Hamilton Beach Brands, Inc.

A steaming appliance includes: a housing; a steam generation unit mounted in the housing, the steam generation unit including a plate with at least one exhaust hole positioned to exhaust steam from the housing; a pump mounted in the housing and fluidly connected with the steam generation unit; and a water reservoir detachably mounted to the housing and fluidly connected with the pump. The steam generation unit converts water pumped from the water reservoir to the steam generation unit to steam that is expelled through the exhaust hole. The water reservoir is mounted to the housing to be movable relative to the housing between an extended position, in which a lower end of the water reservoir extends a first distance from the housing, and a retracted position, in which the lower end of the water reservoir extends a second distance from the housing that is less than the first distance.

A beverage-making including a controller operatively connected with a hot water generator and a pump; a vacuum break valve fluidly connected with the hot water generator and the dispensing needle. The vacuum break valve is configured to move between open and closed positions, wherein in the closed position the valve provides a seal that maintains a substantially airtight path between the hot water generator and the dispensing needle, and wherein in the open position the valve opens to vent the path between the hot water generator and the dispensing needle.

A beverage-making machine includes: a housing having a base with first and second vessel receiving areas, a tower extending upwardly from the base, and a dispensing arm that extends from the tower at least partially directly above the first and second vessel receiving areas; a water reservoir mounted in the housing; a first brew basket positioned in the dispensing arm and above the first vessel receiving area; a second brew basket positioned in the dispensing arm and above the second vessel receiving area; a heat generating unit fluidly connected with the water reservoir; a pump fluidly connected with the water reservoir; a three-way valve assembly fluidly connected with the heat generating unit, the first brew basket and the second brew basket, the three-way valve assembly configured to switch between a first position, in which fluid is permitted to flow to the first brew basket but not to the second brew basket, and a second position, in which fluid is permitted to flow to the second brew basket but not to the first brew basket; and a controller operatively connected with the heat generating unit, the pump and the three-way valve assembly. The controller is configured to switch the three-way valve assembly from the first position to the second position after a first predetermined time interval before completing brewing via the first brew basket.

A grinding device includes: a housing that includes a sidewall; a grinding bowl within the housing; a cover that mates with one of the housing and the grinding bowl, wherein the cover together with the grinding bowl defines a grinding chamber; a blade positioned within the grinding chamber; a motor, positioned within the housing, operatively connected with and configured to rotate the blade; and a dial generally radially aligned with the sidewall of the housing, wherein the dial is configured to control at least one operational parameter of the motor; and wherein the dial rotates around a substantially vertical axis.

An automated self-cleaning frothing appliance includes: a housing having a base, a tower extending upwardly from the base, and a canopy extending from an upper portion of the tower above the base; a vessel mounted beneath the canopy, the vessel having an outlet at a lower end; a frothing tool extending from the canopy into the vessel; a first fluid pathway in the housing to receive water from a water source and deliver water into the vessel; a valve positioned to selectively open and close the outlet to the vessel; a valve-opening mechanism attached to the housing to selectively open and close the valve; a drain positioned beneath the outlet to receive water draining from the outlet; a second fluid pathway routed from the drain to deliver water to an external receptacle; and a controller operatively connected with the drive unit, the first fluid pathway and the valve-opening mechanism.

A portafilter for a beverage-making machine includes: a main basket with a cavity; a filter holder positioned at least partially in the main basket; and a lifting ring that engages the filter holder and the main basket. One of the lifting ring and the main basket has a first recess that defines a first partial helix and the other of the lifting ring has a first nub received in the first recess, and one of the lifting ring and the filter holder has a second recess that defines a second partial helix and the other of the lifting ring and the filter holder has a second nub received in the second recess. The first partial helix and the second partial helix are of opposite rotative directions. Rotation of the cover causes the lifting ring and the cover to change elevation relative to the main basket and further causes the filter holder to change elevation relative to the main basket.

A multi-functional oven includes: a housing having a floor, a rear wall, a ceiling, and first and second side walls; a door that serves as a front wall of the housing; an internal side wall that divides the housing into a cooking cavity and an control cavity; a removable cooking rack that defines a cooking surface; a lower heating element positioned in a lower region of the cooking cavity beneath the cooking surface; an upper heating element positioned in an upper region of the cooking cavity above the cooking surface; and a fan residing in a recirculation duct in the control cavity configured to draw air from the cooking cavity through lower vents located in a lower area of the internal side wall, thereby creating an airstream above and below the cooking surface that flows into the lower vents, and to force air from the control cavity through upper vents into the cooking cavity.

A beverage-making machine includes: a housing; a fluid reservoir mounted to the housing; a flow meter; a pump fluidly connected with the water reservoir; a heating unit; and a brew station having an outlet; wherein the fluid reservoir, the pump, the heating unit and the brew station define a fluid path. A controller is configured use flow rate measurements to determine if replenishment of the fluid reservoir is needed or not.

A sanitizing appliance includes: a base having a reservoir and a heating unit positioned to heat the reservoir; an extendable rack mounted to the base, the rack moveable between raised and lowered positions; and a cover comprising lower and upper cover sections. In a first enlarged mode, the lower cover section is interposed between the upper cover section and the base to form a first, larger sanitizing chamber, and in a second compact mode, the upper section and the base form a second, smaller sanitizing chamber.