mrb627
Well-known member
When I was growing up, my cousin had a Litton smooth-top electric range with the microwave oven on top. I wanted one of these so badly... Anyone got one?
Malcolm
Malcolm
Litton?
- Thread starter mrb627
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LITTON ELECTRIC RANGES
Yes Malcolm we have a Litton Hi-Low range with a MW above with built in exhaust and a full sized SC oven below that also has a MW built in it. To my knowledge its the only cooking appliance that I have ever seen that has two MW ovens built into one appliance.
Unfortunately although Litton built some fairly good counter-top MWs when they decided to get into full size electric ranges they built them themselves. And they were not real well built and very troublesome, I worked for a Litton service company for a year in 1978 and we stayed busey. They did have some fun ideas and interesting designs.
Yes Malcolm we have a Litton Hi-Low range with a MW above with built in exhaust and a full sized SC oven below that also has a MW built in it. To my knowledge its the only cooking appliance that I have ever seen that has two MW ovens built into one appliance.
Unfortunately although Litton built some fairly good counter-top MWs when they decided to get into full size electric ranges they built them themselves. And they were not real well built and very troublesome, I worked for a Litton service company for a year in 1978 and we stayed busey. They did have some fun ideas and interesting designs.
Never knew they also made full sized stoves with main oven mw built in. I only recollect GE and their Versatronic
FULL SIZE MW OVEN-RANGES
These have been played around with since the late 1950s, but became much more popular in the late 1980s. It was around that people were thinking they wanted a MW oven but the debate was where to put it in the kitchen. So several manufacturers decided to try the combination
approach again. Buy the end of the 1970s you could buy a GE, Hotpoint, Litton, Roper, Sears Kenmore [ made by Roper ], and a Coloric which was also sold under the Amana name and Montgomery Wards name. All these were all 30" electric models and in addition Caloric also made the worlds only gas self cleaning oven with a MW built in, these were also sold under the Wards name. [ I have the Gas Wards verison on my screened portch that I use when I don't want to heat up the kitchen ].
In addition to these free standing ranges ModernMaid and Thermador were also making built in electric wall ovens with the combination cooking ability. And you can still buy a GE or TD 30" built in wall oven with this feature. I hope I am never without this valuable feature, I literally use this combination feature every day. My brother Jeff has the MM double oven in his kitchen and I have the TD double in my main kitchen on these only the top oven has the combination MW cooking.
These have been played around with since the late 1950s, but became much more popular in the late 1980s. It was around that people were thinking they wanted a MW oven but the debate was where to put it in the kitchen. So several manufacturers decided to try the combination
approach again. Buy the end of the 1970s you could buy a GE, Hotpoint, Litton, Roper, Sears Kenmore [ made by Roper ], and a Coloric which was also sold under the Amana name and Montgomery Wards name. All these were all 30" electric models and in addition Caloric also made the worlds only gas self cleaning oven with a MW built in, these were also sold under the Wards name. [ I have the Gas Wards verison on my screened portch that I use when I don't want to heat up the kitchen ].
In addition to these free standing ranges ModernMaid and Thermador were also making built in electric wall ovens with the combination cooking ability. And you can still buy a GE or TD 30" built in wall oven with this feature. I hope I am never without this valuable feature, I literally use this combination feature every day. My brother Jeff has the MM double oven in his kitchen and I have the TD double in my main kitchen on these only the top oven has the combination MW cooking.
3beltwesty
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The 1971 combo Hotpoint/GE range
The combo Hotpoint Range-Microwave here was bought in late 1971, installed early 1972. GE had the sister model too. These units have a lower regular oven and upper regular oven; plus 4 electric stove burners, one of which is a supermatic control. The 1971 combo Hotpoint/GE range has in the lower oven also an electronic oven running at the old lower 915 MHz frequency. Little tabletop units today run at 2.45 GHZ. Ours listed for about 1150 in 1971 and we paid about 850 to 900 bucks. The patent plate is 18.1KW.
The Hotpoint Range is a RHV886 ; the GE a Versatronic J896 Range
These are heavy ranges, 430 Lbs and the patent plate input is 18.4 Kilowatts, ie 80 Amps at 230 volts.
