Tappan trivia

[spiralactivator]

Does anyone remember the Tappan Pan-O-Matic range? I've seen it in the "hot new products" sections of early '70s mags like House Beautiful. The Pan-O-Matic was a panel with outlets, and the user cooked with electric pots and pans. Obviously the experiment never took off.

 

[gansky1]

I do remember seeing these, now I want to see a picture again!

Westinghouse had a built-in cord center for Westinghouse smalls, but it also had a timing center, etc. with it. It didn't replace the stove/range, but added to your kitchen pleasure.

 

[DADoES]

Never heard of that! Would love to see a pic.

 

[maytagbear]

I too, saw the picture,

but never saw it in the flesh.

I like to choose my own cookware, thank you.

Lawrence/Maytagbear

 

[retromom]

Multi-tasking Tappan....

Sounds interesting. Love anything with "o-matic" in it (this includes you, Veg). Was this set up like a warming tray type thing? Did you just put the pans, etc. on it and plug it in? Did it just rest on the counter? Does anyone have a pic? Sorry about the twenty questions. This almost sounds like something one might even consider using in a dorm in years past.

 

[partscounterman]

I saw something like this once

A family my mom used to babysit for had something like this in their house. I seem to remember that it was a Westinghouse, but then I cannot remember last week...

Anyway, it looked like a range hood with a backsplash that went all the way down to the counter top. There were 4 recepticles that you would plug the electrified pans into. Across the front of the hood were the indiviual controls for the outlets.

I've thought about this unit many times and I'm glad someone brought it up.

Another range story-Last night we ran out to Honokawai to pick up a range for disposal. Most the junk ranges around here are cheap kenmore pieces of *poo* that have the crummy painted control panels that go to heck the minute grease or cleaner come into contact with it. So imagine my surprise when I see this sweet '60's GE range with the cool-to-look-at (but a drag to cook with) pushbutton controls. What really funny is that the tenant in this condo unit start telling me how I need to fix this cute range up and not just throw it away. I'll try to post a pic-Its just a BOL model, but looks real cool with its embossed aluminum control panel. Even the sides are porcelain, not just paint. The way she kept on about how I should fix this range up, I wondered if she wasn't an Applianceville member! So fun to find a real vintage appliance here (the other Land of Rust!) Oh and like all the good old appliances, this range weighed a ton more than the modern crap

 

[spiralactivator]

GE range

Coincidentally, the place I'm renting for the summer has a '60s GE pushbutton range. It's MOL (I guess), 40 inches wide, with two ovens...and the landlord isn't sure which burners/elements work and which do not.

 

[joeekaitis]

My parents' house in Rialto, California was built in 1957 with the Levittown kitchen by GE. One outlet on the backsplash has 3 slots in a single row and is labeled "AUTOMATIC GRIDDLE" but there was no griddle to be found when we moved in in 1960.

 

[david]

Weren't the 70's fascinating times for appliances?

 

[maytagbear]

David-- Far more interesting

than now!

Appliance companies were exciting and innovative back then, and have been playing it safe and staid since the late 70s.

GM Frigidaire seems to have been the last stylistically innovative manufacturer.

Lawrence/Maytagbear

 

[appnut]

the 50s were exciting times for appliances. and so were the 60s. TOOO!!!

 

[toggleswitch]

I'd say NOW is the time and the "good old days", kiddies... with mandatory transition away from T/L water-hogs by 2007.

There are wild new technoliges that may be a flash-in-the-pan, ultimately.

Huge flood of imports due to everyone slapping their badge on a "rice-burning" Sumsung or LG, etc. [Just to be fair, ours are known as "potato-burners." works better with cars, but the analogy seems to work, sorta.]

Once that Pandoras's box is opened, and competition hits our Holy Trinity (GE, Whirlpool and Maytag) will be sweating!!

Frigilux I'd say is already kicking A@@ and probably not seen as an international guest, but rather domestic.