Here's a posting for the local Craig's List. I have no idea what it is but my spider sense is tingling...
From Chattanooga TN...
From Chattanooga TN...
HELP! Craig's List ad - what the hell is this???
- Thread starter scoots
- Start date
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It's a large electric roaster with it's own stand!
My grandmother had one of these and would cook the Thanksgiving turkey in it every year! The cabinet below has storage space in it.
Kevin
My grandmother had one of these and would cook the Thanksgiving turkey in it every year! The cabinet below has storage space in it.
Kevin
Electric roaster.
Fairly Common
Roasters of old were made by Westinghouse and Nesco amoung others. Modern units can by had by such brands as Rival, Nesco and several others.
Vintage roasters were VERY popular in the day when families either didn't have a second (summer) kitchen, thus Madame could prepare meals without heating up her kitchen in warm weather (a great deal in the days before air conditioning), and or provided a way to handle overflow cooking during holidays. Units could also be taken to cabins and indeed camping/picnics, long as there was source of electric power. Oh and units were great for "slow" cooking as the first sort of "crock pot".
Being as all the above may, vintage roasters like the Westinghouse were horrible energy hogs, (plug one into a Kill-O-Watt, or simply go to one's meter and watch the dials zoom round and round), they also weren't very well insulated. While cooler than using an oven of the day, vintage roasters had to cycle often to hold their heat, and could get quite warm.
One could purchase all sorts of attachments for Westinghouse roasters. Grills, broilers and so forth allowed Madame to make all sorts of dishes. Have an owner's manual/recipe book some where for a Westinghouse roaster long since moved on.
Many persons like roasters then and today for doing large roasts or birds such as turkey, as well as dishes for a crowd. Then inner lining comes out so one can either take the dish on the go (pot lucks, church suppers, etc) or right to the table. In any case again one still leaves the main oven free for other things.
Roasters of old were made by Westinghouse and Nesco amoung others. Modern units can by had by such brands as Rival, Nesco and several others.
Vintage roasters were VERY popular in the day when families either didn't have a second (summer) kitchen, thus Madame could prepare meals without heating up her kitchen in warm weather (a great deal in the days before air conditioning), and or provided a way to handle overflow cooking during holidays. Units could also be taken to cabins and indeed camping/picnics, long as there was source of electric power. Oh and units were great for "slow" cooking as the first sort of "crock pot".
Being as all the above may, vintage roasters like the Westinghouse were horrible energy hogs, (plug one into a Kill-O-Watt, or simply go to one's meter and watch the dials zoom round and round), they also weren't very well insulated. While cooler than using an oven of the day, vintage roasters had to cycle often to hold their heat, and could get quite warm.
One could purchase all sorts of attachments for Westinghouse roasters. Grills, broilers and so forth allowed Madame to make all sorts of dishes. Have an owner's manual/recipe book some where for a Westinghouse roaster long since moved on.
Many persons like roasters then and today for doing large roasts or birds such as turkey, as well as dishes for a crowd. Then inner lining comes out so one can either take the dish on the go (pot lucks, church suppers, etc) or right to the table. In any case again one still leaves the main oven free for other things.
My Sister's Mother-in-law has one just like this, except I think hers has the clock-timer in the cabinet. The church I belong to has several of these, both the Westinghouse and newer Hamilton Beach versions, without the cabinet. They are great for cooking a large quantity of food such as baked beans, BBQ, or spaghetti sauce. My Sister has one under the Rival brand, and uses it frequently when entertaining.
ptcruiser51
Well-known member
Interior Rack
If you buy, make sure it has this item! It's necessary to put pans or casseroles on. I use mine as a 2nd oven when I need one. Laundress is correct - you can watch that electric meter spin like crazy when you plug this baby in! I can only use it on certain outlets in my place, otherwise the breaker will trip for too much of a load.
