviews

Recently, consumers have sent complaints about the KitchenAid stand mixer in their supposed attempt to “cheapen” it by using plastic gear box covers. Their have been rumors, however, that KitchenAid is intended to go back to using the metal gear box covers to retain their reputation of durability.

Currently, KitchenAid and whirlpool have put together a campaign for the Susan G. Komen foundation for breast cancer awareness. For every pink mixer that is sold, ten percent is donated to the foundation and hosts also are having “cook for the cure,” parties to collect donations to the fund.

The copyright of the article History of the Famous KitchenAid Mixer in Kitchen Gadgets is owned by Megan Byrnes. Permission to republish History of the Famous KitchenAid Mixer in print or online must be granted by the author in writing.