This section is from the book "A Manual Of Home-Making", by Martha Van Rensselaer. Also available from Amazon: A Manual of Home-Making.
Different types of egg-beaters are needed, according to the consistency desired in the beaten whites. For all-round use, the dover egg-beater is a good choice because it works most quickly. It is operated by turning a wheel, without being lifted from the eggs to be beaten, and hence beats in comparatively little air and gives a fine, close texture. One should be selected in which the cogs do not "interfere." The balloon-shaped egg-whisk made of piano wire carries more air into the moisture, and the flat wire beater gives the airiest texture of all. Either of the latter types is preferable to the dover egg-beater for angel cake, sponge cake, or meringues where lightness is more desirable than fineness of grain.
 
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