yes they did. Other friends of our in Dallas built a custom home. They had a KDI15 DW and WK cooktop (with the Chambers type of ringlet gas burners as I called 'em) and a WK double oven.
Waste King
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westyslantfront
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When my parents sold their summer home in 1993, the Waste King stainless steel electric stove was still there. As it was a summer home, the stove had less use than usual.
Ross
Ross
What's "Plastinol"??
The GE's used what they called "Plastinol" as a tank coating for their dishwashers from about 1958 to 1980. Is/was Plastinol just a heavy vinyl coating? IIRC I saw a couple of those dishwashers with tears and inevitable rust but all of ours maintained their integrity to the bitter end.
The GE's used what they called "Plastinol" as a tank coating for their dishwashers from about 1958 to 1980. Is/was Plastinol just a heavy vinyl coating? IIRC I saw a couple of those dishwashers with tears and inevitable rust but all of ours maintained their integrity to the bitter end.
varicyclevoice
Well-known member
Waste King dishwashers
Hi Guys,
I have some pictures of a Waste King dishwasher if you would like me to post. I also have acquired a Waste King use and care manual for the TOL dishwasher around 1979-80. It was for the "Steam Machine." I don't ever remember how I acquired the manual. I remember coming home from school one day and my Mom said it came in the mail. I must have written to the company for it, which I had done from time to time.
Anyway, when I was growing up, my friend Bobby had a coppertone Waste King dishwasher in his kitchen. It was basically a portable model with a butcher block top but they had run plumbing to it from the floor so his mother didn't have to attach the hoses. I remember from time to time that she would run it when I was there and I thought it was one of the noisiest machines I'd ever heard. His mother told me once they they often would run it after they would all go upstairs to bed because of the noise it made in kitchen.
When I was in high school, I used to take apart and repair dishwashers from time to time for fun (to learn) and also to make a little extra money. The very first dishwasher I brought home was a Waste King portable (sitting in front of a house in my hometown of Sterling, Illinois. I was riding my bike from my grandmother's house to my house and passed it on the way home. I remember begging my Dad to let me get it and work on it. I told him if I couldn't fix it that I would wheel it to the curb. He agreed and we got it. I spent a few Saturdays after that cleaning it up and working on it. Turns out the pump was clogged up and wouldn't drain. I fixed it and sold it at a rummage sale for $75.00. The Waste King machines didn't really have a filter if I remember. They had small holes around a pump in the bottom center.
Once I had it running properly, my Mom and Dad would let me bring into the house and hook it up in the kitchen and we could run a load of dishes through it to make sure it worked before I sold it. --those were the days! This model, too, was very noisy! I don't know how people put up with it. Compared to KitchenAid, I felt like WK was inferior and their rack design too was very inadequate.
Hope this thread isn't too long...I like sharing stories with you guys who might find an interest in it. I certainly love reading your stories.
Oh and by the way, I will identify myself per chachp's request! It is I who has knocked on people's doors and inquired about their newly acquired vintage dishwashers. I acquired a beautiful near-mint KitchenAid KDC-17 dishwasher in this manner. She saved my number for 2 yrs and called me out of the blue one day. (I never thought she'd remember after all that time.)
Todd
Hi Guys,
I have some pictures of a Waste King dishwasher if you would like me to post. I also have acquired a Waste King use and care manual for the TOL dishwasher around 1979-80. It was for the "Steam Machine." I don't ever remember how I acquired the manual. I remember coming home from school one day and my Mom said it came in the mail. I must have written to the company for it, which I had done from time to time.
Anyway, when I was growing up, my friend Bobby had a coppertone Waste King dishwasher in his kitchen. It was basically a portable model with a butcher block top but they had run plumbing to it from the floor so his mother didn't have to attach the hoses. I remember from time to time that she would run it when I was there and I thought it was one of the noisiest machines I'd ever heard. His mother told me once they they often would run it after they would all go upstairs to bed because of the noise it made in kitchen.
When I was in high school, I used to take apart and repair dishwashers from time to time for fun (to learn) and also to make a little extra money. The very first dishwasher I brought home was a Waste King portable (sitting in front of a house in my hometown of Sterling, Illinois. I was riding my bike from my grandmother's house to my house and passed it on the way home. I remember begging my Dad to let me get it and work on it. I told him if I couldn't fix it that I would wheel it to the curb. He agreed and we got it. I spent a few Saturdays after that cleaning it up and working on it. Turns out the pump was clogged up and wouldn't drain. I fixed it and sold it at a rummage sale for $75.00. The Waste King machines didn't really have a filter if I remember. They had small holes around a pump in the bottom center.
