Disclosed herein are fluidic mixers having bifurcated fluidic flow through toroidal mixing elements. The mixers operate, at least partially, by Dean vortexing. Accordingly, the mixers are referred to as Dean Vortex Bifurcating Mixers (“DVBM”). The DVBM utilize Dean vortexing and asymmetric bifurcation of the fluidic channels that form the mixers to achieve the goal of optimized microfluidic mixing. The disclosed DVBM mixers can be incorporated into any fluidic (e.g., microfluidic) device known to those of skill in the art where mixing two or more fluids is desired. The disclosed mixers can be combined with any fluidic elements known to those of skill in the art, including syringes, pumps, inlets, outlets, non-DVBM mixers, heaters, assays, detectors, and the like.