If you buy, make sure it has this item! It's necessary to put pans or casseroles on. I use mine as a 2nd oven when I need one. Laundress is correct - you can watch that electric meter spin like crazy when you plug this baby in! I can only use it on certain outlets in my place, otherwise the breaker will trip for too much of a load.
westingman123
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- Joined
- Jun 24, 2009
- Messages
- 1,541
Further info...
Laundress is so correct!! There are Westinghouse models with rotisseries, griddles, and just about anything you can imagine. I have a Westy roaster that I cook entire meals in (she came with 2 covered dishes and a roasting dish) as well as the griddle which is excellent for pancakes.
Laundress is so correct!! There are Westinghouse models with rotisseries, griddles, and just about anything you can imagine. I have a Westy roaster that I cook entire meals in (she came with 2 covered dishes and a roasting dish) as well as the griddle which is excellent for pancakes.
Oh Forgot To Mention The Famos Westinghouse Covered Dishes
Those little babies are HIGHLY sought after collectibles.
Think roasters also popular with those living in "cold water flats" sort of like the Cramdens. It really wasn't until well after the post WWII housing boom (and probably longer after that in some areas of the USA), that all apartments/homes would have what one considers standard mod cons.
Racks are great if one wishes to bake breads or cake in a roaster. Again many women welcomed a way to bake during warmer months of the year without heating up the entire kitchen.
Using a modern oven thermometer, was surprised how accurate these roasters were in keeping temp. They use lots of power to do it, but never the less were on the mark.
Those little babies are HIGHLY sought after collectibles.
Think roasters also popular with those living in "cold water flats" sort of like the Cramdens. It really wasn't until well after the post WWII housing boom (and probably longer after that in some areas of the USA), that all apartments/homes would have what one considers standard mod cons.
Racks are great if one wishes to bake breads or cake in a roaster. Again many women welcomed a way to bake during warmer months of the year without heating up the entire kitchen.
Using a modern oven thermometer, was surprised how accurate these roasters were in keeping temp. They use lots of power to do it, but never the less were on the mark.
Well, thanks to all for that info. I'm a 60's kid and never remember seeing this type of appliance. I just wanted to be sure that it wasn't some poor early portable dishwasher that got called a "grill" cause it had a revolving circular rack and a heating element in the bottom.
michaelman2
Well-known member
These also have a clock that fits into the cut out portion in the front of the stand (the rectangular area that says "Westinghouse"). It allowed for a completely automatic turn on and turn off of the oven. The griddle that Westingman mentioned is also called the "Broiler Grid" you remove a metal plate from the bottom of the griddle and it broils.
Another VERY rare accessory for these great ovens is a rotisserie that fit on top of the oven. I have several of the owners manuals that came with these if you need me to photocopy and send you. These came with the baking dishes and in the early years they were stoneware by Hall China and then later years they were Pyrex. One larger 8"x10"x 2.5 Roasting tray and two covered loaf type baking dishes.
These do take a good amount of power but they really are perfection for a dinner for 4-6 ppl when using the baking dishes that came with the unit.
Another VERY rare accessory for these great ovens is a rotisserie that fit on top of the oven. I have several of the owners manuals that came with these if you need me to photocopy and send you. These came with the baking dishes and in the early years they were stoneware by Hall China and then later years they were Pyrex. One larger 8"x10"x 2.5 Roasting tray and two covered loaf type baking dishes.
These do take a good amount of power but they really are perfection for a dinner for 4-6 ppl when using the baking dishes that came with the unit.
Scoots says "I'm a 60's Kid"
Still have a hard time believing that ANYONE has not seen one of these, as they have been continuously available since the 30's(excepting WWII), and are frequently advertised before the Thanksgiving and Christmas season. I truly don't think I've ever set foot in a church kitchen that didn't have at least one of these. Also know of several neighbors with them. Don't know when the cabinet was discontinued, but was sometime before Westinghouse sold their small appliance division to Hamilton Beach. They were also sold with an open shelf unit instead of the enclosed cabinet at some point in time.
