norgeway
Well-known member
1959 Caloric Deluxe.
A couple of my ranges!
- Thread starter norgeway
- Start date
norgeway
Well-known member
another
close up.
close up.
norgeway
Well-known member
1947 Norge 38 inch.
My daily driver for years,still the best oven I ever used.
My daily driver for years,still the best oven I ever used.
norgeway
Well-known member
30 inch Norge
Picked up free ,was going to be put out for trash,I saw it in a garage,stopped,the man said take it so I did,I havent cleaned it up,but I think it will look ok,wish I new the date>
Picked up free ,was going to be put out for trash,I saw it in a garage,stopped,the man said take it so I did,I havent cleaned it up,but I think it will look ok,wish I new the date>
norgeway
Well-known member
WESTINGHOUSE OVEN
Got this free at our local furniture store.
Got this free at our local furniture store.
norgeway
Well-known member
Oh yeah
Here is one I no longer have A 57 Kenmore.
Here is one I no longer have A 57 Kenmore.
norgeway
Well-known member
PINK!!!
61 Frigidaire
61 Frigidaire
Ranges!
Hi Hans,
I really like your ranges. Is that frigidaire model above a pull clean model?
Hi Hans,
I really like your ranges. Is that frigidaire model above a pull clean model?
turquoisedude
Well-known member
Quite the range of models, you have there... LOL Love the 61 Frigidaire in Pink!!
passatdoc
Well-known member
question about power outlets on ranges
On a lot of these vintage 36-40" ranges, I notice power outlets on the front. I grew up in a house with an electric cooktop and built-in ovens. By the time I was a homeowner, modern ranges no longer had the outlets, and many new homes had 30" cabinetry gaps to house 30" ranges.
What were the outlets used for? Electric skillets or griddles? Toasters? I think my mother had a rarely-used electric skillet. Most of the time we just used a large Revere ware frying pan if we wanted to make pancakes, the copper core distributed the heat fairly evenly, though probably not as well as an electric griddle.
We didn't make a lot of sausage or bacon (my parents cooked and ate heart-healthy even in the 60s) and only had scrambled eggs a few times a week. If we did have bacon, it was cooked in a frying pan, as were the eggs, but this was rare.
Breakfast was usually hot or cold cereal with toast and fruit. If you had a dozen citrus trees in the backyard, as we did, you ate a lot of grapefruit and oranges!! Since we had an electric cooktop, any large electric frying pans or griddles had to be placed over the Formica countertop and plugged into a normal wall outlet.
On a lot of these vintage 36-40" ranges, I notice power outlets on the front. I grew up in a house with an electric cooktop and built-in ovens. By the time I was a homeowner, modern ranges no longer had the outlets, and many new homes had 30" cabinetry gaps to house 30" ranges.
What were the outlets used for? Electric skillets or griddles? Toasters? I think my mother had a rarely-used electric skillet. Most of the time we just used a large Revere ware frying pan if we wanted to make pancakes, the copper core distributed the heat fairly evenly, though probably not as well as an electric griddle.
We didn't make a lot of sausage or bacon (my parents cooked and ate heart-healthy even in the 60s) and only had scrambled eggs a few times a week. If we did have bacon, it was cooked in a frying pan, as were the eggs, but this was rare.
Breakfast was usually hot or cold cereal with toast and fruit. If you had a dozen citrus trees in the backyard, as we did, you ate a lot of grapefruit and oranges!! Since we had an electric cooktop, any large electric frying pans or griddles had to be placed over the Formica countertop and plugged into a normal wall outlet.
passatdoc
Well-known member
second question re: 36-40" ranges
Did all of these ranges have an auxiliary oven on the left side? Or in some cases was this just a storage area?
I have a friend with a 40s or 50s vintage O'Keefe and Merritt gas range (original, in her parents' house and she has never touched the kitchen other than to add new flooring after she inherited it). The right side is a working oven, but there is no oven control for the left side, so I assume it must be for storage. This is I think a 40" or 48" model.
Did all of these ranges have an auxiliary oven on the left side? Or in some cases was this just a storage area?
