Antique 1950’s Roto Broil 400 $130- Listed 2 weeks ago in Kingsport, TN

[ovrphil]

Pricey?

AD: "Vintage 1950s Roto broil 400. Works good"

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[tomturbomatic]

Well, it is unused so there's that. Was not someone looking for one of these or did they find one? There was a time in the late 40s -- early 50s when these were all the rage and were featured in photo stories in shelter magazines of eating on the patio. Patios were also the "in" thing after many people who were moved around to the west coast and the southwest during the war so these things were parts of a culture. Friends of ours were given one as a wedding present (one side of the family owned half of Columbia, SC) but never used it and passed it on to us. We used it once, but were not impressed and did not prepare meats via rotisserie. It was a very grand thing as this one probably is and the brand Roto Broil was the best. By the year 1960, these appliances, if they were still being produced, were downsized to fit into modern homes and kitchens. If you have the opportunity, look at the difference between the GE rotisserie/broiler of the early 50s which was like a boat and had the footprint of a TV set and the GE rotisserie/broiler of the early 1960s which was like a toaster oven.

 

[rp2813]

We had that exact model and it did a great job on a whole chicken.  I rescued it after it was relegated to outdoor storage at my parents' place and it still performed well.  I once put a boneless pork roast on it and it was done perfectly.

 

I think Roto-Broil produced these under different brand names as well.  My main complaint was the tedious clean-up process.  The cavity was aluminum and the coiled heating element snaked all over the top, preventing effective cleaning.  Spatters on walls and window were an annoyance.

 

I had the pleasure of witnessing a mid-'60s GE Rotisserie/Broiler in operation ten or so years ago, and as soon as I saw one for sale, I snagged it for $20.  These are far better built and superior to the Roto-Broil in every way but one:  there is no bell on the timer.  Other than that, they will supposedly handle a 14-pound turkey (the Roto-Broil would labor with a 6-pound chicken), rotation speed is faster, there is virtually no spattering, the heating element is sealed, and the stainless steel interior is a breeze to wipe down afterward.

 

The subject Roto-Broil appears to have never been used and even the multi-colored temperature buttons haven't faded, but it's still overpriced IMO.

 

[launderess]

Post WWII boom in USA were good times for many. One sad outcome was increased consumption of red meats and other high fat/cholesterol foods.

This began showing up by 1960's or so with more and more Americans having (and or dying from) cardio-vascular diseases.

Other sad by product of WWII was increased use of tobacco products which again showed up in later decades with increase cancer rates including deaths from said disease.

Still as noted by other posters times were good in 1950's with move to suburbs in full swing. BBQ's, roasting meat out of doors on patio, drinks parties... it was just something everyone did so these portable roasters of all sorts were on offer by many. My favourite are the Sunbeam upright models.

 

[combo52]

Home broiler, rotisserie appliances

Units like this with a horizontal spit do a beautiful job of roasting chickens, pork, roast, etc. because of the horizontal nature the spit it tends to self base the meat as it rotates.

I love the rotisserie that built into my late 70s GE wall oven. It works beautifully just as Ralph describes that doing a pork roast or chicken and because it’s a self cleaning oven there’s nothing no mess to worry about cleaning up. In fact, it really doesn’t seem to make much of a mess in that large oven.

I also have one of the sunbeam carousel, portable, rotisserie broiler, it is handier to use, but it doesn’t work, nearly as well, because everything just drains off of the meat into the pan below, and doesn’t do the basting effect.

I have one of these Roto broil 400s which I’ve never tried to use. It’s an excellent shape if someone’s interested in it make me an offer, I would sell it for less than $50.

John

 

[petek]

I recall a few neighbors in the area I grew up having one of these. I picked one up myself just before me moved back here but got rid of it in a bit of a purge so never used it. It had the name Black Angus iirc but looked very similar.

 

[tolivac]

We had one of these machines when I was child-Mom used it a lot! Made lots of grilled cheese sandwiches and "dizzy chicken" as Mom called it.