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The RG 28 mixer: A GDR classic celebrates its immortal longevity!
Find out how the RG 28 mixer from the VEB Elektrogerätewerk Suhl became a cult brand and what value DDR products have today.
The RG 28 mixer: A GDR classic celebrates its immortal longevity!
On October 9, 2025, many will look back on the GDR era, which ended 35 years ago. The RG 28 hand mixer, which was produced between 1952 and 1990 at the VEB Elektrogerätewerk Suhl, plays a special role in this. Its popularity is unbroken. “A solid device that has found its place in every kitchen drawer,” is how Catrin Knaak, a former user of the mixer, describes the longevity and robustness of the model. Particularly impressive is the fact that around 18 million copies of the RG 28 rolled off the assembly line before production was stopped, as nordkurier.de reports.
The RG 28, also known under the brand name “Komet”, became a successful model in the 1980s and received the trademark “AKA Electric”. At that time, the mixer cost 98 Ostmarks in the GDR, while in the West it was available from 34.95 DM. Historian Dr. Stefan Wolle emphasizes that the appreciation of former GDR products, including household appliances such as the RG 28, is currently experiencing an upswing. Used copies are also available online from around 50 euros, although prices on platforms such as eBay can range between 55 and 70 euros, as test.de states.
Memories of the good old days
Catrin Knaak acquired her RG 28 in the 1980s when it was an heirloom from her mother. Her son Alex has been using the device since he moved out and has repaired it several times over the years. “The device is simply indestructible,” says Alex, who can also watch his four-year-old son Theo baking with the mixer. "Great grandma Gisela is not happy with her new device. The RG 28 is simply better," he continues.
The performance of the RG 28 is particularly impressive in a stress test: it easily withstands 150 rounds of batter and 300 rounds of yeast dough, while current models could not keep up in the test. Stiftung Warentest recognized this quality standard and rated the mixer “very good” in 2020. According to Catrin Knaak, it is the zeitgeist that focused on durability in the GDR that made the RG 28 so long-lasting, and this now benefits many former GDR citizens for whom sustainability has become more important.
A look at the tradition of GDR products
The RG 28 is not the only relic of the GDR. Brands like “Privileg” still sell it in the Federal Republic today, while many other products that come from this time are again very popular. Examples of this are aluminum cutlery or sandwich boxes. Vehicles like the Trabant, which is now considered a cult object, can also achieve prices of up to 17,500 euros; the same applies to Simson S50/S51 mopeds, which average 2,500 euros. Despite the loss in value of GDR products after monetary union on July 1, 1990, the growing demand shows that people are once again interested in these memories from their past.
The return to GDR products and the associated increase in value is more than just nostalgia; it is a sign of a new awareness that comes with a more sustainable lifestyle. Products that were popular in the GDR, such as the RG 28 cooking appliance, leave a lasting impression even after decades and show how important longevity and quality are even today.