I have a friend with a 40s or 50s vintage O'Keefe and Merritt gas range (original, in her parents' house and she has never touched the kitchen other than to add new flooring after she inherited it). The right side is a working oven, but there is no oven control for the left side, so I assume it must be for storage. This is I think a 40" or 48" model.
xraytech
Well-known member
Jim,
I do believe thet the outlets on the 36"and 40" ranges could be used for anything. My grandmothers last stove was a 1966 GE 40" range with P*7 oven. The outlet was always used for the coffee pot, or when we had a gathering there we would plug in slow cookers or electric roaster, or the mixer when baking. In her kitchen there were only 2 outlets, one by the sink, the other behind the fridge,I'm assuming alot of older kitchens had the same issue so the outlet was handy for the use of any small kitchen electrics.
As for the oven thing, some models the left side was a storage bin for pans, in the better models it was an auxillary oven.
I do believe thet the outlets on the 36"and 40" ranges could be used for anything. My grandmothers last stove was a 1966 GE 40" range with P*7 oven. The outlet was always used for the coffee pot, or when we had a gathering there we would plug in slow cookers or electric roaster, or the mixer when baking. In her kitchen there were only 2 outlets, one by the sink, the other behind the fridge,I'm assuming alot of older kitchens had the same issue so the outlet was handy for the use of any small kitchen electrics.
As for the oven thing, some models the left side was a storage bin for pans, in the better models it was an auxillary oven.
passatdoc
Well-known member
@xraytech
Thanks for the explanation. I never even thought of putting a coffee percolator on the stove, or a mixer, nor did I even consider the issue of limited numbers of outlets in older kitchens.
I lived in several apartments prior to buying a home, most of which were modern with plenty of outlets. However, one was in a very old building and did have only one outlet, though back then my only two kitchen electrics were a drip coffee maker and a toaster. I had to keep the coffee maker in an inconvenient location (not near the sink) because of the lone power outlet.
As I use a drip coffee maker (Cuisinart) today, cleaning the thing (rinsing gold filter, filter basket, and carafe on a daily basis) sort of mandates placing it near a sink, which I have done. The kitchen isn't brand new (22 years old) but loaded with outlets, so you can pretty much place a small electric wherever there is space, since the electricity source is not a problem. However, it would be easy to clean and then reload a coffee percolator at the sink, and then plug it in on the stove or wherever you want it.
Since most of these wider units seem to have only four burners, I guess the empty part of the cooktop served as an auxiliary counter space or work space, which was usually in short supply in older kitchens.
Thanks for the explanation. I never even thought of putting a coffee percolator on the stove, or a mixer, nor did I even consider the issue of limited numbers of outlets in older kitchens.
I lived in several apartments prior to buying a home, most of which were modern with plenty of outlets. However, one was in a very old building and did have only one outlet, though back then my only two kitchen electrics were a drip coffee maker and a toaster. I had to keep the coffee maker in an inconvenient location (not near the sink) because of the lone power outlet.
As I use a drip coffee maker (Cuisinart) today, cleaning the thing (rinsing gold filter, filter basket, and carafe on a daily basis) sort of mandates placing it near a sink, which I have done. The kitchen isn't brand new (22 years old) but loaded with outlets, so you can pretty much place a small electric wherever there is space, since the electricity source is not a problem. However, it would be easy to clean and then reload a coffee percolator at the sink, and then plug it in on the stove or wherever you want it.
Since most of these wider units seem to have only four burners, I guess the empty part of the cooktop served as an auxiliary counter space or work space, which was usually in short supply in older kitchens.
laundromat
Well-known member
I was given---
--- a 1966 GE Americana 40 inch range back in 1983 by John Lefever and I had never had an electric range before.Because of the Sensi-Temp burner,I was able to truly learn and apreciate the electric way of cooking. My GE had 2 outlets. One was just to plug in items like the mixer,toaster,blender and can opener. The other was similar but could be times too. Ii would plug in my percolator, set the start and stop times,and get up to a fresh perked pot of 8 0'Clock coffee and go to work.Because the timer was set,the pot would shut off automaticaly.I truly miss that style and only hope that,someday,it will be reintroduced.
