Swapped from hand mixing to a portable mixer last year

Used to mix all my concrete by hand with a hoe and tub, took forever on small jobs like walkways. Finally grabbed a 5 cubic foot portable mixer after a 60 foot driveway project left my back wrecked for a week. Now I can batch a yard in 10 minutes and still have energy to finish the day. Anyone else make the jump to a mixer and never look back?

3 comments

3 Comments

davidshah9d agoTop Commenter

Used to be one of those stubborn guys who bragged about hand mixing like it was some kind of badge of honor. Got a little electric mixer for a backyard slab last spring just to see what the fuss was about. Regretted not doing it sooner is putting it mildly. Now I look at that dusty hoe in the corner of the garage and almost feel bad for it. Definitely ate my words on this one.

rivera.hannah9d ago

Broke my back hand mixing a 50 foot walkway last summer and swore I'd never do it again lol. Picked up a little electric mixer from harbor freight for like 200 bucks and now I feel like an absolute idiot for all that time I spent sweating with a hoe. It's so nice to just dump in the bags and walk away for a few minutes while it does the hard part. I still have to clean the drum which is annoying but it beats the alternative by a mile. Honestly if anyone reading this is still hand mixing on bigger jobs just do yourself a favor and spend the money lol.

the_olivia9d ago

Totally agree with you @rivera.hannah. I did the same thing last fall on a patio job and my back was wrecked for a week. Picked up a cheap electric mixer after that and honestly it changed my whole approach to concrete work. Now I look back at all those hours with a mixing hoe and wonder why I waited so long. Cleaning the drum is a pain but like you said, it's way better than the alternative.