We got about say 10 good years out of the lower microwave; and about 15 until nobody could fix the magnetron anymore without totally going broke. For its era it was star trek. For a repair guy, a nightmare once something got too old. Having that microwave emitter in a heated regular oven was basically challenging, not the hallmark of something to last decades.
The lower "regular" oven lasted until Katrina; the relay behind it must be crudded up. The beast has no been pulled out since the flood I just use the stove and top oven. The conventional part of the lower oven is like a self cleaning oven of that era, there is drive relay behind the lower oven.
If anybody has a schematic for a HRV886 or J896 please post it; one the last persons who serviced the range walked off with the schematic inside; it is in a pocket behind the top right dials and clock etc.
The combo Hotpoint Range-Microwave here was bought in late 1971, installed early 1972. GE had the sister model too. These units have a lower regular oven and upper regular oven; plus 4 electric stove burners, one of which is a supermatic control. The 1971 combo Hotpoint/GE range has in the lower oven also an electronic oven running at the old lower 915 MHz frequency. Little tabletop units today run at 2.45 GHZ. Ours listed for about 1150 in 1971 and we paid about 850 to 900 bucks. The patent plate is 18.1KW.
The Hotpoint Range is a RHV886 ; the GE a Versatronic J896 Range
These are heavy ranges, 430 Lbs and the patent plate input is 18.4 Kilowatts, ie 80 Amps at 230 volts.
We got about say 10 good years out of the lower microwave; and about 15 until nobody could fix the magnetron anymore without totally going broke. For its era it was star trek. For a repair guy, a nightmare once something got too old. Having that microwave emitter in a heated regular oven was basically challenging, not the hallmark of something to last decades.
The lower "regular" oven lasted until Katrina; the relay behind it must be crudded up. The beast has no been pulled out since the flood I just use the stove and top oven. The conventional part of the lower oven is like a self cleaning oven of that era, there is drive relay behind the lower oven.
If anybody has a schematic for a HRV886 or J896 please post it; one the last persons who serviced the range walked off with the schematic inside; it is in a pocket behind the top right dials and clock etc.
3beltwesty
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Here is an advert from Litton from 1976 and 1978.
I thought that when the GE/Hotpoint units of 1971 were the only dual type on the market that we looked at. ie where the food can be zapped by microwaves and raw heating coil at the same time.
I thought that when the GE/Hotpoint units of 1971 were the only dual type on the market that we looked at. ie where the food can be zapped by microwaves and raw heating coil at the same time.
laundromat
Well-known member
I have seen John's TD and sold tons of that specific 30" double oven model around $2400 EACH! What I liked about it was the ovens are full size which means you could mix convection and microwave together and cook up that 30 pound turkey for the holidays in record time with awesome results!! You could also put a cup of water in just to heat it up for your tea.No need for a table top or separate microwave oven. John, I remember the great Tappan built in you had in West Virginia Do you still have that one too?? That was one of the best built ins I ever saw.
3beltwesty
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mrb627
Well-known member
Litton
That's the one, 3Belt. Loved the big knobs for the stovetop!
Malcolm
That's the one, 3Belt. Loved the big knobs for the stovetop!
Malcolm
passatdoc
Well-known member
My parents live in a 1972-constructed home that is all electric. The range that came with the house (and which they still use) is a Hotpoint similar to the one in 3belt's Hotpoint ad, except they have only conventional ovens in it and the main oven has a window in the door. At the time they bought the place new, I believe Hotpoint was making either a range with a combination, or perhaps a lower conventional oven with microwave on top. The kitchen is not large, and a range that included a microwave to save counter space would have been very welcome. They tried to negotiate with the builder to upgrade the range to the Hotpoint with microwave, but the builder only offered two choices: either a 30" electric range (with extended cabinetry above plus a hood), or the upper-lower unit that my parents chose (with a shorted cabinet above the unit---the range has a self-contained flip-out exhaust hood, which is vented, not recirc). They chose the upper-lower as the "upgrade" but they really tried to get the microwave combination. So it must have been produced by c. 1972.
I certainly remember Litton countertop microwaves from the early 1970s. They and Amana were considered quality brands.
I certainly remember Litton countertop microwaves from the early 1970s. They and Amana were considered quality brands.
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