I now own a KitchenAid gas,dual speed convection/thermal,self cleaning oven range that was less than a year old when I saw it taken to the dump. I grabbed it and took it home only to find out that the owner had the oven set for C,not Farenheight and was burning everything.Even though I prefer electric, It is the best gas range I ever owned.
--- a 1966 GE Americana 40 inch range back in 1983 by John Lefever and I had never had an electric range before.Because of the Sensi-Temp burner,I was able to truly learn and apreciate the electric way of cooking. My GE had 2 outlets. One was just to plug in items like the mixer,toaster,blender and can opener. The other was similar but could be times too. Ii would plug in my percolator, set the start and stop times,and get up to a fresh perked pot of 8 0'Clock coffee and go to work.Because the timer was set,the pot would shut off automaticaly.I truly miss that style and only hope that,someday,it will be reintroduced.
I now own a KitchenAid gas,dual speed convection/thermal,self cleaning oven range that was less than a year old when I saw it taken to the dump. I grabbed it and took it home only to find out that the owner had the oven set for C,not Farenheight and was burning everything.Even though I prefer electric, It is the best gas range I ever owned.
Our kitchen only had one receptacle above the countertop, and the MW and coffee pot were connected there. The toaster oven was kept plugged in to the one on the range (untimed). Sometimes we plugged the mixer or electric fry pan in there too.
My new kitchen will have plenty of receptacles - one every 4', split between four 20A circuits.
I believe range mounted receptacles were discontinued due to UL regulations. It was deemed unsafe to have cords close to the burners.
My new kitchen will have plenty of receptacles - one every 4', split between four 20A circuits.
I believe range mounted receptacles were discontinued due to UL regulations. It was deemed unsafe to have cords close to the burners.
passatdoc
Well-known member
Hmmmm....using a percolator on a timed outlet sounds like a great idea for that era....of course, many modern drip coffee machines also are programmable and have auto shut-off, but I guess the former was the 60s version of this process. I had no idea. I just envisioned people using electric griddles on the space and wondering why people didn't just use a large frying pan rather than buy a new appliance. Now I know.
Agree though that cords near burners was probably NOT very safe, in the wrong hands.
Agree though that cords near burners was probably NOT very safe, in the wrong hands.
norgeway
Well-known member
Outlets...
My mom and aunt always plugged their percolator into the timed outlet,then when they got up...coffee,I hate coffee,but remember the wonderful smell in the morning,when the clock died on our Kelvinator,she bought an Intermatic timer to plug the coffee maker into,this continued into the early 90s when she bought a Bunn drip machine!
My mom and aunt always plugged their percolator into the timed outlet,then when they got up...coffee,I hate coffee,but remember the wonderful smell in the morning,when the clock died on our Kelvinator,she bought an Intermatic timer to plug the coffee maker into,this continued into the early 90s when she bought a Bunn drip machine!
redcarpetdrew
Well-known member
Left hand side options...
It really depends on the range. That left hand side could be:
*2nd oven. My O&M that I recently aquired has two ovens.
*A Grillavator (sp?) This was a big thing with O&M where the whole thing was a fancy grilling setup that could be adjusted for height by moving a simple lever. Very chromy...
*Side storage. Commonly found in smaller ranges where there isn't room for another oven. If there is a pilot safety valve, it usually hides in there.
*A water warmer.
*A room heater with a vent on the side for the heat to radiate from.
*A trash burner or wood burner.
Each one of these, I've seen in my travels. Have I missed anything?
RCD
It really depends on the range. That left hand side could be:
*2nd oven. My O&M that I recently aquired has two ovens.
*A Grillavator (sp?) This was a big thing with O&M where the whole thing was a fancy grilling setup that could be adjusted for height by moving a simple lever. Very chromy...
*Side storage. Commonly found in smaller ranges where there isn't room for another oven. If there is a pilot safety valve, it usually hides in there.
*A water warmer.
*A room heater with a vent on the side for the heat to radiate from.
*A trash burner or wood burner.
Each one of these, I've seen in my travels. Have I missed anything?