Once I had it running properly, my Mom and Dad would let me bring into the house and hook it up in the kitchen and we could run a load of dishes through it to make sure it worked before I sold it. --those were the days! This model, too, was very noisy! I don't know how people put up with it. Compared to KitchenAid, I felt like WK was inferior and their rack design too was very inadequate.
Hope this thread isn't too long...I like sharing stories with you guys who might find an interest in it. I certainly love reading your stories.
Oh and by the way, I will identify myself per chachp's request! It is I who has knocked on people's doors and inquired about their newly acquired vintage dishwashers. I acquired a beautiful near-mint KitchenAid KDC-17 dishwasher in this manner. She saved my number for 2 yrs and called me out of the blue one day. (I never thought she'd remember after all that time.)
Todd
Please
I'd love to see some more pictures of these machines. As I've said in other posts, I have some brochures packed away somewhere and as soon as I find them I'll share them. You've inspired me to go up to one of my neighbor's doors and knock. I'm going to be known locally as the weird appliance guy, but that's OK; most of my friends already refer to me as "Dr. Appliance" (among other nicknames).
I'd love to see some more pictures of these machines. As I've said in other posts, I have some brochures packed away somewhere and as soon as I find them I'll share them. You've inspired me to go up to one of my neighbor's doors and knock. I'm going to be known locally as the weird appliance guy, but that's OK; most of my friends already refer to me as "Dr. Appliance" (among other nicknames).
Yes, please post the pics. I'd love for you to put the owners manual you have in thatpart of the web site too if you could have it scanned in.
andrewinorlando
Well-known member
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- Oct 18, 2004
- Messages
- 1,392
Gary, can you post that brochure to the site, or e-mail it directly to me? I would greatly appreciate it!! It brings back such memories. I loved my Waste King dishwasher...especially the sounds it made!
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neptunebob
Well-known member
History of Waste King?
I think WK may have been a regional brand of appliances sold mostly out west? I never saw one in Pgh but did see them on The Price is Right. Who owned the company?
Varicyclechoice, I was kind of like you too with getting appliances out of the garbage. Most of the time I could not get anything big to work but I have never bought a vacuum cleaner new - all the ones I have are from the curb. I was also an appliance consultant in our neighborhood. It amazes me that people don't know what appliances they have even though they have to look at them every day. One person who wanted me to look at his dryer told me "It's no fun to use so I try not to look at it."
Reason I think WK would have been owned by someone else is that I am not sure if people would want to buy or cook food on a range called Waste King.
I think WK may have been a regional brand of appliances sold mostly out west? I never saw one in Pgh but did see them on The Price is Right. Who owned the company?
Varicyclechoice, I was kind of like you too with getting appliances out of the garbage. Most of the time I could not get anything big to work but I have never bought a vacuum cleaner new - all the ones I have are from the curb. I was also an appliance consultant in our neighborhood. It amazes me that people don't know what appliances they have even though they have to look at them every day. One person who wanted me to look at his dryer told me "It's no fun to use so I try not to look at it."
Reason I think WK would have been owned by someone else is that I am not sure if people would want to buy or cook food on a range called Waste King.
Thanks Laundress!
It was owned by the same company that owned Thermador and, yes, they were based in the LA area. Waste King disposers are made today by a company called "Anaheim Manufacturing", so I suppose this is/was a divestiture of that parent company. Thermador dishwashers are now somebody else's rebadged but they were originally made by Waste King and virtually identical to them. If you remember TV shows well, family's like the Stevenses on Bewitched and others all had Waste King indoor gas barbecue grills (which I'd KILL for today) in their spiffy TV kitchens. They weren't as popular here in the East but occasionally you'd see them pictured in a high end kitchen designed by somebody like St. Charles or Mutschler. I hear that they were great at grilling but required a serious overhead hood as they were gas fired.
