TheHistoryOf.net

No matter who you are, you know what a blender is. Even if you’re not much of a kitchen aficionado, the blender has become part of the lexicon. The blender has seen a variety of uses since its invention almost 100 years ago, but really gained in popularity with the rise of exotic mixed drinks in bars across the globe. Let’s take a look at where this invaluable invention came from so we can gain an appreciation for its genius and no longer take it for granted.

The Birth of the Blender

It all begins in 1919 with Polish-American Stephen Poplawski. Poplawski owned the Stevens Electric Company and was working on creating a drink mixer while contracting with Arnold Electric Company. In 1922, he patented his mixer, which had actually been created solely to blend milk shakes at a soda fountain. His liquefier blender was also introduced the same year.

In the early 1930s, Chester Beach, L. Hamilton, and Fred Osius introduced a blender under the Hamilton Beach Company name. Fred Osius further improved the design with Fred Waring and released the “Miracle Mixer” in 1933. A few years later, a further improved design was released by Waring as the Waring Blendor, a device that helped make the smoothie popular in the 1940s. At this time, W.G. Bernard also introduced “The Blender,” which used a stainless steel jar rather than glass.

Expansion

In the European market, Traugott Oertli created a blender based on Waring’s design. It debuted in 1943 and was called the Turmix Standmixer. Oertli also released an appliance that could extract juices from fruits and vegetables called the Turmix Juicer. There was also a smaller version that could be used in conjunction with the Standmixer called the Turmix Junior.

In South America, Brazilian Waldemar Clemente created a blender based on the Standmixer design called the Walita Neutron Blender. Clemente also acquired the patent for the Turmix Juicer and other accessories. The Walita brand grew and grew in subsequent decades, producing a vast amount of blenders and juicers for famous companies the world over, such as:

• Philips
• Turmix
• Siemens
• Sears

The 50s and 60s were a true boom time for Walita, and Royal Philips Company eventually bought them out in 1971.

Meanwhile, John Oster bought out Poplawski’s Stevens Electric Company in 1946 and released his own blenders on Poplawski’s designs called the Osterizer. Sunbeam Products bought out Oster in 1960, but the Osterizer name still persists to this day.

So after reading this short history you probably have a pretty good idea about how the blender got to where it is today. You also probably recognize plenty of the names thrown about, such as Hamilton, Beach, Oster, and Waring. All these names still hold a special place in the appliance industry despite the fact that their companies were long ago bought out by conglomerates. These big companies know that name recognition goes a long way and people want to know that when they buy a blender they are getting an appliance with deep roots. The blenders of today have come a long way from the early days, but those roots in quality and strong design are still there.

About the Author

Mike Rocha is an engineer from Florida with a passion for food and the Cuisinart brand. As an engineer and hobbyist chef, he uses and stands by Cuisinart not just because of the name, but the ingenuity, quality and functionality that they represent. Being an electrical engineer who designs and develops medical imaging systems, Mike understands more than most what is necessary in creating these advanced appliances. Check out his website for reviews and special offers on appliances like Cuisinart 4-slice toasters and Cuisinart automatic coffeemakers.