RCA Estate electric range!
- Thread starter norgeway
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perc-o-prince
Well-known member
I just emailed the seller for more info!
Assuming everything works, does anyone know anything about this model? Year? Reliability? Things we should ask or look for?
Looks like it's a double oven? I was thinking maybe a french-door big oven, but with the window in one side I'm now thinking double oven.
Chuck[this post was last edited: 3/14/2013-08:53]
Assuming everything works, does anyone know anything about this model? Year? Reliability? Things we should ask or look for?
Looks like it's a double oven? I was thinking maybe a french-door big oven, but with the window in one side I'm now thinking double oven.
Chuck[this post was last edited: 3/14/2013-08:53]
Very nice stove
It has one regular oven for baking and broiling and beside it is the Estate Bar-B-Kewer oven for meats. I have an owner's manual for it. The heat only comes from the top in the BBK oven. If you do something large in it like a turkey, you have to turn it over part-way through the cooking process. The BBK oven has two heat inputs, but not a thermostat. While it allows you to broil in the BBK oven while you are baking in the main oven, I would not consider it a double oven range in the usual sense.
Under the griddle is a BIG 10" surface unit, great for canning & cooking in large pots.
It has one regular oven for baking and broiling and beside it is the Estate Bar-B-Kewer oven for meats. I have an owner's manual for it. The heat only comes from the top in the BBK oven. If you do something large in it like a turkey, you have to turn it over part-way through the cooking process. The BBK oven has two heat inputs, but not a thermostat. While it allows you to broil in the BBK oven while you are baking in the main oven, I would not consider it a double oven range in the usual sense.
Under the griddle is a BIG 10" surface unit, great for canning & cooking in large pots.
firedome
Well-known member
Yearwise more like a
1955, just as a guess? ioho the mid-50s were the pinnacle for ranges, the best balance of vintage quality and modern features, with transitional styling. Our '58 GE has lots of bells & whistles, but it doesn't have the quality of ranges from a few years before, hence it will eventually be replaced by a '55-'56 model.
That is a beauty - hope you snag it!
1955, just as a guess? ioho the mid-50s were the pinnacle for ranges, the best balance of vintage quality and modern features, with transitional styling. Our '58 GE has lots of bells & whistles, but it doesn't have the quality of ranges from a few years before, hence it will eventually be replaced by a '55-'56 model.
That is a beauty - hope you snag it!
perc-o-prince
Well-known member
Here's what the seller came back for a condition report. Looks like the griddle and clock may need help? Any ideas/opinions would be appreciated!
Chuck
Chuck
perc-o-prince
Well-known member
Question- should the right oven knob be different from the others?
Also, as was said... "The heat only comes from the top in the BBK oven. If you do something large in it like a turkey, you have to turn it over part-way through the cooking process. The BBK oven has two heat inputs, but not a thermostat."
Why, then, does the left oven knob have degree markings (indicating a thermostat) and a B broil setting? Could this be the wrong knob? Or maybe a slightly different model than your book, Tom?
Also, as was said... "The heat only comes from the top in the BBK oven. If you do something large in it like a turkey, you have to turn it over part-way through the cooking process. The BBK oven has two heat inputs, but not a thermostat."
Why, then, does the left oven knob have degree markings (indicating a thermostat) and a B broil setting? Could this be the wrong knob? Or maybe a slightly different model than your book, Tom?
perc-o-prince
Well-known member
.
norgeway
Well-known member
Those are!
Two ovens, not just the BBQ oven.
Two ovens, not just the BBQ oven.
