What Vintage Appliances Can You Still Buy Today?

[thatwasherguy]

Hi everyone! Hope you’re all well. It has come to my attention that there are a number of appliances (both small and major) that have quite a long design history, some of which are still made today. For instance, the Whirlpool 29” (top filter) dryer that came out in 1966 is still being made today, albeit with some updates. So is the classic Speed Queen washer and dryer design, that can be traced back to the 90’s. The Osterizer Galaxie blenders that have been around since the 70’s are also still being made today (I talked a friend into replacing her crappy ninja blender with one of these not too long ago, and she loves it). I guess the Whirlpool VMW can also go on this list, since its design originated in the 1980’s as the ‘World Washer’. The Whirlpool 27” (DOTT) dryer also originated in the 80’s IIRC. I also recently discovered that Brown Stove Works still exists, and is selling products that look like they were just brought through a time portal from an 80’s Sears catalog. And of course, you can’t mention vintage-spec appliances without bringing up KitchenAid stand mixers, with their design going back to WWII era. I can also think of a bunch of current vacuum cleaners that are vintage designs, like the Numatic Henry, SEBO X and G series, Windsor Versamatic, Sanitaire Tradition, 8 lb Oreck, Hoover Commercial PortaPower, and whatever Kirby is currently making. All of this had me wondering, what other vintage appliances can still be bought new? Also, has anyone on here ever bought one of those vintage-spec Brown stoves? If so, what was it like?

Thanks,
Thatwasherguy.

 

[Chetlaham]

First thing that comes to mind for me are Sharp and some Amana commercial microwaves. Those designs has been around for decades and can still be purchased new.

Thank you for reminding me about Brown Stove Works. Its comforting to know they are still around and making no nonsense ranges and cook-tops that can be easily repaired.

 

[combo52]

Vintage appliance designs that are still available

Yes, Brown stove works is definitely still around. We sell a half dozen of their ranges every year unfortunately the quality is terrible. There’s something wrong with nearly everyone that comes out of the box.

They’re very basic ranges, fortunately Sears never sold them with their name on them. Browns gas ranges are very basic with no features at all broilers down at the floor still, and their electric ranges are just awful. They don’t even have vents in the oven so when you cook things that have a lot of moisture and water runs down the inside of the door and leaks all over the place, I got in a big debate with their so-called engineers about that bad design years ago we had to take some of their electric ranges back because of the leaking problem.

Brown may be the last family owned independent appliance manufacturer however I wish them luck.

The whirlpool 27 inch dryer design dates to about 1988 and it has been copied by Samsung and LG among others in many ways.

The current Speed Queen top load washer and dryer design goes back to around 1980. The washer has been changed in a number of ways the dryer not much, Speed Queen‘s great front load washer goes back to around 1999, with an increase in capacity and update around 2015.

Hi Chet, there is absolutely no similarity between what sharp is building today and what they built 20 or 30 years ago no microwave oven has maintained any interchangeability of parts and design over the last 20+ years that field of appliances has changed constantly to bring cost down and quality.

John L

 

[phillymatt53]

Hi everyone! Hope you’re all well. It has come to my attention that there are a number of appliances (both small and major) that have quite a long design history, some of which are still made today. For instance, the Whirlpool 29” (top filter) dryer that came out in 1966 is still being made today, albeit with some updates. So is the classic Speed Queen washer and dryer design, that can be traced back to the 90’s. The Osterizer Galaxie blenders that have been around since the 70’s are also still being made today (I talked a friend into replacing her crappy ninja blender with one of these not too long ago, and she loves it). I guess the Whirlpool VMW can also go on this list, since its design originated in the 1980’s as the ‘World Washer’. The Whirlpool 27” (DOTT) dryer also originated in the 80’s IIRC. I also recently discovered that Brown Stove Works still exists, and is selling products that look like they were just brought through a time portal from an 80’s Sears catalog. And of course, you can’t mention vintage-spec appliances without bringing up KitchenAid stand mixers, with their design going back to WWII era. I can also think of a bunch of current vacuum cleaners that are vintage designs, like the Numatic Henry, SEBO X and G series, Windsor Versamatic, Sanitaire Tradition, 8 lb Oreck, Hoover Commercial PortaPower, and whatever Kirby is currently making. All of this had me wondering, what other vintage appliances can still be bought new? Also, has anyone on here ever bought one of those vintage-spec Brown stoves? If so, what was it like?

Thanks,
Thatwasherguy.

While a lot of those "Vintage" Brand Names that you mentioned are still "alive" with current products, there's one thing that you must consider....
First, you did mention "updates", and in a lot of cases, that's not particularly a good thing.
For instance something made in 1970 and compared to what is made by a certain manufacturer today is very likely to be inferior in quality. and prone to issues or failures.

For instance, that Kitchenaid stand mixer originally was made with metal gears and a simple electrical system.
These days, that gearbox has polymer plastic gears and a complex electronic control system. - both of which are the result of corporate manufacturing costs and cutbacks.
I've read reviews about it, the numerous complaints about the gearbox failures, etc.
It may "look" the same as a vintage model, but that is where the similarity stops.

Corporate politics within a manufacturer's line of appliances, cars, home entertainment products, etc., determine product quality levels.
The Outsourcing of manufacturing, along with foreign quality control also determines quality levels.

You can't always assume that just because a long-term popular brand name is still "in business" that it's the same as decades ago.
A product brand name such as "RCA" or "Westinghouse" used to be an American owned and controlled company - not today, the name has been bought by an overseas investor.
Because there's something called "Brand Recognition" that manufacturers rely on, knowing that past customers have a tendency to stick to a particular brand that they were previously happy with.