Have you ever stumbled upon an item in your attic that left you puzzled? It’s those things that our grandparents were familiar with, but their purpose has been lost to time.

Take a look at the picture above. Back in the day, your grandparents and great-grandparents used this regularly, but today, very few people would recognize it. Surprisingly, even the internet had a hard time identifying it.

In case you’re still wondering, it’s a hand mixer. It was a kitchen tool used to mix food, and it was a real time-saver compared to using a spoon. Although it wasn’t electric, its rotating parts could quickly whip up ingredients.

The first patent for a mixer with rotating parts was issued in Baltimore, Maryland in 1865. Shortly after, the whisk was patented in 1857, followed by another eggbeater patent in 1859.

These kitchen appliances remained immensely popular, even as automatic gadgets entered the scene. They kept making life easier in the kitchen, which is why they were beloved by many.

It’s intriguing to come across items like these because they were once so prevalent. Who knows, maybe in a hundred years, people will be wondering what futuristic tools we used in our own kitchens.