Beat Off

[mixfinder]

I cleaned up the mixers from the Kansas trip and took a few pictures. My friend Marilyn sent back a Model G, an N-50 and a 3B that all needed some TLC. The 3B was hiding under a layer of grunge. Krud Kutter did a great job of cleaning up grease and nicotine. The mixer had been used hard and gotten so hot the contact points in the switch were blue with heat and too warped to make contact. I file the contacts and then did some magic bend and pry until it was working again. I adjusted the RPMs and then mixed up a cake to try it out.

 

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4C

Marilyn also bid on a chrome 4C on ebay for me. The bid was closing as I was on my way. It was in excellent condition although the seller was horrific. I made some cookies to hand out with rent receipts. I was surperised to see the cover for the planetary painted white.

 

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Kenmore

My grandma bought this mixer in yellow, in 1958. In a thrift store in St Joseph I found the same model, in this color, a mintish green.

 

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Removable Screen

The mixers made in 55, 56 and 57 had a screen covering the bottom of the motor that was removed to add the power take off. It bends easily and the body of the mixer was modified to metal with air vents in the next years to follow. The bowl is from a Betty Crocker, but it fits the turntable. Now to find the beaters, the Achille's heel of this machine. The drive at the top of the beaters was fairly soft metal and the motor extremely powerful. In heavy use of when catching a spoon in the blades, the pins at the top of the beaters sheared.

 

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Hamilton Beach

Hamilton Beach mixers aerate, cream and whip very nicely. They're not as powerful as other brands and the bowl holds only 3 quarts. The model G doesn't have a locking head and if you reverse the bowl direction it can pull the mixer off the stand. The model K locks, has a timer and a tad more modern style. From the first governor controlled motor in the model D until the end of the run in the late 80's, the wattage, design or function of the motor never changed. Solid State was added the label in the 70's but I was never able to evidence any change. All the mixers used the dual beater assembly which was held in place with a thumb screw.

 

[scott55405]

Kelly, who made that style of Kenmore-was it Westinghouse or Hamilton Beach? Are the beaters the same or two different kinds like a Sunbeam? I'm pretty sure I've seen them but I don't remember. I always thought they looked like a really nice mixer. Like all your mixers I have seen, these are very nice!

 

[mixfinder]

Through the Years

Here is the model 3B, a 3 quart mixer with all purpose beater sold door to door in the 30's and 40's. The 4C chrome was a special issue for government operations requiring an NSF certification. The 4C had 50 more watts and 1 quart larger bowl capacity. There is a 3C, not shown that looks like the 4C but has a 3 quart bowl. The narrow shape of the 3B throws dry ingredients out as you're mixing. Then of course the latest incarnation in the background is the Pro620, wide bowl, 6 quart capacity, proprietary to Williams and Sonoma.

 

[mixfinder]

Jesus want you for a Sunbeam

I love Sunbeam mixers. I nearly worshipped them as a kid, worked for Sunbeam while in college and still love the quiet dignity and bowl fit beaters. A model 10 in excellent shape, a model 12, as new and a chrome MM, first in the run and design of the plasticmaster. I found it new in the box it came in. I nearly wept with joy at the wonder of my find. Got home and it had no stand. It's sitting on a black plastic stand from a 1-7.

 

[scott55405]

I've always enjoyed this type of HB when I've used them-they have a cool look all their own. I also have one labeled "Philips" from Canada I got from Pete. One of my favorites is the Model H, where you have the styling like the unit on the right, but still the speed control in the window rather than printed down the side. It's best to have the original equipment beaters I find, as the aftermarket ones have posts in the center of the beaters themselves, and I like it better when they don't.

I did notice progressively higher wattages on the mixers as time went on, from 120 to 150 to 175 etc, but that doesn't of course necessarily mean anything. I find these older mixers stronger than some newer ones with several times higher wattage motors.

HB also had two other lines of mixers in the 70s, that with the really square stand and motor, with separate beaters but the same style bowl, and another where the motor unit is very round with the speed control on front, and the stand kind of square. I seem to recall that had Sunbeamish beaters and a slightly different bowl. I remember seeing a lot of rebadged Sears ones like that, which made me wonder if the ones like your green one were a predecessor to that. Not sure how they all were marketed, if they were sold in different types of retailers or whatever the case.

