Unaudited Condensed Consolidated Statements of Changes in Equity - USD ($) $ in Thousands	Total	Total Stockholders' Equity	Common Stock Shares Outstanding Class A	Common Stock Shares Outstanding Class B	Capital in Excess of Par Value	Retained Earnings	Foreign Currency Translation Adjustment	Deferred Gain (Loss) on Available for Sale Securities	Deferred Gain (Loss) on Cash Flow Hedging	Pension and Postretirement Plan Adjustment
Balance, beginning of period at Dec. 31, 2015		$ 201,138	$ 5,265	$ 1,572	$ 0	$ 217,745	$ (5,455)	$ 1,480	$ (112)	$ (19,357)
Increase (Decrease) in Stockholders' Equity [Roll Forward]
Stock-based compensation		2,878	48		2,830
Conversion of Class B to Class A shares		0	1	(1)
Purchase of treasury shares		(6,044)	(109)		(2,830)	(3,105)
Net income (loss)	$ 5,476	5,476				5,476
Cash dividends on Class A and Class B common stock		(5,450)				(5,450)
Current period other comprehensive income (loss)		(2,578)					(1,335)	298	(1,541)
Reclassification adjustment to net income		888							420	468
Balance, end of period at Sep. 30, 2016		196,308	5,205	1,571	0	214,666	(6,790)	1,778	(1,233)	(18,889)
Balance, beginning of period at Dec. 31, 2016		220,293	5,208	1,571	0	239,441	(7,533)	1,893	393	(20,680)
Increase (Decrease) in Stockholders' Equity [Roll Forward]
Stock-based compensation		2,286	67		2,219
Conversion of Class B to Class A shares	0		1	(1)
Net income (loss)	$ 20,164	20,164				20,164
Cash dividends on Class A and Class B common stock		(5,552)				(5,552)
Current period other comprehensive income (loss)		3,810					1,725	542	1,543
Reclassification adjustment to net income		(1,854)							(2,369)	515
Hamilton Beach Brands Holding Company stock dividend (See Note 10)		(32,084)				(46,606)	5,808		433	8,281
Balance, end of period at Sep. 30, 2017		$ 207,063	$ 5,276	$ 1,570	$ 2,219	$ 207,447	$ 0	$ 2,435	$ 0	$ (11,884)