FAQ's
Many of the same questions come our way, so to help save you time, we have listed some questions and our responses.
Q: Why don't you sell replacement cords? A: Save time and shipping costs by going to Ace Hardware and buying an appliance replacement cord. It's what we use on our refurbished mixers.
Q: Why won't my mixer run when I plug it in? A: The toggle switch located on the top of the mixer head controls only the hi and lo speeds. It is not an on/off switch. In order to see if it works, your cup must be placed under the upper cup holder and raised. The switch is right under the cup holder and is automatically activated when a cup is inserted and pushed up. You can also check it by using any any flat object, if you do not have a cup. If it still does not run, it could be that the motor brushes are worn out or the springs holding them are weak or the wrong size. The brushes are easily checked by removing the two small black knobs (brush caps) on both sides of the motor. Remove these brush caps (careful! they're spring loaded and might fly out). If the carbon brushes are worn down to less than 1/8 inch, it's time to replace them. If the springs are very weak and have little oomph left in them, you may want to replace both brushes and springs. They are available under the Parts/STORE tab on this website. One of these two solutions will solve the starting problem about 90 percent of the time with the 30, 33, 930, and 933 model mixers, made from 1937-1977. If neither works, you may have to take it to an appliance repair service in your area. Of course, if you have a simple continuity tester and are able to isolate an internal problem, you can most likely repair your mixer. These were tough old machines and were designed to be fixed.
Q: I received an inquiry from Neil that I cannot answer. He found a petite hand crank malt mixer that he thinks was made around 1900 and would like more information. It has the name "Kwikmix" on the label, which may be model, brand name, or manufacturer. It you have heard of one of these, I would appreciate hearing from you, and I will pass it on to Neil. Email me at maltmixerman@hotmail.com if you can help.
Q I need a 7 inch cup but can't find one. A: You have a very common problem. Your lower cup holder was probably put on upside down. Turn it the other way, and your cup should fit just fine.
Q: Do you sell cups that fit a 40DM? A: Yes, we do. The cup shown as item No. 1027 in our website store fits all standard Hamilton Beach single and triple machines. There are companies who advertise cups that are supposed to fit the mixers, but many of them are too tall.
There are actually 4 different cups that will fit the mixers.
The cups we sell through our store are new imported reproductions. These are the cups we also furnish with the mixers we market.
You may be able to find vintage cups in flea markets and antique stores that were original to the mixers.
The first one HB manufactured has a round Hamilton Beach logo on the bottom, and usually sell in the $25-$40 range.
The second cup manufactured was the Hamilton Beach name stamped in a straight line on the bottom and sell in the $20 range.
Sometime after the mid 40's, Hamilton Beach started issuing cups that had been made by other manufacturers. Some of the names you will find on the bottoms of these cups are Crafco, Kraft, Bloomfield, Vulcan, and some that just say Stainless USA.
All of the cups described above are stainless steel and have measuring marks on side. The newly manufactured cups are a little lighter weight.
We frequently have some of the vintage cups in good condition, which we sell for $12.50. You would have to contact us through maltmixerman@hotmail.com to see if we have any in stock. When items are ordered by email, I usually send buyers a PayPal invoice. Always glad to help, and I hope this answers your question. Malt Mixer Man
Q: I just bought a single head model 30 or 33, not sure which, and it won't run. What do you suggest? A: It's most likely the brushes, but it could be that your bearings need to be lubricated. Refer to the "How-to's & Diagrams" on this website to trouble shoot both. Try the suggestions, and if neither one works for you, let me know if I can help.
Q: I have a 3-head Hamilton Beach mixer and one of the heads doesn't work. Can you tell me anything I could do about it, or any other information how to fix it? A: Is it the center motor? Usually if one is not running it's because of one of two reasons. Either the bearings or brushes are worn. You can tell if it's bearings by unplugging the mixer and turning the mixer shaft by hand. If it turns easily it's not the bearings. If it is hard to turn, it is normally the bearings. They need to be lubricated. 90% of the time the motor brushes have been worn down or have weak springs. Go to "How to's and Diagrams" on this website to see how to get into the mixer to get to the brushes. While you're in there you can also lubricate the bearings. If you need new brushes, contact me at maltmixerman@hotmail.com. Of course it could be a switch, but that's rare. Let me know if I can help. Malt Mixer Man
Q: I know very little about these machines, and there aren't any servicemen in my area who work on them. How can I do it myself? A: Most of these machines are fairly simple to work on, and most people with a basic knowledge of electricity or mechanics can repair the machines themselves. We have assembled several helpful pages on this website that you can consult. You may also contact Malt Mixer Man, who is always glad to help. Generally, we are the only people who have most of the parts you will need to repair your machine.
Q: What is the difference between a 30 and 33 malt machine? A: The model 30 was introduced as a commercial machine. The head is larger and has a stronger motor than the 33, which was marketed as medium duty. Unless placed side by side, it's difficult to tell which model you're looking at.
Q: What is the difference between a 30 and 930? A: Model 30 was an earlier machine. 930's were basically the same machine but have removable cup holders. They were made during the last few years of production. The same thing applies to the difference between the 33 and 933.
