Hand Mixer Woes

[BakerAunt]

My Cuisinart hand mixer, which I have had for about thirteen years, will no longer let the beaters attach. This mixer replaced one from less than two years before it that was under warranty and developed the same issue. The problem is not with the beaters themselves, as I tried the whisk attachment, and it would not hold either. The problem is internal, perhaps with the release switch. I found out there was a problem when I needed the mixer about two weeks ago. Fortunately, I still have a smaller Kitchen Aid hand mixer that this more powerful one replaced, so I pulled it out and used it. We also have an even older hand mixer that my husband had before we married, so I do have back-up, even if it is not as powerful as I would like.

I do not think the Cuisinart one is fixable, which is irritating, because I believe in repair. Does anyone know of a place that works on hand mixers, or should I just throw it and its accessories in the trash?

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[Mike Nolan]

Small appliance repairs shops are a vanishing breed, I think the last one in Lincoln closed recently when the owner retired.

They actually make mixer attachments for a power drill, but I've never heard how well they work. They don't have two blades so they might not create as much whipping or mixing action.

I don't even know the last time we used our hand mixer, I've got a manual mixer that I use for things like custard and popovers.

[RiversideLen]

I had an uncle who had an electric shop where they rebuilt electric motors. He told me that the small motors were designed in such a way that you couldn't open them up (I suppose you could cut them open but then you wouldn't be able to close them up again). So they didn't rebuild the small ones, if you had a problem you'd have to buy a new one. I just looked at my Cuisinart hand held and don't see a way to open up the case. My electric razor instructions say not to try to replace the battery because if you open up the case, you won't be able to put it back together (when the battery needs replacing, the razor needs replacing). The small stuff just isn't made to be repaired. Even if you could, the cost of repair would probably exceed the cost of replacement.

[Mike Nolan]

I once took my Kitchenaid pasta roller apart to clean it, but it took me over a week to figure out how to get it back together again, too many parts all had to be in just the right place at the same time.

[BakerAunt]

What irritates me is that the motor is fine. It is the mixer attachments that won't stay in now. Len is right: there is no way to open the case. While I will have to trash the mixer, I will donate the attachments in the hope that someone can use them.

One of my friends had a mixer that would only hold one beater. She gave it to an artist in her neighborhood who used it to mix paints. It's nice to see a second use before the trash can. As neither attachment will stay in on mine, that is not an option.

I use the hand mixer to combine oil, sugar, and other wet ingredients when I make cakes or quick breads. It helps to emulsify the liquid ingredients before stirring in the dry ingredients by hand. For now, I will use the back-up mixer. I'm not sure how well it will handle thicker cookie dough. By 7-qt. stand mixer is just not good at small amounts.

[chocomouse]

I've used my GE hand mixer for over 45 years, and everything on it still works fine. It made a lot of cookie dough when my two children were young and in their teens. It even whips cream. My nice Cuisinart stand mixer died many years ago, probably about 2000, and I never replaced it. I use a bread machine to mix bread dough.

[rottiedogs]

I talked to my resident Mr. Fix It and the news is not good for repair. The only hope is that the beaters themselves are the issue. There is supposed to "ears" on them so they click into place.
Check to see if they are worn or broken. If they are not then it is the latching mechanism and there is no way to fix that. Which is sad because it relegates the mixer to a landfill. Small hand appliances are not usually made to be fixed. I am lucky because Mr. Fix It enjoys a challenge and if it doesn't go back together nothing is lost. I still have to buy a new one. But occasionally I get lucky. My ancient steam iron did get fixed but it is of a vintage where that was still possible. Same with our vacuum cleaners. I have two ancient Hoovers that I refuse to replace because nothing on the market now is 1/4 as good. I am also fortunate that there is a vacuum repair place not roo far away that we can get parts from.

[Italiancook]

BakerAunt, I have a Cuisinart hand mixer, also. I've also experienced the beaters falling out without "catching." I can't tell you how I learned this -- calling the company or reading the instruction booklet -- but: One of my beaters has wings, protrusions on the sides of the stem. The other beater is just straight.

I learned that I have to put in the winged beater first, using the hole that has openings in the sides for the wings. Then that beater will hold in place.

Lastly, put in the straight beater, and it will catch and stay in place.

[BakerAunt]

Italian Cook--Yes, I know that procedure, and it has been what I have used. However, the large beater no longer will hold in its place, and not the smaller beater will not do so either.

I have a whisk attachment, so I tried that in the proper slot, and it also would not attach. Thus, I have concluded that the problem is in the interior latching mechanism, which there is no way of accessing.

[RiversideLen]

BA, I wonder if contacting Cuisinart would do any good. I once had a ThermoWorks probe that wasn't working, I contacted them and they replaced it even though it was out of warranty. It doesn't cost anything to ask.

[BakerAunt]

Len, I suspect it would be like the time I was trying to buy a new work bowl for my food processor. While Cuisinart was helpful in aiding me in finding the part number, they no longer carried it. They would have given me a 20% discount on a new food processor, but I knew that my old one is superior to the new ones, and I was able to source the part.

There appears to be a design flaw in the Cuisinart hand mixer latching mechanism that causes it to break. I'm not willing to buy another one, even with a discount. I will make do with my back-up hand mixers and think about whether a small Kitchen Aid stand mixer might be a better investment.

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