 

[scott55405]

Wonderful Sunbeams too! I used to see that "Jesus wants me for a Sunbeam" all the time when I'd be looking at mixers on Ebay, LOL. I love all their styles; from a usage standpoint I like those models 10 and later best. I just think it's so much better with the bigger beaters. I love and do sometimes use my chrome "MMB" that we discussed long ago. It too is a very handsome mixer in great shape.

One day while casually looking at the copper hardware on my kitchen cabinets (with countertops very similar to yours) suddenly I began to muse about how handsome one of those copper KAs would look therein. I don't know that I could bring myself to pay $900, but maybe if I found a good price on Ebay. Person could go KA crazy, that's for sure! Love all those colors and finishes.

 

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Kenmore

Kenmore mixers were a blend of Knapp Monarch, Dormeyer and Berkel(?) and Hamilton Beach. The best of the lot were made in Chicago for Kenmore by the company that starts with a B. I know its not Berkel but that's stuck in my mind. In the late 60's Hamilton Beach designed and built a 200 watt mixer with 4 quart and 2 quart bowls. The motor was round and long with the speed control a slide on the front. They were a disaster, not powerful and not reliable. They sold under the Kenmore and Hamilton Beach label. At the very end, Sears sold the Hamilton Beach with the conjoined beaters and by then a dough hook was added with a bowl stabilizer to clamp on. The Westinghouse had a speed control under the handle resembling Kenmore, but was made by Westinghouse. It is an excellent mixer, extremely reliable and extremely powerful. The beaters are a tad undersized and too far from the edge of the bowl requiring lots of scraping. Lucy had one in her New York kitchen. The bowls were made by GlasBake and they also made matching dishes for the Westinghouse refrigerator. Both large and small Westinghouse made excellent appliances.

 

[mixfinder]

Model H

I agree with you Scott. The model H is definitely my favorite. It seems the best of all words, a bit modern, quiet and the glass magnifyer is cool. I have lots of extra beaters and try to snap up anything hard to find if I see it. If you need any, be sure to let me know. In the quiet of the night, I like the model 10 the best. It was my first mixer. The 11 is a model 10 with a coller escutcheon, but still nto the same. The model 12 was and is the best mixer Sunbeam ever made. We all grieved to see that era close. The 12 is fabulous, notably more powerful than the 10 and 11, but it has a touch more throaty sound. I fanasized about putting a model 10 motor in an MM body. That would be cool. I couldn;t have paid $900.00 but after having the retail model and the Williams and Sonoma, the WS is much, much quieter. The copper plating is a 5 step process which helps. My modle 620 has the plastic gear box which is infinitely quieter than the metal. No one on earth uses a mixer more than I do and if there was a systemic issue with the gearbox, I would have encountered it. Like all of us here at Aworg you understand and listen to the voice of each appliance. If it is stressed, I always stop to investigate,

 

[scott55405]

I had forgotten about that little slide out mixing guide!

I'm drawing a blank on the "B" name too even though I know exactly what you're talking about...

 

[dynaflow]

kenmore beaters

see if these r older kenmore

Pardon Our Interruption...

 

[circlew]

Birtman Electric Co.

Believe I read on here recently that some of the 50's Kenmore mixers (along with their vacs) were made by Birtman. Whirlpool eventually bought them out.

 

[mixfinder]

DING DING DING

The bells rang, the lights flashed and the gates of heaven swung inward! You're the winner. Thank you for knowing the name Birtman!!

 

[mixfinder]

May/September Relationship

Those beaters pictured will fit Kenmore, Hamilton Beach, and Farberware mixers currently available. I am touched with your thoughtfulness to instigate the search for beaters. You are a good friend.

 

[tolivac]

Sunbeam Mixers-remember those from when my Mom,Grandmother and Stepmom had those.Used to lick the beaters a bowels after their creations!Now I am looking for Sunbeam.I swear I must live in a vintage appliance "dead zone" only vintage mixer I have found is a HB G with a broken timer dial and missing bowel.Got a bowel from a later HB mixer from another yard sale Both do work but have to share the bowel.Looking for the sunbeam and vintage KA and Kenwoods mixers.I have a couple of KA and 3 Kenwood machines under diffrent names.If I remember-Rival,De Longhi,and Viking.When I think of it-none of the Sunbeams in our family had the attachments-just the beater blades and bowels.

 

[petek]

shite

Jesus wants me for a Sunbeam... I'd totally forgotten about that song we sung in Sunday sKoOl but I remember thinking much the same thing,,why did Jesus want me to be a mixer.. LOL