Mixing Mate Paint Lid from Rockler – Tool Review

I love doing tool reviews on tools that really bring on “Ah-hah!”, and “Why didn’t I think of that?” moments! The Mixing Mate Paint Lid from Rocker is one of those tools. We all know that painting is one of the easiest ways to change or update the look of any room and it’s not that expensive, relatively speaking. But, the WORST part about painting is the prep and the cleanup. The Mixing Mat Paint Lid from Rockler won’t completely eliminate the hassles, but it certainly lessens them.

Here’s how it works: Take off the lid from your standard quart-sized paint (or stain) can. Slide the paddles of the mixing mate down into the paint. The first time I tried this, I thought my quart-sized paint can must have something wrong with it because it didn’t seem to fit, but you just have to be a bit forceful. The paddles will go ALL the way to the bottom and you kind of have to shimmy it in place in order to make it fit snuggly on the can. Then just push the side wings back to lock it in place on the top of the can, and you’re ready to go.The crank handle at the top makes it very easy to mix the paint. You don’t need nearly the effort you need when you try to shake the can, as the auger-style paddles seem to magically move all the pigments that have settled on the bottom and distribute them throughout the entire can of paint. I was really impressed at how easy it was to crank, and how well it worked.Here is a old can of paint that I opened before putting the Mixing Mate onto the can:Here is the same can of paint after mixing with the Mixing Mate:Once you’ve mixed the paint, you’re ready to actually use the paint. Now here’s where the mess usually happens. You’ve either shaken the can until you can no longer feel your arms and hands, or you’ve used a stir stick which you now have to pull out of the can and try not to make a huge mess when you either store or dispose of it. If you successfully pull the stir stick out, now you have to POUR the paint in a paint tray. I usually do the “take a deep breath, and try to just do it quickly so that you don’t make a huge mess” thing. But with the Mixing Mate, you don’t have that problem. You know when you go to your favorite pancake or waffle house and you grab the syrup and pour it from that ingenious container that’s designed to keep the sweet, sticky syrup from going everywhere and making a gigantic mess? Well, same concept.Just push on lever and pour!When you’re done, you can leave the Mixing Mate on the can and store it on the shelf! It’s airtight, so the paint stays good, and when you are ready for a touch-up, just stir, and pour. It’s REALLY that simple.Here’s my one and only problem with the mixing mate. Personally, if I’m going to buy a quart of paint, and keep this on it as a lid, I’d like to see it priced a bit lower than it is. It’s currently priced around $15 for a quart can. (I hear there is a gallon lid coming, but can’t confirm that). But, I did take the one I tested out of the can, and washed it and it washed beautifully, so that is an option for cheapskates like me. But, I must admit, that my laziness may win and I may just come off the money because it is SO simple to leave on the can and use exactly as it was designed. Overall I give this product two thumbs up!Oh and just as an aside... I'm not alone in my thoughts on Mixing Mate. It has received "Honorable Mention" from the 2012 Handy Magazine Innovation Awards, and was named as "Top 100" from This Old House.