Still have a hard time believing that ANYONE has not seen one of these, as they have been continuously available since the 30's(excepting WWII), and are frequently advertised before the Thanksgiving and Christmas season. I truly don't think I've ever set foot in a church kitchen that didn't have at least one of these. Also know of several neighbors with them. Don't know when the cabinet was discontinued, but was sometime before Westinghouse sold their small appliance division to Hamilton Beach. They were also sold with an open shelf unit instead of the enclosed cabinet at some point in time.
toggleswitch2
Well-known member
- Joined
- May 23, 2008
- Messages
- 5,000
Me me me choose me!
I had not seen one until I met GadgetGary. Don't know of anyone in my area who has one.
Turkey is sometimes cooked the day before a holiday, carved and sits --au jus-- (i.e. it gets to sleep in the wet spot) overnight to stay moist. You get to make a soup out of the carcass this way way as well.
Or it gets a corner of the "Banquet sized" (30" wide) oven, and the side dishes cook in other parts/corners of the oven.
Besides what self-repsecting person in the neighborhoods where I grew up (and everyone is a immigrant, the child or grandchild of one) has only one stove/cooker?
:0
I had not seen one until I met GadgetGary. Don't know of anyone in my area who has one.
Turkey is sometimes cooked the day before a holiday, carved and sits --au jus-- (i.e. it gets to sleep in the wet spot) overnight to stay moist. You get to make a soup out of the carcass this way way as well.
Or it gets a corner of the "Banquet sized" (30" wide) oven, and the side dishes cook in other parts/corners of the oven.
Besides what self-repsecting person in the neighborhoods where I grew up (and everyone is a immigrant, the child or grandchild of one) has only one stove/cooker?
:0
Hi Toggleswitch
Perhaps these are something that is more popular in the Midwest than in other parts of the country. They are featured in this weeks Kohl's ad. May just pick me up one on my next visit there.
Perhaps these are something that is more popular in the Midwest than in other parts of the country. They are featured in this weeks Kohl's ad. May just pick me up one on my next visit there.
norgeway
Well-known member
Roaster insulation.
My take on these is that they are VERY well insulated,I wouldnt take anything for mine..A Kenmore, you can bake a turkey in it all day and put the back of your hand on any part but the top, wonderful for big meals or to use as a extra oven.
My take on these is that they are VERY well insulated,I wouldnt take anything for mine..A Kenmore, you can bake a turkey in it all day and put the back of your hand on any part but the top, wonderful for big meals or to use as a extra oven.
Another thing that made them popular was the thermostat. Many apartment size gas ranges made before the post-WWII period did not have thermostatically controlled ovens. The controlled heat took the guesswork out of baking most things. And, as mentioned they could be used on a porch or balcony during the summer to keep from heating up a kitchen. They were loaded in the car and taken to the "kochalayn" or summer bungalow that might have some primitive cooking area, but not an oven. With the timer, it could be loaded with the food for supper then turn on and cook the meal while the family was doing other things, if the wiring could handle the 1440 watt load. Wrapped in blankets, they could haul any number of delicious hot foods to picnics and other functions and keep them hot until serving time, even if they could not be connected to electricity. I remember events like that with dozens of kids running around and women in summer colored outfits with swirl-style skirts (not pants or shorts) putting out the food and drinks and giving instructions to the daddies about everything.
autowasherfreak
Well-known member
- Joined
- Jul 28, 2008
- Messages
- 3,637
I have a modern roaster by Hamilton Beach. I use it for roasts,turkey, homemade soups and stews. I remember seeing one like this one at a friends house, not sure of the brand.
The Hamilton Beach roaster is also sold under the Proctor-Silex brand.
irishwashguy
Well-known member
I have one just like it!!
It makes great food!! I made eight quarts of salsa and a turkey to perfection, although, not at the same time
It makes great food!! I made eight quarts of salsa and a turkey to perfection, although, not at the same time
