Mixer apparatus and method

A method for improving mixture of ingredients in a food mixing machine, the method comprising:

• providing a food mixing machine having a base unit, a bowl attached to the base unit, a mixing tool positioned in the bowl, and a motor configured to rotate the mixing tool relative to the bowl, the bowl having a longitudinal axis, the bowl, mixing tool, and motor being concentrically aligned along the longitudinal axis, the mixing tool being movable along the longitudinal axis relative to the motor;
• positioning the base unit of the food mixing machine on a horizontal surface with the longitudinal axis of the bowl being non-perpendicular to the horizontal surface;
• inserting an ingredient into the bowl;
• mixing the ingredient by rotating the mixing tool using the motor, wherein a mixing portion of the mixing tool rotates about a tool axis, the tool axis being non-parallel to the longitudinal axis.

A food preparation machine for mixing ingredients, the food preparation machine comprising:

• a base unit positionable on a horizontal surface;
• a bowl extending from the base unit, the bowl having a first side and a second side, the first side being positioned closer to the horizontal surface than the second side;
• a mixing tool positioned in the bowl, the mixing tool being operable to move within the bowl to mix contents of the bowl, the mixing tool having a mixing portion, the mixing portion being translatable along and rotatable about a tool axis;
• a motor positioned in the base unit and configured to rotate the mixing tool relative to the bowl, wherein the bowl, the mixing tool, and the motor are concentrically aligned with each other, and the mixing tool is translatable along a central axis of the bowl, the central axis being non-parallel to the tool axis.

A food mixing machine for mixing ingredients, the food mixing machine comprising:

• a base unit configured to rest on a horizontal surface;
• a motor positioned in the base unit;
• a bowl attached to the base unit, the bowl having a longitudinal axis extending at an angle that is non-parallel relative to a gravitational direction while the base unit is resting on the horizontal surface;
• a mixing tool positioned in the bowl, the mixing tool being operably connected to the motor to receive a torque from the motor and to move within the bowl to mix contents of the bowl, the mixing tool being movable along the longitudinal axis relative to the bowl;
• a lid covering the bowl, the lid having a recessed top surface, the recessed top surface having a side portion in which an aperture is formed, the aperture opening into the bowl, the aperture having an upstream side having a first radial length and a downstream side having a second radial length, the first radial length being greater than the second radial length.