Vintage Appliances

[LizzieMaine]

anyone use those toasters that look like little tents? do they make good toast?

Mine is very similar to this one, except the handles on the doors are black. I paid a whole dollar for it at a second-hand store around 1984, and it's served me well and faithfully ever since. And it makes very fine toast -- as long as you pay attention!

An advantage over the pop-up type is that you're not limited in the thickness of the items you can toast -- bagels, English muffins, whatever, they all fit in. That's not always possible with a vintage popup, since they were intended only for bread.

 

[Rosie]

For those of you who use vintage appliances for daily use, did you have your appliances rewired when you bought them or do you use them as is?

 

[Absinthe_1900]

I have two vintage Toastmasters like the one below, both have intact original cords in excellent shape, and both work like a champ.

They'll probably outlast me.

 

[LizzieMaine]

I usually take a careful look at the cord -- if it's rubber-covered, there's a good chance that it's dried out and crumbly, so that's definitely something to replace. Cloth-covered cords are sometimes OK to use as-is, but keep a close eye on them for fraying.

The heavily insulated cord sets that were used in old mixers, percolators, toasters, and such are usually very durable -- they often were insulated with asbestos, though, so don't try cutting them!

 

[Rosie]

Wow, asbestos! lol

Thanks guys. In particular, I just purchased a vintage MixMaster (super cute) anyway, I don't think its too old because the cord looked alomost like the type we use today but not quite. Supposedly, it's in great condition. There is a toaster I have my eye on it has a cloth cord but seems fine. I think I'll pick it up then.


Thanks again.

 

[CharlieH.]

The heavily insulated cord sets that were used in old mixers, percolators, toasters, and such are usually very durable -- they often were insulated with asbestos, though, so don't try cutting them!

Hold it! They didn't use that stuff in radio wiring, right?
Becasue if they did, I think I'm in something of a serious predicament!

 

[Dinerman]

My dad's got this toaster converted to an amp.
His is a sunbeam.
http://www.hottieamps.com/id21.html

 

[LizzieMaine]

Hold it! They didn't use that stuff in radio wiring, right?
Becasue if they did, I think I'm in something of a serious predicament!

Actually, i think some of the cheap AC-DC radios of the late '30s-early '40s that used a "ballast line cord" to drop voltage in lieu of a power transformer did have asbestos insulation to prevent the cord from getting too hot. But cutting one of those cords and replacing it with an ordinary one will fry the radio anyway. So be careful! But ordinary cloth wire was just cloth over ordinary rubber, so nothing to worry about there!

 

[Mike in Seattle]

Now THAT is spiffy. Me wanty.

Definitely. I like that way better than the pop-up!

 

[CharlieH.]

Actually, i think some of the cheap AC-DC radios of the late '30s-early '40s that used a "ballast line cord" to drop voltage in lieu of a power transformer did have asbestos insulation to prevent the cord from getting too hot. But cutting one of those cords and replacing it with an ordinary one will fry the radio anyway. So be careful! But ordinary cloth wire was just cloth over ordinary rubber, so nothing to worry about there!

Well, that's a relief. I was soldering a new capacitor and I burnt some insulation - and boy did it stink!

 

[Rosie]

I just bought this:

 

[Miss Neecerie]

I just bought this lovely..

For the great price of $1.

I still have to test how it works...but the cord looks good...

 

[Rosie]

I just bought this lovely..

For the great price of $1.

I still have to test how it works...but the cord looks good...

Oh, that's lovely Miss Neecerie. And for a buck, can't beat that. Great buy. :eusa_clap

 

[hotrod_elf]

I know you're talking about toaster. But I found a wonderful art deco waffle iron. It makes the best waffles. I check to see the cord was good and it was. I took it up the sales lady and she said it was her grandmothers and she only used it once. I got a brand new waffle iron for $7. I had to season it, but after that yummy yummy waffles. Pretty to look at also.

 

[Nightshade]

http://www.elmirastoveworks.com/northstar.aspx
Check this out. I saw these and fell in love. They aren't true vintage but they are nice.

 

[Big Man]

My Grandmother's "washing machine":

Sorry, I couldn't help myself.[huh] Seriously, though, I recall very, very few electrical appliances in my Grandmother's house. She had electric lights, a TV and a radio, and an electric kitchen stove (which, I was told, she got against her wishes).

 

[BegintheBeguine]

Our family farmhouse didn't get indoor plumbing until the late 1970s. The area it is in is now considered a suburb of Atlanta! lol

 

[Big Man]

Our family farmhouse didn't get indoor plumbing until the late 1970s. The area it is in is now considered a suburb of Atlanta! lol

My Grandmother had indoor plumbing in the 1920's, but I can recall many "outhouses" in the community well into the late 1960's. I think this illustrates a point; that the "golden era" was vastly different depending on what region of the country you lived.

 

[Tony in Tarzana]

I know you're talking about toaster. But I found a wonderful art deco waffle iron. It makes the best waffles. I check to see the cord was good and it was. I took it up the sales lady and she said it was her grandmothers and she only used it once. I got a brand new waffle iron for $7. I had to season it, but after that yummy yummy waffles. Pretty to look at also.

Careful, you'll have people dropping by, drawn by the smell of yummy wafflles.

One thing that worries me about living in old houses is that when they were built, people didn't have all the electrical appliances we have now. When the house I'm in was built in 1953, there might be an electric clock and a radio at most in a room, and now I have a computer, monitor, printer, powered speakers, cordless phone, clock radio, TV, amplifier, DVD, VCR and a powered subwoofer all plugged into a couple of outlets. I worry about that old wiring.

 

[BegintheBeguine]

1920 house

I know what you mean, Tony. In the upstairs bathroom I have to turn on the light to get the outlet to work. Not only that, the outlet is an extension cord plugged into the light fixture.
I dont' use the space heater in there anymore, don't worry.