My Aunt Sona had an early Waste King DW like the plastisol one described above. I do remember the cross patterned racking that was described. What I most remember about that machine was a pretty control panel with red and turquoise stripes and a big friendly black dial. Her machine was probably BOL but it worked well; it was noisy and I also remember it had nothing but a pathetic little plastic "trough" for detergent. You measured the detergent into it and it "fell" into the tank as you closed the door. Not exactly state of the art automatic. They were very happy to replace that Waste King with a KDC-17 in 1969.
It was owned by the same company that owned Thermador and, yes, they were based in the LA area. Waste King disposers are made today by a company called "Anaheim Manufacturing", so I suppose this is/was a divestiture of that parent company. Thermador dishwashers are now somebody else's rebadged but they were originally made by Waste King and virtually identical to them. If you remember TV shows well, family's like the Stevenses on Bewitched and others all had Waste King indoor gas barbecue grills (which I'd KILL for today) in their spiffy TV kitchens. They weren't as popular here in the East but occasionally you'd see them pictured in a high end kitchen designed by somebody like St. Charles or Mutschler. I hear that they were great at grilling but required a serious overhead hood as they were gas fired.
My Aunt Sona had an early Waste King DW like the plastisol one described above. I do remember the cross patterned racking that was described. What I most remember about that machine was a pretty control panel with red and turquoise stripes and a big friendly black dial. Her machine was probably BOL but it worked well; it was noisy and I also remember it had nothing but a pathetic little plastic "trough" for detergent. You measured the detergent into it and it "fell" into the tank as you closed the door. Not exactly state of the art automatic. They were very happy to replace that Waste King with a KDC-17 in 1969.
lightedcontrols
Well-known member
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- Sep 7, 2004
- Messages
- 1,549
The Thermador Model Steam Machine
In the 80's (my 4th husband, I believe) we moved out to a little island off Saint Patersburg, Florida. (Snell Isle) We did a redo of the kitchen first. I bought the TOL Thermador Steam Machine. Waste King at the time, was using the Thermador name for the cooking appliances, and was using Waste King exclusively for the disposers. (even though you could get a badged Thermador disposer) As I remember, it had 7 or 8 chrome buttons on the left side of the door and as many lights on the right that indicated placement in the cycle. It had one of those electro-mechanical timers under the machine that you could hear clicking when you pushed your selected cycle. I do remember that it was OVER $1,000.00 back in the 80's!!! I really loved the machine and when I moved wanted to take it with me, but the people that bought the house insisted that it stay. :~( It was a little noisy but no more so than my mother's KitchenAid Superba.....and my Thermador could wash circles around her KA! I've still got the brochures from that machine somewhere in the warehouse. When I get everything unpacked, I'll post it. Mark
In the 80's (my 4th husband, I believe) we moved out to a little island off Saint Patersburg, Florida. (Snell Isle) We did a redo of the kitchen first. I bought the TOL Thermador Steam Machine. Waste King at the time, was using the Thermador name for the cooking appliances, and was using Waste King exclusively for the disposers. (even though you could get a badged Thermador disposer) As I remember, it had 7 or 8 chrome buttons on the left side of the door and as many lights on the right that indicated placement in the cycle. It had one of those electro-mechanical timers under the machine that you could hear clicking when you pushed your selected cycle. I do remember that it was OVER $1,000.00 back in the 80's!!! I really loved the machine and when I moved wanted to take it with me, but the people that bought the house insisted that it stay. :~( It was a little noisy but no more so than my mother's KitchenAid Superba.....and my Thermador could wash circles around her KA! I've still got the brochures from that machine somewhere in the warehouse. When I get everything unpacked, I'll post it. Mark
nmaineman36
Well-known member
- Joined
- Sep 25, 2004
- Messages
- 933
I have a Waste King "Gourmet" Disposer. Rugged pig and made well. Never have a clogged sink with that pig. I call it a pig since it eats just about anything you throw at her.
We dont see many Waste King or Thermador dishwashers here inNew England..at least I have not seen one in use anywhere. I have seen a couple in the junk piles of a couple of appliance stores and was tempted to grab em but didnt.
We dont see many Waste King or Thermador dishwashers here inNew England..at least I have not seen one in use anywhere. I have seen a couple in the junk piles of a couple of appliance stores and was tempted to grab em but didnt.
Picture #1
Here's one of two pics posted by someone that had this dishwasher ina house in San Antonio. This was end of July, 2005. They were trying to see if anyone wanted it. No takers. It had some rust inside, but I don't think was terminal. Was purported to still be running. This is about a 1962 version of our 1959 model, just a slightly diffreent looking control panel.