RCD
maytagbear
Well-known member
Drew- you got most of them!
You only missed the Universal brand stove with the James dishwasher slotting under the left burners.
Lawrence/Maytagbear
You only missed the Universal brand stove with the James dishwasher slotting under the left burners.
Lawrence/Maytagbear
norgeway
Well-known member
Outlets..
As usual,something sensible has been done away with,namely an outlet on a range, other examples are a foot operated dimmer switch on a car,whoever thought up putting it on the signal lever should be roasted in a BBQ pit!!! also,I personally love pushbuttons on anything,wheather it be on a range,or the Torque Flite buttons on Chrysler cars,Also,when have you seen color lighted switches on a stove,a flourescent lite OR a plug in thermostatic griddle,a deep well cooker....the list goes on and on,companies today JUST DON'T GET IT!!!!
As usual,something sensible has been done away with,namely an outlet on a range, other examples are a foot operated dimmer switch on a car,whoever thought up putting it on the signal lever should be roasted in a BBQ pit!!! also,I personally love pushbuttons on anything,wheather it be on a range,or the Torque Flite buttons on Chrysler cars,Also,when have you seen color lighted switches on a stove,a flourescent lite OR a plug in thermostatic griddle,a deep well cooker....the list goes on and on,companies today JUST DON'T GET IT!!!!
xraytech
Well-known member
Hans, you cant forget about the wonderful meat thermometer probes and rotisseries in the ovens of TOL electric stoves.
I know I sure miss the rotisserie in my other grandmas TOL 1966 27" wall oven
I know I sure miss the rotisserie in my other grandmas TOL 1966 27" wall oven
Very cool, Hans. Love that panel on the Caloric and the Kenmore is beautiful too. Pity Sears (and everyone else) didn't keep some style in their ranges - the later 60's and 70's got pretty bleak and boring.
We had a similar Westy oven as yours, probably a year or two older in my parent's house. It was a great oven.
We had a similar Westy oven as yours, probably a year or two older in my parent's house. It was a great oven.
Assumptions
I assumed outlets were taken from ranges because of the risk of a cord getting in contact with a hot burner. In my newly acquired Consumer Reports library there's discussion of the dangers of range outlets in a 66 rating of ranges. If you plug an ungrounded appliances into a grounded range the user can become the conduit of electric leakage and get a giant shock. Years a go I plugged an old chrome Subeam handmixer into the outlet and put the beaters into apan of fudge frosting. There was a huge spark and zap but things seemed in order. When I washed the pan there was a divit of steel missing from the bottom of the pan where the beater touched it. Apparently there was considerable current leakage after years of carbon building up inside the metal housing.
In the same article the first P-7 is tested. It performed well and the range seemed okay. CR was with holding further comment until the dependabilty and repair costs of self cleaning ranges was proven.
I assumed outlets were taken from ranges because of the risk of a cord getting in contact with a hot burner. In my newly acquired Consumer Reports library there's discussion of the dangers of range outlets in a 66 rating of ranges. If you plug an ungrounded appliances into a grounded range the user can become the conduit of electric leakage and get a giant shock. Years a go I plugged an old chrome Subeam handmixer into the outlet and put the beaters into apan of fudge frosting. There was a huge spark and zap but things seemed in order. When I washed the pan there was a divit of steel missing from the bottom of the pan where the beater touched it. Apparently there was considerable current leakage after years of carbon building up inside the metal housing.
In the same article the first P-7 is tested. It performed well and the range seemed okay. CR was with holding further comment until the dependabilty and repair costs of self cleaning ranges was proven.
Kelly, I remember that they thought it was silly to put the buttons along side the surface units where they would be in the splatter zone on a stove which simplified oven cleaning. I concur.
Silly Buttons
You're absolutely right. CR felt GE had purposefully created a cootop with so many hard to clean nooks and crannies it made little sense to worry about making a self cleaning oven when cleaning was what this whole range would be about.
You're absolutely right. CR felt GE had purposefully created a cootop with so many hard to clean nooks and crannies it made little sense to worry about making a self cleaning oven when cleaning was what this whole range would be about.
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