Indeed, double ovens. Sorry. That is one of the two styles for TOL Estate range. You could either get the BBK oven on the left or the double oven with the "in oven bar-b-kewer" on the right side which is what this stove has--a real bonus. The knob at the far right controls the BBK function in the right hand oven, or at least it did in the manual I have. The griddle has a grove around it that empties into the well at the front. It's a little dirty, but looks like it should look. The right oven knob is a replacement. The left-most knob selects what the timer operates automatically. The fact that the white knobs above the ovens are so white is a good indication that the stove was used carefully, probably little broiling and no oven fires. I would imagine that the left rear element was a deepwell that has been replaced with a Chromolox unit. The deepwell probably still had an open coil element on a range of this age. It is pre-1956. Even in 1956, the oven used open coil heating elements for both bake and broil, hence the porcelain evenizers over the bake elements.
westingman123
Well-known member
- Joined
- Jun 24, 2009
- Messages
- 1,541
I am gobsmacked. That is a helluva range.
Never knew that RCA made ranges like this .. What a gem.
Harry
Harry
perc-o-prince
Well-known member
Thanks, folks!
Any ideas on what the seller is reporting on the griddle and clock? I quote: "I do know that all of the burners and over elements worked, however, the griddle did not. I had looked underneath and it looked like it was just unplugged, but I'm not sure... But if memory serves me right, there are built in lights which worked, the outlets worked, but I do not believe the clock was working (but never really checked it out / played with it at all)."
Chuck
Any ideas on what the seller is reporting on the griddle and clock? I quote: "I do know that all of the burners and over elements worked, however, the griddle did not. I had looked underneath and it looked like it was just unplugged, but I'm not sure... But if memory serves me right, there are built in lights which worked, the outlets worked, but I do not believe the clock was working (but never really checked it out / played with it at all)."
Chuck
perc-o-prince
Well-known member
Oh, yeah, and if we do get it would anyone happen to know the whereabouts of an original knob to replace the right oven knob?
58limited
Well-known member
Estate ranges were good stoves but they are not that common. Finding the knob will be difficult, but check on ebay - one might turn up. I have a 1940 gas Estate stove with a broken knob, searched off and on for years and haven't found one yet. I think I can repair the original but not sure.
I think the Estate range in the collection was sent for scrap, but you might check with combo52 to see if he saved any knobs.
perc-o-prince
Well-known member
I'm thinkin we may pass on this one. Can't be sure that the griddle works or what may be wrong with it (he says it looks like it's unplugged, but who knows) and we don't know if the clock may or may not be an easy fix.
robertlight
New member
- Joined
- Nov 3, 2014
- Messages
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I have a RCA-Estate like this one... does anyone else?
I have a 1954/55 RCA-Estate range like the one you're discussing here.
I would like to find others who have the same vintage.
In particular, I'm searching for a thermostat for the thing - everything on my stove (except perhaps the clock) is working fine.... but the oven won't maintain the proper heat consistently.
Any help would be very welcomed. Attached are photos of the back of my thermostat.
- Bob
I have a 1954/55 RCA-Estate range like the one you're discussing here.
I would like to find others who have the same vintage.
In particular, I'm searching for a thermostat for the thing - everything on my stove (except perhaps the clock) is working fine.... but the oven won't maintain the proper heat consistently.
Any help would be very welcomed. Attached are photos of the back of my thermostat.
- Bob
rca repair parts
here is a good resource for RCA Estate repair parts
here is a good resource for RCA Estate repair parts
jwbrown1014
New member
Manual for1953 RCA estate range
I read somewhere in here that one of you gents has a manual for a 1953/1954?
Any chance you’d like to sell it or let me get a copy of it?
I am now the proud owner of the estate 1953
And we are a little bit at a loss of how to proceed
Also there is quite a bit of rust on metal surface under the drip pans/ burners. We have removed most of the rust but there is a lot of pitting discoloration of that previously stainless metal . Is it possible to paint this , or just clean and leave well enough alone?
Thank you for all your help!
I read somewhere in here that one of you gents has a manual for a 1953/1954?
Any chance you’d like to sell it or let me get a copy of it?
I am now the proud owner of the estate 1953
And we are a little bit at a loss of how to proceed
Also there is quite a bit of rust on metal surface under the drip pans/ burners. We have removed most of the rust but there is a lot of pitting discoloration of that previously stainless metal . Is it possible to paint this , or just clean and leave well enough alone?
Thank you for all your help!
