'Oldest working microwave' still going after 40 years and 150,000 meals...really?

[hoover1100]

Looks more 80s/90s to me.

You'd think they'd research their stories better before they publish them lol.

Matt

'Oldest working microwave' still going after 40 years and 150,000 meals

A microwave still going strong after more than 40 years and 150,000 meals is claimed to be the oldest still working in Britain.

www.telegraph.co.uk

 

[ronhic]

What a crock of .......

But then, what more do you expect of the media?

 

[hoover1100]

A link to a download of the instruction manual

"This appliance was produced to BS 800: 1983"

Apparently the article was originally published by the Daily Fail...Surprise surprise.

Matt

http://safemanuals.com/user-guide-instructions-owner-manual/PANASONIC/NE691-_E

 

[vacbear58]

Matt, you are correct

There is NO WAY that microwave is from the 1960s - the touch controls alone can tell you that - touch controls were not common here until the late 1980s, unless you count top notch models like Neff, Bosch, or Miele built ins - otherwise it rotrary mechanical timers, limited power selection facilities and certainly no programmable cooking cycles. It certainly is a crock ....
Al

 

[seamusuk]

My guess

Would be 86-87
A certain member of Vacuumland (with lots of VintageHoovers lol) has a very similar model sat in his kitchen that is probably slightly older than he is. From memory it may actually be branded National as opposed to Panasonic(Jack can you enlighten us if you read this).

The oldest Microwave im aware of still in regular use is a Moffat from approx 1974. A friends dad has it in his shop for heating pies etc. It was made in the US (ive posted a pic before) and the general opinion was its a Litton built unit.

Seamus

 

[foraloysius]

60's?

40 years ago would be from 1979.

It may be not 40 years old but it's still amazing that it's still working. Lots of newer ones have bitten the dust already.

 

[seamusuk]

Erm....

Louis

Are you having a "senior moment" by chance .

40 years ago would be 1969

Seamus

 

[vacbear58]

Moffat 1974?

Seamus

I am thinking 1974 might be a tad early - any chance of posting a link to your previous picture. It was my understanding that early Moffat units were "badged" Tappen models. I am just trying to recall when I first saw a microwave in the flesh (tricity I think), it was late 1977, in a house I went to for my first cooker (2nd hand) - a late 1960s Jackson Hallmark.
Al

 

[seamusuk]

My turn for a senior moment....

Hey Al

Oops Tappan it was - Litton as you are obviously aware make commercial machines!!

I will look on my computer for a pic this eve - its actually identical to the example in the Science Museum!!

Seamus

 

[vacbear58]

I am ahead of you in the queue...

For Senior moments, and sadly not just of the Hoover variety either! I may have a pic myself of the Moffat unit (actually I think it may be a Tappen, but they are the same) - I always liked that style although they were huge! Two models that I remember, one with full and half power and one with adjustable power. My first microwave was also a Moffat, slightly smaller, rotrary timer and illuminated buttons - bought in 1981
Al

 

[vintagehoover]

Looks similar to my parents' microwave - perhaps it's an older or more deluxe version...this is the only microwave we've ever owned, but I'd estimate it more at around 20 years old. It's certainly not 40!

(yes, it needs a wipe-over, but that's their job, not mine!)

 

[mark1973]

Hi Guys

I have a Belling "Dual Power" microwave from the late 70's I believe but not totally sure. It weighs a bloody ton! Still works very well. It's currently though having a rest and ive got our other one which is about 6 years old back in as I don't want to wear the belling out. Will bring it back in next year.

I have attached the only pic I can find of it. I know I took some more when I got it but can't find them.

Mark
xx

 

[panthera]

It can't be 40 years old

because in 1969, my parents bought a new house in the States and my dad took me with him to look at a microwave for my mom's kitchen.

Nothing we looked at was even remotely like this. I recall mechanical timers and much larger units.

By the way, he taught me an important lesson: In the middle of the oven was a smaller box. It had two perfect emeralds in it.

Never, he said, give your wife something to cook or clean with for Christmas, her birthday or your anniversary. Yes, the clues were there, we had brochures of microwaves from the State Fair all over the place, that autumn, carelessly lying in the gun cabinet, on the snow-blower...and none of them looked anything near this modern. Not even the Amana's, tho' I have a vague mental image of one with a red fluorescent display, but that could be a composite from a few years later.

Still, our RadarRange from 1976 is going strong, and that was built 33 years ago.

 

[58limited]

In this day and age, it is too simple to google the model number in order to verify the facts of this story before it is punlished. News articles such as this just reinforce the view that "journalists" are incompetent and the news media is a joke.

I just sent the Telegraph feedback stating this.

 

[chestermikeuk]

Half That!!

Certainly not 40yrs unless I`m in a time warp... these where sold around 1982 to 1985,

Great microwaves just keep on going I know of many manual ones that are still going!!

Litton...oh yes big & heavy, later made the Zanussi models without turntable, and those cute Tricity, small but sturdy!!

Anyone got a Toshiba from that era??

 

[vacbear58]

Not so sure about early 1980s

Mike,
I would have said late 80s or even early 1990s for the microwave in question
Al

 

[petek]

I bought my first microwave in 1975 which was a Toshiba 500 after about a year I gave it to my folks and bought a Litton with auto defrost in 76 but it still had mechanical timers. Wasn't for a year or two after that when the touch pads came out. Moffat was/is a Canadian stove mfr co. and they partnered with Litton to sell their microwaves in Canada later under the Litton-Moffat nameplate.
That's definitely not a 40 year old mw, the old mans gone a bit dotty on his dates.

 

[vacbear58]

A real vintage microwave

If you check out Roberts thread
25871 The rated #1, #2 and Absolute Last Rated Automatic Dishwashers, after you have been stunned by all that is in the foreground I believe there is an Amana microwave on the right hand rack at teh back of the kitchen. This must be early 1970s at least, if not earlier. The first time I ever hear about microwaves, in around 1972, the article (Ideal Home) featured a very similar looking machine
Al

 

[irishwashguy]

This is true

My Radar Range is totally clear when it was manufactured. It is stamped on the back of mine. It says 1976 clearly. Mine I certainly did not buy new, but on 04 July 2003 in a thrift store in Lebanon, Ore for ten dollars cash. the first microwave my family ever had was a Litton that Mom bought from Micocenters Of America(where my Mom and I took cooking classes to learn how to best use our new machine) in 1983 and believe me, it was nothing fancy.It was so entry level, it did not have a clock on it,although, it did the job well. It had touch pads on it that after ten years many of which had started to wear, not the pad, but what was under it. My Radar Range sometimes has troubles with the one and the zero, and has its own senior moments, it is 33 years old.So to this story, since I know better, and granted, it was a slow news day,and it was made very clear that the guy was a widower, is really Hogwash, but then again, maybe I am just full of hogwash,perhaps? I would Love to see the manufactures sticker on that thing to know exactly when it was built. When did Panisonic start importing Microwaves into the UK?