57 GE Liberator in Bethann Pink

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Check out the wiring!

Thanks everyone for the great reviews, other than needing a very thorough cleaning and detailing everything seemed to work just fine. With ranges, the most work is in the cleaning. There were only a few minor repairs that needed to be done - one of the colored plastic panels behind the buttons had broken and fallen down an the plastic General Electric lettering in the panel had warped from heat so I removed it and cut out each letter individually and re-glued them back in their spots - painstaking, but worth every minute! I still have some lettering to touch up on the panel but otherwise it's pretty much done. I can imagine the smaller pushbuttons are harder to clean around, but those larger buttons seem to have their own set of maintenance issues - to clean all around the buttons and the colored panels behind them, disassembly is the only way to really get at them properly. Did someone mention OCD?

The gray panel of the backsplash is textured aluminum which cleaned up beautifully. Below the panel is ribbed glass, also easy to clean.

I haven't tried the meat probe feature yet, but there is a buzzer that sounds when the desired temp is reached.
 
Wow Greg!

She looks wonderful! I know what your saying about he cleaning thing. Pain in the butt, but worth every minute. Do you have the griddle? I'm still on the hunt for one. From what I've been told and from what I've found out through trial and error is... Start everything on high, then get it to temp and back it way down. I can get a large pot of water to boil a lot faster on the Liberator than on the gas stove! I've used the meat probe too. When I first used it I thought it didn't work, but it doesn't seem to start registering until late in the cooking process. Could be a malfuction, but I really don't know! Meat still came out fine.
Pinky is charming, I'm glad she has a new home!
 
It is so gorgeous. I'm envious!

I just thought of something.The fixed heats on the surface elements work BECUASE we have an electrical system that allows both 220v and 110v.

This type of range can NOT be found in Europe or Asutralia or 220v land. [well without some funky transformers and custom rigging!

It is uniquely this continent, and dare I say *American*?
 
Bethann - I do have the griddle for mine but I'll keep my eyes open for another one for you. I found the exact same thing to be true about boiling water - we did a big pot of water for pasta last weekend and the water was boiling in a flash and this is the first range I've ever used that even after adding the pasta to the boiling water, there was no delay in bringing back to a boil - it just kept right on churning. It is far and away faster than the Maytag gas range, I couldn't believe it!

That's interesting to hear about the meat probe, I'll have to try it. I'm not all that carnivorous or keep big hunks of dead flesh in the house, but we do have the traditional roast or ham family dinner now and then. I wonder if the probe would work on caramel-cinnamon rolls? ;-)
 
Great job Greg! That range looks clean enough to pass for NOS
The pink colour gives the whole thing such a wonderful warm glow with the panel lights on. Congratulations on a beautiful TOL classic!
 
New for '57...liberate yourself!

Greg,

BEAUTIFUL GE range...you did a great job on the cosmetics! Love the button illuminators; so much different from the other General Electrics of the time, IMHO. Can't wait to see it in person!

--Austin
 
beautiful beyond my wildest dreams

I think this must be one of the most perfect mixtures of function and form there could be. What a beautiful restoration! I would kill for either of the two.
My grandmother had the little GE pushbuttons - built into the range hood. It was such a perfect solution - didn't get dirty as easily so not quite as hard to clean...but right there where you needed them and could easily see them. GE sure did a lot of things right with their stuff back then.
Hmm, Steve, you are right - the 2x 110V system has a lot of advantages. In the attached diagram, you can see how we poor old Europeans have to cope with the problem. I can no longer do the math to prove it, but the US system would also be offering a noticable efficiency increase, too. Anyone know for sure? At this time of the day, my head just spins when I try to figure it.
The same system applies, of course for solid units (no, you don't want to know, they take forever) as well as the radiants used in the earlier glass-ceramic hobs.
 
*Very* Pretty in Pink, and Solid Elements

First, that is a truly lovely Liberator, Greg, just lovely. I still don't love the pushbutton GE's, but can admire yours a work of industrial art, which it is.

Secondly, Kevan, America had a flirtation with European style solid units in the 1980s. Two friends of mine have Frigidaire-Electrolux ranges with solid units. Mary-Lynne is hoping her range will die soon, she hates the solid elements, but likes the oven with normal elements and self-clean. SuZann solved her solid element problem by building and moving out!

Solid elements were offered also by Jenn-Air, as a cartridge. I know of several local Jenn-Air's, but none of my friends have (or admit to) the solid element cartridge.

I still prefer a gas cooktop and love electric ovens.

Lawrence/Maytagbear
 
STOP or I'll shoot!

--blush--

Silly, ditzy big-mouthed me.

Two 220v elements in series are each getting 110v.
As we can see an adjustment in the coils' wattages and the wiring configuration via the switches makes it a *GO* anywhere.

Did I say unique to our voltage? I submit myself to the firing-squad. *LOL*

P.S. I also heard those metal hobs are disaster to cook with.
Slow to heat up, irresponsive. May as well be a frigid w.... nevermind.

Still, I may want to try it.
What do you think MaytagMom?
 
steve, don't and say you didn't

One reason the induction units have caught on so much faster over here than in the 'States is because everyone dislikes the solid elements.
Everyone.
Oh, I know - someone will now find something good to say about them, but this was the one and only thing my ex- and I could agree on when we designed our kitchen: No solid elements. They are slow, always slightly dirty, slow, hard to control, slow, waste energy, slow, and, well - did I mention slow?
Of course, those are only their good points.
Steve, you were not wrong about the American units having advantages based on the 220V system - these European units accomplish the same thing through the use of three resistance elements and lots more mechanical switches.
Even the modern energy regulators still are limited by their single-phase power supplies. What might look like a "second" leg to you in that picture is the power supply for the pilot light, or "Restwärme" light for the ceramic field.
 
o my paws and singed whiskers

...I should know better. Yes, that is true. Of course, I usually forgot to let the damned things cool down enough first, so the plastic aplicator melted onto their nasty little grooved surfaces.
Just knew somebody would find something good to say about them, I just knew it.
Oh, have to make one teensy-weensy exception myself. My espresso hotplate. That little solid element heats my espresso machine just perfectly - and it keeps the coffee warm afterwards for quite awhile.
Question: Just what is the rating on those wonderful burner elements? I, too, remember that front one being extremely fast. Would have to be over 2.5Kw, I should think. Do you know?
Again, a beautiful job!
 
Stevie baby

I go from zero to b!tch in 1.5 seconds.
(Haven't YOU noticed, my dear boi?) That can warm a w....
up real quick.

So to answer your question, ummm...

Slow to heat up, irresponsive. May as well be a frigid w.... nevermind.

Still, I may want to try it.
What do you think MaytagMom?

Naaah, I don't think so. Might ruin my reputation more than has already been done. LOL

I'm have never been considered frigid, unless it's in <25 below weather.

Carry on wayward son. ;-)
 
ooooh We are SO much alike!

Said: I go from zero to b!tch in 1.5 seconds.

Dear, a b**ch is simply a woman with an opinion.
I have been called a woman with an opinion repeatedly.........

See, perhaps we ARE mirror images one of the other.

And I stll can't get enought of that GAWGEOUS PANK liberator.
 

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