Q: What is the difference between a three-head 40DM and a 940? A:The Model 40DM was introduced in the late 30's and had a run of approximately 35 years. After that the 940 was introduced, and the basic difference was that it came equipped with removable cup holders.
Q: I found a red 40DM malt machine. Did they make it in red? A: No. The only colors they made were jadeite green, almond, and an extremely rare and hard-to-find black. Beware of off-colored mixers, they may have been painted.
Q: I found an internal cup switch that came off of a 940, will it fit my 40DM? A: Yes, however, you will have to modify it by removing the pin and inserting a bolt in its place, which is very simple. We can send you instructions on how to do that.
Q: Where can I find the removable upper cup holder for my 940 triple head? I seem to be missing one. A: They are very rare, as they were only made for a few years. Because they were removable, many were lost when taken off for cleaning. We have them occasionally, and as far as I know they are not being manufactured.
Q: How can I tell what model my machine is? A: Normally, on the model 18 or older, the number is normally on the label. Models 30 and 33 will have it on the name band, or there may be a plate underneath the mixer with the model number. The 40DM and 940 will have a metal tag on the back plate with the number on it. If in question, you can always send a picture to our service department here.
Q: I have a Hamilton Beach no. 18 single head milkshake mixer. The cord has melted and needs to be replaced. How should the wires attach to the head of the machine? I see three metal prongs but am not sure which wire should go to which prong. William A. A: That is a common question. as there are 27 possible combinations of wire placement. If it has the original wiring still in it, it will be the two light colored wires going to the outside terminals, with the black wire to the middle terminal. If the wires have been replaced and you cannot tell the color, the two hot wires coming up from the cord go to the two outside terminals. The black wire comes from the middle of the switch to the center terminal. (Reply: Thank you so much! I did a quick fix by taping the cord and putting the hot wires on the correct terminals. IT WORKS! This thing hasn't been run since the middle 1990's.....)
Q: What kind of cup is original to the Hamilton Beach mixers? A: There are a number of cups that came out with the Hamilton Beach mixers.
The earliest cups we know of were made for the marble based mixers. They do not have a rounded rim; they have a straight edge. They were made of nickel over brass. Most of the nickel has worn off and the brass is showing through. None of these cups have names or dates on the bottom that we know of.
When the porcelain mixers came out, they required a different cup with a rolled edge that would activate the lever that turns the motor on. Several companies made these early vintage cups which are now sought after.
The first cup was made by Arnold, which had "Arnold Patented April 15th 1919 stamped on the bottom. Another cup, which was made by Gilchrist, was issued and reads "Gilchrist's Number 5-M Container Patented Nov. 16, 1926. They are not as valuable, as no mention of Hamilton Beach is made.
In 1926 Hamilton Beach patented three cups referencing the HB company on the bottom of the cup:
One had a circular logo running around the bottom edge which reads "Hamilton Beach Mfg. Co, Racine, Wis." Also, stamped across the center, is "For Arnold, Hamilton Beach, Gilchrist Patented Nov. 16, 1926. There is also a rare glass cup with this logo, if you can find it.
Another 1926 cup also had a circular logo which reads "Hamilton Beach Mfg. Co., Racine, Wis." Stamped across the center of the cup is "No.1-A Patented Nov. 16, 1926". There are very few of these cups to be found.
The third cup still had the Hamilton Beach logo and patent date of 1926, but the logo is stamped horizontally rather than in a circular design. It reads "18-8 Stainless Steel Hamilton Beach Co. Division of Scovill Mfg. Co. Racine, Wisconsin. Patent Number 1606992".
Some time in the 1940's, Hamilton Beach quit making their own cups. They began having cups made by perhaps a dozen different manufacturers. The cups might be stamped Bloomfield or Craft, or just Stainless USA. Some cups also came from Japan and Korea at this time. All of these cups are duplicates of the original cups which are 6 7/8 inches tall and fit all vintage mixers made before 1977. Because all cup holders were stationary, there was no need to come up with different sizes of cups. They were made of the same heavy stainless steel as the old cups.
After 1977, vintage porcelain based mixers were discontinued, and all cup manufacturing was moved overseas, mostly to China and India. When that happened, measurements which had been in inches, were changed to metric. Because of their wide range in heights, the new cups do not fit vintage mixers. If you see cups advertised that will "fit all Hamilton Beach mixers", don't believe it! They are referencing new models of mixers, not the vintage ones. The cups measure anywhere from 6 3/4 up to 7 1/4 inches tall and will not work, as most of the vintage mixers do not have adjustable lower cup holders.
Myers mixers are unique in that their cup activation switch is flexible; a cup can be raised and lowered a little to accommodate almost any cup. The Myers cup has quite a unique shape. About three inches from the top is an indented one-inch "band" that goes all the way around the cup. By the way, an original Myers cup is very, very desirable. If you find one, get it, their value has increased drastically.
We offer 6 7/8 inch cups in our store, as we have them made to our specifications.