Vintage Countertop Appliances

[berlyn]

Asfan,
We have become a "disposable society". Notice how vintage items are mostly metal. New ones are plastic. When you bought an appliance it was built to last or you took it in to the electrical appliance shop and had it fixed. Now you throw away and buy new. No one to fix, no where to get parts.
People bought a Chambers and it lasted a life time and you passed it down. How many "modern stoves" have people gone through?? Me, 4 till Big Bertha!!

Just a thought,
Berlyn

[lowracer]

Not a cooking item but I have this old L.C. Smith typewriter that I learnt to type on back in the early 70's. It was an antique then too. Weighs about a hundred pounds. Still works as good as it did the day it was made, not that I have much use for it, other than for sentimental reasons.

They did make things to last 500 years back then.

I also have one of the big heavy orange juice makers. It has a handle on the side like a one-armed bandit. A big toothy top-jaw clamps down on the orange and crushes it into juice. With all those teeth, I used to be afraid of it as a kid. I am about to restore it. All it needs is a fresh coat of paint on its lower section and we can use it again. It does have aluminum cups to receive the juice, so it will match the aluminum kettles that came with the Chambers.

I can't drink citrus juices anymore but my wife loves them.

[treatmaker]

Berlyn,

Totally agree with you, we've definately become a throwaway society. I purchased a new washer two years ago, it started giving me major problems, had a repairman come in to look at it. Told me it was a piece of junk and would cost more to fix it than buy a new one! So much for that lonely, under used maytag repair man. My washer before that was an old belt driven GE that lasted 20 years.

Treatmaker

[berlyn]

Just look at your modern appliances; dishwashers, frigs, stoves, tv's, vcr's, stereos's, phones, answering machines, etc.... Take a broken one to an appliance repair store, if you can find one. More than likely you'll get the, "it's cheaper to buy a new one, than repair this one".
That's why vintage is so popular!!
The don't make'em like they use too!!

Berlyn

[ha_asfan]

so the throwaway has become the norm, but you don't have to buy into it. some products are built to last, they are harder to find and more expensive in the initial outlay, but they do last. for instance: need a new faucet ? make certain all of the parts, internal components are the most important, are built of metal or ceramic. NO PLASTIC components. Chigcago Faucet Company makes the highest quality faucet on the market at reasonable pricing. all of their parts are interchangeable from faucet to faucet and you will never be in a situation where you can't get what you need. big bix stores will never tell you this but....their appliance lines are a "reduced" quality line. a washer, dryer, fridge etc from oneof these joints is built to different standards than a similar product from the manufacturer's full line. most of the big box appliances are rendered redundant after a few years and parts are rarely available again. cheap is never good and good is never cheap. vinly windows, same thing. stick with brick, mortar, wood, metal and stone and you're set for a long long time. most major cities hace architectural salvage yards where you can purchase everything from plumbing and lighting fixtures to wood floors and tin ceilings. reclaimed wood for floors is of superior quality to new fast growth woods and you can live happily knowing you're not contributing to the destruction of even more trees. for help in your area, contact your local historic preservation group.

[spin321]

Terrific topic....
A word about your mixer choices: I think that it really depends on what you use your mixer for. If you do a great deal of bread baking,then you should really get yourself a vintage Kitchen Aide mixer. The Mixmasters, Dormeyers, ect. are really just hand mixers on stands with bowls that rotate,and aren't really suitable in my experience for handling stiff batters or doughs. I sent my 1940s Dormeyer to my sister who mostly just mixes cupcakes for the kids and mashed potatoes and I myself use a Kitchen Aide as I use mine for EVERYTHING from weekly bread baking to meatloaf and cookie dough, even meat grinding.
One last thing: My fifteen year old Kitchen Aide mixer really isn't any different in appearance than the one my mother got as a wedding gift in 1955 and is still using.

[spin321]

I forgot to mention before that the Cherries and Fruit tablecloth that you are looking for can be found in the Vermont Country Store catalogue. I have it in my own kitchen. They sell a line of vintage inspired "Oilcloth" tablecloths that are just like the ones that I remember on my kitchen table when I was a kid. They're even better though since they don't crack and get sticky like the old ones!

[stoveman]

Ha, What do you need to know about vintage radios? I was once very active in collecting them. I was one of the founders of the Vintage Radio & Phonograph Society in Dallas in the early 70's.

[stoveman]

Ha, What do you need to know about vintage radios? I was once very active in collecting them. I was one of the founders of the Vintage Radio & Phonograph Society in Dallas in the early 70's.

[ha_asfan]

i'm wondering if i would be happy with a vintage radio in the kitchen or, if i am really better off with the new one. i have a collection of cylinder phonographs and a LOT of cylinders....more similar hobbies in the chambers room !