Who invented the egg beater?

While there's no single, definitive inventor of the egg beater, the earliest versions can be traced back to the 18th century.

Here's a breakdown:

* 1747: A British inventor named Joseph Priestly designed a simple hand-powered whisk. This was a key precursor to the modern egg beater.

* 18th Century: The concept of a "churn" emerged, which was used for churning butter. The basic design of a churn, with its rotating blades, was a significant influence on the development of the egg beater.

* Early 19th Century: The first recognizable egg beaters started appearing, using a hand crank to rotate blades or wires for whisking. These were often bulky and difficult to use.

* 1885: William A. L. Vogdes patented a design for a hand-operated egg beater that was more efficient and user-friendly. This became a popular model and laid the groundwork for future innovations.

So, while there isn't one single inventor, Joseph Priestly, William Vogdes, and other anonymous innovators played crucial roles in the development of the egg beater over several decades.