push down mixer...wisk...blender

[maki2]

I saw one of these little mixer gadgets at the thrift store last month for just over a dollar so I decided to buy it and see what it could do.
It turned out to be fantastic!  I use it all the time and in fact I went back to the thrift store and got a second one that was smaller in diameter. That small one fits inside of a mug, great for making foamy hot chocolate or a latte. They have proved their value as a useful non electric mixer in my RV.

Small push down mixers are not a new gadget, they have been around since the early 1900s. But they have had a recent revival because of the popularity of lattes and other such drinks that use foamy milk. If you push rapidly they really do whip a lot of air into milk, smoothies, eggs and you can even make whipped cream with them. But they also work for mixing batter where you don't want a lot of froth, you are the speed control.

Easy to find on the internet...use these keywords    hand push mixer wisk

 

[B and C]

I carry one similar to this: https://www.amazon.com/ICYANG-Stain...-3&keywords=stainless+steel+spring+coil+whisk  

Mine is an antique though (like me).  Great for mixing pancakes, eggs, gravy (it will scrape the bottom of the pan when you push it down!), and anything else that could be a bit lumpy.  Easy to clean too.

 

[maki2]

The push down whisk I am discussing spins around very quickly when you push down on the handle. It does not scrape the bottom of the pan. Scraping is not something desirable for non stick pans.

 

[B and C]

The scraping part (push down and move around) is for making gravy only and only if you need to, otherwise the straight up and down or swirl works well. I wouldn't use it on teflon but works well on ceramic pans. It is round wire and does not scratch like a sharp edge spatula would. Mine is open on the bottom too, making cleanup easy.

 

[Redbearded]

I use a milk frother from ikea for like $3
https://www.ikea.com/us/en/catalog/products/30301167/

 

[RoamerRV428]

cool gadget

 

[Dingfelder]

The scraping part (push down and move around) is for making gravy only and only if you need to, otherwise the straight up and down or swirl works well.  I wouldn't use it on teflon but works well on ceramic pans.  It is round wire and does not scratch like a sharp edge spatula would.  Mine is open on the bottom too, making cleanup easy.

A friend of mine used my ceramic pan and scraped a big scratch all the way across it the very first time she used it.  I'm not that experienced with ceramic pans, but I'm treating mine like teflon now.

 

[B and C]

The 7 inch "Studio A" ceramic skillet I use the most from Walmart has held up surprisingly well. Our kids have what I thought was a good set, but one has scratched and started to let stuff stick. It must all depend on how they're treated. I do not use metal utensils in mine, only wood or silicone. I have a stainless pan for any heavy chores, mashed potatoes, chili, gravy, etc.

 

[maki2]

I use a milk frother from ikea for like $3
https://www.ikea.com/us/en/catalog/products/30301167/

the push down whisk I posted about is a lot more capable of doing mixing of materials than a mild frother. I use it for things like beating eggs, mixing batter for cakes including hot cakes as well as frothing drinks. The Ikea milk frother won't work for mixing batters.

 

[Redbearded]

True the frother isn't great for batters, lol. Though I usually just use a wooden spoon for stuff that is that thick. But for a small quantity of eggs/cream/milk, it works well
Also if I need something really thick beaten up I pull out the stick blender.

 

[shadowmoss]

I checked those out online e. There are new ones for a bit over $3 on ebay. I may get a couple to try and have to give as gifts if they work ok.