General Mills vintage countertop appliances ?

[petek]

Who knew, I didn't until I piced up this delightful General Mills electric grill today. It has removeable grill plates but there are no wafflers on the other side. It's in remarkable shape though the picture makes it look funny the way chrome pictures always do, has an adjustable thermostat and a cloth cord and still works good as new. It's also very clean, something that's hard to do with these things.
On the bottom stamped in it reads Manufactured by General Mills, Minneapolis. I'll have to trace the patent # for a date. Has anyone else ever heard of General Mills countertop appliances?

And there's another General beside it I grabbed, a lovely little General Electric stand mixer in sunny yellow, probably from the 80's and still as good as new.

 

[launderess]

Have seen General Mills "True Heat" irons but not counter top appliances before. If other appliances were built as well as the irons, they should last the duration. Those irons are still out there by the dozens and by all accounts working well.

Launderess

 

[veg-o-matic]

General Mills marketed a series of countertop appliances with Betty Crocker as the spokesgal. Besides the waffler and iron (with removable steam attachment), I believe there was a toaster and a percolator.

General Mills later sold the line to a manufacturer I can't remember at the moment--Dominion? Casco? Dormeyer? One of that crowd, anyway.

veg

 

[Cybrvanr]

That General Mills grittle looks practically identical to the one my mom has had for years. Only, hers is a G.E. The grittle plates can be turned over to make waffles, and the unit also makes good grilled cheese sandwiches too, by placing the sandwiches in between the two plates when they are folded up, like a waffle (only using the smooth grittle side). Those gadgets are extremely versatile!

 

[perc-o-prince]

Great looking grill, Pete. General Mills seems to have made some well made appliances. I have the toaster and the Tru-Heat iron that has a detachable steam unit (very cool IMOHO). They both have a very pleasing style, I think. I will try to post a picture of them after Thanksgiving if you would like to see them.

Congrats on your new "toy".

Rich

 

[appliguy]

They were & General Mills Appliances made between 1946 and 1

They were as follows:
1.The Tru-Heat iron -1946
2.The steam attachment for the iron-1947/8 (If you had bought a Tru-Heat iron before the attachment came out you had to send it back to the factory and get it converted from a model 1AA to a model 1BB before you could use the steam attachment)
3.The toaster-1949
4.The stove top pressure cooker-1946
5.The percolator-ca.1953
6 The electric stand mixer-ca.1953 (with sponsored by Betty Crocker written on the sides. This mixer was also sold by Sears as a Kenmore Stand Mixer)
7.The waffle/sandwhich grille-ca.1953
In 1954 General Mills decided to get out of the small appliance business and sold that arm of their business to Bersted manufacutring which continued making the Tru Heat Iron under the Fostoria name. The only difference between a G Mills and a Fostoria Tru-Heat Iron is the names on the iron, otherwise the Fostoria Iron is an exact copy of the G. Mills iron. The dates I put next to the appliance are the year(s) they were introuduced from what I have been able to find out through research old home mags. If I wasn't sure of a date that is when I put ca. next to the date to signify that it was a guess. I have 4 of the 7 appliances in my collection and all I need is the percolator, the sandwich/waffle grille, and the pressure cooker. PAT COFFEY

 

[Versatronic]

Patrick

Your research and knowledge is beyond reproach. Do you have a list of stuff that you're looking for for your collection? I'll be happy to take it along with me to the flea markets. If you have such a thing, please send through email.

 

[petek]

How neat. This grill must have come with a set of separate waffle plates then seeing as these aren't reversible. I'd like to see pics of the other items as well everyone.

 

[scott55405]

I had the exact same waffle iron at one time Pete. Have also seen a few of the irons and I think the toaster. They do some to be fine, heavily made appliances. I had the waffle grids but not the flats, so were just the opposite.

 

[perc-o-prince]

...I'd like to see pics of the other items (G Mills)

Hi Pete..and all,

Here are the pics. I just love the styling but that's just my humble opinion

Rich

 

[perc-o-prince]

...I'd like to see pics of the other items (G Mills)

Hi Pete..and all,

Here are the pics. I just love the styling but that's just my humble opinion

Rich

 

[perc-o-prince]

...I'd like to see pics of the other items (G Mills)

Tru Heat

 

[perc-o-prince]

...I'd like to see pics of the other items (G Mills)

Tru Heat on base

 

[perc-o-prince]

...I'd like to see pics of the other items (G Mills)

TOAST the Betty Crocker way with the new General Mills Automatic Toaster!

 

[petek]

Thanks for posting those pics, the iron attachment is quite something plus you've got the boxes too. Betty's looking quite smart in her pic as well. They're certainly not the new "Betty Crocker" appliances are they.
Speaking of irons I picked up an old Sunbeam Ironmaster today at the thrift as well as something else. I'll post em on another thread. Little Ben needs to test it out first.

 

[perc-o-prince]

Sending the pics...my pleasure! I agree that Betty is looking a bit smart these days

These are not new items. I didn't think that they made these recently. The ones that I have are in unused condition. Funny thing is that I found them on the same day, in the same co-op yet they belonged to two separate dealers who were on nearly opposite sides of this huge place!

Your Sunbeam Ironmaster sounds like a nice addition and I'm now curious as to what your other item is

Happy hunting!

Rich

 

[kathy]

General Mills pressure cooker

I have a 4 qt pressure cooker (3B), and like a dumby, I dropped the red gauge and broke the little spring in it. Does anyone know where I might be able to get a replacement gauge. I have a new pressure cooker, but I keep pulling my old heavy GM cooker out, I just love it. I may have to try going to a jewler to see if they can solder the tiny spring in the gauge if I can't replace it.

 

[maytagbear]

Have you

tried Ebay? Almost everything shows up at Ebay.

Your other thought about a jeweler might work.

Good luck.

Lawrence/Maytagbear

 

[kathy]

General Mills pressure cooker

Does the pressure cooker that you have on ebay have the number and letter 3b on the bottom of the pot?