Here's one of two pics posted by someone that had this dishwasher ina house in San Antonio. This was end of July, 2005. They were trying to see if anyone wanted it. No takers. It had some rust inside, but I don't think was terminal. Was purported to still be running. This is about a 1962 version of our 1959 model, just a slightly diffreent looking control panel.
Pic #2
Ahh The timer knob on ours looked like an almost identical cousin to the Lauindromat that was just POD a couple of days ago. You grabbed the "wing" and pulled it out to start the machine. Dind't have the round center like shown here.
Ahh The timer knob on ours looked like an almost identical cousin to the Lauindromat that was just POD a couple of days ago. You grabbed the "wing" and pulled it out to start the machine. Dind't have the round center like shown here.
Some additional history
The dishwasher above was the 3rd design of WasteKing machines. Growing up we had the previous design machine with the same cycles, but a single wash arm with needle holes. The bottom rack had four quadrants for loading (e.g. Large plates going left to right & front to back leaving an opening in the center. Smaller bowls & plates were loaded on the diagonal from the corners to the center. The upper rack was similar to the early KitchenAid's, with two simple dividers creating rows for the glassware (no tines).
Ours and the model above suffered from the same fate: the pumps on both models are made out of aluminum. These pumps wore out around the edge near the gasket, or most often in the bearing area. Bearings were replaceable, but expensive, and eventually WasteKing only offered a complete motor & pump assembly as a repair option (quite expensive with labor).
Part of the reason for their demise was also due to the design of the pump & motor. The pump housing formed the top of the motor. They were not seperate pieces. As the seals & bearings wore out, they resulting water leaks destroyed the motor.
Finally, these models had a plastisol tank. They suffered the same fate as the old GE models (the harder the mineral content of the water, the worse the eventual failure).
Although the stainless tanks were an improvement on durability, the pumps continued to be made out of aluminum. In the late 60's the pump was redesigned & was made of high impact plastic. The motor became a seperate component & their reliability increased.
A previous posting commented on the lack of filter in these later models. Because of this these machines redeposited alot of food soil back on dishes, thus resulting in thier fairly low ratings by Consumer Reports.
They are classic machines, with a truly unique design. Just not very reliable.
The dishwasher above was the 3rd design of WasteKing machines. Growing up we had the previous design machine with the same cycles, but a single wash arm with needle holes. The bottom rack had four quadrants for loading (e.g. Large plates going left to right & front to back leaving an opening in the center. Smaller bowls & plates were loaded on the diagonal from the corners to the center. The upper rack was similar to the early KitchenAid's, with two simple dividers creating rows for the glassware (no tines).
Ours and the model above suffered from the same fate: the pumps on both models are made out of aluminum. These pumps wore out around the edge near the gasket, or most often in the bearing area. Bearings were replaceable, but expensive, and eventually WasteKing only offered a complete motor & pump assembly as a repair option (quite expensive with labor).
Part of the reason for their demise was also due to the design of the pump & motor. The pump housing formed the top of the motor. They were not seperate pieces. As the seals & bearings wore out, they resulting water leaks destroyed the motor.
Finally, these models had a plastisol tank. They suffered the same fate as the old GE models (the harder the mineral content of the water, the worse the eventual failure).
Although the stainless tanks were an improvement on durability, the pumps continued to be made out of aluminum. In the late 60's the pump was redesigned & was made of high impact plastic. The motor became a seperate component & their reliability increased.
A previous posting commented on the lack of filter in these later models. Because of this these machines redeposited alot of food soil back on dishes, thus resulting in thier fairly low ratings by Consumer Reports.
They are classic machines, with a truly unique design. Just not very reliable.
Bigal, we both had the same dishwasher--the 2nd design as you mention. We had very hard water in the house we moved the dishwasher to in 1961. Less than 2 years later, we had problems with the drain solenoid messed up by limescale. We ended up getting a water softener.
The ad that Laundress posted brought back more memory (Jeez, senile at age 50 yet!): WasteKing/Universal and Thermador were subsidiaries of Norris Industries. Universal made some kicking gas stoves in the 50's and early 60's.
As per request
Cover page
Cover page
Back page
Interesting
Interesting
Some more
Brochure info
Brochure info
