Eggbeaters whisk, whip, stir, or beat eggs, cream and other liquid ingredients. These hand-operated, rotary crank beaters were first patented in the mid-1800s and by the end of the century had become valued labor-saving devices for cooks and housewives. The Dover Stamping Company produced one of the first well-designed rotary beaters. It was so successful other companies named their similar looking models "Dover."